These titles all provide an excellent overview of particular aspects of folklore that should come in handy for your research. Look through sections on topics such as "riddles and proverbs", "ballads and folksongs", etc. and then be sure to check the list of references for further reading on these subjects!
The encyclopedias below similarly have entries specific to a wide variety of topics in folklore and provide lists for further reading. Use them as a springboard into further research.
Folk Groups and Folklore Genres: An Introduction by 
Folk Groups and Folklore Genres: A Reader by 
Emergence of Folklore in Everyday Life by 
Folklore by 
Encyclopedia of Women's Folklore and Folklife by These journals each provide a number of scholarly articles relating to particular trends and abstract topics. Not all may apply to your topic, but all offer insight into the contemporary world of academic folklore.
Western Folklore
