Notes to Kalmyk Proverbs and Saying Collected in Ulan Kheech Sovkhoz, 1935–[19]42: The Manuscript by D. S. Bembeev-Salmin Revisited

Introduction. The article continues to explore folklore materials recorded by D. S. Bembeev-Salminduring the pre-war years (1935–1942) in the territory of Kalmykia. The collected data, scientific works and biographical documents are currently stored at Kalmyk Scientific Center of the RAS and comprise his personal collection (call no. Ф. 10), the latter numbering a total of 12 items dated 1931–1962. Goals. The study aims at analyzing and introducing a complete manuscript of D. S. Bembeev-Salmin’s folklore survey conducted among residents of Ulan Kheech Sovkhoz (Tsentralny District of Kalmyk Autonomous Oblast) from 1935 to 1942. Materials. The paper examines manuscript documents of D. S. Bembeev-Salmin that contain Kalmyk proverbs and sayings, a word list and notes to the collection. The scholar’s papers are regularly explored by researchers and some of the former’s findings have been published already. The unpublished ones are Oirat triads recorded by D. S. Bembeev-Salmin from shepherds of Ulan Kheech Sovkhoz in 1931. Results and Conclusions. Quite a number of renown scientists have explored and published Kalmyk proverbs and sayings. Such publications comprise translations, interpretations, comments — but fail to provide any essential stories behind the idioms. The more reason why the presented D. S. BembeevSalmin’s notes to proverbs that briefly outline such stories are that interesting.