This collection of 25 papers (originally published over a period of about 25 years) is directed toward English-language readers. The papers describe the genres of folklore research, their systems, the variants and their interrelations – very important themes in the area. Several studies are devoted to history of research, and to historical stratification of folklore itself. Symbolism and ethnic characteristics of folklore items are the topics of other papers. The actuality of folklore is a key notion within the book. The papers follow the same style, with a general and systematizing approach, and a general bibliography closes the volume. Referring not only to Hungarian, but American, Russian, French, even Greek and Finnish monographs, Voigt’s work is a unique attempt to give suggestions toward a comparative and actual theory of folklore. These studies will be relevant readings to scholars of literature, communication theory, semiotics and culture theory too – just to mention some of the papers in the book. This collection of 25 papers (originally published over a period of about 25 years) is directed toward English-language readers. The papers describe the genres of folklore research, their systems, the variants and their interrelations – very important themes in the area. Several studies are devoted to history of research, and to historical stratification of folklore itself. Symbolism and ethnic characteristics of folklore items are the topics of other papers. The actuality of folklore is a key notion within the book. The papers follow the same style, with a general and systematizing approach, and a general bibliography closes the volume. Referring not only to Hungarian, but American, Russian, French, even Greek and Finnish monographs, Voigt’s work is a unique attempt to give suggestions toward a comparative and actual theory of folklore. These studies will be relevant readings to scholars of literature, communication theory, semiotics and culture theory too – just to mention some of the papers in the book.