Page "Folklore" Paragraph 9

Contemporary narratives common in the Western world include the urban legend.

There are many forms of folklore that are so common, however, that most people do not realize they are folklore, such as riddles, children's rhymes and ghost stories, rumors ( including conspiracy theories ), gossip, ethnic stereotypes, and holiday customs and life-cycle rituals.

UFO abduction narratives can be seen, in some sense, to refigure the tales of pre-Christian Europe, or even the Ascent of Elijah to heaven.

Adrienne Mayor, in introducing a bibliography on the topic, noted that most modern folklorists are largely unaware of classical parallels and precedents, in materials that are only partly represented by the familiar designation Aesopica: " Ancient Greek and Roman literature contains rich troves of folklore and popular beliefs, many of which have counterparts in modern contemporary legends " ( Such as Mayor, 2000 ).