Library Essentials Month: Types of the Folktale in the Arab World: A Demographically Oriented Tale-Type Index by Hasan M. El-Shamy

Types of the Folktale in the Arab World: A Demographically Oriented Tale-Type Index by Hasan M. El-Shamy is another important book in your repertorie if you are searching for fairy tale and folklore variants. While the AT /ATU system is critical, they are still dominated by the European tales. For that matter, the system is primarily based upon the European versions of the tales. El-Shamy, one of the leaders in Arab folklore, organizes tales in Arab folklore under the AT system. So if you are looking for say, Cinderella tales in Kuwait, Yemen, or Lebanon, this is the book you need to consult.

Unfortunately for English speakers, more than half of the tales listed are not available in English. But if a tale was available in English before the book's 2004 publication date, it is most likely here. El-Shamy also breaks down the tales into their motifs, making it easier to see why each tale qualifies to be listed under different variant types. After all, the tales from other parts of the world often don't fit easily into the European dominated system due to cultural, especially religious, differences.

I've spent many hours perusing this book, searching it for variants from around the world. It is fascinating to see some of the underlying motifs that show how tales that appear dissimilar on the surface really have strong ties through their themes.

Here's the book description from the publisher:

Types of the Folktale in the Arab World is an index and preliminary analysis of folktales told by the diverse ethnic groups that populate what is commonly called "the Arab World." It is also a comprehensive and interdisciplinary guide to tales told in related cultural spheres, from sub-Saharan Africa to Turkey and beyond. A folktale's emergence, spread, stability, change, continued presence, or disappearance among certain social groups depends on specific psychological, social, and cultural forces. While Hasan El-Shamy has adopted the familiar tale-type classification system employed by Antti Aarne and Stith Thompson, he also seeks to remedy the Eurocentric shortcomings of their system by addressing folklore as behavior, striving to bring the psychosocial foundation for the Arab renditions to this comprehensive and inclusive index. Types of the Folktale in the Arab World is destined to become an indispensable reference work for all who are interested in Arab culture and the folktale.

And while we are here, here is the table of contents:

Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Note on Data Presentation
Outline of the Aarne-Thompson Classification of Tales (1-2412)

DOTTI-A: TALE TYPES
I. ANIMAL TALES 1-299
II. ORDINARY FOLK-TALES: 300-1199
A. Tales of Magic: 300-749A
B. Religious Tales: 750-84
C. Novelle (Romantic Tales): 850-999
D. Tales of the Stupid Ogre: 1000-1199
III. JOKES AND ANECDOTES: 1200-1999
IV. FORMULA TALES: 2000-2399
V. UNCLASSIFIED TALES: 2400-2499
REGISTER OF MOTIFS
REGISTER OF TALE TYPES
SOURCES
GENERAL INDEX

This book was a massive undertaking for El-Shamy and is quite indispensible in my library. It is also referenced regularly in the Uther edition of the ATU index as a resource, so it walks hand in hand with it although the classifications are based upon the AT, not the updated ATU.