Plot-Motivational Parallels in Heroic Epics of Yakuts, Karachays, and Balkars: Trials of Epic Hero

Abstract

This article explores the plot and motivational parallels present in the heroic epics of the Karachay-Balkar and Yakut traditions. It focuses on a central theme that is vital to the genre: the trials faced by the epic hero. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the unique features of overlapping plot motifs within these two Turkic narrative traditions, thereby illuminating their thematic and poetic characteristics. The research draws on a representative corpus of heroic epic recordings from the Yakuts, Karachays, and Balkars, collected throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as narratives from other Turkic and Mongolicspeaking communities. Despite the significant geographical and temporal distances between these traditions, the analysis reveals a noteworthy number of coinciding plot situations and motifs. This study delves into the nuances of their representation and variation, tracing potential folkloric connections and origins. Particular attention is given to specific plots, such as “shooting at a distant celestial object,” “the hero’s temptation by a group of antagonists,” and “the stone that crumbles beneath the feet of the true hero.” The textual analysis concludes that there is a remarkable similarity in the concept of the epic hero across these traditions, alongside a rich variety of plots and motifs that likely trace back to a common source in Central Asia.