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« 2025. # 2 (182)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2024. № 2 (182), 466—

UDK [398.21:392.5](=161.2):[801.81:7.046](09)

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/

MYTHOPOETIC AND MYTHOEROTIC SEMANTICS OF THE TALE «FOX AND CRANE»

TEMCHENKO Andriy

  • ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3999-9459
  • Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor,
  • Associate Professor of the Department of the Ukrainian History
  • of the Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy,
  • 81, boulevard of Shevchenko, 18000, Сherkasy, Ukraine,
  • Contacts; e-mail: temchen@ukr.net

Abstract. Introduction. Another attempt was made to decipher the hidden meanings of famous subjects of the Ukrainian traditional fairy tale.

The purpose of the publication is to identify the mythological implications of fairy -tale images of chanterelles, cranes, wolf, cat as semantically dynamic characters that embody different levels of mythological universe and present generally accepted social norms of customary law.

The research methods meet the goal and tend to analyze, compare and synthesize different concepts related to the reconstruction of the mythological context of the fairy tale. 

The results obtained. The Ukrainian fairy tale «Fox and Crane» is a rudiment of mythological discourse, so it has a complex semantic configuration. The first content marker concerns the archaic picture of the world, which seems to be a juxtaposition of the mythological top of the neb (crane) and the chronic bottom-land (chanterelles). Hence the positive and negative concepts of fairy tales, which are protruding on the situations of everyday life. In particular, dual values acquire semantic concretization and relate to the relationship of «male» and «female», where crane denotes parity relationships, which with «great friendliness» can develop into opposite as a result of violation of an important rule of harmonious coexistence — physiological and psychological incompatibility. The chanterelle, not receiving the desired from the crane, stops a relationship that demonstrates opposite estimates of similar situations, where the wrong actions of a man are interpreted as unacceptable, and his refusal is perceived as an insult for a woman. The corresponding stereotypes are of ancient origin and are explained by the existence of an indisputable rule, according to which a woman had the right to choose a husband — the future father for her children. 

Instead, the situation with the wolf is different because it is subjected to constant manipulation of the chanterelle. The semantic architectonics of the fairy tale exposes a number of behavioral stereotypes. The fairy tale leitmotif is the desire of the chanterelle to get the maximum benefit of a naive wolf.

In addition to psychological content, the plot of the fairy tale is full of erotic symbolism, tangent to wedding folklore. In the context of the fairy tale, additional binary oppositions with the symbols of «male» and «female» are formed, in particular: «jug  — bowl», «heron — skovoroda», «wolf tail — hole». In parallel in the fairy tale, they prevail with the symbolism of mating and fertilization, which indicates ambiguous images of «porridge», «fish» and «poppy seeds».  

Keywords: God’s messenger, wedding, jug, pot, wolf, childbearing organ, erotica, frog, woman, crane, hare, snake, fairy tale, cat, chicken, stork, fox, poppy, myth, tunnel, young man, pies, behavior, fish, sex, frying pan, gender, stereotype, plate, heron, man, tail.

Received 17.03.2025

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