Legendary motifs of giants-alyps and their transformation in Tatar historical lore

Motifs related to the images of giant-alyps are widely represented in both Russian and global folklore. Unfortunately, their national and local characteristics in the context of Tatar epic creativity, particularly in legends and tales, remain insufficiently studied. Clear criteria for the genre differentiation of stories about giants have not been fully developed, and the continuity of motifs associated with them in folk historical prose has not been analyzed. This determines the relevance of the proposed study. The scientific novelty of this work lies in its first attempt at a diachronic study of the evolution of the alyp image in Tatar folklore: from mythological heroes born from mountains and transforming into mountains or stones at the end of their lives, to demythologized images adapted to social realities.

The aim of the proposed work is to analyze the genre specificity of the alyp image in the oral folk prose of the Tatar people and its transformation in historical narratives. To achieve this, a review of specialized literature on the topic was conducted, a source base was established, key plot-forming motifs in legends and tales were identified, and their diachronic analysis was carried out. The author employs comparative-historical and historicaltypological research methods with elements of hermeneutics.

The study concludes that stories about alyps belong to the genre of legends, as they are based on fantastical notions and lack the historical accuracy of tales. However, in historical tales about the Peasant War of 1773–1775, qualities of alyps such as immense strength, connection to mountains, and epic feats are transferred to the images of folk heroes like Emelyan Pugachev and Salavat Yulaev. Thus, these works represent a synthesis of mythological beliefs with the real history of the people, which gives historical tales a legendary character. The work emphasizes the continuity of mythological traditions in the oral non-fairy-tale prose of the Tatar people and defines their role in the ethnocultural connections of the peoples of the Ural-Volga region.

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