FUNCTIONAL ROLE OF RIDDLES IN KARACHAY-BALKARIAN FAIRY-TALES AND NART EPOS
The presented article is devoted to analysis of the features of functioning of riddles in the works of larger genre forms (fairy-tales and nart legends). The study was conducted on the material of Karachay-Balkarian oral folk art for the first time. Its relevance is due to the lack of generalizing, systematizing works on riddles in national folklore study, the lack of development of many important aspects of their research. Among these issues is the problem of communication and interaction of individual genres. In Karachay-Balkarian folklore riddles are presented in a number of varieties: classic laconic riddles, riddles-questions, comic riddles, mathematical riddles, narrative riddles. All of them, in one way or another, influenced the poetics of folk fairy-tales and nart legends. The paper notes, that riddles are rarely included in prose texts in their pure form. In most cases we are dealing with the use of various mysterious formulas, wordplay, exchange of allegorical remarks, the use of the compositional form «question-answer», etc. It is emphasized, that such techniques were a conscious act and were aimed at solving specific artistic problems (creating a conflict situation, speech characteristics of heroes, etc.). The study showed, that riddles play an important role in shaping the structure and development of the plot of individual Karachay-Balkarian fairy-tales and nart legends. In addition, in a number of cases, the inclusion of allegorical remarks, dialogues, and seemingly insoluble tasks in the narrative is a reflection of the ethnographic component of the material and spiritual culture of the creating ethnic group (for example, marriage rituals). All of the above indicates the complexity of the identified problem and the prospects for further, more in-depth study of karachay-balkarian riddles.