Macedonian Folklore by George Frederick Abbott, first published in 1903, is a rare manuscript, the original residing in one of the great libraries of the world. This book is a reproduction of that original, which has been scanned and cleaned by state-of-the-art publishing tools for better readability and enhanced appreciation. Restoration Editors' mission is to bring long out of print manuscripts back to life. Some smudges, annotations or unclear text may still exist, due to permanent damage to the original work. We believe the literary significance of the text justifies offering this reproduction, allowing a new generation to appreciate it.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1903 Edition.

"To their Excellencies the Turkish Government officials, who so generously contributed to the enjoyment of his tour, this humble record of it is gratefully inscribed by the Author." Mr. Abbott's dedication, if we may judge by a quotation from "Hudibras" which accompanies it, is intended for sarcasm. But Turkish officials, whatever their other shortcomings, are notoriously hospitable and friendly to travelers, and Mr. Abbott, though he seems to have had no claim upon their generosity, was evidently treated with great kindness. His return for this takes the form of slanderous sneers and scandals at second hand. When Hadji Demir Bey asked him to dinner, Mr. Abbott reflected that the stain of associating with an infidel would doubtless be washed off in the blood of infidels someday. Judging from the rest of the book, this brutal and unnecessary remark was intended to be funny. Here are further examples of the author's new humor. As everyone knows, the whirling dervishes execute a graceful and solemn exercise, which is symbolical of the universe. Mr. Abbott alludes to their "ballet... not advertised in an ordinary way". Their devout serenity, he says, "revealed nothing more spiritual than the serenity which comes from intellectual vacuity assisted by perfect digestion." Again, deeming it clever to romance about himself, by the way, he said to his muleteer, "I am the son of the Bishop of Serres." As Greek bishops do not marry, this was a peculiarly unfortunate jest. "' What! the muleteer gasped, pulling at his donkey's halter till they both stood still, the one gaping with mouth and eyes wide open, the other wagging its tail sympathetically. 'Oh, I see', said the keradji as soon as he had somewhat recovered from the shock, giving me a friendly wink, 'Such things will happen. The flesh is weak'."

G. F. Abbott spent two years at the turn of the twentieth century studying the cultural beliefs and folklore of Greek-speaking Macedonia. His results are formulated in this 1903 book and include accounts of such varying topics as the folk-calendar, funeral rites and bird legends among many other observations. Filled with anecdotes of his adventure and reports from local inhabitants, this work is a highly engaging travelogue with many ethnographic insights. Those interested in the development of anthropology will find Abbott's study a telling example of Victorian methods while the general reader will find his prose style warm and enjoyable.