The Motif of the Inheritance of the Younger Son in Folk Tales of the Turkic Peoples: Structure and Symbolism

The mutual influence and creative connections between folklore and oral art of the Turkic peoples are a broad problem. One important aspect of this urgent problem is the study of the motive of the inheritance of the younger son in the folk tales of the Turkic peoples. The study of folk tale characters is crucial for elucidating the artistic foundation of this kind of folklore work because different artistic expression techniques are employed in their portrayal. The study’s object is folk tales of the Turkic peoples. The subject is the motive of the younger son’s inheritance in Turkic folklore, its structure, symbolism, and cultural and social significance. Through structural and symbolic analysis, the study aims to identify the characteristics, cultural significance, and evolution of the motive behind the younger son’s inheritance in Turkic folktales. The description and analysis use comparative-typological, structural-semiotic, and historical-cultural textual analysis techniques. The study’s findings indicate that even though the younger son usually faces difficult circumstances, his skills, courage, and hard work enable him to succeed. This motive highlights the value of social connections and family ties in traditional society in addition to illuminating the hero’s personal traits. The study’s findings can be applied to the compilation of Turkic folktale catalogs as well as to additional research on the poetics and style of Turkic folktales.