HARVARD UKRAINIAN STUDIES - See also - Harvard University

COMPARATIVE SLAVIC EPIC 429Consequently it seems to be impossible, or nearly so, to say "thisform of the story is common Slavic." All that we can say, aftersurveying all available versions in a given language or group of languages,is "these are the elements found in such-and-such a percentageof the material surveyed." Beyond that we can only speculate aboutthe past, perhaps indicating alternatives and tentative boundaries; norcan we predict the future with any exactness. Nevertheless, we haveseen that occasionally, at least, some influences that may have affectedone area within a region and not any other can be noted and traced.Since the same comparatively few "international" stories, or storypatterns, are found outside the Slavic realm as well, we must eventuallyextend our geographic net westward into the Celtic, Germanic,and Romance areas, eastward into Asia, and, of course, to Greece andthe other Balkan countries. For the moment, however, let us rest withRussia, the Ukraine and the Slavic Balkans. The larger task can beundertaken more surely when we understand the principles andmethodologies involved in the study of the three important areas wehave explored here.Harvard University