American Journal Of Philological Sciences
113
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue07 2025
PAGE NO.
113-115
10.37547/ajps/Volume05Issue07-29
The Artistic Expression of National Identity in Turkmen
And Uzbek Folk Tales
Ibrohimova Gulchiroy Asqarali qizi
Fergana State University, Fergana, Uzbekistan
Received:
31 May 2025;
Accepted:
29 June 2025;
Published:
31 July 2025
Abstract:
This article analyzes the national characteristics of Turkmen and Uzbek folk tales, their educational
significance, and their role in the educational process. The research highlights the genre characteristics specific to
fairy tales and the expression of images within them. Additionally, Turkmen and Uzbek folk tales are examined in
a comparative aspect, identifying their inherent typological features. The artistic expression of national identity
inherent in the folk tales of each nation is also investigated.
Keywords
:
Folk tales, national identity, literary tradition, artistic image, theme and idea
.
Introduction:
Folk tales are an important literary genre
that serves to explain the concepts of goodness and
virtue to humanity, as well as to expand their
worldview, develop their creativity, and foster their
scientific and logical abilities. It is no secret today that
children who have been told many fairy tales by their
parents are more talented than others. No matter what
corner of the world it is, whether it is a rich or poor
country, it certainly has its own fairy tale. And the main
purpose of all these folk tales is to contribute to the
education of children and to help them become
knowledgeable. It is precisely this goal that serves to
bring the literature of the whole world closer together
to some extent. In particular, we will observe these
typological similarities in the example of the analysis of
Uzbek and Turkmen fairy tales below.
The Turkmen and Uzbek people, having a common
origin, resemble each other in many ways. As much as
their customs, way of life, and facial features of their
people are similar, so are their arts and literature. In
particular, if we analyze Uzbek and Turkmen folk tales,
we find many common aspects. Characters from
Turkmen folk tales are found in Uzbek fairy tales, and
plots found in Uzbek fairy tales are also present in
Turkmen fairy tales, so much so that sometimes the
question arises as to which people they originally
belong to. According to experts, such mutual literary
influences arise based on the following factors:
1) Through social, cultural, and literary connections
between two or more peoples;
2) Based on blood kinship between literatures, a certain
genetic connection, belonging to a specific ethnic group
(for example, the literature of fraternal peoples);
3) Literary influence can be large-scale and multi-stage,
forming an entire literary period (for example, the
influence of literary movements to which J.J. Rousseau
and J.G. Byron belonged on A. Pushkin, M. Lermontov,
L. Tolstoy);
4) A type of literary connection between writers. The
use of plots, images, famous motifs, or artistic ideas
existing in one writer by another writer, and so on.
As we study examples of fairy tales from the two
nations, we can point to all of the above factors as
reasons. That is, they are fraternal peoples with
centuries-long mutual connections, and it was natural
for this to have a profound influence on their creativity
and literature. This is especially evident in folk art that
is passed down orally. Sometimes we see that only
certain aspects of entire fairy tales have changed, but
they are essentially the same fairy tale. In particular,
the greedy stepmother, her capricious daughter, and
the intelligent, hardworking old man's daughter in the
well-known Uzbek folk tale "Zumrad and Qimmat" are
always in contrast to each other and exist in other
fraternal peoples, including Turkmen fairy tales.
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American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2273)
The content and themes in the fairy tales of the two
nations are also common, which shows that the past,
sorrows, and hopes of the two peoples are also
mutually one. In Turkmen fairy tales, the positive
characters are mainly poor peasants, orphaned
children ("The Widow's Son"), hardworking and
intelligent girls ("Akpamyk"), and the negative
characters are rich people, kings, viziers, and officials
who are placed against them. This serves as a template
for Uzbek fairy tales as well. In these fairy tales,
ultimately, positive characters always prevail. In
particular, in the fairy tale "The Widow's Son," an
orphan boy is pitted against the son of a merchant and
a rich man. The rich man's child is depicted as greedy
and selfish. There are many fairy tales with such a plot
in Turkmen literature, in which legendary fairies,
magical creatures, or magical dreams come to the aid
of the orphan boy. The image of orphaned children is
also widespread in Uzbek folk tales, in particular,
Zumrad in "Zumrad and Qimmat," Gulnora in
"Yoriltosh," and the orphan children in "Boz Bola." In
them, too, orphans rely only on their pure conscience,
intelligence, and strength, and ultimately become
happy. This kind of plot demonstrates the people's
sense of justice, thirst for goodness, and the strength
of their compassion. In the oral tradition of the two
nations, fairy tales glorifying the intelligence of a small
child are also widespread, and they are placed against
large and boastful rich people. In this, the scenario of a
small child defeating a large and stupid rich man who
thinks he is stronger than everyone else is very
common.
In particular, in the Turkmen folk tale "The Boaster and
the Snake," when a constantly boasting rich man is
about to be killed by a snake, he cannot find any
solution. Then a small child helps him with his
ingenuity. In addition, the character "Yortiquloq" (Split-
Ear), which is famous in Turkmen literature,
corresponds to "Nukhatpolvon" (Pea-Strongman) in
Uzbek literature. Both heroes are very small but
resourceful, and they protect the hardworking, poor
people from cruel rich men. These fairy tales show that,
regardless of who a person is, their position, or age,
only their intellect and pure conscience are important.
When it comes to the system of traditional images for
the two nations, they can be analyzed by dividing them
into three categories:
1. Human Images
2. Animal Images
3. Mythological Images
All of these are actively used in the fairy tales of both
nations, and their functions in the plot line are also very
similar. In particular, the fox is always used as a symbol
of cunning ("Khudoyberdi and the Fox" - Turkmen, "The
Cunning Fox" - Uzbek), the wolf is used as greed, and
domestic animals are used as positive images. All of
them have educational significance and are "made to
speak" to bring children closer to the animal world, and
human characteristics are transferred to them. Such
fairy tales are metaphorical in nature and carry a deep
meaning. In particular, let's take the Turkmen folk tale
"Three Bulls." In the fairy tale, three bull brothers
become friends with a lion. But the lion eats them: "-
You have nothing to punish me for, brother. I graze
according to all the rules, I don't run forward, and
besides, can a brother eat his brother? - You are stupid,
you are stupid! - laughed the lion. - Can a meat-eater
be the brother of a grass-eater? Moreover, I am the
king of animals! And the best hunter among lions." This
fairy tale embodies a deep meaning and allegorically
explains to children that they should be careful when
choosing friends. There are many fairy tales in Uzbek
folk tales that give this lesson (The Wolf and the Fox).
Mythological images such as divs (giants/demons),
fairies, helper birds, and Semurg are actively used, with
some differences. In particular, the div is depicted as
gigantic, rude, and very simple and stupid in the fairy
tales of both nations ("Khudoyberdi and the Fox" -
Turkmen, "Bahrom the Brave" - Uzbek). Sometimes
they fight with the main character, and sometimes they
act as helpers to the hero. The fairy image is depicted
as a beautiful girl, and she mainly helps the main
character and becomes his lover. The image of helper
birds is widely used in Turkmen literature, and it takes
the hero out of difficult situations. There are also some
differences in the fairy tales of the two nations, which
are clearly visible in the setting. In Turkmen fairy tales,
deserts, camels, and horses are often found ("The
Magical Horse"), and there is a sense of combat and
speed. This can be linked to their history as a nomadic
people. "The main occupation of the Turkmen people
was animal husbandry. Animal husbandry defined the
unique character of the Turkmen."
In Uzbek fairy tales, land, agriculture, and oxen are
often found ("Three Sons and a Peasant Father"). The
reason is that the Uzbek people have been engaged in
agriculture since ancient times. There is also a different
approach to the image of the king in the two nations. In
Turkmen fairy tales, he is mainly depicted as evil,
parasitic, and stupid, while in Uzbek fairy tales he is
often shown as "a just king who walks among the
people without being noticed, and who learns how his
people live at night" (Honest Labor). This is because
Uzbek folk tales are mainly aimed at giving education,
and they teach morality, etiquette, and respect. In
Turkmen fairy tales, the main character is not only
resourceful, but also very honest. This can be seen
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
115
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2273)
more clearly in the figure of Ahmad, the main character
of the fairy tale "Ahmad": "Then, turning to the
merchant who had entrusted the money, he said: -
Take this pearl! I have not deceived the people like you
merchants, but you were ashamed to meet me." In the
fairy tale "The Widow's Son," an orphan boy wants to
fight a div, but he doesn't kill him because the div is
sleeping. In Turkmen fairy tales, divs sometimes serve
as helpers who protect poor people (Two Marksmen).
Although in the fairy tales of the two nations the
youngest son is depicted as more intelligent, better,
and braver than his brothers, there are some
differences between them. In particular, in Turkmen
fairy tales, the youngest son is placed against his
brothers. That is, the brothers are mainly portrayed as
evil and envious, while in Uzbek fairy tales they do not
have a negative meaning. They also have in common
that in both nations' fairy tales, the hardworking people
are glorified, and they celebrate ordinary people, labor,
and pure feelings.
From the above analyses, we can see that the fairy tales
of the two nations hardly differ from each other in
terms of content. Their role in child rearing is very
important. Uzbek folk tales teach children diligence,
etiquette, justice, and honesty. In particular, while
honesty is glorified in the fairy tale "Zumrad and
Qimmat," diligence, honesty, and resourcefulness are
glorified in the Turkmen folk tale "The Widow's Son."
The importance of fairy tales in children's education
and upbringing is so important that in today's world we
need to further enhance their role and introduce them
into the modern educational process using interactive
methods:
1. It is necessary to develop textbooks that explain
mathematics, the mother tongue, and other subjects
that seem complex to children precisely in the form of
fairy tales. After all, then the child's mind will not
associate mathematics with something complex.
2. Fairy tales should be presented to children in an
interesting way in audio and video formats, along with
book format, which will lead to a deeper understanding
of them.
3. It is very appropriate to use fairy tales to develop
children's national customs and patriotic feelings. In
this, special attention should be paid to national
identity in the content and illustrations of fairy tales.
4. During the lesson, it is possible to organize question-
and-answer
games
called
"Yortiquloq"
or
"Nukhatpolvon." Such games develop children's
resourcefulness.
In addition, reading a fairy tale and asking children to
retell it is also very effective, as it develops children's
thinking and memory abilities. Encouraging them to
draw lessons from the story, or to create a new fairy
tale by putting themselves in the place of the character,
has a positive impact on the creative and logical
development of children. Turkmen and Uzbek folk tales
play an important role in the education and upbringing
of children, and they can be used to provide even more
effective education by integrating them with modern
technologies.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, Turkmen and Uzbek folk tales reflect the
cultural and moral values of each nation. During the
research, the influence of these fairy tales on child
rearing, and the issues of instilling moral values in the
younger generation through them were studied. The
results showed that fairy tales are not only an
important part of spiritual education, but also of the
educational process. In the future, the widespread use
of these fairy tales in the modern education system will
remain an urgent issue.
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