Khakass folklore in the recordings of V. V. Radlov and N. F. Katanov

The paper addresses the 2nd and the 9th volumes of the series “Samples of Folk Literature of Turkic Tribes,” which include the records of V. V. Radlov and N. F. Katanov on Khakass folklore. The 2nd volume of “Samples” comprises 19 heroic tales, two historical legends, and 39 songs recorded by V. V. Radlov from the indigenous population of the Minusinsk and Achinsk districts of the Yenisei province during his scientific expedition in 1863. Khakass texts were published in Sagai, Koibal, Kachin, and Kyzyl dialects. In this study, heroic legends were divided into groups based on plot and theme. The most popular theme is the struggle of the hero against the raids of representatives of the lower world, the khans-conquerors. The second most frequent theme is family and kinship relations (betrayal of the hero’s sister or wife). The legend “Sunu Māttyr” recorded by V. V. Radlov is dedicated to the events of the 18th century. The 9th volume of “Samples” includes Abakan texts collected by N. F. Katanov, with the first section covering his gymnasium works of 1878–1884, the second presenting the expedition materials of 1889–1890, and the third dealing with the works of 1892. The recordings include works of all folklore genres. He was the first to record shamanic folklore of the Khakass. In the same territory where V. V. Radlov had been before, N. F. Katanov recorded texts in Sagai, Beltir, and Kachin dialects. His materials can be the basis for areal studies in the folklore of the Khakass people.