Fairy Tales of Badakhshan

Abstract

This book contains the texts of twelve fairy tales in the original language and their translations into Tajik, Russian, and English. It should be emphasized that the original text of the fairy tales was recorded and presented without change from the words of the storytellers (native speakers of the Shugnano-Rushan group of languages) with transcription based on the Cyrillic alphabet, with the addition of letters characteristic of the Pamiri languages, which are used in works on linguistics on the Pamiri languages and folklore of the Pamirs.

It is generally accepted that oral texts are written based on the accepted transcription for Iranian languages. This method of writing texts was used by I. I. Zarubin, V. S. Sokolova, T. N. Pakhalina, D. I. Edelman, I. M. Steblin-Kamensky, D. Karamshoev, N. Shakarmamadov and other researchers. The authors also followed this method in this work.

The original text of fairy tales can serve as research material and a scientific source for researchers of the folklore of the Pamirs and the group of Pamir languages. The purpose of translating the original texts into Tajik, Russian, and English was to enable a wide range of readers to become acquainted with the beautiful folk tales of Badakhshan. The compilers of this book hope that readers will enjoy it.

Compiled by
G. Rizvonshoeva, Sh. Nekushoeva, N. Rizvonshoeva, M. Ardabaeva

For inquiries or to place your book orders, please contact: chhu@ucentralasia.org