Children’s Folklore Recent Titles in Greenwood Folklore Handbooks Myth: a handbook

Catch.
An embarrassing riddle conclusion; alternatively, a folktale ending that involves a 
surprise or grab.
Childhood underground.
As defined by Mary and Herbert Knapp (1976), the child-
hood underground is the transmission system by which children learn from each 
other, with minimal or no adult interference.
Childlore.
Children’s folklore.
Contemporary legend.
A term that became common in the early 1990s. Contemporary 
legends express current interests and concerns.
Context.
Information related to the collection of a legend text or another kind of folk-
lore: location, circumstances, mood, presence of other people, and any other relevant 
factors.
Dialectics.
As defined by Linda Dégh and Andrew Vázsonyi (1976), a legend-telling 
process that involves belief, partial belief, and skepticism, all of which make the legend 
a lively genre.
Divination.
Guessing or foretelling the future, as in predicting who one’s future spouse 
will be while jumping rope.
Double Dutch.
A jump-rope style involving two ropes or one doubled rope, turned very 
quickly.
Dozens.
Humorous insults from the African American tradition.
Fieldworker.
Someone who collects folklore.
Folk.
People who share various forms of traditional learning.
Folklore.
Traditional learning shared by people in small or larger groups.
Fort.
An indoor or outdoor shelter built by children.
Freudian.
Characteristic of the theory of Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), the Austrian 
neurologist who founded psychoanalysis.
Function.
The purpose served by folklore.
Funny-scary story.
A tale that begins in a frightening way but ends humorously.
Genre.
A particular kind of folklore: for example, the legend, the folktale, or the joke.
Ghost story.
A story about supernatural characters or events.

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150 Glossary
Halloween.
The evening of October 31, when, according to British and American folk 
tradition, ghosts walk and tricks take place; some communities have a separate “Mis-
chief Night.”