Алтайские народные сказки. - 2002. (Т. 21.)

SUMMARY The academic volume «Altai Folktales» contains 41 texts representing one of the most distinctive genres of Altai folklore. Among these, 30 texts are published here for the first time. The book begins with an introductory article detailing the particu­ larities of Altai folk tradition, including the ritual magic functions of storytelling. The unique characteristics of Altai folktales manifest them­ selves in the attitudes of the teller and listener, which transcend a mere frivolous perception of the tales and convey a deep belief in the reality of the narrated events. In compiling this volume, the authors have attempted to reflect the history of how the tales were collected and published from the mid 19th century (in editions by V.V. Radlov and G.N. Potanin) to the present day. Altai folktales were actively collected in the 1920’s — 40’s, and again in the 1960’s — 70’s. Therefore, the majority of texts included here derive from archival collections and publications by P.V. Kuchiyaka, T.S. Syrkasev, S.S. Suralakov, and T.S. Tyukhtenev. The volume contains tales of nearly all well-known Altai storytel­ lers: N.U. Ulagashev, A.G. Kalkin, N.P. Chernoeva, D.S. Kuruskanova, V.E. Maymanova, D.K. Sunyushev, N.K. Yalatov and others. Some texts (No. 29, 37,38) were recorded from storytellers while the present edi­ tion was in preparation, during multidisciplinary expeditions (1984, 1986, 1988, 1992) conducted by the volume’s compilers and by organi­ zers of the series. These serve as models of authentic recording of folklore using modern technical means. These works also provide an example of the continuing vitality of the genre at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries. The first scholar who research Altai folktales at the end of the 19th century was Anton Schiefner. He wrote