Introduction -- PART ONE: Ritual drama -- I Ritual drama in the life of the peasant community -- 1. Zimnie svjatki -- 2. Maslenica -- 3. The spring and summer rituals -- 4. The dramatic significance of agricultural ritual -- II Ritual drama in the life of the individual -- 1. The marriage ritual -- 2. From the marriage ritual to secular drama -- 3. Dramatic ritual and games connected with funerals and death -- PART TWO: The puppet theatre -- III The vertep -- IV Petruska -- PART THREE: Nonritual drama -- V The ship -- VI The barin, How the French took Moscow and other short plays -- 1. The barin -- 2. How the French took Moscow -- VII Car' Maksimilian -- 1. An outline -- 2. The main characters and scenes of Car' Maksimilian -- VIII Car' Maksimilian and the St. George plays of England -- PART FOUR: The folk actor and his art -- IX The folk actor -- X Costume in the folk plays -- XI The artistic methods of the folk actors -- XII The folk actor and his audience -- XIII Comedy in the folk theatre -- Bibliography -- List of texts of Car' Maksimilian -- Index.