Gemeinsame motive in der italienisch-albanischen und der griechischen Volksdichtung

Abstract

The close relations and similarities between the Greek folk poetry and the
folk poetry of the Albanians of South Italy and Sicily are discussed for the
first time in this paper.
Six common motifs are pointed out, among which, the soldier’s fall from
the horse and his death, is particularly examined in this study.
The author believes that the initial core of this theme is very old and
goes back to the type of “philippique” song which revives during the Byzantine
period with the military life along the border-land of the empire, and acquires
in the long run, the dramatic content of a ballad.