________________
JULY, 1902.)
MISCELLANEA,
827
MISCELLANEA. THE INDIAN ATTITUDE TOWARDS FOLKLORE, in European arm-chairs, that I feel constrained AND SCIENCE.
to publish and comment thus on the ipsissima I PUBLISH the accompanying document in verba of a correspondent, whose good faith is full, just as received from an English-speaking beyond all dispute. Telugu Brahmar correspondent, because I have I may add that this is very far from being several times noticed that the Indian mental the first instance in which what I have published attitude towards scientific thonght is not appre- as a folklore incident in this Journal has been ciated by those European writers on Oriental sub
presented to me originally by a Native correjects, who are not personally deeply acquainted |
spondent as an absolutely true fact. with the East.
R. O. TEMPLE. The accompanying document shows clearly, that the spirit which gives rise to folklore is still
Letter. an active force in India, and that folklore is being Colonel Richard Carnac Temple, O. I. E.; Sir, created daily afresh in that country in pre- | I solicit your favour of publishing the annexed cisely the same manner as obtained in the cen
contribution to the Indian Antiquary in an early turies long ago. And for the same reason that number. I state on solemn affirmation that the Native still takes a subjective and personal |
what I have described as my personal experience view of facte observed in Nature, and attachos
is entirely true. Please oblige as an act of to his own life what to the abstract thinker
grace. are obviously accidental occurrences. In this
Yours truly case a pair of small birds --- apparently some form of honey-sucker, the young of which differs in
Nagpore, Sitabuldi,
B. ROYDU, plumage from the adult - nested near my corre
21st November 1901.
Maha Raja. spondent and their offspring have continued to
Folklore among Tailings (Talings and nest there. The sparrows have worried them, 28
Telugus] and Science. sparrows always will. The whole of the actions described are ordinarily incidental to bird life,
The following folklore, into which a scientific as all, who, like myself, have carefully observed
element enters, is interesting, as it shows that it, are well aware. Yet my correspondent's
birds not only change their colour, as is observed "scientifio" explanation is that the bird world among the domesticated ones, but also that they had "appointed" these little birds to attend on can at option present the peculiar colours of him in his loneliness! The story is also put for quite a different species !! ward as a "scientific explanation of an old-world
Folklore. folktale, though there is no "science" in it. The deduction that the birds as & body had "ap- Once upon a time there was a very grand pointed" the honey-suckers, or whatever the marriage celebration in the world of birds strall birds were, to attend on my correspondent and an universal invitation was proclaimed. being a parely "folklore " asumption, to account But all the feathery guests not being altogether for what he had observed.
seemly, such as were unseemly requested others As I have already had reason to remark in
for mutually exchanging at least some of their this Journal, the native Indian mind is as far
adornments. Objections ensued against such removed as ever from attuning itself to Western
Vainglory of false and borrowed show, but imporscientific thought. It picks up the "patter"
tunities prevailed; and the jay and the parrot quickly enough and uses the expressions, but
exchanged their legs, while the peacock er
changed its beautiful bill and legs for those of the sense is not usually there. It can argue acutely from a given basis and it can observe
the flamingo, on condition that they should be
restored subsequently. The marriage jubilee closely, but it cannot as yet create & sound basis
being over the parrot and the peacock demanded for argument from the observation. Indeed, at
their ornaments, but the jay and flamingo present to the Indian science does not differ from
angwered, "Ah, if we return them it will prove poetry.
that we all have been a false show !!” Thugwise This point seems so often and 80 consistently nothing was returned and thuswise it is that at to be overlooked by European students writing present the legs of the parrot are heavy, dull
