New legends for world
we are not aware of our own folklore any more than we are of the grammatical rules of our language.When we follow the ancient practice of informally transmitting "lore"-wisdom,knowledge,or accepted modes of behavior-by word of mouth and customary example from person to person,we do not concentrate on the form or content of our folklore; instead,we simply listen to information that others tell us and then pass it on-more or less accurately-to other listeners.In this stream of unselfconscious oral tradition the information that acquires a clear story line is called narrative folklore,and those stories alleged to be true are legends.
It might seem unlikely that legends-urban legends at that-would continue to be created in an age of widespread literacy,rapid mass communications,and restless travel.While our pioneer ancestors may have had to rely heavily on oral traditions yo pass the news along about changing events and frontier dangers,surely we no longer need mere"folk"reports of what's happening,with all their tendencies to distort the facts.A moment's reflection,however,reminds us of the many weird,fascinating,but unverified rumors and tales that so frequently come to our ears-killers and madman on the loose,shocking or funny personal experiences,unsafe manufactured products,and many other unexplained mysteries of daily life.Sometimes we encounter different oral versions of such stories,and on occasion we may read about similar events in newspapers or magazines;but seldom do we find,or even seek after, reliable documentation.The lack of verification in no way diminishes the appeal urban legends have for us.In short,legends are definitely part of our modern folklore-legends which are as traditional,variable,and functional as those of the part.
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