Algunas consideraciones sobre los temas de los cuentos tradicionales de Castilla y León

Abstract

The comparison of the animal tales and tales of magic in three large collections of traditional tales provides an inventory of tales of the types mentioned in the areas of Castile and Leon. The fact that the tales were collected during a limited period gives precise information regarding the popularity and preservation of the various themes and types. Based on the catalogue of Aarne-Thompson, the inventory includes sorne 160 types of tales. The most popular tales are generally the same in the three collections. In the most recent one, a tendency to shorten the tale is apparent, and there is a considerable number of very short tales. In any case, the inventory gives evidence of the vitality of the oral tale in popular culture.