Бурятские народные сказки: О животных. Бытовые. - 2000. [Т. 20.]

Domestic f a iry tal e s includ e d into the second s e ction of tlie volume are of а later origin. They developed into а separate genre in the p e riod of the class changes of th e Buryat soci e ty which conditioned their distinguishing social chara c teristi c s and pronounced evid e ntly satirical orientation, their clos e connection with th e realities of life. Distinguished among the domestic fairy tal e s are several th e matic groups: fairy tal e s about unfair khans, th e evil and gre e dy ri c h, hypo c rite lamas. These division is rat he r approximat e becaus e in one and the same fairy tal e all thes e personages are often undergon e а satirical des c ription. The Buryat people perceive their inner essence as being identical. These personages are opposed by the hero e s of the poorest layers of the society who overcome the rich. The original usage of the magic and fantasy refers to the genre peculiarities of the domestic fairy tales. In contrast to the plots of the magic fairy tales where th e ir a e sthetic nature is conne c t e d with wonders, magi c and transformations in the domestic fairy tales are often used by the main characters to cheat and make laugh of their social rivals. The lamas ar e the major obj e cts for laughing and sar c astic treatm e nt. This can be e xplained by the fact that the lama group was e xtremely numerous. Lamas’ parasitism and their help the ri c h in exploiting the people had become the r e asons for а negative attitude towards the ignorant and n e gligent Buddha prea c hers. The fairy tales about Budamshu were of а sp e cial popularity among the Buryat people. They are distinguished by their plots’ originality and are not known in the fairy tale repertoire of other peoples. The image of Budamshu, the genuine p e ople’s hєro, is of а generalized character. Th e comi c effect of the fairy tales about Budamshu often transforms into а mali c ious and poisonous satire directed against greediness and foolishness. Women’s chara c ters in the domestic fairy tales are depicted with great affec- tion. As the plot goes on, women’s intellect, wit, kindness and the humanistic features develop. Usually а khan riddles in an allegorical way to solve а conflict situation, tests the hero’s wit or sele c ts his son’s bride. Wise and smart girls manage to solve the riddles, leaving men behind them. The victory in the fairy tales is often won by those who coukl not win in their real life. Secret wishes and dreams of the people have in the fantastical form been personified according to the canons of the fairy tales poetics. There- fore, the fairy tales do reflect the aspiration of their creators to overcome the real life contradictions, win their audience with the ideas of truth, justice, kind- ness and beauty.