This book proposes a fundamental revision of the history of early French romance: it argues that oral and performed traditions were far more important in the de

"Storytelling is a universal human activity and oral narration - particularly modern 'conversational' narration such as anecdotes or personal stories - has long

" . . . excellent book . . . " —The Classical Outlook " . . . brief and readable . . . There is good tonic in these pages for the serious student of oral trad

'Matthew Bailey's work on medieval Hispanic epic poetry is most impressive. It is a unique contribution to our knowledge of the Old Spanish epic and offers a hi