Notes on the Central European Correlations of the Folktale Maiden Who Seeks Her Brothers (ATU 451)

This study examines the Central European correlations and interactions between oral and written traditions of the folktale on seven brothers changed into ravens, known as The Maiden Who Seeks Her Brothers (ATU 451). The international folkloristics distinguishes three subtypes of the tale, which are geographically relatively well circumscribeable, while contaminations of these (perhaps due to a number of fairy tale versions written by writers) are common, too. The paper also attempts to clarify to what extent can be the national variants of this type of tale considered specific (typically Hungarian, Slovak, Czech or German), and in what extent they are organic parts of the European folk tales. The paper also attempts to clarify that to what extent can be the national (Hungarian, Slovak, Czech or German) variants of this type of tales considered as specific (i.e. typically Hungarian, Slovak, etc.), and to what extent they are integral parts of the European collection of folktales.

József Liszka

Notes on the Central European Correlations of the Folktale Maiden Who Seeks Her Brothers (ATU 451)

Keywords: folk tales, fairy tales, The Maiden Who Seeks Her Brothers (ATU 451), inter-ethnic relations

398.21(4)

82(4)-93

82(4)-34