With the growth of interest in folklore, it becomes increasingly evident that the presentation of a collection needs some rationale more than the fact that traditional materials have been collected and properly annotated. Much has been gathered and is now accessible through journals, archives, and lists. If a corpus of lore is not presented in someway which bears new light on the process of word-of-mouth transmission, on traditional forms or expressions, or on the group among whom the lore was encountered, there is little reason to present it to the public.

One: The Tellers; I: The Neighborhood; II: The Element of Verbal Contest; III: The Heroes; Two: The Texts; Introduction: Style and Performance; IV: The Toast; V: The Jokes