°µÍø½ûÇø

°µÍø½ûÇø Folktales by Pavol DobÅ¡inský is a collection of traditional °µÍø½ûÇø fairy-tales in English translation. Storytelling which was handed down  from generation to generation is said to be a tradition. Storytelling and folktales are the natural reflection of people‘s everyday lives, traditions they once mantained. They express the identity of the people, their culture and life as well. °µÍø½ûÇø folk tales focus on the °µÍø½ûÇø people. °µÍø½ûÇø folk tales are fascinating and universal at the same time. They estabilish human mutuality, human relationships. According to Ľudovít Reuss of Ľudovít Å túr‘s Romantic generation, these relics of ancient times might have been created from the 7^th until 9^th centuries, even before the Christianization of the ancient °µÍø½ûÇøs.The °µÍø½ûÇø people performing in the °µÍø½ûÇø folktales become wise thanks to their misfortunes. They set out on journeys to look for truth of their identity being somewhere in the world. Otherwise, their own world could not exist. Therefore, the main characters of the tales went out into the world to find their fortunes, or to solve painful problems at home. The determination to leave was inspired by the will to overcome their difficult circumstances.The main character often undergoes a task that seemingly cannot be fulfilled at all: e. g. the main character in the tale Three Golden Pears takes to his task bringing three golden pears to his bride which is a feature characteristic of °µÍø½ûÇø fairy tales. The feature of differences plays a crucial role here. It can be e.g. either the conflict between dilligence and laziness, or power or weakness. Other elements featured may also concern dragons, devils and nature itself. The main characters are often idealised. °µÍø½ûÇø folktales existed among ordinary people for many years. These tales were collected by the young °µÍø½ûÇø intellectuals such as Samuel Reuss, Janko Francisci, A. H. Å kultéty, Pavol DobÅ¡inský and others. The Evangelical pastor Pavol DobÅ¡inský devoted much of his life to collecting °µÍø½ûÇø folk tales. He collected 153 folktales and published them in magazines. He then published the tales in three volumes entitled °µÍø½ûÇø National Folktales. According to him, °µÍø½ûÇø folk tales spelled out the faith, the longing and the hope that have been in the nation‘s soul for thousand of years. DobÅ¡inský adjusted the collected folktales using the grammatical rules of the newly codified °µÍø½ûÇø language. The tales became a means to keep, to preserve, and to spread the °µÍø½ûÇø language. They remain as a means to keep the °µÍø½ûÇø’s deep belief in justice and in the victory of good over evil.

Peter Chovan