FOLKLORE AND LITERARY SOURCES OF FRANKO’S "PARABLE ON FRIENDSHIP"

Abstract

The article analyzes the literary and folklore sources of Franko’s "Parable on Friendship". It has been ascertained that this poetic piece from "My Emerald" collection is obviously rooted in the exemplum "On Semifriendship" from "the book of true to life maxims, parables and novellas" "Disciplina clericalis" (1106) by Medieval writer Petrus Alfonsi. The long-lasting literary journey of the key motif (a friend in need) has been traced through a story from "Gesta romаnorum" collection (early 14th c.), a tale from Don Juan Manuel’s book "Tales of Count Lucanor" (1335) and a novella from Boccaccio’s "The Decameron" (1353). It is remarked that each of the listed sources was subject of Ivan Franko’s considerable academic interest. The researcher offered numerous insights on Petrus Alfonsi’s book, the collection of an unknown author under the title “Gesta Romanorum”, tales by Juan Manuel and novella collection by Giovanni Boccaccio, remarking their essential influence on the literary and folklore tradition of the European people. The texts from the mentioned books were scrupulously analyzed by the Ukrainian scholar in the national literary contexts. Special emphasis is placed on the folklore spin-off in the popular plot development. A folk tale on putting the friendship to test has been identified in the collected records by Polish folklorist Zofia Rokossovska "Bajki (skazki) zo wsi Jurkowszczyzny (powiatu Zwiahelskiego, gubernii Wołyńskiej)" (1897 р.), which was brought out shortly before Franko started working on "My Emerald" and may have given him an additional and final inspiration to apply "own patterns" to "a foreign foundation" or in other words to come up with an original reception of a popular topic. The article also offers a comparative analysis of certain matching motifs and establishes a degree of their closeness to Franko’s parable.