Article

Name: The motifs of similarly-named olonkhos “Nyurgun Bootur the Swift”: stability, variability and improvisation

Authors: A. F. Koryakina

North-Eastern Federal University, Yakutsk, Russian Federation

In the section Study of folklore

Abstract: The paper compares the plot motifs of the similarly-named Yakut heroic epics “Nyurgun Bootur the Swift” of olonkhosuts (narrators) K. G. Orosin, N. Ya. Tatarinov, G. E. Slobodchikov, and N. N. Shestakov so as to reveal stable, variable and creative motifs and define their functions in creating the new variants of olonkho with the same name. Thus, the author pays special attention to this problem. The olonkho variants by K. G. Orosin, G. E. Slobodchikov, and N. Ya. Tatarinov were investigated. As a result, the following motifs were found to be the most stable: settling the hero in the Middle World by celestials, description of the hero’s homeland, the kidnapping of the women aiyy by the abaasys as the beginning of a conflict, the fight of the aiyy heroes and abaasys in the three worlds, the victory over the abaasys, and the hero’s marriage. Due to these “traditional and typical” motifs, the olonkho plot becomes consistent, logically clear, and complete. Stable motifs compose the plot line and the frame of all variants of the olonkho “Nyurgun Bootur the Swift.” Keeping these stable motives, olonkhosuts make minor changes. Quite common for the epic tradition, the motifs of a horse, bathing of the hero, mutual aid of the relatives can be found in different variants. Thus, some motifs are supplemented and modified, with new motif variations created.

Keywords: heroic epic olonkho, olonkho about defenders of the aiyy, olonkho variants, stable and unstable motives, variations of motives, narrator creation

Bibliography:

Astahova A. M. Byliny Severa [Russian epics of the North]. Moscow, Leningrad, Izd. AN SSSR, 1938, vol. 1.

Emel’yanov N. V. Syuzhety yakutskikh olonkho [The plots of Yakut olonkho]. Moscow, Nauka, 1980.

Ergis G. U. Ocherki yakutskogo fol’klora [Essays on Yakut folklore]. Moscow, Nauka, 1974.

Ivanov V. N. Olonkho – unikal’noye yavleniye v mirovoy epicheskoy kul’ture: Monogr. [Olonkho is a unique phenomenon in world epic culture: monogr.]. Yakutsk, Izd. dom SVFU, 2014.

Illarionov V. V. Iskusstvo yakutskikh olonkhosutov [The art of Yakut olonkhosuts]. Yakutsk, Bichik, 1982.

Lord A. B. Skazitel’ [Narrator]. Moscow, Nauka, 1994.

Nikolayeva N. N. Skazitel’skaya improvizatsiya i variativnost’ v buryatskom epicheskom tekste (na primere raznovremennykh zapisey eposa “Geser” skazitelya P. Petrova) [Narrator’s improvisation and variability in the Buryat epic text (by the example of asynchronical recording of the “Geser” epic by P. Petrov)]. Vestnik of North-Eastern Federal Univ. Ser. “Epic studies.” 2016, no. 3, pp. 15–23. URL: http://epossvfu.ru/epos3-Nikolayeva-NN.pdf (accessed 30.04.2017).

Oyunskiy P. A. Nyurgun Bootur Stremitel’nyy [Nurgun Bootur the Swift]. Vossozdan na osnove jakutskih narodnyh skazanij [Recreated on the basis of Yakut folk epics]. Transl. from Yakut by V. Derzhavin. Yakutsk, Kn. Izd., 1975.

Olonkhosuty Yakutii: Sprav. [Olonhosuts of Yakutia: Ref.]. Yakutsk, NEFU Publ., 2013.

Putilov B. N. Epicheskoye skazitel’stvo: Tipologiya i etnicheskaya spetsifika [Epic narration: typology and ethnic specificity]. Moscow, Vost. lit. RAN, 1997.

Pukhov I. V. Yakutskiy geroicheskiy epos olonkho: osnovnyye obrazy [Yakut heroic epic olonkho: main images]. Moscow, Nauka, 1962.

Pukhov I. V., Ergis G. U. Yakutskiye olonkho [Yakut olonkhos]. In: Stroptivyy Kulun Kullustuur: Yakutskoye olonkho [The obstinate Kulun Kullustuur: Yakut olonkho]. Moscow, 1985.

Reichl Karl. Tyurkskiy epos: traditsii, formy, poeticheskaya struktura [Turkic epos: traditions, forms, poetic structure]. Moscow, Vost. lit., 2008.

Rybnikov P. N. Pesni, sobrannyye P. N. Rybnikovym [Songs collected by P. N. Rybnikov]. Moscow, Tip. A. Semena, 1989, vol. 1.

Zhirmunskiy V. M. Tyurkskiy geroicheskiy epos: Izbr. tr. [Turkic heroic epos: selected works]. Leningrad, Nauka, 1974.