“The Three Brother Heroes”
A folk tale (ertak) is one of the oldest and most widespread forms of folk oral creation: an oral story built on imagination and on life, with an educational value. Tales are divided into animal tales, magic tales, everyday tales and satirical tales. In some regions a tale is also called matal, ushuk, varsaki or cho‘pchak. In “The Three Brother Heroes” a father of modest means has three sons; he had them educated and raised them strong and fearless, and as they set out he gives three pieces of advice: be honest, do not boast and do not be lazy. With their cleverness the heroes guess the secrets of the food served to them, and the king gives them his daughters in marriage. When the youngest hero, who saved the king from a snake, is unjustly thrown into prison, he defends himself by telling a story about a parrot’s promise; in the end the brothers turn down palace life and choose to live by work and a trade.
Role reading: as the father, three sons and the king, say the father’s three pieces of advice with expression.