The image of the kyigylyk birds in Shor epic poetry

The mythological image of the elder-younger golden kyigylyk birds (Ulug-kichig altyn kyigylyk) is a recurring yet understudied motif in Shor heroic tales. This paper addresses the lack of a comprehensive interpretation of this image in folklore studies and the linguistic challenges of its translation. Based on epic materials recorded by N. P. Dyrenkova and L. N. Arbachakova, transcribed and translated by the author, the study aims to define the morphological characteristics, functions, and symbolic meanings of these birds within Shor folklore. Analysis reveals that kyigylyk birds are characterized by iridescent plumage and piercing cries, always appearing as a pair. Residing in the Upper World, they act as liminal beings capable of freely traversing cosmic boundaries. Their primary functions are to foretell the death of an epic hero, their cry serving as an omen, and to transport the deceased to the other world, either to a burial site or to the creator chayachi for resurrection. The author critiques previous attempts to identify kyigylyk birds with extant avian species (such as eagles, swans, or peacocks), concluding that such biological identifications are groundless. The image apparently incorporates traits of various birds without corresponding clearly to any single one. The kyigylyk bird is a unique, untranslatable cosmological concept, with its semantics intrinsically linked to predicting death and facilitating passage to the afterlife

EPIC · Folklore · Liminality · Mythology · Poetry · Cultural, Linguistic, Economic Studies · Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies · Linguistics and Cultural Studies