KARA-YURGA

KARA-YURGA, a monumental epic work of Bashkir literature. Written in a combined poetic and prosaic form. Recorded by M.A.Burangulov in Derevnya Verkhne‑Ilyasovo of Buzuluksky Uyezd of Samara Gub. (Krasnogvardeysky Raion of Orenb. Obl.) as heard from Khasan Burangulov, storyteller in 1907. Various versions of the epic poem under the same title are written by K.Mergen, A.M.Suleymanov, G.Z.Suleymanov et al. K.‑Yu. is part of the Bashk. tales about animals (Akhak‑cola, Kungyr-buga). The Bashkirs ancient ideas about the horseasasacredanimalare reflected in the epic. According to the epic, Ablyaythehunterfallsinlovewith Maktymhylu, daughter of Masem‑bay, but he can not marry her because he has no dowry to pay. His horse Kara‑yurga (Raven Alien) kidnaps Maktymhylu for his owner. Ablyay devotes a song to his horse. Based on this epic, the Russian Drama Theatre staged in 1998 the Black Alien play by G.G.Shafikov (M.I.Rabinovich, dir., A.V.Kozhenkova, set designer, and S.Mirolyubov, composer). In 2013, the Bashkir Drama Theatre — the Maktymsylu, Ablyay and Kara-yurga musical by T.H.Garipova (O.Z.Khanov, dir., U.M.Idelbayev, composer, and S.R.Askarova, choreographer). More than 10 versions of the epic recorded on the terr. of the RB and Orenb. Obl. are stored in the Scientific Archive of the UFSRC RAS and in G.B.Khusainov Collection of Arabic manuscripts and oldprinted books at the Institute of History, Language and Literature.