Axel OlrikÕs Grunds¾tninger sets forth a number of the basic principles for the study of folklore. With this long-awaited translation, English readers now have available the ÒrulesÓ which became the foundation of not only every folklore program in Scandinavia but also most of the programs in the rest of the Western world.Axel OlrikÕs aim was to develop a methodology for the study of folk narrative. He systematized the most significant theoretical research of his time, including his own unique contributions. In one volume he included ErslevÕs thought on the evaluation of historical sources, MoeÕs on the transmission of folklore, the ideas of the historico-geographical school, and his own brilliant Òepic lawsÓ of oral narrative. This classic text will be of interest to folklorists, medievalists, narrative scholars, and students of Scandinavian studies.