Mythopoetics of Images in Olonkho "Nyurgun Bootur the Swift" by K. Orosin and P. Oyunsky

Savvinova Gul'nara Egorovna ORCID: 0000-0001-9868-4962 PhD in Philology Senior Researcher, Northeastern Federal University named after M.K. Ammosov 677009., Russia, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk, ul. F.popova, 16, building 3, sq. 40 savgul6767@mail.ru

The eponymous olonkho by K.G. Orosin and P.A. Oyunsky

In Yakut philological science, the system of images, characters of the heroic epic olonkho has been the object of research for a long time and is represented in the works of I. V. Pukhov ^[1], G. U. Ergis ^[2], N. V. Yemelyanov ^[3], A. N. Danilova ^[4], A. A. Kuzmina ^[5], N. A. Orosina ^[6] and others. In 1927, the Yakut writer and poet, literary critic, philologist P. A. Oyunsky published an article "The Yakut fairy tale (Olonkho), its plot and content", The importance of this article lies in the fact that it represented the first experience of scientific understanding of the Yakut heroic epic Olonkho ^{[7, pp. 128-205]}. In this work, a general description of the main images in olonkho - heroes of the three worlds was given, among which special attention was paid to the consideration of images of heroes from the middle world. The article presents conclusions about the specifics of these images, which reflect the myth-making of the Yakut people based on their ideas about the ancient world.

In 1895, K. G. Orosin, an improviser and storyteller, recorded in writing the text of the Yakut heroic epic Olonkho "Nyurgun Bootur the Swift". Elaborated by E. K. Pekarsky, this manuscript by K. G. Orosin was published in 1911 in the edition of the series "Samples of Folk Literature" ^[8]. E. K. Pekarsky is the compiler and editor of the academic edition of the series "Samples of Yakut Folk Literature" (volume I, issue 1 (1907), issue 2 (1908), issue 3 (1909), issue 4 (1910), issue 5 (1911); volume II, issue 1 (1913), issue 2 (1918); volume III, issue 1 (1916). The "Samples ..." includes Yakut texts collected by researcher I. A. Khudyakov. The texts were checked with the original and edited by E. K. Pekarsky ^[8]. This publication of olonkho aroused interest and was highly appreciated by specialists. N. V. Yemelyanov called the archaic olonkho of K. G. Orosin the highest form of development of the Yakut epic and its classic example ^[3]. This point of view was also held by P. A. Sleptsov, who wrote: "the language of the famous olonkho (K. Orosina – S. G.) is generally distinguished by its refinement, tradition, amazing expressiveness and purity" ^{[9, p. 228]}.

Yakut writer P.A. Oyunsky in the 1930s, out of all 30 plot types known to him, created an artistic text of olonkho "Nyurgun Bootur the Swift" (1929-1932) ^[10]. I. V. Pukhov writes the following about olonkho P. Oyunsky: "Verse, in general style, traditional visual means, archaic language, all mythology and images Oyunsky did not change it, transmitting it in full as it is sung by the people" ^[10]. It was Oyunsky, according to P. A. Sleptsov, who gave olonkho a logical completeness. And as the scientist concludes, "in the processing of Oyun, the oral literary language <...> has become exemplary and complete. And the very olonkho "Nyurgun Bootur Swift", recreated by Oyun, was the highest expression of this language" ^{[11, p. 12]}.

It should be noted that the folklore genre of olonkho is considered by us "through its literary reflection" ^{[12, p. 109]}. G. U. Ergis pointed out about the possibility of such a "double" approach to the text of P. A. Oyunsky's olonkho: "This olonkho can be treated as a folk olonkho, because it preserves the features of the content and form of the folk epic, and at the same time as a literary work, since its language is processed by the poet" ^{[2, p. 75]}. At the same time, it is obvious that Oyunsky adheres to the historical and scientific concept created by him in the narrative sequence of the work, the system of images and the artistic and linguistic tradition of the Yakut Olonkhosuts.

Mythological images of the upper world in olonkho K. Orosin and P. Oyunsky

In the variants of olonkho K. Orosin and P. Oyunsky present a whole system of images of the upper, middle and lower worlds. "The diverse system of mythological characters in olonkho testifies to the deep antiquity of the Yakut epic, that olonkho was created during the period when artistic creativity was associated with myth-making" ^{[1, p. 25]}.

In the Yakut epic tradition, mythological images-characters are divided into different categories depending on their participation in the fate of the protagonist. They make up the storyline of olonkho. Troemirie olonkho K. Orosin and P. Oyunsky consists of a strict hierarchy: gods-ayyy (with yak. ayyy is the common name of good deities, personifying the beginning of creativity and goodness) live in the upper world, people and spirits live in the middle world, evil beings (abaas) live in the lower world. Thus, in the group of "Supreme Deities", the heavenly gods belong to the first (highest) level in the religious and mythological system.

At the name of the supreme deity ury? Aar Toyon (Yuryung Aar Toyon / Yuryung Ayyy Toyon). The image of this deity is most often mentioned in the works of N. P. Pripuzov ^[13], I. A. Khudyakov ^[14], V. M. Ionov ^[15], N. A. Alekseev ^[16] and others. Traditionally, in many olonkho uru? Aar (Ayyy) Toyon has the epithet: "ukeer kuyaas tyynnaah" ('with the breath of summer heat'), "uut-aas beyeleeh" ('snow-white venerable'), "uut kuol olbohtooh" ('with the base of the milk lake'). In the variants of olonkho K. Orosin and P. Oyunsky give a more detailed description of the deity ury? Aar Toyon: "There is a white elderly Yuryung Aar Toyon with his wife, his mother Aarly Khotun, himself with a milky-white body, with a breath from extreme heat, with a seat on a white milk lake" ^{[17, pp. 71, 73]}; P. Oyunsky: "Breathing gentle heat, In gray hair white as milk, White Yuryung Aar Toyon." uru? Aar Toyon is depicted in the image of an old man, exuding light and heat, dressed in snow-white expensive furs. The Great elder is the highest solar deity among the gods. As N. V. Yemelyanov emphasized, in the texts of olonkho, "the epic image of Yuryung Ayyy Toyon is static, the same and does not unfold in action" ^{[18, p. 7]}.

As our material shows, in the text of olonkho K. Orosina uru? Aar Toyon is depicted together with his wife uru? Aarly Khotun (Yuryung Aarly Khotun), also in the version of P. Oyun's spouse uru? Aar T oyon – ady?A Sier Khotun (Ajynga Sier Khotun). In olonkho khotun (with yak. khotun - lady), like other Turkic peoples Khatun, Khatyn, Khatan, has a title similar to the male title toyon (among other Turkic khans). In olonkho K. Orosin and P. Oyunsky have no descriptions of their actions; the actions of the spouse-khotun of the supreme rulers. Only their names are mentioned; their appearance is not described, there are no traditional female images, descriptions of their beauty. In Olonkho, the Hotuns of uru? Aarly and ady?a Sier do not interfere in the affairs of the Toyon spouses; on their part, passivity, contemplation is characteristic. At the same time, such an “absence” of hotuns in no way detracts from the significance of their position. In the description of the royalty of the husbands of the uru? Aar Toyons, the foresight and wisdom of their heroine wives are obvious, in which their greatness is only emphasized. Undoubtedly, the common Turkic-Mongolian tradition is reflected here, in which the ruler's wife together with her husband is shown as an object of universal veneration and is, like the ruler, the basis of the unity of the people.

If in olonkho K. Orosin and P. Oyunsky describe the lower world as a country without a sun, with a disgusting stench, acts as a place of danger, then the upper world is shown structurally, divided into several parts; and of course, it is a beautiful place, worthy for the life of the gods: On a wide lower circle / Eight-layered, fiery-white skies, / On at the top of the three-tiered / Bright skies, / In the abode of the noonday rays, / Where the air is affectionately blue, / Among the lake – never / Who has not seen either cold or ice... (A?ys hartygastaah / Ara?as ma?an hallaan / Alyn kyrytygar, / Us hartygastaah / Urduk mae hallaan / Urut ottuger / Kuler kuoh salgynnaah, / Kundul kunus doydulaah, / Urumetibet uut kulleh ...). The most significant characters who are the supreme deities in the variants of K. Orosin and P. Oyunsky, the gods of fate Chyngys Haan, Jylga Toyon, Syuge Toyon are considered, as well as the patron gods of horses - Kyun Jesegey, Wat Jesegey. These gods act as executors of decrees, penalties on the instructions of the supreme god-ruler. They give the main character a horse and heroic equipment, instruct them on the right path. There are also celestial clerical clerks here, who fix the fate of the hero in writing long before his birth on the octagonal pillar of the heavenly archive.

Mythological images of the middle, lower worlds

The Middle World in olonkho K. Orosin and P. Oyunsky are represented by many mythological characters. According to the ideas of the Yakut people, the middle world is inhabited by a large number of Ichchi-patrons (ichchi - spirits); spirits-masters of forests, lakes, trees, herbs, etc. Consider the following examples:

As you can see, by comparing p. Ojunsky reveals the image of the sacred tree Aar-Luup more bright and full, gives the tree more depth (the branches of Aar-Luup rise above the ground like a dome, the fruits are huge for koumiss, its leaves are like horse caps). It should be noted that such comparisons with objects of folk life are often found in the oral creativity of the people. According to Yakut ideas, choroon is the mother grail, from where the dairy ilge (mother's milk) of the goddess - mistress of the earth Aan Alakhchyn are tasted. Next, for Oyunsky, as a writer, not only folklore content is important, but also saturation with epithets, metaphors and personifications of each means of expression is significant. So, in addition to folklore and metaphorical, the artistic expressiveness of the Aar-Luup tree is enhanced by such epithets as: Thin branches of silver sing Loudly in the wind / All year round it Turns Green, blooms… / There is a dark golden bark on its mighty trunk... / Yellow blessed Aar-Luup (Chugdaarar toyuktaah / Chu?kunuur mutuktaah, / Hara komus khatyryktaah, / ala?arkaan-tategerkeen / Aar-Luup mas). It can also be noted that the images of Oyunsky are characterized by a more voluminous description. For example, if the image of a tree at K. Orosina is 9 lines, then P. Oyunsky has 159 lines. As you can see, by the number of lines, P. Oyunsky's description is quite large, which undoubtedly plays a big role in revealing the image.

Traditionally, the mythical bird of prey-the eagle Oksoku (Eksekyu) acts as a messenger and assistant to the hero. Fantastic oksoku in olonkho K. Orosina, P. Oyunsky, in which she is shown in the image of the goddess-ilbis (ilbis is a deity of war in Yakut mythology). Of interest is the description of the Orosin's oksoku using elements more characteristic of the northern tradition: with a forked tail, like pieces of birch bark folded into a bundle from the base of a wide urasa; with eight black curled claws, like scythes made by Verkhoyansk blacksmiths ^{[17, stlb.133]}. If in the olonkho figurative system of the central and Vilyuisk regions of Yakutia the description is traditional, which consists of well-established epic formulas, then in the northern olonkho images inherent in a fairy tale are created. The Orosin has a characteristic image of the northern olonkho oksoku: with a forked tail, with eight crooked claws, etc. Similar descriptions with a pronounced local character are found in the northern Srednekolymsk heroic tales. These are the images of the many-headed oksoku: the nine-headed bird oksoku in olonkho "Bogatyr Mas Batuya", the three-headed oksoku in "Kyun Menguren the old man and Kyun Teigel the old woman", etc. ^[19]. At the same time, this observation requires a special comparative study of the northern Olonkho and the epic traditions of the Vilyui and central uluses in the context of historical genesis, which is a very promising direction in epic studies.

Oksoku in the Oyun variant is represented as the personification of the sky, the sun, the king-bird. This bird was planted by the blacksmiths of Baaltaana and Kuetteeni on: an octagonal hitching post made of red copper, so that a guards the house and recognizes the enemy. Here oksoku sometimes opened her wings, screamed shrilly, issued menacing screams, foreshadowed future events ^{[10, 67-68]}. In the context of this representation of a bird of prey, it should be pointed out that the images of oksoku manifest views about ornithological images that persist at all stages of the cultural genesis of the Yakuts. It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that a separate place is assigned to P. Oyunsky in the pantheon (noted by me – G. S.) of birds: Exekyu – a huge eagle; Khomporuun Hotoy Ayyy - the ancestor of the eagle and the patron of birds; bird Bar Kyyl - a mythical bird; Bar Jagyl - a fabulous bird; Kulyugur Hardaachchy – a hawk; black-bald raven – Ilbis Kyysa; Kei-Waruk - a mythical beast - a monstrous bird; sterkh - a white crane, etc.

On the fields of heroic battles in the variants of K. Orosin and P. Oyunsky play an important role in the mythical image of ilbis. "They (ilbis – G.S.) help by inhabiting the points of the weapons of war in the form of lights, giving them greater strikingness and intensity" ^{[20, p. 22]}. P. Oyunsky, in creating the image of the black-bald raven Ilbis Kyys (lit. The Virgin of War) is of great importance not so much her visual image, as the description of sounds - her heart-rending screams, muffled screeching, also in the action of the monster Osol Wola, a picture is shown in which a flock of birds of prey circles over corpses and landscapes mangled by a bloody battle, fields ^{[10, p. 286]}. In variant K. Orosina Ilbis Haan is shown in a common meaning: the passion for war, for bloodshed are emphasized by metaphorical epithets, such as: thirsty for blood and battle; lusting for blood (ilbisteh ki h i, ilbisteh hallaan atamaannara, seppareek oyuur sa?a ilbisteh). Before the battle with abaasy Wat Usutaaki, Nyurgun Bootur utters the words: "...Min a?ardas harakhtaah abaahy walattaryn kytta ...adir?alaharga anammyt kihibin. Onon min u?uo ottuber ohollooh, ha?as ottuber ilbisteeh kihi buollum..." ("I was born and brought up in the visible, Yakut, shining, bright sky... I was destined all my life to fight with these one-eyed sons of abaasa… I am the kind of person who is accompanied on the right by an accident, on the left by the spirit of bloodshed. I am such a person") ^{[17, stlb. 205]}.

In the lower world there are a huge number of all kinds of amazing monsters-abaasy, which amaze with their appearance and their sophisticated actions in the battle with the heroes of aiyy. The lower world in Olonkho is a whole universe with the most unusual representatives, which has not yet been fully studied. In the lower world represented by K. Orosin and P. Oyunsky are inhabited not only by the heroes of Abaasy, but also by their relatives (mainly father, mother, sister).

A significant group consists of the characters of the Abaasa of the lower world. In the variants of olonkho, the nicknames of the heroes-abaasy of the lower world begin with the words Timir (Iron) and Wat (Fiery): Timir Dihistei (Iron Shuddering), Timir Dolonungs, Timir Degelikeen, Timir Dyybyrdan, also Wat (Fiery) Usutaaki, Wat Usumu Tong Duurai ^[10]; Timir Jesintei, Wat Usutaaki (titan the spirit of the lower world, the master of the Fiery Sea Kudulu) ^[17]. In the nicknames of monsters and other representatives, the epithets timir (iron) are identified with the gloomy, cold lower world, and wat (fiery) with fear and aggression. Consequently, "the names contain qualities, symbolic signs characteristic of representatives of the demonic tribe" ^{[21, pp. 28-30]}.

Underwent significant stylization in olonkho K. Orosin and P. Oyunsky anthropomorphic motifs. Representatives of the demonic world of abaasy – anthropomorphs personify ugliness: they are one-eyed, one-armed, with pronounced pathology of the back, limbs, etc. At the same time, they are endowed with a combination of the best abilities from an animal (sense of smell, hearing, visual acuity) and a human (facial expressions, the ability to think). S. Yu. Neklyudov notes that in the epic tradition, the asymmetry of body parts is characteristic of describing the appearance of demons ^{[22, p. 7]}.

Also, physical power, strength, enormous growth, again the essence of their evil spirits, are expressed through the nicknames of the characters. For example, Ap-Salbanyky (licking wizard), U s K u l u k (Having Three Shadows), Haan Harbila (Grabbing Blood), Clawed Kaedalbe, etc. ^[10]; Ardya ? Duolai (with rare large teeth), ada?alaah Ala Buurai (with a wooden block on his feet – an old woman), Yyysta Hara, Alyp Hara (The Black Wizard) ^[17]. In the plot of olonkho, the Abaasy heroes function as creators of chaos, violating mutual attraction, harmony in the universe.

In olonkho P. Oyunsky, one of the main opponents of Nyurgun Bootur, the hero abaasy Wat Usumu to? Duurai (a Fire-breathing Stiff Giant) lives in the upper world. In olonkho K. Orosin and P. Oyunsky a special role is assigned to the head of the upper abaasy–Uluutuyar Uluu Toyon (the Exalted Great Lord) - the lord of a populous tribe living in the lower tiers of the western sky. According to the description, evil Abaas monsters are impulsive, paradoxical, unpredictable and aggressive. Abaasa's behavior is mainly subordinated to their emotional impulses. The essence of the character of the heavenly abaas is manifested through their manner of behavior, image and mode of action ^{[23, p. 97]}.

Conclusions

Thus, a comparative analysis of the images in olonkho "Nyurgun Bootur the Swift" – the archaic version of the storyteller K. G. Orosin and the author's version of the Yakut writer P. A. Oyunsky allowed classifying mythological images-characters. In both versions of olonkho, visual means and techniques contribute to the creation of vivid images, events and actions of the heroes.

At the same time, a comparative analysis of the texts of the same name by olonkho K.G. Orosin and P.A. Oyunsky allowed us to draw the following conclusions:

- revealed differences in the description of the images of the characters. Differences were found, for example, in the description of the appearance of the same image. For example, in the images of mythical birds oksoku. Images of mythical birds oksoku u K. Orosina and P. Oyunsky have dissimilarity in appearance. If the Oyun bird oksoku: The wings of mi open wide, / Screaming shrilly, / Menacingly screeching ...; that is, the description is formulaic traditional, then the Orosin image of the epic oksoku is expressed by the northern elements inherent in a fairy tale: three-headed, with a two-branched tail. It should be emphasized here that the presence of elements of the Northern tradition may indicate that the Yakut heroic epic Olonkho has a complex historical genesis;

- it is determined that, in contrast to authentic pictorial means, in the description of the image of the sacred tree Aar Kuduk, K. Orosina, P. Oyunsky Aar-Luup has important not only folklore content, but also the use of means of artistic expression (epithets, metaphors, personifications). The writer also needs a more detailed description of the image (Orosin's image of a tree is 9 lines, Oyunsky's is 159 lines), which plays a big role in revealing the image;

- it is noticed that P. Oyunsky introduces on the basis of an authentic text K. Orosina additional images–characters;

- it was revealed that the writer's research work played an important role in the creation of additional character images. In 1927, P. Oyunsky, as the first Yakut scientist, published a scientific article "The Yakut Fairy Tale (Olonkho), its plot and content" [Oyunsky, 1962, pp. 128-205], which is a fundamental research in the field of not only epic studies, ethnography, but also literary studies. It is obvious that in the work of the writer P.A. Oyunsky, the origins of olonkho were developed as the most important artistic technique in his writing activity.

The conducted research of the olonkho texts "Nyurgun Bootur the Swift" by K. G. Orosin and P. A. Oyunsky, which are significant in the Yakut cultural heritage and epic studies, provides prospects for further comparative study of the Olonkho texts. And also gives us an idea of the direction of development not only of the epic, but also of the development of modern literature.