Folk’ in pre-modern

In pre-modern literary narratives, the concept of ‘folk’ could be found in either capacity highlighted above. For example, in the Bible, especially the Old Testament, ‘folk’ as concept of people is amply evident. The society that is the subject of discussion in the Old Testament is tribal in nature. The gods, their jealousy against each other, the messengers of gods and their efforts/actions to spread to message of their respective gods, the customs of social relations and economic activities among the people and the various discourses in favour or against types of religion and religious orders and as comments on ways of life that are found in the Old Testament testify to the existence of the notion of ‘folk’ as types of social groups and their modes of life. In the Old Testament, especially in the discourses on ways of life, the distinction between literate and oral narratives is difficult to locate.

Similarly, in the epic traditions of various societies as well, the distinctions between oral and literary traditions are difficult to specify. For example, many of the epic traditions in pre-modern South Asia were in the form of katha which were tales that were also performed be fore the audience. In other words, they existed as performing traditions. In that capacity, these epic traditions were both oral and literary at the same time. They were oral because their mode of practice or communication was verbal