Vol. 14 (2020): XIV International Symposium Contemporary Issues of Literary Studies : The Silk Road Countries` Folklore
Folklore and Literary Text

Armenian Folktales in Russian Publications of the 19th Century

Gohar Melikyan
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography Academy of Sciences of Armenia

Published 2020-10-20

Keywords

  • Armenian Fokltales,
  • Collection,
  • Repertoire,
  • Plot,
  • Storyteller

Abstract

The Article deals with investigation of the Armenian repertoire in the multivolume ““Collection of Materials for Describing Places and Tribes of the Caucasus», which was published by the Caucasian educational district from 1881 to 1915, having released 44 volumes. The idea belonged to K.P. Yanovsiy, and it was a great event in the history of the Caucasian educational district. Along with ethnographic and folklore material of peoples living in the Caucasus, there are more than 120 Armenian folktales of all genres: wonder, realistic and animal tales. Mostly wellknown and popular plots have been presented in the Collection: stories about a thousand-voiced nightingale, about a girl who changed sex, about a clever hero, about an innocently slandered heroine, about an animal groom, quite a few biblical topics, etc.