I am only slightly familiar with Joseph Campbell's work. My first impression--it is only a first impression--is that he is a rather sloppy scholar.

I think the evidence for a Jew-hating streak in Campbell's personality is at least as strong as that for Pat Buchanan. If Campbell were still alive, I doubt I would care to become his friend, or to take his advice on morals, ethics, or statecraft.

I'm willing to elaborate on either opinion if anyone is interested.

MudPuppy has never returned, at least not under that name. I don't know what became of his product to study (1) ancient traditions transmitted by (2) pagans (3) utterly without the aid of any writing whatsoever. About a year and a half ago I wrote that MudPuppy might have to relax requirement (1) and study more recently-formed traditions. A good example, though I didn't mention it at the time, would be the Gaiwiio (I think that's how you spell it) of Handsome Lake, which has been transmitted orally among the Senecas since the 1800s. The strong Quaker influence on Handsome Lake's teaching might amount, however, to a partial relaxation of requirement (2). Jeff Kalmar now makes another reasonable proposal: That MudPuppy, by relaxing requirements (2) and (3), become a fairly conventional folklorist and study folkloric motifs, presuppositions, and customs, some possibly ancient, that have been transmitted among literate Christians. As my posts above show, I agree with Jeff Kalmar that such a project will never turn up ancient melodies (other than the Hokey-Pokey--see other thread). Jeff is right that a few ancient melodies have been deciphered in modern times. But these are hardly "folkloric" items.