The role of magic objects in the Khakas epic narrative

Abstract

In the study of the poetic-stylistic system of the epic, the consideration of stable poetic descriptions is very important, since they play an important role in the formation of the structure and content of the epic plot. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe magic objects with the semantics of “getting information” that contribute to the development of a certain plot and motifs in the epic narrative of the Khakas people. The achievement of this goal provides for the solution of the following tasks: identification and description of stable poetic descriptions on the example of magic objects with the semantics of “getting information”, with a detailed analysis of the Book of Fate, similarities and differences in different epictellers’ texts, determining the degree of attachment to the epic plot and motifs. In heroic tales, the Book of Fate as a magic object is found under different names: the borrowed word, a book, in the meaning of ‘a fortune-telling book, omniscient book, letter, written message’, kinde ‘a book, paper’, pichik ‘a letter, note, message’, sugdur pichik ‘a letter, paper with written text, sutra’, kigdei pichik ‘a letter, paper, book’, sabyra pichik ‘an inscription carved on wood, stone, rock, rock inscriptions, message, heroic letter, letter, epitaph’. As a result of the analysis, with a sample of ten heroic tales recorded from famous Khakas epictellers, it was found that a book, kinde, pichik are most often used as a magical object in the meaning of ‘a book’, and less often  sugdur pichik and sabyra pichik. The main function of a magic book in heroic tales is to deliver a message to the heroes. The introduction of a magic book into the poetic body of the epic contributes to the motivation of the departure of a bogatyr/woman-bogatyr from home (for hunting, receiving a message, searching for a betrothed or a bogatyr horse, for the battle with opponents). Compositionally, motivation is the beginning of the action. It is also found that if epic heroes write a message on hard surfaces (stone, wood), then a writing tool is also indicated: a nail, a steel sword. As the analysis showed, variability is observed by contextual synonyms-verbs, due to the use of epithets, formulaic phrases, but the comparison of a letter with a cheprak (a saddle cloth) remains unchanged. A epicteller’s use of various epic formulas, fixed expressions, and phrases does not violate the unity of the poetic impression, but contributes to the creation of harmony in the folklore narrative.

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