Narration of the story of the death of Imam Hossein

During the month of Moharram, after the processions round the village, in the evenings certain individuals hosted a gathering in their house or in the mosque. A religious and literate villager told the story of the suffering and death of Imam Hossein and his family. The audience cries, and when the emotions get too strong, the leader starts to sing the story. These ‘rozeh’ where a speaker explains an aspect of religion are also held during Ramazan and on other religious days.Materials collected during field research for a D.Phil (Oxford University) in Iran in 1974 and 1975/6, and during short return visits in 1992, 1995, 1996. Audio recordings include: folk stories, music and songs, rituals, people’s own historical recollections

Mahteti (girl’s name)

This metil is a story about a poor man who had 7 daughters. He couldn’t afford to keep them and his wife says take them into the mountains. He gets them to collect hawthorn berries and leaves them. They find the house of a giant, and when he wants to eat them, Mahteti, the smallest one, cleverly tricks him into giving her horses, grape treacle (shireh) and clarified butter (roghan) and they get away. The story would take several evenings to recount. She marries the son of the king, and ends up going home. It gives children a picture of how clever and brave a young girl can be.Materials collected during field research for a D.Phil (Oxford University) in Iran in 1974 and 1975/6, and during short return visits in 1992, 1995, 1996. Audio recordings include: folk stories, music and songs, rituals, people’s own historical recollections

Chest beating ritual

In the month of Moharram, when Imām Hossein and his family were killed in Karbalā, from 1st to 8th in the evening around 7pm, men proceed in one group around the village, chanting and beating their chests. One man leads the chant and the others answer. They are led by a boy holding a flag (parcham-e ‘āshurā). On 9th-10th everything in Iran is closed and they spend the whole day from morning to night in procession chanting and beating their chests. The women watch and cry.Materials collected during field research for a D.Phil (Oxford University) in Iran in 1974 and 1975/6, and during short return visits in 1992, 1995, 1996. Audio recordings include: folk stories, music and songs, rituals, people’s own historical recollections

Sāber and Little Ghoul

Folk stories (metīl) were recounted when people gathered in someone’s house, especially in the winter months, and when they were doing repetitive tasks like de-shelling acorns to make acorn bread flour. Some men and women were known as especially good story tellers. There are many genres of stories. Metīl are more imaginary and fanciful than dāstān (an account of something that happened - or might have happened), and more pithy and poetic than afsāneh (epics).Materials collected during field research for a D.Phil (Oxford University) in Iran in 1974 and 1975/6, and during short return visits in 1992, 1995, 1996. Audio recordings include: folk stories, music and songs, rituals, people’s own historical recollections

Reveille for a wedding

Early in the morning (after Hanna Bandun the night before) this special tune is played on the sāz to alert everyone to the wedding, then the drummer (mehtar) joins in and they play extracts from the tunes of the men’s stick dance (tarkah bāzi), and different women’s circle dances. People hear the music, and get up and have breakfast, do their daily work and see to their animals, and get ready to come to the wedding a couple of hours later.Materials collected during field research for a D.Phil (Oxford University) in Iran in 1974 and 1975/6, and during short return visits in 1992, 1995, 1996. Audio recordings include: folk stories, music and songs, rituals, people’s own historical recollections

A lamb and a kid

This is the story of a lamb and a kid, and a wolf. Folk stories (metīl) were recounted when people gathered in someone’s house, especially in the winter months, and when they were doing repetitive tasks like de-shelling acorns to make acorn bread flour. Some men and women were known as especially good story tellers. There are many genres of stories. Metīl are more imaginary and fanciful than dāstān (an account of something that happened - or might have happened), and more pithy and poetic than afsāneh (epics).Materials collected during field research for a D.Phil (Oxford University) in Iran in 1974 and 1975/6, and during short return visits in 1992, 1995, 1996. Audio recordings include: folk stories, music and songs, rituals, people’s own historical recollections

Local song

Just a few men and women in the villages were well known for their voice and ability to sing these local songs. The songs were sung when people gathered together in someone’s house in the evening, tired from work, and at times of sadness and happiness.Materials collected during field research for a D.Phil (Oxford University) in Iran in 1974 and 1975/6, and during short return visits in 1992, 1995, 1996. Audio recordings include: folk stories, music and songs, rituals, people’s own historical recollections

Sister, sister, what have you done?

Folk stories (metīl) were recounted when people gathered in someone’s house, especially in the winter months, and when they were doing repetitive tasks like de-shelling acorns to make acorn bread flour. Some men and women were known as especially good story tellers. There are many genres of stories. Metīl are more imaginary and fanciful than dāstān (an account of something that happened - or might have happened), and more pithy and poetic than afsāneh (epics).Materials collected during field research for a D.Phil (Oxford University) in Iran in 1974 and 1975/6, and during short return visits in 1992, 1995, 1996. Audio recordings include: folk stories, music and songs, rituals, people’s own historical recollections

The story of the giant and the girl cousin

Folk stories (metīl) were recounted when people gathered in someone’s house, especially in the winter months, and when they were doing repetitive tasks like de-shelling acorns to make acorn bread flour. Some men and women were known as especially good story tellers. There are many genres of stories. Metīl are more imaginary and fanciful than dāstān (an account of something that happened - or might have happened), and more pithy and poetic than afsāneh (epics).Materials collected during field research for a D.Phil (Oxford University) in Iran in 1974 and 1975/6, and during short return visits in 1992, 1995, 1996. Audio recordings include: folk stories, music and songs, rituals, people’s own historical recollections

The information value chain: emerging models for procuring electronic publications

The first part of this paper examines the information supply chain and some of its concepts; particular attention is paid to features differentiating electronic from printed information. The second part discusses the procurement process and, in the light of the analysis made in the first part, evaluates the various models for procuring electronic information