Epic "Manas" Myths and legends of Kyrgyzstan. Folklore

The duty commanded by God has been fulfilled...

A. S. Pushkin “Boris Godunov”

A century and a half has passed since Russian scientists Chokan Valikhanov and V.V. Radlov informed the world that the “wild stone” Kyrgyz, roaming the foothills of the Tien Shan, have the greatest oral and poetic masterpiece - heroic epic"Manas". Episodes of the Kyrgyz legend were recorded, published, and translated into Russian and German.

Much has been written about the trilogy “Manas”, “Semetey”, “Seytek” scientific works, scientific conferences were held, and in 1993 the 1000th anniversary of the epic was celebrated at the world level.

Years passed, but our valiant hero never reached the broad masses; few people know the content of the epic itself, not only abroad, but also in Manas’s homeland. And the reason, apparently, is that the text of “Manas” is very voluminous and multivariate. It is impossible to translate it into verse, and in a prose translation “Manas” loses half of its artistic merits. Imagine an uncut ruby! “Zhanbashtap zhatyp sonunda” is one thing, that is, lying on your side and admiring nature, listening to a manaschi storyteller, and another thing is reading about all this yourself. But main reason, perhaps, is that until now, whether in prose or poetry, it was not the artistic content of the epic that was translated, but its execution in the interpretation of one or another storyteller. This is the same as translating not a drama by W. Shakespeare, but his production on stage, or, let’s say, not a novel by A. S. Pushkin, but an opera by P. I. Tchaikovsky “Eugene Onegin”.

So I, like the storytellers of “Manas,” dreamed...

I went to visit my Manas and saw: he came out of the felt yurt and in all his fighting glory was prancing on his white horse around the closed circle of the paddock. People are standing around, admiring the greatness of the Kyrgyz hero. And the guide enthusiastically talks about his glory and past exploits. And Manas himself is already gray-haired, and Ak-Kula has dark streaks around his eyes. I tried to open the gate of the pen, but, alas, my strength was not enough. And I, as always, called for help from my faithful and powerful friend - Great Russian language and sat down to translate, or rather to write a poetic translation of “Manas”.

Historians have proven that the events of the tale took place in the Middle Ages AD, so they had to abandon fantasy and fairy-tale hyperbole, religious and other layers of pan-Turkism and pan-Islamism introduced by storytellers after the tragic events of 1916, when the Kyrgyz people, finding themselves between two great powers: Russia and China, was subjected to brutal genocide.

In 1856, Ch. Valikhanov called the epic “Manas” the steppe “Iliad”. I consider the epic “Manas” to be the Bible of mountains and steppes, and therefore I tried to preserve and biblical motifs, clarify and summarize the parable thoughts of the Great Legend. To the best of his abilities, he tried to preserve the canonical plot of the epic, build the logic of the characters’ behavior and the development of events, and convey the figurative flavor of the Kyrgyz language.

The first, one might say, trial edition of my “Tale of Manas” was published in 2009 in a small edition and immediately went to the people. The Ministry of Science and Education recommended the book as an additional textbook on the epic “Manas”. In Russian academic theater them. Ch. Aitmatov carried out a literary and dramatic production of the same name performed by Kyrgyz actors in Russian.

The second edition of “The Legend” is supplemented by a retrospective preface by Academician B. Yu. Yunusaliev, at the end of the book there is a scientific summary by Professor G. N. Khlypenko. Undoubtedly, the works of famous Kyrgyz scientists will complement readers’ knowledge about the outstanding masterpiece of the Kyrgyz people.

I hope that the Russian text of “The Tale of Manas” will become the basis for translating the Kyrgyz epic into other languages and that our legendary hero will rush along the equator of the globe.

Good journey to you, my valiant Manas!

Mar Baydzhiev.

Academician B. M. Yunusaliev

(1913–1970)

KYRGYZ HEROIC EPIC “MANAS”

The epic consists of half a million poetic lines and exceeds in volume all known world epics: twenty times the Iliad and the Odyssey, five times the Shahnameh, and more than two times the Mahabharata.

The grandeur of the Manas epic is one of distinctive features epic creativity Kyrgyz It is explained by a number of significant circumstances, and, above all, by the unique history of the people. The Kyrgyz, being one of the most ancient peoples of Central Asia, throughout their centuries-old history were subject to attacks by the powerful conquerors of Asia: the Khitans (Kara-Kitai) at the end of the 10th century, the Mongols in the 13th century, the Dzungars (Kalmyks) in the 16th–18th centuries. Many state associations and tribal unions fell under their blows, they exterminated entire nations, and their names disappeared from the pages of history. Only the power of resistance, perseverance and heroism could save the Kyrgyz from complete destruction. Each battle was replete with exploits. Courage and heroism became an object of worship, a theme of chanting. Hence the heroic character of the Kyrgyz epic poems and the epic “Manas”.

As one of the oldest Kyrgyz epics"Manas" represents the most complete and wide artistic display centuries-old struggle of the Kyrgyz people for their independence, for justice and happy life.

In the absence of a recorded history and written literature the epic reflected the life of the Kyrgyz people, their ethnic composition, economy, life, customs, morals, aesthetic tastes, ethical standards, his judgments about human virtues and vices, ideas about nature, religious prejudices, language.

The epic, as the most popular work, gradually attracted those similar in ideological content independent fairy tales, legends, epics, poems. There is reason to assume that such episodes of the epic as “Wake for Koketey”, “The Tale of Almambet” and others once existed as independent works.

Many Central Asian peoples have common epics: the Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Karakalpaks - “Alpamysh”, the Kazakhs, Turkmens, Uzbeks, Tajiks - “Ker-Ogly”, etc. “Manas” exists only among the Kyrgyz. Since the presence or absence of common epics is associated with the commonality or absence of cultural, historical and geographical conditions during the period of the emergence and existence of the epics, we can come to the conclusion that the formation of the epic among the Kyrgyz took place in different geographical and historical conditions than in Central Asia. Events telling about the most ancient periods of the history of the Kyrgyz people confirm this. Thus, in the epic we can trace some character traits ancient social formation- military democracy (equality of squad members in the distribution of military spoils, election of military commanders-khans, etc.).

The names of localities, names of peoples and tribes are archaic in nature, proper names of people. The structure of the epic verse is also archaic. By the way, the antiquity of the epic is confirmed in historical information contained in “Majmu at-Tawarikh” - written monument the beginning of the 16th century, where the story of the heroic exploits of young Manas is considered in connection with the events of the second half of the 14th century.

Moldobaev I.B.

Huge role in cultural life The Kyrgyz people played a role in oral creativity, the pinnacle of which should be considered the world-famous heroic epic “Manas”. Probably, oral poetry was known to the ancestors of the Kyrgyz since the 3rd century. BC e., when the term “Kyrgyz” became known thanks to the Chinese written sources. Since then, Kyrgyz folklore has gradually formed and developed.

Already at the beginning of the 12th century. The Arab author Marvazi noted the presence of improvising singers among the Kyrgyz. And 4 centuries later, in the 16th century, the Tajik-language work “Majmu at-tawarikh” (“Collected Stories”) included individual episodes from the epic “Manas”. Kyrgyz folklore is multi-genre, among which the epic “Manas” plays a prominent role. It is necessary to distinguish between 2 concepts of epic. In a narrow sense, this is actually the epic “Manas”. In a broad sense, by the epic “Manas” we mean the trilogy “Manas”, “Semetey”, “Seytek”. The epic “Manas” consists of several hundred thousand poetic lines and exceeds in volume all known epic works of the world, which is one of its distinctive features. The development of the epic led to genealogical cyclization and continuations of the trilogy about the descendants of Seitek appeared.

“Manas” is performed by storytellers – manaschi. The first storyteller is considered to be Yramandyn yrchy uulu, one of the characters in the epic. In the XVIII-XIX centuries. entire groups and various storytelling schools of masters of artistic expression are known. Such outstanding manaschi as S. Orozbakov and S. Karalaev have survived to this day.

The first samples of records and studies of the epic were left to us in the middle. XIX century Ch. Valikhanov and V. Radlov. V. Radlov was the first in the world to publish the text of the trilogy of the epic “Manas” in a short thesis form in 1885 in Kyrgyz and German languages. To date, over 60 complete and incomplete versions and recordings of the epic are stored in the manuscript collections of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic. The bibliography of literature about Manas covers the period 1849-1960. Publications were added to this after 1960, although most of them are newspaper and magazine works.

The epic “Manas” has not lost its relevance in our time. Available theatrical performances, manaschi competitions are held. Best options The epic has been published, although it has not yet been published in full. But its significance also lies in the fact that it contains information on history, ethnography, philosophy, language, diplomacy, military affairs, folk pedagogy and many other aspects of the life of the Kyrgyz people. Let us turn only to the historical and ethnographic data of “Manas”.

The elements of the state system can be traced through the epic. "Manas" is an important source for studying issues ethnic history and ethnocultural ties of the Kyrgyz, as evidenced by more than a hundred ethnonyms mentioned in it. The names of such peoples as Shibee (Shivey), Solon, Kara Kytai, Manzhu, Naiman and others reflected in its lines speak of actual early contacts of the Kyrgyz. Judging by the epic, the Kyrgyz had ethnic and cultural relationships with the peoples of Siberia, including the Tungus-Manchu, Central Asia and Kazakhstan, the Southern Urals, the North Caucasus, Crimea and other adjacent territories.

“Manas” captured in its lines information about the economy and trade of the Kyrgyz people. It mentions almost all the routes of the Great Silk Road. This is supported by the epic's mention of many names of fabrics, including various silk fabrics. And torgun and tubar are directly called Chinese silk. Moreover, the names of various precious stones, gold and silver items found in it are also real fact acquaintance of Kyrgyz people with the Great Road.

The epic contains extensive information about the culture of the Kyrgyz. In terms of material culture, the types of housing, various clothes, horse equipment, food, etc. are of interest. Special attention deserves an epic message on military affairs, weapons and combat clothing. "Manas" contains extensive information on spiritual culture, folk knowledge (especially folk medicine) myths, religious beliefs, folk games and entertainment, musical instruments etc.

Thus, the epic tells about three world religions, including the Nestorian Christians, who are called Tarsa. Among the data on games reported by Manas, Kuresh wrestling and martial arts deserve attention. In the epic we have identified information about about 20 different musical instruments.

Speaking about the time of the composition of the epic "Manas", we are inclined to believe that its poetic text reflected in artistic form 7 periods in the history of the Kyrgyz, starting from the time the term “Kyrgyz” was mentioned and ending with the beginning of the 20th century. At the same time, the main core of the epic took shape during the period associated with the aggression of the Kara Kytays in the 10th century. Manas himself is a collective image.

Thus, the epic “Manas” tells that the Kyrgyz have passed a difficult path. Their ethnocultural history did not take place in isolation, but in close connection with Central Asian, South Siberian and other civilizations. It is the property of not only Kyrgyz, but also world epic culture.

Once one of the classics of Kyrgyz literature said that: “ Manas" - This golden treasury popular thought , reflecting thousands of years of experiencehistory and spiritual life of the Kyrgyz people" And it’s impossible to disagree with this. Indeed, by its nature epic "Manas" belongs to the best examples oral creativity, and in terms of genre content, to heroic epics. However, in terms of the scope of events in the narrative, it goes far beyond traditional genre and becomes a kind of chronicle of the life of many generations.

The main theme in the tale, its central idea, is devoted to the main events in the life of the nation, the formation Kyrgyz people. The epic tells about the Kyrgyz struggle for independence, glorifies the valor of heroes in the fight against treacherous enemies, idealizes great heroes who do not spare their lives in the struggle for the idea of national unity.

« Manas"consists of 500 thousand poetic lines and exceeds in volume all known world epics. It's 20 times bigger" Odyssey" And " Illiads", 5 times more " Shah-name"and 2.5 times longer than the Indian one" Mahabharat».

Grandiosity and scale " Manasa“is one of the distinctive features of epic Kyrgyz creativity and is explained by the uniqueness of the historical past of the nation.

Kyrgyz- one of ancient peoples in Central Asia, throughout its history, was constantly attacked by powerful conquerors who destroyed centuries-old states and exterminated numerous peoples. Only persistence in the struggle, incredible resistance, strength and heroism helped the Kyrgyz people avoid complete destruction. Each battle was abundantly watered with blood and covered with the glory of the heroic sons and daughters of the long-suffering people. Courage and heroism became objects of worship, deification and glorification.

However, " Manas"- this is also a chronicle of completely everyday, life events, because it is impossible to imagine any side life of the Kyrgyz people, which would not be reflected in the legend. There is an opinion that a person who has never even visited Kyrgyzstan, is able to understand the mentality and life position people, just by getting acquainted with " Manas».

Various artistic genres folk art, such as: testaments (kereez), lamentations (koshok), edifications (sanaat-nasiyat), songs of complaint (arman), as well as traditions, myths, tales and legends. But this does not mean that " Manas"is a mechanical collection of them, in the epic there is a completely definite storyline, and artistic additions are just a beautiful outline for the main compositional structure.

The central figure of the epic - hero Manas - great and wise warrior. It is difficult to say whether he appeared as a collective image, or whether there really was such a historical character, however, the events described in the legend really took place and covered a vast territory from Yenisei before Central Asia, through Altai And Khangai.

Most likely, at first there was only one episode in the epic - “ Long March", dedicated to the life and exploits of the main character, and at the end of the story all the positive characters, including Manasa, died. However, the people did not want to put up with the loss of their favorite characters and they were replaced, first by their son Manasa- Semetey, and then Seytek. This is how three parts of the epic turned out, each of which is dedicated to one hero.

All parts of the trilogy are connected storyline, however, unlike the first part, the biography Manasa, history of Semetey It is not only heroic and epic, it has a love-romantic frame and is more life-like, for which it has gained enormous popularity among the people.

Historical events in this segment of the epic take place in Central Asia XVI-XVII centuries and the culprits of the death of the main characters are not bloody

Life itself demanded the continuation of the heroic legend in order to finally defeat the forces of evil. This is how it was born the third part of the epic - “Seytek”. It brought to an end the centuries-old struggle of the people for freedom and justice. The persistent struggle of many generations brought the long-awaited victory over internal and external enemies Kyrgyz people.

It is precisely this high and noble goal - the protection native land from foreign conquerors and the liberation of the people from self-proclaimed tyrants and usurpers, is dedicated trilogy "Manas", this bright idea permeates the entire narrative.

"Manas", undoubtedly, a historical document and contains a real storehouse of knowledge about the various stages of the development of the nation. Therefore, using the example of heroes epic work Not a single generation of Kyrgyz was brought up.

Special credit for preserving this cultural monument belongs folk epic storytellers - « manaschi", popularly nicknamed " Zhomokchu" Initially, they constituted a completely specific group of folk storytellers, strikingly different from others. Their work combined absolute traditionalism with artistic improvisation of the message. poetic texts. Depending on the degree of skill, storytellers received popular nicknames: students (“ Uirenchuk"), beginner (" chala manaschi") and a skilled storyteller (" chynygy manaschy"). True storytellers, with their creativity, not only conveyed the epic to listeners, but also enriched and embellished it in their own way. The names of talented and famous " manaschi" of the past.

« Manas» - piece of oral folk art and has no canonical text. However, today science knows 34 versions of the recorded epic, which differ significantly from each other.

However, despite the many options, “ Manas"is a single work united by a storyline, a common theme and unity of images.
Today at modern folkloristics Kyrgyzstan a a special direction has emerged in the study of the beloved epic - “ Manas studies", which even has its own specializations:

Collecting and recording texts,

Scientific edition of existing variants,

Study of the poetics of a work through creativity " manaschi».

And this is really very important, because “ Manas", like a living organism, exists and develops as long as there are people interested in preserving it as a historical document about the heroic history of the nation, which has come down to us in such a beautiful literary form.

The grandeur of the epic “Manas” is one of the distinctive features of the epic creativity of the Kyrgyz people. It is explained by a number of significant circumstances, and, above all, by the unique history of the people. The Kyrgyz, being one of the most ancient peoples of Central Asia, throughout their centuries-old history were subject to attacks by the powerful conquerors of Asia: the Khitans (Kara-Kitai) at the end of the 10th century, the Mongols in the 13th century, the Dzungars (Kalmyks) in the 16th-18th centuries. Many state associations and tribal unions fell under their blows, they exterminated entire nations, and their names disappeared from the pages of history. Only the power of resistance, perseverance and heroism could save the Kyrgyz from complete destruction. Each battle was replete with exploits. Courage and heroism became an object of worship, a theme of chanting. Hence the heroic character of the Kyrgyz epic poems and the epic “Manas”.

As one of the oldest Kyrgyz epics, “Manas” is the most complete and broad artistic reflection of the centuries-old struggle of the Kyrgyz people for their independence, for justice and a happy life.

In the absence of recorded history and written literature, the epic reflected the life of the Kyrgyz people, their ethnic composition, economy, way of life, customs, mores, aesthetic tastes, ethical standards, their judgments about human virtues and vices, ideas about nature, religious prejudices, and language.

The epic, as the most popular work, gradually attracted independent fairy tales, legends, epics, and poems with similar ideological content. There is reason to assume that such episodes of the epic as “Wake for Koketey”, “The Tale of Almambet” and others once existed as independent works.

Many Central Asian peoples have common epics: the Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Karakalpaks - “Alpamysh”, the Kazakhs, Turkmens, Uzbeks, Tajiks - “Ker-Ogly”, etc. “Manas” exists only among the Kyrgyz. Since the presence or absence of common epics is associated with the commonality or absence of cultural, historical and geographical conditions during the period of the emergence and existence of the epics, we can come to the conclusion that the formation of the epic among the Kyrgyz took place in different geographical and historical conditions than in Central Asia. Events telling about the most ancient periods of the history of the Kyrgyz people confirm this. Thus, the epic traces some characteristic features of an ancient social formation - military democracy (equality of squad members in the distribution of military spoils, election of military commanders-khans, etc.).

The names of localities, names of peoples and tribes, and proper names of people are archaic in nature. The structure of the epic verse is also archaic. By the way, the antiquity of the epic is confirmed by the historical information contained in “Majmu at-Tawarikh” - a written monument of the early 16th century, where the story of the heroic exploits of young Manas is considered in connection with the events of the second half of the 14th century.

It is possible that it was originally created and existed in the form of a short prose tale about the heroic deeds of people who heroically saved the people from extermination. Gradually, talented storytellers turned it into an epic song, which then, through the efforts of each generation, grew into a large poem that included new historical events, new characters, becoming more and more complex in its plot construction.

The gradual development of the epic led to its cyclization. Each generation of heroes: Manas, his son Semetey, grandson Seitek - is dedicated to plot-related poems. The first part of the trilogy is dedicated to the legendary Manas, the central figure of the epic. It is based on real events from more early history Kyrgyz - from the period of military democracy to patriarchal-feudal society. The events described took place mainly in the territory from the Yenisei through Altai, Khangai to Central Asia. Therefore, we can say that the first part of the epic covers almost the entire centuries-old pre-Tienshan history of the people.

It must be assumed that initially the epic existed without cyclization, but had a tragic ending - at the end of the “Long March” almost everyone died in an unequal battle goodies. The treacherous Konurbai mortally wounds Manas. But the listeners did not want to put up with such an ending. Then the second part of the poem was created, dedicated to describing the life and exploits of the second generation of heroes - the son of Manas Semetey and his associates, who repeat the exploits of their fathers and achieve victory over foreign invaders.

The historical background of the poem “Semetey” corresponds approximately to the period of the Dzungarian invasion (XVI-XVIII centuries). The action takes place within Central Asia. Beloved heroes also become victims of injustice; however, the culprits of their death turn out to be not foreign invaders, but internal enemies - traitors, usurpers who became despots of their people.

Life demanded the continuation of the struggle against internal enemies. This is what the third part of the trilogy is dedicated to - the poem “Seytek”. Here the restoration of justice and freedom is completed. It is precisely this, the high noble goal - the defense of the homeland from foreign invaders and the deliverance of the people from the yoke of despots - that is the main idea of the Manas trilogy.

The first part of the trilogy - the poem "Manas" - begins with a description of the terrible national disaster that resulted from the treacherous attack of the Chinese, led by Alooke Khan, on the country of the Kyrgyz. The people are dispersed to different countries of the world, ruined, plundered, and suffer all sorts of humiliations. At such a critical moment in the family of the elderly and childless Dzhakip, exiled from his native place to the distant Altai to the hostile Kalmyks, an extraordinary child is born who grows not by years, but by days, filling supernatural power. The quickly spreading news of the birth of a hero terrifies both the Kalmyks, who mocked the Kyrgyz in Altai, and the Chinese, who expelled the Kyrgyz from native land Ala-Too. In order to deal with the future formidable enemy, the Chinese and Kalmyks launch repeated attacks, but they are successfully repelled by the squad of young Manas, who has rallied his loyal comrades-in-arms (“kyrk choro” - forty warriors) around him. The invasion of aggressors forces the Kyrgyz tribes to unite around the hero Manas, who is elected leader of the 40-tribal Kyrgyz people.

The return of the Altai Kyrgyz to their homeland is associated with numerous wars, where the main role dedicated to the beloved hero - Manas. The Kyrgyz re-occupy their lands in the Tien Shan and Alai as a result of their victory over the troops of Tekes Khan, who blocked the path from Altai to Ala-Too; Akhunbeshim Khan, who took possession of the Chui and Issyk-Kul valleys; Alooke Khan, who expelled the Kyrgyz from Ala-Too and Alai; Shooruk Khan - a native of Afghanistan. The hardest and longest war was against the Chinese troops led by Konurbai (“Long March”), from where Manas returned mortally wounded.

The entire first part of the epic is a description of small and large wars (campaigns). Of course, it also contains episodes that tell about peaceful life.

It would seem that the episode “Marriage to Kanykey” should be the most peaceful, however, here too the heroic style of narration is strictly maintained. Manas arrives at the bride, accompanied by his retinue. Non-compliance with Manas traditional custom when meeting the bride, it causes feigned coldness on her part, and the rudeness of the groom forces her to inflict a wound on him. The behavior of the bride makes Manas lose patience. He orders the vigilantes to attack the city, punish all its inhabitants, primarily the bride and her parents. The warriors are ready to attack. But the sage Bakai suggests that the vigilantes create only the appearance of an invasion.

Manas's relatives - the Közkamans - do not care about the interests of the people. Blind envy pushes them to commit a crime: they conspire, poison Manas and seize power in Talas. Only the wise Kanykey was able to heal Manas. He restores order in Talas and punishes the criminals.

The heroic style is also strictly maintained in the episode “Wake for Koketey.” This style corresponds to the scenes of the arrival of khans of different peoples and tribes with their numerous troops at the funeral; belt wrestling (kuresh) between the famous heroes Koshoi and Joloi, defending the honor of their people. In the jambu (gold bar) shooting tournament, which requires high skill as a warrior, Manas emerged victorious. The competition between Manas and Konurbay on the pikes was essentially a single combat between the leaders of two hostile sides. The grief of the defeated Konurbai is boundless, and he secretly prepares his army to plunder the Kyrgyz.

At the end of the commemoration, the most interesting and popular sport is arranged - horse racing. And here, despite the barriers and obstacles arranged by Konurbay, Manasov’s Akkula is the first to reach the finish line. Unable to bear the shame of defeat in all competitions, the Chinese and Kalmyks, led by Konurbay, Joloy and Alooke, rob the Kyrgyz and steal herds.

The episode of the “Long March” against the Chinese capital Beijing, in comparison with the episodes of other campaigns, is the largest in volume and the most valuable in artistic terms. Here the heroes find themselves in various conditions of a long campaign and fierce battles, where their stamina, devotion, courage are tested, positive and negative traits character. Nature, its fauna and flora are colorfully presented; The episode is not devoid of fantasy and elements of mythology. The battle scenes are distinguished by the precision and perfection of the verse. The focus is on the main characters: Manas and his closest assistants - Almambet, Syrgak, Chubak, Bakai. Their war horses, fabulous weapons, have their due role, but ultimately victory is on the side of those who have the mighty physical strength. Manas' opponents are no less powerful, but they are cunning and treacherous, and sometimes gain the upper hand in single combat. In the end they are defeated. The capital of the Chinese, Beijing, has been conquered. According to S. Karalaev’s version, the Kyrgyz achieved complete victory at the cost of the lives of many the best heroes- Almambet, Syrgak, Chubak, and Manas himself returns seriously wounded to Talas, where he soon dies.

Semetey Kanykei, who was left a widow with a baby, erects a mausoleum for her husband. This ends the first part of the epic. From beginning to end, it strictly adheres to the heroic style, which corresponds to the main idea of the poem - the struggle for the unification of the Kyrgyz tribes, for their independence and freedom.

In the early stages of the development of society, in the era when the epic arose, wars were very destructive, therefore many peoples and tribes, quite numerous and strong, completely disappeared over time. And, if the Kyrgyz have survived as a people for more than two thousand years, despite constant clashes with the Uighurs, Chinese, Genghis Khan’s hordes, and Dzungars, this is explained by their cohesion, courage and love of freedom. The glorification of courage and bravery in the struggle for freedom and independence corresponded to the spirit of the people. This is precisely what can explain the heroic pathos of the epic, its centuries-long existence, and its popularity.

The death of a beloved hero and the tragic end of the poem did not suit the listeners. The legend had to be continued, especially since there was still a reason for this: the main rival of Manas, the insidious instigator of all the bloody clashes, Konurbay, escaped during the “Great March”.

The beginning of the poem “Semetey” is tragic. Power is usurped by the envious relatives of Abyke and Köbyosh, who destroy everything that reminds of Manas, care only about their well-being, and rob the people. The fate of the surviving heroes of the first part of the trilogy is pitiful: the sage Bakai is turned into a slave, Chyiyrdy’s grandmother is the mother of Manas and Kanykey, dressed as beggars, run to Kanykey’s parents, saving Semetey’s life. His childhood passes by sibling mothers in the kingdom of Temir Khan are unaware of their parents and homeland. Semetey's childhood years are less rich in exploits than the childhood years of Manas, but he is strong enough and learns the art of fighting and winning. At the age of fourteen, the future hero learns about his parents and native people suffering under the yoke of usurpers.

Returning to Talas, Semetey, with the help of the people, deals with his opponents and takes power. He once again unites the scattered tribes and establishes peace. There is a slight respite.

The envious people of Semetey: his distant relative Chinkozho and his friend Toltoy - decided to attack the capital of Akhun Khan in order to take possession of his daughter, the beautiful Aichurek, before whose birth her father and Manas declared themselves matchmakers. Enemies besieged the city, Akhun Khan is forced to ask for a two-month period to get ready for the bride. Meanwhile, Aichurek, having turned into a white swan, flies around all over the world in search of a worthy groom who would punish the rapists who brought suffering to the inhabitants of her city. From the heights of heaven, she examines the famous heroes of all peoples and lands, assessing each one with feminine observation. But there is no hero more beautiful and stronger than Semetey; there is no place on earth more picturesque than Talas. To entice her lover, she kidnaps his beloved white gyrfalcon Akshumkar.

The description of the meeting of the bride and groom is replete with ethnographic details. Scenes of youth games are full of jokes, enthusiasm and humor. However, to become spouses, love alone is not enough: one must defeat the rapist who demands Aichurek’s hand.

A long and persistent struggle with a countless enemy army ends in the victory of Semetey. Again feasts, games, and wedding ceremonies are held in front of the audience.

Semetey won the hand of the lovely Aichurek. A quiet peaceful life began. But the ethical standards of the time require the new generation of heroes to take revenge on those who are guilty of the unjust death of their fathers.

Semetey's campaign against Beijing and the fight against the treacherous Konurbay, who was also preparing to move against the Kyrgyz, is in many ways reminiscent not only in plot, but also in detail of the “Long March” from the first part of the trilogy. Neither the fabulous physical strength possessed by Semetey and his closest associate Kulchoro, nor magic - nothing could defeat the invulnerable Konurbay. In the end, the Chinese hero was defeated, succumbing to Kulchoro’s cunning.

After returning to Talas, Semetey himself, in the fight against the envious Kyyaz Khan, becomes a victim of betrayal by Kanchoro, who bears a grudge against him. Traitors become rulers. Aichurek was forcibly taken away by Kyyaz Khan: they were shackled and shared the fate of the slaves Kanykei, Bakai, and Kulchoro.

Such a sad ending to the poem “Semetey” did not correspond to the national spirit, and over time a third genealogical cycle was created - a poem about Seitek, the grandson of Manas. Her main theme is the struggle of heroes against internal enemies - traitors and despots who have seized power by dishonest means and mercilessly oppress the people.

In Talas, the Kyrgyz languish under the yoke of the traitor Kanchoro and long for liberation, and in another kingdom, in the country of Kyyaz Khan, Seitek, the future hero of the poem, is born. Clever Aichurek manages to use cunning to save the child from Kyyaz Khan’s attempts to kill him. Growing up among shepherds, Seitek learns about his ancestry, his homeland, the fate of his parents and true friends. Seitek manages to cure the paralyzed hero Kulchoro. With him he makes a campaign to Talas and, with the support of the people, overthrows Kanchoro. So, the traitor and despot was punished, freedom was returned to the people, justice triumphed.

It would seem that this should be the end of the epic. However, it has a different continuation for different storytellers.

In S. Karalaev, from whom all three parts of the epic were recorded, the Kyrgyz are attacked by the son of Dzhelmoguz.

In the story of the storyteller Sh. Rysmendeev, who also dictated all three parts of the epic, it is not the mythological Sarybai who makes the trek to Talas, but a very real figure - the son of the famous Konurbai named Kuyaly. The plot scheme of each cycle outlined above is characteristic of all known versions of the epic and constitutes its main plot. However, comparing the options recorded from the words of different storytellers, it is easy to notice some thematic and plot discrepancies.

Thus, only the storyteller Sagymbay Orozbakov has Manas's campaigns to the North and West, Chubak's pilgrimage to Mecca - only Sayakbai Karalaev. Sometimes the well-known motive for the unification of Kyrgyz tribes is replaced by the motive for the unification of Turkic tribes. In the epic "Manas" traces of the ancient Tengri beliefs of the Kyrgyz can be traced. So, the main characters swear before going on campaigns, worshiping heaven and earth.

Whoever betrays his oath, Let the clear sky punish him, Let the earth covered with vegetation punish him.

Sometimes the object of worship is military weapons or fire:

Let Akkelte's bullet punish, Let the fuse's fuse punish.

Of course, Islam is also reflected, although the Islamization of the epic is, it must be said, superficial in nature and is most noticeable in the motivations for actions. Thus, one of the main reasons for Almambet’s departure from China was his adoption of Islam.

Of course, Islamic motifs were introduced into the epic “Manas” by storytellers of later centuries.

In any version, the positive characters: Manas, Almambet, Bakai, Kanykey, Syrgak, Chubak, Semetey, Seitek, Kulchoro - are endowed with the traits of real heroes - boundless devotion to their people, perseverance, endurance, courage. resourcefulness, willingness to sacrifice life in the interests of the homeland. These immortal qualities of a patriot are manifested by heroes not in words, but in actions and actions in various situations, under the most tragic circumstances.

The heroic epic “Manas” is also dear because the events described in it have a real basis. They reflect the history of the formation of the Kyrgyz people from clans and tribes, as evidenced by the lines transmitted through the mouth of Manas:

I made a cow from a white deer. From the mixed tribes he made a people.

The events that decided the fate of the Kyrgyz people were vividly reflected in the epic. Found in it mysterious names people, the names of cities, countries, peoples reflect certain events of various stages in the history of a people. The central battle episode of the “Long March” to Beijing is reminiscent of the Kyrgyz victory in the 9th century. over the Uighurs with the capture of their cities, including Beiting (or Bei-zhen), returned back only at the end of the 10th century.

If we take into account the re-interpretation of events and names characteristic of oral folk art, then the main enemies of the Kyrgyz people, named in the epic either by the Chinese or by the Kalmyks: Alooke,

Joloy, Esenkhan - are most likely prototypes real personalities, whose names appear in the chronicles. For example, Esenkhan (in Kalmyk Esentaiji) led the Dzungar (Kalmyk) army in the 15th century. Alyaku led the Dzungar invasion in the 17th century, and Blyuy (the initial Kyrgyz “j” corresponds to “e” in other Turkic languages) was the leader of the Khitan (Kara-Chinese) troops - tribes of Mongolian origin who moved from Northern China and first defeated the Kyrgyz state at the end of the 10th century, and then conquered the entire Central and Central Asia from the Yenisei to Talas in the 12th century.

In direct connection with the names of individuals, the names of the peoples who appear in the epic as invaders (China, Kalmak, Manchu) should also be considered. Bloody clashes with them are forever preserved in the memory of the Kyrgyz people.

On the other hand, many peoples and tribes were named with whom the Kyrgyz were in friendly relations and jointly opposed the invaders and oppressors. The Oirots, Pogons, Noiguts, Katagans, Kipchak, Argyns, Dzhedigers and others, who were later included in the epic, are mentioned as allies in the epic. ethnic groups Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Mongols, Tajiks.

It must be assumed that the positive characters of the epic also have their own prototypes, whose names the people carefully preserved in the epic, which for many centuries replaced written literature and chronicles. There are many fantastic characters in “Manas”: the “mountain-moving” giant Madykan; one-eyed Malgun, similar to the Cyclops in Homer’s Odyssey, who has only one vulnerable spot - the pupil; sentinel animals; winged tulpara horses that speak human. Many miracles happen here: Aichurek turns into a swan, the weather changes at the request of Almambet, etc., hyperbolism is maintained: a countless number of troops can move without stopping for 40 days; Hundreds of thousands of heads of cattle and, in addition to them, countless wild animals can be driven in as bridewealth; one hero can cope with hundreds and even thousands of enemy warriors, etc. However, fantasy and hyperbolism serve as an artistic means for creating immortal images of real people who gave their lives for the freedom and independence of their people. Listeners of the epic find true pleasure not in its fantasy, but in the vitality and realism of the ideas and aspirations of the heroes.

Manas in the first part of the trilogy is a collective image. He is endowed with all the features of an ideal hero, the leader of the troops of the people's squad. All the compositional elements of the epic are subordinated to the depiction of his image: situation, motives, intrigues, etc. The names of the most powerful and terrible animals serve as epithets for him: arstan (lion), kablan (leopard), syrttan (hyena), kekdzhal (gray-maned wolf). Despite the later desire of storytellers to give the image of Manas some features of a feudal ruler - a khan, in the main thematically and plot-related episodes he remains authentically folk hero, deserving love and glory for bravery and bravery in the fight against the enemies of the homeland. In all clashes with the enemy army, victory is ensured by the personal participation of Manas as an ordinary warrior-hero. The real Manas is not jealous of power, therefore, in the great campaign against Beijin, he transfers the staff of the commander-in-chief to the sage Bakai, and then to the hero Almambet.

Secondary characters in the epic serve, as it were, to enhance the image of the main character. The greatness of Manas is supported by his legendary companions - forty warriors (“kyrk choro”). The most famous of them are the wise elders-heroes Koshoi and Bakai, the youth: Almambet, Chubak, Syrgak, etc. They are also distinguished by their powerful physical strength and courage, welded together by friendship and mutual assistance in battle. For each of them, Manas is an ideal, honor and glory, his name serves as their battle cry.

Each of the heroes is endowed with certain qualities. Manas is the owner of incomparable physical strength, cold-blooded, and a great strategist; Bakai is a sage and hero, Manas’s best adviser. Almambet is Chinese by origin, an extraordinary hero, owner of the secrets of nature. Syrgak is equal in strength to Almambet, brave, hardy, and dexterous. The Manas squad “kyrk choro” is capable of hitting any numerically superior enemy. Characteristic negative characters also serves to glorify the protagonist. The image of Manas is opposed by the image of his main opponent - Konurbay, strong, but treacherous and envious. Joloy is simple-minded, but has inexhaustible strength.

The epic also contains unforgettable images of women. The main character's wife, Kanykey, is especially charming. She is not only a mother who instills in her son honesty and boundless love for the homeland, but also a selfless woman, ready to make sacrifices in the name of the interests of the people. She is a hard worker, a skilled craftswoman, under whose leadership the women sewed impenetrable equipment for their warriors. She heals Manas from a mortal wound, saves him when he, wounded by a traitor, was left alone on the battlefield. She is the wise adviser of Manas.

The characters of the first and second generations have a lot in common. The image of Semetey as a hero is less colorful compared to the image of Manas, but his love for the Motherland and patriotism are recreated very colorfully. Here are the experiences of a young man separated from his people, his struggle with foreign invaders, and mortal battles with traitors to his homeland. In “Semetey” the image of grandmother Chyiyrda, the mother of Manas, and the image of the old sage Bakai continue to develop. At the same time, new types of heroes appear. Aichurek with her romanticism and patriotism is opposed by Chachykey - an ambitious traitor. The image of Kulchoro is in many ways reminiscent of the image of his father Almambet. Kulchoro is contrasted with the touchy and selfish Kanchoro, who becomes a traitor and traitor. At the end of the second and beginning of the third poem, he appears as a usurper, a despot, a merciless oppressor of the people. In the poem “Seitek”, the image of Kulchoro resembles the familiar image of the sage Bakai: he is both a powerful hero and a wise adviser to Seitek.

The main character of the third part of the trilogy, Seitek, acts as a defender of the people from oppressors and despots, a fighter for justice. He achieves the unification of the Kyrgyz tribes, with his help a peaceful life begins.

At the end of the poem, the beloved heroes of the epic: Bakai, Kanykei, Semetey, Aichurek and Kulchoro - say goodbye to people and become invisible. Together with them, Manas’s beloved white gyrfalcon Akshumkar, the dog Kumaik, and Semetey’s tireless horse Taitoru disappear. In this regard, there is a legend among the people that they all still live, roam the earth, sometimes appearing to a select few, recalling the exploits of the fabulous heroes Manas and Semetey. This legend is a poetic embodiment of the people's faith in the immortality of their favorite characters from the epic "Manas".

The Kyrgyz people have the right to be proud of the richness and diversity of oral poetic creativity, the pinnacle of which is the epic “Manas”. Unlike the epics of many other peoples, “Manas” is composed from beginning to end in verse, which indicates the special attitude of the Kirghiz to the art of versification. The epic "Manas" consists of half a million poetic lines and exceeds in volume all known world epics (20 times - "Iliad" and "Odyssey", 5 times - "Shahname", 2.5 times the Indian "Mahabharat"), is the longest epic in the world and is included in the treasury of world culture.

The grandeur of the epic “Manas” is one of the distinctive features of the epic creativity of the Kyrgyz. It is explained by a number of significant circumstances, primarily the unique history of the people. The Kyrgyz, being one of the most ancient peoples of Central Asia, throughout their centuries-old history were attacked by the powerful conquerors of Asia - the Khitans (Kara-Kitai) at the end of the 10th century, the Mongol horde in the 13th century, the Dzungars (Kalmyks) in the 16th-18th centuries. Many state associations and tribal unions fell under their blows, they exterminated entire nations, and their names disappeared from the pages of history. Only the power of resistance, perseverance and heroism could save the Kyrgyz from complete destruction. Each battle was replete with the exploits of the faithful sons and daughters of the people. Courage and heroism became an object of worship, a theme of chanting. Hence the heroic character of Kyrgyz epic poems in general and the epic “Manas” in particular.

As one of the oldest Kyrgyz epics, “Manas” is the most complete and broad artistic reflection of the centuries-old struggle of the Kyrgyz people for their independence and freedom, justice and a happy life. In the absence of a recorded history and the underdevelopment of written literature, the epic as a popular folk work reflected not only centuries-old history, but also the diverse pre-revolutionary life of the Kyrgyz people, its ethnic composition, economy, way of life, customs, mores, aesthetic tastes, ethical standards, judgments about human virtues and vices, ideas about the surrounding nature, religious prejudices, poetics and language.

Manas, the hero of the epic of the same name, united all Kyrgyz people and is a symbol of the unity of the Kyrgyz people.

Seven Testaments of Manas

1) Unity and cohesion of the nation.

2) Interethnic harmony, friendship and cooperation.

3) National honor and patriotism.

4) Through hard work and knowledge - to prosperity and well-being.

5) Humanism, generosity, tolerance.

6) Harmony with nature.

7) Strengthening and protecting Kyrgyz statehood.

Many institutions, organizations, streets, the airport in Bishkek, a university, one of the first Kyrgyz operas, and an asteroid discovered by astronomer Nikolai Chernykh in 1979 are named after Manas in Kyrgyzstan.

Also in honor of this epic hero The highest award of Kyrgyzstan has been named.

In China there is a lake named after Manas.

In 2012, a monument to Manas was opened in Moscow, which is located in Friendship Park, the work belongs to creative group Zhoomart Kadyralieva. About 41 million rubles were spent on installation and production.