557-568

• Taylor, Archer

This brief tale illustrates well some characteristic problems in the comparative study of tales. In the following remarks my emphasis is intended to fall more on these problems than on the history of the tale. The tale deals with a poor man’s dissatisfaction with his meagre reception in Heaven. It contrasts unfavorably with that of a rich man who comes to Heaven’s gate at the same time. The poor man is admitted with little circumstance, but the rich man, whose like, as St. Peter explains, comes only once in a hundred years, is received with rejoicing and music. The actors and the details vary from version to version and will be the objects of our special attention. For convenience the texts may be classified according to the actors: (1) Poor Man and Rich Man; (2) Poor Man and a Religious Figure; (3) Poor Man (Preacher) and Lawyer; (4) Other Contrasted Actors.

• Other Humanities
• Languages and Literature

• Literature and folklore

Το άρθρο περιέχεται στο ειδικό τεύχος με τίτλο: IV International Congress for folk-narrative research in Athens (1.9-6.9 1964): lectures and reports