A TYPOLOGICAL PARALLEL OF A SINGLE MOTIF IN UZBEK AND ENGLISH FOLK LEGENDS

INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF MODERN KNOWLEDGE AND REVIEW ISSN-L8776-0932 E-ISSN 8776-0932 IF(Impact Factor)12.57 Issue:13 Volume:13 December-2025 http://bibjournals.is-great.net/ 1 A TYPOLOGICAL PARALLEL OF A SINGLE MOTIF IN UZBEK AND ENGLISH FOLK LEGENDS Abdurashidova Kamola Abdurasul qizi ADU 3rd-degree doctoral student e-mail:[email protected] . +998906215578 Abstract: This article examines a typological parallel of a single narrative motif — supernatural disappearance — in Uzbek and English folk legends. Using a comparative structural-semantic approach, the study analyzes how the same invariant motif functions differently within two distinct folkloric traditions. The analysis focuses on narrative structure, chronotope, character system, and belief context, demonstrating that while the motif remains stable at an invariant level, its semantic realization is shaped by national worldview, religious background, and cultural memory. The research contributes to comparative folklore studies by clarifying genre boundaries between legend, urban legend, and demonological narrative. Keywords: folk legend, motif, typology, disappearance, Uzbek folklore, English folklore, urban legend Introduction Folklore studies have long demonstrated that legends constitute one of the most flexible and adaptive narrative genres within oral tradition. Unlike myths, which are typically associated with sacred cosmologies and primordial time, legends operate at the intersection of belief, experience, and narration, reflecting both collective memory and culturally specific worldviews. Among the diverse forms of legendry, particular attention has been given to recurring narrative units—motifs—that transcend linguistic, ethnic, and geographical boundaries. These motifs, while structurally similar across cultures, often acquire distinct semantic, symbolic, and functional meanings within different folkloric traditions. In comparative folklore scholarship, the study of typological parallels has served as a key methodological approach for understanding how similar narrative patterns emerge either through historical transmission (migration theory) or through independent development rooted in universal cognitive and cultural processes (anthropological and structuralist approaches). Scholars such as Antti Aarne, Stith Thompson, and later Hans-Jörg Uther have systematized these parallels through INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF MODERN KNOWLEDGE AND REVIEW ISSN-L8776-0932 E-ISSN 8776-0932 IF(Impact Factor)12.57 Issue:13 Volume:13 December-2025 http://bibjournals.is-great.net/ 2 motif and tale-type indexes, enabling cross-cultural analysis of narrative traditions. However, while these catalogues provide a valuable classificatory framework, they do not fully account for the semantic transformation and functional recontextualization of motifs within specific national and cultural settings. This article focuses on a single recurring folkloric motif and examines its typological parallels in Uzbek and English folk legends, aiming to demonstrate how a shared narrative structure may produce divergent meanings when embedded in different cultural, religious, and historical contexts. Rather than treating motifs as static units, the study approaches them as dynamic narrative elements that interact with local belief systems, spatial imagination (chronotope), and genre conventions. The relevance of this research lies in its engagement with postfolklore processes, particularly the interaction between traditional legends, modern urban legends, and demonological narratives. In both Uzbek and English traditions, certain motifs— such as miraculous disappearance, supernatural punishment, or contact with otherworldly beings—persist across time, shifting from mythic or sacred frameworks into more localized, experiential, and often moralizing narratives. These transformations reveal how folklore adapts to changing social realities while preserving deep structural invariants. Methodologically, the article employs a comparative-typological approach, drawing on motif analysis (based on Thompson’s Motif-Index of Folk Literature), structural-semantic interpretation, and contextual reading. Uzbek folk legends related to sacred spaces, saints, and miraculous events are examined alongside English legends involving fairies, spirits, or urban supernatural encounters. The analysis highlights both invariant elements (such as narrative sequence and core motif function) and variant features (religious framing, character typology, and evaluative stance). By narrowing the focus to a single motif and tracing its realization in two distinct folkloric traditions, the article seeks to contribute to current discussions on genre boundaries, cultural specificity, and the limits of universalist classification systems. Ultimately, the study argues that typological similarity does not imply semantic identity: while Uzbek and English legends may share common narrative skeletons, their meanings are shaped by national mentality, religious tradition, and socio-cultural experience. This research thus reinforces the importance of combining typological comparison with close contextual analysis and demonstrates the value of Uzbek folk material within broader international folklore discourse. The legend is one of the genres found in the folklore of peoples around the world, and it exhibits typology and differentiation in terms of genre characteristics, plot motifs and systems of INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF MODERN KNOWLEDGE AND REVIEW ISSN-L8776-0932 E-ISSN 8776-0932 IF(Impact Factor)12.57 Issue:13 Volume:13 December-2025 http://bibjournals.is-great.net/ 3 characters. The study of the poetics of plot in folklore works according to traditional motifs is of great importance for exploring the typologies found in the folklore of various peoples. The principle of studying the motifs of folklore works, particularly folk tales, myths, legends and other genres, was developed by A.A. Arne, S. Thompson, V.N. Andreev, L.G. Barag (and others), They are present in the indices compiled by H.Y. Uther, and in the studies of A.N. Veselovsky, V.Y. Propp, J. Campbell, and A. Dandes, which focus primarily on the study of motives. Therefore, in this chapter, we have also attempted to compare the traditional plot types and motifs in Uzbek and English folk legends, and to shed light on their compositional and aesthetic functions. One such widespread motif is supernatural disappearance, indexed in Stith Thompson’s Motif-Index of Folk Literature as F940–F949. This motif appears in legends describing humans who vanish underground, into water, stone, caves, or other liminal spaces. Despite its apparent simplicity, the motif performs complex narrative and ideological functions. This article focuses on a typological comparison of this motif in Uzbek and English folk legends, demonstrating how the same narrative core produces distinct meanings within different cultural frameworks. 2. Theoretical Framework and Methodology The study applies a structural-semantic and typological approach, drawing on the theoretical foundations laid by V. Propp, A. Dundes, and S. Thompson. The analysis treats the motif as an invariant narrative nucleus, while its concrete realizations are viewed as culturally conditioned variants. In the context of the index, Thompson defines 'motif' as follows: 'A motif is the smallest element in a tale that has the power to persist in tradition. In order to have this power, it must have something unusual and striking about it". However, in the Motif-Index itself, Thompson also provided a more 'cautious' definition: 'Anything that goes to make up a traditional narrative. When the term 'motif' is employed, it is always used very loosely to include any element of narrative structure'. This use of the noun 'motif' is specialized to the field of folklore studies. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the folkloristic use of the noun 'motif' is not summed up in the definition for literary criticism, but deserves its own separate definition. Similarly, the compound noun 'motif index' is used in cultural anthropology to denote 'an index of standard motifs, especially those found in folk tales'. The research relies on Thompson’s Motif-Index of Folk Literature (1955–1958): A. Mythological Motifs B. Animal Motifs INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF MODERN KNOWLEDGE AND REVIEW ISSN-L8776-0932 E-ISSN 8776-0932 IF(Impact Factor)12.57 Issue:13 Volume:13 December-2025 http://bibjournals.is-great.net/ 4 C. Motifs of Tabu D. Magic E. The Dead F. Marvels G. Ogres H. Tests J. The Wise and the Foolish K. Deceptions L. Reversals of Fortune M. Ordaining the Future N. Chance and Fate P. Society Q. Rewards and Punishments R. Captives and Fugitives S. Unnatural Cruelty T. Sex U. The Nature of Life V. Religion W. Traits of Character X. Humor Z. Miscellaneous Groups of Motifs. Brunvand’s studies on urban legends where Linda Dégh’s performance-centered legend theory; Uzbek folkloric materials recorded in regional collections.The comparative analysis is based on three parameters: Narrative function of disappearance; Chronotope and belief system; Genre orientation (legend vs. demonological tale). The Motif of Supernatural Disappearance in Uzbek Folk Legends. In Uzbek folk legends, the motif of disappearance is predominantly etiological and sacral. Characters disappear not as victims of hostile forces, but as bearers of divine power or spiritual transformation. A920.1.13. The milk produced by the saint's blessing and A934.5. Rivers appear during droughts through the saint's prayer. The motifs of the prophet, saint, and the motif of the emergence of springs, wells, streams, and rivers through the striking of the ground by the sensitive feet of the Polvon Otal. This motif variant has served to explain the etymology of the hydronyms in the legends of ‘Polvon Ota Hassasi’, ‘Bo'taqora’, and ‘Jilbuloq’. In the toponymic legend ‘Bo'taqora’, the emergence of the Bo'taqora village and the stream therein is explained based on the motif of the avliyo demonstrating his power by striking the otal's sensitive spot and causing water to gush forth. In ‘Polvon ota hassasi’, the emergence of the stream and the toponym Zeyli are explained as a result of Polvon ota's sacrifice. The legend of INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF MODERN KNOWLEDGE AND REVIEW ISSN-L8776-0932 E-ISSN 8776-0932 IF(Impact Factor)12.57 Issue:13 Volume:13 December-2025 http://bibjournals.is-great.net/ 5 ‘Jilbuloq’ depicts the events of Xo'jayi Xizr striking the ground with his staff, causing a spring to appear, and explains the naming of the spring and the place of pilgrimage. The ‘Zirkmozor’ legend depicts Hazrat Ali striking the ground with his staff, causing a spring to gush forth. The majority of such legends are aimed at reinforcing the belief in the healing properties of these pilgrimage sites and their springs, and their ability to cure various ailments. The legend of the ‘Spring of Hazrat Ayub’ also originated from the variant in which a spring emerges from under the feet of a saint who places his foot on the ground after the motif of a saint striking the earth with his staff has been transformed. In this instance, the staff detail has been replaced. The plot of this legend is also based on Islamic beliefs, recounting Satan's complaint to God against Job, God's inflicting suffering on Job to test him, and, once the trial is over, the sending of the Angel Gabriel to relieve him of his pain. The legend was created under the influence of the story of the Prophet Job in the Qur'an, and this plot motif is aimed at explaining the etymology of the necronym. In another variant of this legend, “Chashmayi Ayub”, the same plot motif is used to explain the origin of the leech, the honeybee, and the silkworm. In the legend of ‘Namangansoy’, the stream and the ravine are said to have been created by the line drawn with the staff of Hazrati Khidr. In the legend of ‘Obirahmat’, it is related that a spring emerged when the Prophet pressed his five fingers into the ground. Here the staff detail has been replaced by five paws. In the legend of ‘Bulg'ador Buva’ he ploughs the ground with ram's horns to create a furrow. If the miraculous appearance of Bulg'ador Buva is a variant of the saint figure, then the transformation of the staff detail into ram's horns is a motif transformation. This motif also appears in the English folk legend ‘The Well of Saint Ludgvan.’ It tells how the Irish missionary Saint Ludgvan, through prayer, brought forth a pure spring. Typical Uzbek legends depict disappearance through:  entering caves, stones, wells, or tents  merging with natural objects  vanishing at sacred locations Examples include “Khoja Abdurahmon Ota”, “Oynatosh”, and “Ko‘z Yoshi Qoyasi”. In these narratives, disappearance explains the origin of: sacred places; toponyms and oronyms; pilgrimage sites. The disappearance marks a transition from the human realm to a sacral dimension, reinforcing religious belief and collective memory. A1811.2. The creation of the cat: its emergence through sneezing from the lion's nostrils. The devil gnaws a hole in the ship's hull like a mouse. Noah asks the INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF MODERN KNOWLEDGE AND REVIEW ISSN-L8776-0932 E-ISSN 8776-0932 IF(Impact Factor)12.57 Issue:13 Volume:13 December-2025 http://bibjournals.is-great.net/ 6 lion for help. The lion sneezes, and a cat emerges from its nostril and eats the mouse. This motif occurs precisely in Uzbek folk legends. The legend ‘The Founding of Khiva’ is formed on the basis of the plot motif associated with Noah's Flood. It provides the etiology of how a tiger chased and tried to catch a mouse, but became too tired to do so; when it sneezed, a cat fell from its nose, and for this reason the cat came to resemble the tiger. This legend is quite extensive in scope, and it also includes the giant named Hojji Mulk helping Noah to build the ark, the birds' assistance to Noah: sending the swan and the dove to find dry land, the swallow biting the fly's tongue to save humans, the motif of Noah's son Shem's dream, Motifs such as the construction of Ichan Kala and the serpent attacking the swallow and severing its tail are present, serving to lend credibility to the events of the myth's plot. The Noah's flood plot and the motif of birds helping humans served to justify the swan's announcement to Som of the dry land, which was named “Quvoq”, and how that land had taken the form of Xivaq. V.Y. Propp, in his study of the morphology of folk tales, expresses his ideas on the transformation of various motifs within them. The scholar identifies confessional substitution as one of the internal types of the law of transformation, stating: "Confessional substitution. Modern religion also supplants the old forms, with new ones taking their place. Some legends form the basis of the fairy tale, in which all the elements have undergone a similar substitution. Every people has its own confessional counterparts. ‘Christianity, Islam and Buddhism are reflected in the fairy tales of the respective peoples,’ he says. As the scholar emphasises, such changes in folk tales can vary according to religious beliefs. The same phenomenon is observed in folk legends. In legends, motifs are used with their essence altered according to religious beliefs. For example, A2382.1. The raven is a hybrid of the dove and the crow, and its remaining hybrid form in English legends and fairy tales, which were not influenced by the Flood narrative, has been explained on the basis of the Noah's Ark plot. It describes how Noah took creatures aboard the ark. In the index, A2221.7: the dove obeys Noah and returns to the ark; it took on the crow's guise. A2234.1: the crow does not return to Noah; it must quench its thirst and break the count. Variant: he is cursed to be black-skinned or to eat carrion. A2234.1.1. The raven obeys Noah's command but does not return to the ark: the black colour is interpreted as the punishment that follows. In these variants, the nature of the reward or punishment for the dove and the raven is determined by whether they obey Noah's command or not. According to the account, the dove obeyed the command and returned to Noah's ark, and for that reason it is beautiful in appearance and feeds from people's hands. The crow, however, was blackened and deemed deserving of the fate of feeding on corpses. The raven is said to have remained black because it was not baptised in the waters of the Flood in Noah's time. In this motif, the raven's mixed white and black colour is explained on the basis of Christian beliefs. Here, the etiological cause has undergone a INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF MODERN KNOWLEDGE AND REVIEW ISSN-L8776-0932 E-ISSN 8776-0932 IF(Impact Factor)12.57 Issue:13 Volume:13 December-2025 http://bibjournals.is-great.net/ 7 transformation based on a change of confession. The dove, meanwhile, has been replaced by the swan. Alan Dundes also notes that motifs should be classified according to the function they serve in folkloric works. He emphasises that applying the linguist Pike's theory of diachronic and synchronic units in folkloristics to the study of fairy tales by motif is of great importance for the structural analysis and comparative study of fairy tales from various peoples. He also considers the Russian scholar V. Y. Propp's study of fairy-tale morphology to be sound, and adopts the 31 functions identified by Propp as the basic motif, calling it the motifema. He calls other variable motives in fairy tales and their various variants “allomotives”. Regarding the motifema and allomotives, and the interchangeability of motives, he says: '...a single motive can be used in different motifemas, either from an etymological standpoint or in terms of the motives themselves...' Folklorists are accustomed to considering all occurrences of a given motive as equal or of the same importance. It is not only important to realise that the same motive can be used in different motifemas, but also that different motives can be used in the same motifema.". Thus, although motifemes in folk legends are applied in sequence, there is freedom in selecting the heroes and their distinctive traits. Likewise, allomotives may be used not in a supplementary distribution but in free variation. Hence, in Uzbek and English folk legends, motifs (motifema and allomotifs) can be employed on the basis of various substitutions. We conclude that this may also stem from their national and religious perspectives. Semantic Function of the motif serves an etiological function, explaining why a place is sacred. The vanished figure often becomes a protector spirit or saint. Fear is secondary; reverence and legitimacy dominate. Thus, the Uzbek tradition interprets disappearance as divine election; sanctification; transcendence The Motif of Supernatural Disappearance in English Folk Legends In English folklore, particularly in urban legends and fairy legends, disappearance functions as a dramatic rupture of reality rather than sacral transformation. Narrative Realization. A paradigmatic example is “The Vanishing Hitchhiker”, documented extensively by Jan Harold Brunvand. In this legend a young woman accepts a ride; disappears from a moving car is revealed to be a ghost. The disappearance shocks the listener and destabilizes rational expectations. Genre Orientation. Unlike Uzbek legends, English variants emphasize fear and uncertainty; occur in contemporary urban settings; involve ordinary people; INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF MODERN KNOWLEDGE AND REVIEW ISSN-L8776-0932 E-ISSN 8776-0932 IF(Impact Factor)12.57 Issue:13 Volume:13 December-2025 http://bibjournals.is-great.net/ 8 Disappearance here functions as: a warning; a disruption of everyday life; proof of supernatural intrusion; Typological Comparison Aspect Uzbek Folk Legends English Folk Legends Genre Sacred / etiological legend Urban / supernatural legend Chronotope Mythic, timeless Modern, concrete Function Sacralization Shock and warning Character status Saint, chosen figure Ordinary person Emotional tone Reverence Fear, anxiety Outcome Sacred place established Mystery unresolved Despite sharing the same invariant motif, the traditions diverge sharply in semantic orientation. Genre Boundaries: Legend vs. Demonological Narrative. The comparison clarifies genre distinctions. In Uzbek folklore, disappearance rarely involves demonic conflict; it aligns with religious cosmology. In English folklore, disappearance often intersects with fairy lore, ghosts, and liminal beings, bordering on demonological narrative. This confirms that genre classification depends not on the motif itself, but on its functional role within the narrative system. Conclusion. The typological analysis of the supernatural disappearance motif demonstrates that the motif functions as a stable narrative invariant; its semantic realization is culturally determined; Uzbek legends sacralize disappearance; English legends dramatize and problematize it. Thus, comparative motif analysis reveals both universal narrative structures and national worldviews encoded in folklore. This confirms the value of typological comparison as a methodological tool in contemporary folklore studies. References: 1. Brunvand, J. H. (1981). The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends and Their Meanings. New York: Norton. INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF MODERN KNOWLEDGE AND REVIEW ISSN-L8776-0932 E-ISSN 8776-0932 IF(Impact Factor)12.57 Issue:13 Volume:13 December-2025 http://bibjournals.is-great.net/ 9 2. Dégh, L. (2001). Legend and Belief: Dialectics of a Folklore Genre. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. 3. Dundes, A. (1964). The Morphology of North American Indian Folktales. Helsinki: FF Communications. 4. Propp, V. (1968). Morphology of the Folktale. Austin: University of Texas Press. 5. Thompson, S. (1955–1958). Motif-Index of Folk Literature. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. 6. Легенды старой Англии / Э.Хартленд, – М.: Центрполиграф, 1890. – C. 83-84. 7. Пропп В.Я. Поэтика фольклора. (Собрание трудов В. Я. Проппа.) Составление, предисловие и комментарии А.Н.Мартыновой. – М.: Лабиринт, 1998. – 352 с. 8. Bronner, Simon J. and Alan Dundes. Meaning of Folklore: The Analytical Essays of Alan Dundes. Utah State University Press, 2007.URL:https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt4cgrzn.