Rachel Harriette Busk

Born in London in 1831, Rachel Harriette Busk was a British traveler, writer, and folklorist. Contemporary reference works describe her as exceptionally well educated, widely traveled, and a skilled linguist, qualities that shaped the way she collected and retold traditional stories.

Busk is best known for books such as Patrañas, or Spanish Stories, Legendary and Traditional (1870), Household Stories from the Land of Hofer (1871), Sagas from the Far East (1873), The Folk-Lore of Rome (1874), The Valleys of Tirol (1874), and The Folk-Songs of Italy (1887). Her writing often grew out of material gathered directly from local people, giving English readers access to legends, songs, and customs from several regions of Europe and Asia.

She spent much of her life abroad and became especially associated with Italian folklore. Busk died in London on March 1, 1907. Though not a household name today, she remains an interesting figure in the early study of folklore, and her books still offer a vivid record of the stories and traditions that caught her attention.