Plot type 161A* “Bear on a fake leg”: tradition and modernity

   Russian fairy tales of the plot type 161A* are analyzed in the article. Among the texts marked in the index of “Comparative index of plots: East Slavic fairy tale”, twenty one variants belong to the plot type 161A*.

   The relevance of the research is determined by the fact that the archetypal image of the bear is of great importance in the spiritual heritage of the peoples of Russia, as well as the need to turn to the genres of folk art of the ancient population of Russia.

   As a result of the analysis of texts another text of the plot type 161A* was introduced into scientific research.

   The novelty of the work is determined by the fact that for the first time all Russian versions of the fairy-tale plot are analyzed.

   The purpose of the article is to study Russian fairy tales of the plot type 161A* “Bear on a fake leg”.

   The following tasks are set: on the basis of comparative typological study to identify typological features and originality of Russian fairy tales of the plot type 161A* “Bear on a fake leg”, to analyze their plot composition, to show their relationship with other genres of folklore.

   Research methods: the fundamental principle of the research is comprehensive method, including comparative-historical,
structural-typological, textual, since the study of the typology of contact relations in folklore, in all the diversity and complexity of modern problems, is impossible without the widest and systematic comparative analysis.

   Main conclusions: the article shows that the structure of fairy tales that include the archetypal image of a bear in their
narrative is multidimensional and includes four layers: the idea of a bear as a totem; the period of animals cult death, when an ironic description of animals habits, in particular a bear, appears in fairy tales; the world of animals in fairy tales is perceived as an allegorical image of a human; genre borderline, when the boundaries of a fairy tale are blurred, and it, for example, transforms into bylichka or children’s horror story.

   As a result of the long period of existence of the plot 161A* the tale of the bear on the lime leg turned into a schematic interpretation, ending in children’s horror stories or even lullabies. In addition, the fairy tale is related to the world of the dead or another force represented by a bear or a character replacing it. In particular, in some variants with the plot type 161A*, the plot type 366A* “A finger with a ring cut off from the deceased” is contaminated. The prospects of the research are referred to the further development of the topic with the inclusion of materials of literary works with this plot.

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