Бурятские волшебные сказки - 1993

Tales about animals may convetionally be divided into the etiological and allego r ic ones. The fo r mer, devoted to the o r igin of animals and birds and their peculiarities, are much older. Changes in the Buryats life and outlook resulted in the re-evaluation of the original subjects and motives of the traditional tales which thus acquired a new social colouring. The tales’ allegoric form made it possible to reveal social injustice, to expose people’s drawbacks and vices. Unlike everyday life tales and fairy tales, tales about animals are simpler in their composition and more laconic. Their didactic conclusions reveal peoples concepts. The tales have always been a means of educating the best qualities in the young generation. The second volume contains everyday life tales which are of later origin than fairy tales and those of animals. They developed into a separate genre mainly in the period of the Buryat society class disintegration, which con­ ditioned their pronounced social characteristics, their satitical orientation and their close connection with the realities of life. However fantastic the subject of the tale, tis personages live and act, fight and win in quite real everyday life situations. Everyday life tales expose evil khans, the rich and the clergy — lamas and shamans. The arrows of satire are aimed at all of them, as in the eyes of the democratic lower classes their essence is the same. The wealthy and the clergy are opposed by the poor who usually take the upper hand In everyday life tales magic and fabulousness are employed in a special way, whereas the nature and the subject of a fairy tale are closely connected with miracles and marvels, in everyday life tales the wonders and me­ tamorphoses are used by the personages to cheat the foolish and grudy rich men, shamans and other social adversaries. Inventiveness and resourcefulness of the characters — representatives of the democratic lower classes —is boundless. With adroitness and wit they manage to fulfil the most difficult tasks and answer the most intricate questions of their adversaries, putting the latter into a fovlish position. It is lamas who get the worst, as they were the spongers helping the rich to exploit the people and thus evoking a most negative attitude to the ignorant and negligent Budda pereachers. Very popular among the people are the tales about Budamshu. These are very original in their subject and have no parallels among other peoples’ tales. The tales abound in the most intricate situations tha t show what clever and artful solutions Budamshu finds to win a victory over his ene­ mies. Budamshu is a genuine people’s hero. The comic effect of these tales often turns into malicious and caustic satire against greediness and foo­ lishness. Women’s characters are depicted in everyday life tales with great af­ fection. Well known among them are the golden scissors and the golden Thimble (names of the maidens) who display wit, kindness and humaneness.