THE AINU AND THEIR FOLK-LORE.
The Ainu and their Folklore. By the Rev. John Batchelor. (R.T.S. 7s. Gd.)—Even Mr. Batchelor, with all his knowledge of the Ainu, has not been able to make the Ainu folk-lore interest- ing. According to the generally accepted standard of compara- tive ethnology, they belong to a race gifted with imagination, yet they are singularly deficient in it. Mr. Batchelor is pain- fully conscientious, and perhaps he spins out the legends too much ; a little boiling down might perhaps have done them more justice, for as they stand they lack interest to the last degree. One or two phases of thought only excite a momentary com- parison with other racial ideas. We find it difficult to realise the people from our author's painstaking effort to bring all there is known of the Ainu to light. Others with a far shorter acquaintance of this old race have given us a more vivid impression, and a clearer portrait of the Ainu type. There is not a particle of humour in the book ; and this is not fair to the Ainu. But Mr. Batchelor has done his best, and it may well be doubted if any other man has had, or will have, the patience to study these people so thoroughly. The result is a col- lection of great value, because it is absolutely trustworthy, though dreary even to the student. There is no living race that could not show more imagination, more really beautiful images and .:leas But, alas ! the Ainu cannot help it, and Mr. Batchelor could do no more for them.
Previous page
