Legendy, podania, bajki z okolic Wilna

Abstract

After the Second Word War, ethnographers were examining the region in the Southwest of Lithuania (the Vilnius Region) rather superficially. The research on oral tradition of Poles inhabiting Vilnius and its vicinity was either not carried out at all or was not publically disclosed. It was at the beginning of the 21st century, mainly on the initiative of the Neris Regional Park, when ethnographic research was undertaken and the first printed publications were released. In 2017 the book Storytelling from the Vilnius Region. Legends, stories, fairy tales from around Vilnius (Podwileńskie bajanie. Podania, legendy, bajki z okolic Wilna) was published. The book contains 117 stories, fairy tales and legends- the data on objects of nature and architecture in Vilnius district, registered in the 20th century sources and the most recent research, including several new stories recorded by the method of interviewing. The article analyses the most popular stories, magical and etiological tales. The attempt to pinpoint the most common motifs in the oral tradition recorded in the area of Vilnius district has been made.