Albanian Folktales and Legends

by Robert Elsie

Folktales are still very much alive in the mountains of Albania, a land of haunted history. They are recited in the evenings after a day’s work or out in the fields, are learned by heart and pass, as if immortal, from one generation to the next. Whose imagination could not be captured by the cunning of the Scurfhead, by the demands of the Earthly Beauty, by the heroic feats of Muja and Halil or by the appearance of a fiery Kulshedra in the forest? Included in this collection are not only folktales but prose versions of some of the best-known Albanian legends (based on historical or mythological events and figures). The adventures of Muja and Halil and their band of mountain warriors are still told and indeed sung in epic verse in the northern Albanian mountains, and the exploits of the great Scanderbeg, the Albanian national hero who freed large parts of the country from Turkish rule in the fifteenth century, are recounted everywhere Albanians gather, as if events five centuries old had taken place yesterday.

Genres: Folk Tales, Mythology

191 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Elsie was a writer, translator, interpreter and specialist in Albanian studies. He studied at the University of British Columbia, graduating in 1972 with a diploma in Classical Studies and Linguistics. In the following years, he continued his post-graduate studies at the Free University of Berlin, at the École Pratique des Hautes Études and at the University of Paris IV: Paris-Sorbonne, at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies in Ireland, and at the University of Bonn, where he finished his doctorate on Linguistics and Celtic Studies in 1978 at the Linguistics Institute.

From 1978 on, Elsie visited Albania several times with a group of students and professors from the University of Bonn. For several years, he also attended the International Seminar on Albanian Language, Literature and Culture, held in Prishtina, Kosovo. From 1982 to 1987, he worked for the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bonn, and from 2002 to 2013 for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, in particular as an interpreter for several noted cases including the trial of Slobodan Milošević.

As a translator Robert Elsie offers the reader “a selection of songs from the best known cycle of Albanian epic verse”.

Reviews

[Jim Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Albanian studies

I gave this work a five star rating because it was well written and informative. Not only is there a taste of folk lore but also Albanian legends. Elsie's end notes are informative. Those interested in the background of Albanian culture or folk tales in general.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tremendously enjoyed reading this book, well done.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a very fascinating read from day one of reading the Albanian Folktales & Legends. I found it hard to put in a bookmark to call it a day, but I just kept coming back for more-! The best bet to get into knowing a country anywhere is by first reading the mythologies, because it gives a foundational footing into learning more about the history, language, customs, the people, and its pride of how they are the country anyone can know it today.

This particular book is definitely worth a re-read, and I'm also very glad that I came across Robert Elsie after doing a bit of digging on Amazon for any books regarding Albania because there aren't too many that's very informative (after reading reviews first before buying any book if they hold valid/accurate accounts). Even our local library has like 4 books on Albania. From now on it's real safe to say Robert is the BEST resource on the topic of Albania as a whole - Cannot go wrong if looking for a very valuable resource. I very much admire his work and look forward to reading more of his books!

As for which of the stories are my favorite, I very much like the tales of the following:
1. The Scurfhead
2. The Three Friends and the Earthly Beauty
3. The King's Daughter and the Skull
4. The Snake and the King's Daughter
5. The Grateful Snake and the Magic Case
6. Muja and the Zanas
7. Scanderbeg and Ballaban
8. Shega and Vllastar