Is it reasonable to compare two different epics? The epics vary greatly so it is difficult to find out any similarities between them except the fact that they have heroic content and oral origin. Even so heroic content may be accepted in different ways in various epics. The same we can say about heroism in Russian heroic epic ballades and Yakut olonkho. Each people have their own ideas of heroism, heroes and texts which can be performed or narrated; have a certain size or a rhythmic prose.

Another truism comes into effect at this point. Comparative study allows a better understanding of the peculiarities of the national epics. As a result of the study the national epics revealed their inner wealth.

The epos of “David of Sassoun” and Russian heroic epic ballades are compared in the article. The article considers an origin, composition, structure, types of heroes and conflicts of these epics. But the most important here is the way of their narration.

Two historic monuments of the world heritage preserve the worldviews and culture of two different nations in their own ways.

The article discusses two asynchronical recording of “Geser” epic by P. Petrov. Variability of epic formulas, typical points in the text, improvisation phenomenon and following the tradition in narrator’s practice are revealed by analyzing two recordings. It was revealed that the later text is not a verbatim repetition of earlier although the compositional structure has the same set of plots as the latest recording. In the early recording the text is divided into large blocks-themed chapters and has a fractional structure in the latest one. Thematic blocks are divided into smaller plots and narrative parts. Comparative analysis of the motivic fund of two different time recordings reveal approximately the same set of primary and secondary motives. However, with each new execution a narrator could add or exclude some motifs from the text freely operating the plot development. The texts have a reduction in one case and detailed description in another; constant formulas vary lexically and syntactically. There is a phonetic variation of eponyms in the epic text. Poetic language of P. Petrov has a strict simplicity of traditional epic formulas, laconic style and aspiration to action rather than embellishment of the story by numerous poetic descriptions. We can observe that improvisational mastery of the narrator, knowledge of the traditions and skilled use of the constant formulas created original and unique epic text.

The article considers rhythmic syntax parallelisms in invariant olonkho texts. The aim is to compare invariant texts for detecting peculiarities of rhythmic syntax parallelism in olonkho epos. The study detected from the olonkho “Khaan Djargustai” recorded by I. A. Khudyakov 487 units of rhythmic syntax parallelisms. And 494 units were revealed from the «Dyyrai the Warrior a son of the horse» by I. I. Burnashev. We made a catalogue for each olonkho text. Based on the thesis of R. Jacobson we took into consideration absolutely all the parallelisms including those which repeated several times. As a result of analysis it emerged that invariant olonkho text has 62 rhythmic syntax parallelisms with the same meaning and shape. This represents 12.7% of all the parallelisms of I.A. Khudyakov’s text and 12.5% of I.I. Burnashev’s text.

The same parallelisms were analyzed with the help of a comparatively typological approach in the long run it was found out that rhythmic syntax parallelisms are the variants of invariant texts, i.e. they subjected to insignificant variation at the periphery.

The research detected that the same samples of rhythmic syntax parallelisms form a block of “common epic parallelisms” of Yakut olonkho that does not significantly change after a long period of time. Epic formulas and common places (loci communes) emerge on the block basis that explains a polistadiality of rhythmic syntax parallelism in olonkho epos.

The ancient Armenian epic David of Sassoun” has much in common with the “Nart” epic of Karachay-Balkar version. The Armenian and the Karachay-Balkar epic traditions are primarily linked by common epic motives, similar characters, attributes and names. In particular, relations between a heroine of the Karachay-Balkar legend – Satanay (“Queen Satanay”, “Eruzmek and Satanay”, etc.) and the Queen of the ancient Armenian mythological epos – Satenik (“Vipasank”) are remarkable in these epics. The name of the Queen Satenik appears in the «History of Armenia» by Movses Khorenatsi and a historian of the 10th century Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi also mentioned her. Besides, information about Satenik was found in two ancient Armenian sources as «Martyrdom of Voskyans» and « Martyrdom of Sukiasyans».

We also mentioned and compared the main motifs of two epics «David of Sassoun» and the «Nart». These epics have intriguing typological parallels such as the heroes’ miraculous birth (Sosruko and Eruzmek) from the stone, a horse and equipment discovery. Besides it has a picture of heroes revenge for murdered relatives. Especially interesting is the magical cross – Khach Patrazi or Pataragi, which gives strength to Armenian heroes. The similar attribute, called Kach, is found in two versions of the «Nart» epic. There is a high degree of commonality in the motives of the struggle between the heroes and dragons. The main enemies of the Narts are emegens.

Sanasar, Mher and David are the Armenian epic heroes who fight with dragons. Sanasar and Mhar the oldest released their brides from the devs and David killed forty of them in order to revenge for his stolen herd. It is noteworthy that the devs as well as the emegens live in caves. The similarity of epic traditions comes, on the one hand, from common features of the heroic epic and from the relations between the nations of the Caucasus, and also may be due to the more ancient Indo-Iranian mythological parallels.

The article examines epic traditions in narrative structure of the “Kyotyor Myulgyun” olonkho that represents northern narration traditions for detecting its peculiarities. The study revealed that the plot and characters of the olonkho by D. M. Sleptsov from Moma are built on traditional canon of the plot formation but still there are some differences. There is no such olonkho in other regions with characters named Kyotyor Myulgyun. If to compare its wordage with the Central and Vilyuskiy regions wordage it is smaller (5130 lines). There is no an episode of fireplace beating by Ayii bogatyr in olonkho of the Central and Vilyuiskii regions. Such an impudent act of Kyotyor Myulgyun towards the Holy Spirit of fire almost cost him his life. In addition the main character kills Soruk Bollur then transforms into a boy and does all his work. Having gained a trust he steals his future wife. Kyotyor Myulgyun has a forged horse. It is possible to say that these plot peculiarities are traditional to northern heroic narration. Nevertheless it is necessary to compare it with another northern olonkho to get a complete confirmation. This topic is quite perspective in Yakut epic studies. Obtained results may be used in the study of northern olonkho traditions.

The article deals with the issues concerning nature as an artistic fact that had incorporated the national world view. The evolution of the natioanl artistic thinking of Siberian people has been traced in the establishment of narrative traditions. Epos has a fundamental role in these traditions on the strength of literature’s peculiar development. Olonkho is considered as an important phenomenon in the cultural history of Yakut people. Olonkho played a significant role in the formation of literary philosophic explanation of human and environmentrelationshipsin clear and accomplished form that helps epic to merge with lyric origin of belles-lettres.

Human dependence on nature among Siberian people appears in their world view and epic art continued in literature. Nature has not only practical, but spiritual significance. Nature is fetishized in mythological and artistic ways. Literature can not exist out of its nationality. In Yakut olonkho a man is not realized as something unnatural or oppositional, on the contrary, he feels like an organic part of nature.

The epos of olonkho is differently represented in various regions of Yakutia and has its own performing specifics that depend on local traditions. Thus far, there is no peculiar research of the regional epic traditions of Yakut people. Therefore the article represents a preliminary analysis of the prilensky tradition of epic performing that is currently up to date. The aim is to make a musicological analysis of the prilensky tradition of Sakha people epic singing. This leads to the features determination of Amginsky, Namsky, Khangalassky and Gorny regional singing traditions; detection of kylysakh and chant performing specifics; review of mode-scaled, intonational and metro-rhytmical structures in the given performing tradition. The musicological analysis revealed the existence of regional performing traditions. The tunes widely vary according to the region they belong to. The differences are often linked to timbre, i.e. the kylysakh and chants. As a result of the study it was found that besides the major olonkho performing traditions there exist a regional one.

The topic of discussion in this article is of a great significance because it gives a detailed insight into the transfer of specific national and cultural features of fiction. It is very difficult task for a translator to achieve. Olonkho is considered to be a masterpiece of Yakut folklore and a synthesis of many arts because of its unique style and a great number of emotionally colored words used frequently throughout the text this makes it one of the most difficult epics for translation. Difficulties in translating an Olonkho may also occur due to the fact that the texts of source language and target language reflect different cultures. The aim of the article is to analyze emotionally colored words in the Olonkho “Nurgun Botur, the Swift” by K. G. Orosin and also to investigate means of its translations from Russian into French.

The research had revealed the following: emotionally colored words are mostly commonly represented by: nouns (46%), adjectives (39%) and verbs (15%). The following lexical transformations were used in the process of translating from Yakut into Russian and English: generalization, descriptive translation, lexical replacement, omission and addition. We identified that translated text from Yakut into Russian have only 20% nouns, 26% verbs and of 29% adjectives that are of absolute conformity with the original language. Nearly 50% of emotionally colored words are marked by partial equivalence and nearly 30% of the words have no direct equivalents. In the Yakut-French translation, full equivalence occurs in nouns (16%), adjectives (13%) and verbs (13%). Partial equivalence was indicated in nouns (30%) and 50% of the words have no direct equivalence. Partial semantic losses are inevitable on the connotative level in the process of translating the emotionally colored words. Translators have to solve such difficult tasks in order to avoid semantic and imagery losses. The translation analysis revealed that it is necessary to investigate the problem of connotation in epic literature more deeply.

The article gives a brief review of translations of the Yakut heroic epic Olonkho into world’s languages. It studies translations beginning from 1844 up to the present day. In 2005 UNESCO proclaimed the Yakut heroic epic Olonkho a “Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”. However, is Olonkho really known among international community? It is impossible to give a straight answer to this question, for Olonkho is just being translated into other languages (except translations into the Russian). Meanwhile various epics of the peoples of the world had successfully become common property long time ago. For example, it is known that the Finnish epic “Kalevala” has been translated into 65 different languages; translations of the Kyrgyz epic “Manas” has made it known throughout the world, etc. Translation of our epic into other languages is extremely difficult and important work. It can be carried out only by professionals, who, on the one hand,know and understand all the shades of the language, Olonkho is translated into, and on the other hand – all the shades of Olonkho language, which represents the masterpiece of the Yakut language wealth. The most important requirement to translation is maximal approximation of target language to source language, approximation, not adequate translation. The latter is impossible, but translation can be considered as successful if it conveys deep individual conception of epic, preserves all of its unique characteristics, special epic world with its original characters and their actions and deeds. In other words, translation is intended to convey to foreign readers the inner spirit of epic, all of its local color and its real historical and cultural significance.