Folk Tales

Folk tales are anonymous narratives that recount an event through both oral or written means, combining poetic (poetry) and prose (plain text) sections. In Turkish literature, they emerged after the epic tradition and are regarded as a transitional form between fairy tales and modern short stories.

Folk tales enable children to learn how people in the past lived, thought, and expressed their emotions. They help children understand cultural values, language, and imagination.

Folk tales were typically narrated by ashiks. Proverbs and idioms are frequently used. These tales were passed down orally from generation to generation and later transcribed into writing. As a result, various narrative styles developed.

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The term “folk tale” is known by different names across the Turkic world. In Azerbaijani Turkish it is called “hekâye,” in Kyrgyz “angeme,” and in Turkmen Turkish “hekâya.”

In certain periods and regions, folk tales were also referred to as “boy,” “nağıl,” or “sergüzeşt.”

Folk tales emerged after the decline of the epic period. The lengthy heroic narratives of epics gradually gave way to shorter and more realistic stories.

Therefore, folk tales are considered a transitional form between epics and the novel.

The most common theme in folk tales is love, often depicting the struggle of lovers to be united.

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Heroism and religious themes are also addressed. In some tales, love and heroism are combined.

The main hero of these tales is usually an ashik. This figure replaced the “alp” archetype of epics. Heroes are portrayed with ideal qualities: brave, patient, and full of love.

Folk tales are a blend of poetry and prose. Events are narrated in prose, while emotions are expressed through poetry. Extraordinary events are rare; the characters and incidents are closer to reality. Each tale concludes with a definite ending.

Epics are longer and emphasize heroism. Folk tales are shorter and centered on love. Fairy tales are generally told to children, whereas folk tales appeal to audiences of all ages and are more detailed.

Folk tales are mostly narrated by ashiks accompanied by the saz. The narrator engages with the audience and draws them into the story. In oral narration, tales tend to be longer; written versions are more structured.

Folk tales are classified by theme into love tales, heroism tales, and tales combining love and heroism. Geographically, they are known in Anatolia, parts of the Turkic world, or throughout the entire Turkic region.

Folk tales help children understand their cultural heritage. They support language development, enrich imagination, and introduce social values.

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