About Scholarly Encyclopedias
Use scholarly encyclopedias to discover:
1. Discipline-specific context written and reviewed by experts.
2. Important scholars/ works in the field.
3. Theoretical background.
4. Definitions of concepts/ terms.
The ATU Fairy-Tale Classification System
Researchers Aarne, Thompson, and Uther developed the "ATU" classification system in order to group like tales together and to distinguish between variants. The 3-volume downloadable set linked below is the authoritative bibliography of the ATU system. The research cited for each type includes documentation of its international distribution, as well as monographic works or articles on that type. A detailed subject index includes the most important subjects, actions, and other motifs, including actors and settings. Access provided courtesy of the Kalevala Society Foundation and Folklore Fellows' Communications (FFC).
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The Types of International Folktales PART I: Animal Tales, Tales of Magic, Religious Tales, and Realistic TalesATU Tales 1-992A. Each entry includes a brief description of the tale, other tales it is often combined with, and author remarks. A key part of each entry is the "Literature/Variants" section. "Literature" lists the most important bibliographical sources in chronological order (until 2004), formatted as author/date (e.g. "Thaarup-Andersen 1954"). "Variants" lists evidence for the geographic spread of the tale type, which always start with a nation (e.g. "Norwegian: Hodne 1984").
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The Types of International Folktales PART II: Tales of the Stupid Ogre, Anecdotes and Jokes, and Formula TalesATU Tales 1000-2411. Same layout as PART I.
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The Types of International Folktales PART III: AppendicesThe key part of this one is the alphabetical subject index, pages 134-285.
Scholarly Encyclopedias
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Oxford Companion to Fairy TalesIn this updated second edition from 2015, over 1,000 entries cover all aspects of the Western fairy tale tradition, from medieval to modern. Edited by scholar Jack Zipes.
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Routledge Companion to Media and Fairy-Tale CulturesDownloadable ebook. This 2018 release offers a clear, detailed, and expansive overview of contemporary themes and issues throughout the intersections of the fields of fairy-tale studies, media studies, and cultural studies, addressing issues of reception, audience cultures, ideology, remediation, and adaptation. Each chapter has an abstract.
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A Companion to the Fairy TaleDeals with the main collections - Grimm brothers, Hans Andersen, Perrault and Afanasyev - and with the development of tales in various regions of Europe, including Ireland, Wales, Scandinavia, Germany, Russia, and India.
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Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy TalesThis 3-volume print set from 2008 provides alphabetically arranged entries on folk and fairy tales from around the world, including information on authors, subjects, themes, characters, and national traditions.
