The tale “Tsar Narbek” by A. Remizov is an author’s fairy tale created on the basis of a folklore plot recorded in the
Caucasus in the 1915. The main storyline is about a young hunter Tarkhan and his marriage. The key episodes of the
tale are connected with the hero’s departure from home and are due to the so-called “shortfall” (in the terminology of V.
Ya. Propp). The seeker-hero named Tarkhan is looking for a bride “far away, not at home,” which can be considered a
manifestation of exogamy. The function of the hero\s assistant is performed by his magic horse, Rashi. The links of the
description of the image of a horse in the fairy tale by A. Remizov with similar images of the Persian epos, as well as
the Iranian and Tajik mythopoetic traditions were discovered.
In the plot of this tale the ancient folklore motive of sworn brotherhood plays a significant role. The Tarkhan during
a search for a bride comes in a forest house, where his betrothed lives with her six brothers-hunters. Neither the girl nor
the men are not related by blood, however, the girl is considered to be their sister, and they call each other brothers. The
image of a man’s house probably has a historical basis and is associated with ancient initiation rites, which have long
been lost by now. The seeker-hero, hitting the space of a man’s house and marrying a girl, becomes a sworn btorther to
the forest brothers.
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