1926.
This is the year when the second edition of
Latviesu mitologija (Latvian Mythology) by
Prof. Peteris Smits was published. The first edition according
to the author's words was printed in Moscow in 1918, at
the very beginning of the Russian revolution, in very few copies,
most of which remained in Russia. Indeed, this first edition
is very rare.
Peteris Smits
describes his work as "intended for all educated Latvian
readers, interested in matters of ethnography" (not folklore!).
Professors Smits is of rather critical opinion regarding information
he considers unreliable, while over-defending some of his own
views. Though this work has been disputed and some clear imperfections
and errors can be found in it, this book is the first after the
appendix to G. F. Stender's lexicon
entitled "Latvian Mythology". There are only 151 pages
in the book and it is definitely worth reading - at least for
to formulate one's objections to the views expressed in it.
There are the
following chapters in the book:
- Theories on origins of religion
- Sources of Latvian mythology
- The myths of Indo-European proto-nation
- The myths of the ancient Balts
- Father Sky and Mother Earth
- Heavenly deities
- Deities of natural sky phenomena
- Deities of destiny
- Master of the house
- Agricultural deities
- Cattle-breeding deities
- Deities overseeing horses
- Patrons of pigs
- Patrons of other animals
- Deities of water, forests and hills
- Human beings in myths
- Cult of the ancients or the souls
- The life of the dead in the other world
- Unhappy souls
- The evil spirit or the devil
- Mediators between the world of humans and
that of the spirits
- Ligo, Liga,
Ligajs and Ligonis
- Trimpus
- Pikols
- Deities of J. Maletzky: Pergrubis,
Puskaitis and others
- Different deities in old documents
- Antrimpus and
Potrimpus
- Deities of T. Narbutas
- Appearance and features of deities
- Romove and
its deities
- Folk-traditions as sources for mythology
study
- Different theories of mythology in explanation
of folk-trtaditions
- The cult of matrons or 'mothers'
- The ancient festivities
- Modern festivities
- Ancient time reckoning
- Week and weekdays
- Wild animals in myths
- Domestic animals
- Wild birds
- Amphibians, worms and insects
- Trees and other plants
- General overview of Latvian mythology