Предназначенные и непредназначенные невесты эпического героя

Introduction. The article examines the forms of marriage between epic heroes and celestial maidens from the Upper World, claims of brides from the Lower World to enter into marital relations with the former, as well as other plot lines involving the marriage of representatives of the three worlds — the Upper, Middle, and Lower Worlds — in the Altaian epic. Despite there are studies mentioning intendedness of the hero’s bride and various forms of marriage (abduction by deception, abduction and seizure of the bride by a dangerous enemy), aspects related to their characteristics have not yet been completely clarified. Goals. In this regard, an analysis of plot lines related to other motifs of epic heroes’ marriages appears to be relevant. To facilitate this, the paper shall identify the role of the brides destined from the Upper World in the hero’s heroic biography; reveal the reasons for the heroes’ marriages to brides from the Lower World; and explore the motif of taking earthly brides to the Lower World. Materials and methods. The study focuses on texts from Altaian heroic tales and fairy‑tale folklore. The work employs the descriptive, textual, and comparative research methods. Results. The comparison of plot lines from epic tales, fairy tales, and tales about heroic figures has revealed that the forms of marital relationships between epic heroes and brides from different worlds are directly linked to the archaic system of ideas about the unity of the three worlds. In epic tales, the form of marital relationships is also determined by actual goals and efforts of the epic heroes.