Contes Populaires Berberes, Recuillis, Traduits et Annotes
The myths, legends and poems of the North African Berbers
Author
Publisher
Printing Details
First edition. Hardback, rebound in plain tan cloth with contrasting title label to spine. 16 × 10.5cm. xxxvi + 239pp. French text.
A cornerstone of Berber studies and North African ethnography. René Basset (1855–1924) was the pre-eminent scholar of his era, and this work remains a vital primary source for the myths, oral traditions, and folklore of the Maghreb.
Published as part of the 'Collection de Contes et des Chanson Populaires' series, this rare book examines the myths, legends and songs of the Berbers of North Africa and explores the subterranean world of Djinns, Treasures, and Fairies in Berber cosmology. After an introduction and extensive bibliography, the book is in six sections: 1. Fables et Contes Animaux (Fables and Animal Tales), 2. Legendes Religieuses (Religious legends), 3. Legendes et Traditions Historiques (Historical legends and tradiitons), 4. Contes Merveilleux. Les Tresors, les Djinns, les Fees etc (Marvelous Tales. Treasures, Djinns, Fairies etc.), 5. Contes Divers (Miscellaneous tales), and 6. Poesies, chansons, enigmes, proverbes (Poems, songs, riddles, proverbs).
Condition
Rebound in a functional, sturdy tan cloth that has protected the delicate 19th-century text block remarkably well. The pages are crisp and remarkably clean for a work of this vintage published in the French colonial period.
Books are currently zero-rated for duty (as of April 2026), so the price shown is the price you pay.
Price
£40.00
