KHAKASS LEGENDS RECORDED BY N.F. KATANOV (1889-1892): CONTENT AND GENRE-STYLISTIC SPECIFICS

Abstract

The article analyzes the Khakass legends recorded by N.F. Katanov and published in his work “Samples of Turkic tribes’ folk literature” (1907). The author of the article offers a thematic qualification of legends, considering it a starting point in solving the problem of classification of the genre as a whole. From the perspective of the theme, legends relate to religious or superstitious concepts of monoreligies or paganism, family traditions. The ideological and aesthetic originality of legends is studied, which helps to reveal the folk interpretation of the depicted events and characters. For comparison, the article also uses Khakass legends taken by poet and translator A.V. Prelovsky from “Samples of Turkic tribes’ folk literature”, in A.V. Prelovsky’s book “Quiver of heart arrows”: “Stealing the bride”, “Pakhlon-Tas”, “Chinar-Khus” and “Abakhai-Pakhta”.