The voluminous book provides a range of international theories and methodologies in analytical folklore investigations, and a classification scheme based on genre is offered as the system of taxonomy for Philippine traditional materials. Lopez counts on the regional folklorists to refine the classification according to the texts of their respective areas. The different genres, too, are explained and examined in another part of Lopez's study. The reader will definitely find interesting and useful, the illustrative examples for each genre.

Philippine Folk Literature: The Proverbs is Volume VI of the author's eight-volume Philippine Folk Literature Series. The present collection focuses on the proverb--a terse didactic statement, handed down through generations, the wisdom of many and the wit of one. It ordinarily suggests a course of action or passes judgment on a situation. This work is a national collection of Philippine proverbs--a putting together of available proverbs from allover the country, listed alphabetically, in dictionary fashion, according to the most significant word in their English translation. Thirty-six Philippine languages are represented in this collection. As an introduction to the collection, the essay Philippine Proverb Lore, is reprinted, to provide readers with an overview. For each entry, the following kinds of information are given: (1) the English translation, (2) the proverb in its original Philippine language or languages, (3) language label and source (collector/collections); and (4) foreign parallels, if any.

Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends constitutes Volume III of the author's eight-volume Philippine Folk Literature Series. The present volume focuses on the legend, which may simply be defined as an account of an extraordinary happening believed to have actually occurred. The Introduction gives a more detailed characterization of the legend, distinguishes it from the folktale, offers a system of classification, and gives a detailed description, with examples from the collection, of the different types of Philippine legends. Five types of legends are given : heroic/historical legends, about epic and culture heroes, historical personages, and persons with extraordinary powers; religious legends, recounting miracles of God and His saints; legends narrating encounters with supernatural beings (aswang, cafre, duende, etc.); miscellaneous legends--about sunken bells, buried treasure, etc.; and place name legends. Within each category, the legends are arranged by geographical regions--Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao. As in the other volumes in the series, the selections are given in English translation. Like them also, this collection is intended to be national in scope. Care was tfore taken to make it as widely representative as possible of the different types of Philippine legends and of the different ethnolinguistic groups in the country.

This anthology presents a bird's-eye view of the whole range of Philippine folk literature.