Most of us, if asked to describe just what it is that the study of folklore involves, would probably end up talking about the preservation of relics and traditions of a bygone era as exemplified in something like the recording of old-timey songs and stories collected from the mountain folk of Appalachia. Although such a description does, it is true, go a long way toward defining the domain of the folklorist, it is apt to have the unfortunate result of blinding us to a whole body of bonafide folklore which is reflected almost daily in our urban, industrialized, mass media-oriented society.

As a matter of fact, one of the most prominent types of folklore currently in active circulation--and one which has much to reveal about contemporary urban life--is the modern legend. The term "legend," as used by the professional folklorist, differs somewhat in meaning from the popularly accepted sense. It is, in Richard M. Dorson's words, "a traditional narrative regarded as true by its teller and by many members of the society in which it circulates . . . "