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323Libri & Liberi • 2016 • 5 (2):

UDK 821.163.42.09-93-34821.163.42-93-053.2

Lana MolvarecFilozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, [email protected]

Predodžbe djece i mladih u Pričama iz davnine Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić

Izvorni znanstveni rad / original research paperPrimljeno / received 15. 12. 2016. Prihvaćeno / accepted 10. 3. 2017.DOI: 10.21066/carcl.libri.2016-05(02).0001

Rad Pričama iz davnine Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić prilazi iz kulturološke perspektive. Početna je teza da predodžbe djece i mladih u zbirci korespondiraju s predodžbama vremena u kojemu zbirka nastaje, a ne s predodžbama neke daleke, davne i neodređene mitološke prošlosti. U nastavku se interpretiraju obilježja predodžbi na primjeru svih bajki u zbirci. Važnost djece i mladih te značenja koja im se u bajkama pripisuju interpretiraju se kao dio poslijeprosvjetiteljskoga, modernoga pogleda na djecu, koji ih konstruira kao svojevrsna središta obiteljskoga i društvenoga života. Jedan niz predodžbi ukazuje na urođenu djetetovu dobrotu i na njegov urođeni potencijal za promjenu društvene zajednice nabolje te se u njega upisuju i utopijska značenja. Druga vrsta predodžbi prikazuje djecu i mlade na putu socijalizacije koja ih treba pretvoriti u subjekte koji svrsishodno i korisno djeluju u društvenoj zajednici. Obje grupe predodžbi mogu se promatrati u međudjelovanju s građanskom kulturom „dugoga 19. stoljeća“ (Hobsbawm 1987) koja obilježava život i djelo Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić.Ključne riječi: bajka, građanska kultura, moderna predodžba djeteta, socijalizacija, subjekt

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Uvod

Naslov ovoga rada poprilično je općenit, no jasno ukazuje na smjer kojim će ova analiza krenuti. Općenit je jer ne otkriva ništa o sadržaju, tezi ili kontekstu. Znakovit je jer ukazuje na kulturološko čitanje Priča iz davnine, a onda, posredno i samoga žanra. Socijalno, kulturno i političko čitanje bajki u suvremenoj je znanstvenoj

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literaturi već ovjeren te plodan metodološki postupak. Jednim od rodonačelnika takva pristupa bajkama smatra se Jack Zipes. U našoj znanstvenoj sredini bajkama se uglavnom nije pristupalo iz te perspektive. Većina domaće znanstvene literature o bajkama uglavnom obuhvaća formalističke, stilističke, genološke, metodičke, naratološke analize ili se koncentrira na odnos usmenoga i pisanoga. Rijetke su studije koje bajkama prilaze iz književnoteorijskoga ili kulturnoteorijskoga ugla: u zadnje vrijeme, ipak, nailazimo na sve veći broj čitanja bajki koja se temelje na takvim metodološkim pretpostavkama (npr. Manuela Zlatar 2007, Marijana Hameršak 2011, Marina Protrka Štimec 2015).

Istraživanje predodžbi o djetetu i djetinjstvu tema je za koju je znatno porastao interes u zadnjih nekoliko desetljeća, stvorivši tako posebno interdisciplinarno područje proučavanja – povijest djetinjstva. Izvorište toga pristupa svakako je studija Philippea Ariѐsa Dijete i obitelj za Staroga poretka iz 1960. godine (kasnije poznatija po nazivu Stoljeća djetinjstva, prema engleskome prijevodu), koja proizlazi iz širega trenda tadašnje historiografije o proučavanju socijalne povijesti i mentaliteta, a osobito povijesti svakodnevice u čijemu su središtu tzv. obični mali ljudi. Njegova je ključna teza da su dijete i djetinjstvo kategorije koje su otkrivene u novome vijeku, tj. da ih srednji vijek nije poznavao odnosno izdvajao u zasebne kategorije, te su djeca su bila promatrana kao „mali odrasli“. Te dalekosežne zaključke izveo je mahom analizirajući djela likovne umjetnosti, ali i dostupne pisane izvore. Ne dovodi u pitanje roditeljsku ljubav prema djetetu, promatrajući je kao univerzalnu kategoriju, no ističe da je dijete bilo na marginama društvenoga i obiteljskoga života, a ne u njegovu središtu. Tek u 19. stoljeću dijete dolazi u centar roditeljske, ali i društvene brige, čime dolazi i pod veći nadzor te kontrolu. Njegove teze naišle su na brojne kritike, ali i nastavljače te reinterpretatore (usp. Hameršak 2004). Može se zaključiti, kako je unatoč opravdanim prigovorima, najveći Ariѐsov doprinos afirmiranje teze da djetinjstvo ima povijest, da nije riječ o prirodnoj, univerzalnoj kategoriji neovisnoj o povijesnome trenutku, društvenim i kulturnim obilježjima, što se može promatrati „zamašnjakom historiografskih istraživanja djetinjstva, ali i srodnih, prije svega socioloških i antropoloških, pristupa djetinjstvu, koji se danas vrlo često objedinjuju pod nazivom studiji djetinjstva“ (Hameršak i Zima 2015: 44). Današnje predodžbe djeteta i djetinjstva možemo tumačiti kao nedavne pojave, dio sveopćega procesa modernizacije koji svoje ishodište nalazi u filozofskoj misli prosvjetiteljstva, a kasnije biva poduprt institucijama nacionalne države (Fass 2004: xii).

Ideje prosvjetiteljstva o suverenome individualcu, autonomiji pojedinca i mogućnosti izgradnje sretnoga pojedinca i društva zasnovanoga na razumu i zakonu te jednakosti ljudi postavili su temelje za moderan pogled na dijete i djetinjstvo.

L. Molvarec: Predodžbe djece i mladih u Pričama iz davnine

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Posebno mjesto ipak pripada J. J. Rousseau koji u Emileu poziva na posebnu brigu o djeci kako bi im se omogućio razvoj svih njihovih potencijala koji su nemjerljivi jer se djeca rađaju dobra i s urođenim vrlinama (usp. Jenks 1996: 65). Smatra da svako dijete nosi svoju osobitu vrijednost te da su djeca ontološki drukčija od odraslih. Ta ideja nailazi na plodno tlo u romantizmu koji nastavlja perpetuirati sliku djeteta kao nevinoga, ranjivoga, emocionalno neprocjenjive vrijednosti za koje se odrasli moraju posebno brinuti te ga njegovati i čuvati. Ideja različitosti djeteta od odraslih korespondira s razvojem modernoga društva koje se sve više diferencira na svim razinama i postaje sve difuznije. Spomenutu predodžbu djeteta sociolog Chris Jenks nazvao je apolonskom, nasuprot onoj dionizijskoj, koja dijete promatra kao potencijalno urođeno zlo te slabo u smislu moralnoga posrnuća, pa ga stoga treba socijalizirati i odgajati (pa čak i prisilom ili fizičkim metodama kažnjavanja) kako bi prihvatilo društvene vrijednosti i postalo uklopljenim i korisnim članom društva (usp. Jenks 1996).

Iako bi se generalno moglo konstatirati kako je dionizijska slika djeteta prevladavajuća u predmodernim razdobljima, treba svakako imati u vidu da se u istome razdoblju javljaju različite, često ambivalentne predodžbe djeteta (usp. Hameršak 2004: 1075), što nas navodi na zaključak da takve predodžbe nisu jednostavno uzročno-posljedični rezultat velikih društvenih procesa i promjena, nego su dio širih kulturnih predodžbi koje svjedoče o sustavu vrijednosti te svjetonazoru tih zajednica, često naslijeđenih i perpetuiranih tijekom mnogih stoljeća.

Pitanje koje se nameće jest kako dosad izložene osnovne postavke o konstruiranosti djeteta i djetinjstva primijeniti na žanr bajke te, još konkretnije, na Priče iz davnine Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić. Nema sumnje da je bajka strože kodificiran žanr u odnosu na brojne druge, pa čak i shematičan, iako to neki pristupi naglašavaju više1 nego što same bajke daju povoda za to, često se opirući jednostranim tumačenjima. Doduše, istina je da se, promatrajući likove, možemo složiti da su najčešće jednodimenzionalni, ako ih sudimo iz perspektive romanesknih zaokruženih likova (round characters; prema E. M. Forsteru). Jungovska kritika promatrala ih je kao arhetipove pa tako jungovska analitičarka von Franz (2007; usp. Marjanić 2008: 213–214) ističe kako se likovi bajki ne bi trebali promatrati kao da imaju normalan ljudski ego, nego kao apstrakcije, te su, kao i bajke uostalom, izraz kolektivnoga nesvjesnoga. U tome smislu, ako su likovi bajke jednodimenzionalni (no to ne znači da su mogućnosti interpretacija njihova djelovanja i odnošenja s drugima plošne) te ako, makar i djelomično, prihvatimo teze

1 Ponajprije mislim na morfološka i strukturalistička čitanja koja su svakako stvorila novo znanje, no ne bi trebala biti završna točka analize bajke.

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jungovske psihoanalize, koje nam se mogućnosti pružaju u pokušaju istraživanja predodžbi djeteta i mladih u Pričama iz davnine? U nastavku ću iznijeti primjere reprezentacije djeteta i mladih u bajkama iz te zbirke Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić. Analitički fokus neće se iscrpiti u identificiranju i artikulaciji tih predodžbi, nego će one biti samo poticaj za razmatranje daljnjih pitanja. Ono što će me zanimati nije toliko kakve su predodžbe djeteta i adolescenta u Pričama iz davnine, koliko zašto su one takve i zašto ih u tome obliku nalazimo u književnome tekstu, točnije, u žanru bajke. Uopćeno rečeno, što nam takvi prikazi djeteta mogu reći o kulturi koja ih je omogućila i pomogla proizvesti?

Priče iz davnine tumačile su se u formalističko-stilističkoj, pozitivističkoj, književnopovijesnoj, metodičkoj i folklorističkoj perspektivi (Jelčić i dr. 1970), metodičkoj, pozitivističko-autobiografskoj i književnopovijesnoj perspektivi (Vukelić 1994), komparativističko-književnopovijesnoj (Zima 2001, Žmegač 2001), uz manji broj kontekstualističkih i kulturoloških čitanja u zadnjih desetak godina. Za temu rada važno je imati u vidu mitske (Milanja 1977), folklorističke i usmenoknjiževne aspekte (Bošković-Stulli 1970, Kos-Lajtman i Turza-Bogdan 2010, Kos-Lajtman i Horvat 2011) te književnopovijesnu perspektivu koja zbirku promatra u kontekstu fin de siѐclea, secesije i neoromantizma, no iz različitih razloga. Prvi je pristup potreban, nužan i koristan za razumijevanje formalnih i izvanjskih odrednica univerzuma bajki, no u njega se u ovome radu neće detaljnije ulaziti. Bitan je isključivo zbog naglašavanja rascjepa između vremena oblikovanja i izlaska ove zbirke te neodređenoga, ali ipak konotiranoga vremena događanja radnje u bajkama (neodređena, ali daleka prošlost). Početna je teza da predodžbe djeteta i mladih nisu plod svjetonazora, vjerovanja i vrijednosti zajednice te neodređene, ali daleke prošlosti, nego vremena u kojemu zbirka nastaje. Dakle, na temelju dosad iznesenoga, o potrebi povijesno i kulturno kontekstualiziranoga čitanja, predodžbe o djeci i mladima u Pričama iz davnine tumačit će se kao konglomerat predodžbi moderne građanske kulture, no koja nipošto nije lišena svojih proturječja i mogućnosti višestrukoga čitanja. Zato je svakako važno imati u vidu književne pojave s kraja 19. i početka 20. stoljeća, iako će analiza pokušati ići šire, u opći kulturni i društveni kontekst onoga vremena, pri čemu će od pomoći biti radovi pisani iz književnopovijesne perspektive, osobito Dubravke Zima (2001) i Viktora Žmegača (2001).

Pogled prema tekstu: dijete kao konstrukcija

Slijede primjeri iščitanih predodžbi djeteta i mladih u Pričama iz davnine. To će nužno uključivati interpretaciju reprezentiranoga, kao i odnose s drugim likovima te i neke druge aspekte pojedinih bajki.


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„Kako je Potjeh tražio istinu“ možda je najzačudnija i najhermetičnija bajka u zbirci. U središtu su pripovjednoga interesa tri mladića, unuci starca Vjesta. Iako je adolescencija suvremena socijalno i kulturno konstruirana kategorija (usp. Reynolds 2007: 70–71), ovdje se promatra jednostavno kao razdoblje života između djetinjstva i odrasle dobi. Iz tako ogoljene početne pozicije promatraju se načini konstrukcije mladih u zbirci te se dolazi do zaključka, što će se i pokazati, da su mladi reprezentirani kao ljudi koji se nalaze na prijelomnoj točki koja, ovisno o tome kako se prema njoj postave, uvjetuje njihovo buduće uklapanje u društveni život u skladu s normama zajednice.2 Time se interpretacija nadovezuje na već postojeće uvide da se adolescentska književnost često reducira na prikaz buntovnih, pobunjenih tinejdžera, a da se zanemaruje cijeli niz tekstova, osobito prije tridesetih godina 20. stoljeća, u kojima dominira prikaz uklopljene, nebuntovne mladeži (usp. Majhut 2013, Hameršak i Zima 2015: 351–352). Važnost socijalizacije mladih ljudi i njihovo pretvaranje u odrasle, zrele i punopravne članove ljudske zajednice nameće se kao dominantna tema u ovoj bajci. Osobitost je ove bajke i rodna jednoznačnost, što nije karakteristično za ostale bajke; naime nema žena – ni ženskoga djeteta, ni majke, ni potencijalne partnerice. Imamo li u vidu rodne uloge te rodnu karakterizaciju u cijeloj zbirci gdje se u pravilu žene prikazuju kao socijaliziranije: moralnije, solidarnije, lojalnije, odane načelima, moglo bi se zaključiti da se socijalizacija muške djece i mladih promatra kao složeniji i zahtjevniji zadatak. Pritom se stječe dojam da su žene i ženska djeca prirodno, urođeno takve, da nisu morale prolaziti mukotrpni proces usvajanja socijalnih normi. Tri momka iz „Kako je Potjeh tražio istinu“ nikada nisu izišla iz šume gdje su živjela s djedom. Smatra se važnim to što pripovjedač ističe njihovo nepoznavanje svijeta odmah na početku bajke. Pritom im se bude znatiželja, ali i strah i tuga zbog te činjenice. Dakle, u početku su prikazani kao društvena tabula rasa. Svarožić im postavlja svojevrsni izazov: pokazuje im ljepote, uzbuđenja i raznolikost svijeta, a onda definira sudbinu: ostanak s djedom dok mu ne vrate ljubav. Iz toga se da iščitati da je dužnost iz zahvalnosti vratiti roditeljsku/starateljsku brigu. No, Marun i Ljutiša se pod utjecajem bjesova povedu za zemaljskim bogatstvima i ratničkom slavom, kao posljedica svojega nepoznavanja života. Potjeh, autističan u svojemu gnoseološkome apsolutizmu, odriče se želje za zemaljskim uspjehom, ali ne ispunjava Svarožićev naputak o dužnosti prema djedu. Svarožić je glasnik Barčeve sintagme „etika srca“ koju je taj autor primijenio na opus Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić u cjelini: „A da si poslušao srce svoje, kad ti je na pragu kolibe govorilo, da se povratiš i ne ostavljaš djeda, eto ti, jadan, istine i bez mudrosti!“ (Brlić-Mažuranić

2 Čini se da Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić vjeruje u presudnu važnost toga životnoga perioda što je vidljivo u obraćanju tome čitateljstvu u tekstu „Omladini o idealima“ u djelu Knjiga omladini (1923.).

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2011: 28). Potjeh kao višestruko nerealiziran (u životnoj pragmi, u neispunjavanju dužnosti prema djedu, u odustajanju od etike srca te, konačno, zbog izjalovljenja potrage za mudrošću) mora nestati jer nije obavio ključan zadatak socijalizacije: uklopiti se u zajednicu u skladu s dominantnim normama i postati korisnim članom društva. Marunov i Ljutišin put jest put sazrijevanja nakon mladenačkih stranputica, uviđanja vlastitih pogrešaka i pokajanja. Nakon toga prihvaćaju svoju ulogu odraslih, zrelih i odgovornih članova zajednice, vraćaju dug djedu, nastavljaju obiteljsku patrilinearnu lozu te nasljeđuju obiteljsko imanje. Stavivši na stranu upadljive kršćanske konotacije ove bajke o grijehu, iskupljenju i oprostu, o čemu je već bilo govora u kritici (usp. Milanja 1977, Zima 2001: 121), rad se koncentrira na dimenziju značenja koja funkcionira gotovo kao parabola o odrastanju i socijalnoj evoluciji pojedinca te njegovu uklapanju u zajednicu. Oni koji se ne mogu uklopiti u važeće društvene i kulturne norme moraju nestati kako ne bi poremetili sklad i ravnotežu zajednice, a supstitutivno zadovoljstvo bajke proizlazi iz činjenice da upravo Potjeh, iako treba biti uklonjen, omogućava dvojici braće uklopljen život u skladu s načelima zajednice.

Slična se reprezentacija lako zavedenoga mladića nalazi u „ Šumi Striborovoj“. U središtu je priča o majčinskoj ljubavi koja sve razumije i oprašta. Umjesto na majku, analiza bajke može usmjeriti svoj fokus na mladića i mehanizme kojima on ostaje do kraja zarobljen moći ženskoga načela. Koliko je majka dominantna u etičkome, ali i u aktantskome smislu, toliko je mladić prikazan kao potpuno pasivna figura, dok njegovim životom upravljaju majka i supruga. Već na početku bajke okarakteriziran je kao dobričina, plašljiv i stidljiv te neuputan (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 106). Ljepota guje djevojke, ali i slabost i kolebljivost mladića, dovode do pobjede erosa nad etosom. Za razliku od razvoja i katarze Maruna i Ljutiše, mladićevo pokajanje i molba za Božjim i majčinim oprostom, događaju se bez jasnoga nagovještaja o osvještavanju vlastite pogreške (koju Marun i Ljutiša iskupljuju spašavanjem Vjesta od smrti) te posljedičnoga sazrijevanja na temelju vlastitih postupaka. Mladić, kao što to čine i Marun i Ljutiša, prihvaća tradicionalni moral, no za razliku od njih ne afirmira se u prostoru hegemonijskoga maskuliniteta (Connell 1995) koji traži djelovanje, gospodarenje i nastavak loze, nego se njegov identitet na kraju opet povezuje s odnosom sa ženskom osobom – dobrom i čednom siroticom te, iznova, majkom. On, čini se, ostaje nezrela, nedorasla jedinka, gotovo kao objekt nad kojim dominantni ženski likovi dobivaju priliku demonstrirati svoj etički plus ili minus, boreći se koja će od njih snažnije utisnuti svoj pečat.

U bajci „Ribar Palunko i njegova žena“ žensko je načelo opet dominantno i u etičkome i u aktantskome smislu, a dijete, Vlatko, Palunkov sin, pojavljuje se kao sporedan i pasivan lik, ponajviše jer je obilježen dojenačkom nemoći i ovisnosti


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o drugima. Nalazimo ga na dvoru Morskoga Kralja u raskoši, u zlatnoj kolijevci i svilenoj košuljici, sa zlatnom jabukom u ruci, u igri i obijesnoga, bez sjećanja na svoje roditelje, bezbrižnoga i pustopašnoga te drži oca, kada stigne na dvor Morskoga Kralja, za ludu. Dijete u raskoši i bezbrižnosti, razmaženo i lakoumno, pomalo obijesno, koje dane provodi u igri, slika je kulturalnoga pomaka pozicije djeteta do koje dolazi u moderno doba, osobito u obiteljima viših društvenih slojeva – dijete postaje središtem obiteljskoga života, njemu se posvećuje najviše pažnje i brige te ga se njeguje kako bi se omogućio razvitak svih njegovih potencijala. Vlatko je sa svojim roditeljima živio na posve drukčiji način čime se suptilno ističe staleška razlika u pristupu i odgoju djeci. Palunko se razljuti vidjevši Vlatka u igri i obijesti dok mu majka tuguje, no ta ljutnja ima više veze sa zavisti prema bezbrižnome djetetovu položaju nego s empatijom prema tuzi svoje supruge jer se već u prvoj rečenici bajke Palunko ocrtava kao osoba koja prezire svoj bijedni život i zavidi drugima na bogatstvu i lagodnome životu (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 37):

Bijaše pak dočuo Palunko, da imade po svijetu bogatih župana i gavana silnika, što žive u slasti i lasti, u zlatu i u raskoši. Uvrtio si dakle Palunko u glavu, kako bi i on jednom takovo bogatstvo vidio i u njem poživio.

Mogu se povući paralele između Palunka i Vlatka; Vlatko je ono što bi Palunko htio biti, svojevrsno ogledalo željene regresije, pada u primarnu sigurnost i bezbrižnost.

Bajka „Jagor“ donosi središnji lik dječaka Jagora, zanemarena i zaboravljena djeteta, koje je maćeha zlostavljala, a čiji je otac nemaran i začaran. Siročad i zapostavljena djeca sa zlom maćehom neki su od najčešćih dječjih likova u bajkama, što je jedan refleks kojim su usmene bajke iz prošlosti odražavale stvarnost surova feudalnoga predmodernoga društva (usp. Tatar 1992: 46). U tome nesretnome odrastanju Jagoru utjehu pružaju kravica, kozica i Bagan koji kasnije postaju njegovi saveznici u bijegu od kuće. Kulturna predodžba o djeci i životinjama kao međusobno sličnima i srodnima stara je tisućama godina (još je Aristotel pisao o tome), a temelji se na činjenici njihove bespomoćnosti i ovisnosti o odraslima, te posljedično nedostatku društvene moći i subordiniranosti. U romantizmu veza djece i životinja počinje se shvaćati u odnosu prema prirodi pa su tako djeca i životinje promatrani kao izmješteni iz jezika i kulture te bliži prirodi nego odrasli (Hameršak i Zima 2015: 317). U „Jagoru“ se nasljeđuje romantičarsko uvjerenje o jedinstvu djece i životinja, u opreci prema odraslima, no ne i izopćenost djeteta iz kulture i jezika. Kao društveno deprivirani, kravica, kozica i dijete solidariziraju se i ujedinjuju protiv zle maćehe i indiferentnoga oca, na taj način stvarajući alternativnu zajednicu koja se brine o djetetu umjesto obitelji koja bi to trebala. Simptomatično je kako duh umrloga djeda pomaže Jagoru u borbi protiv zle maćehe, afirmirajući tako

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patrilinearnu vezu koja preskače pasivnoga i odsutnoga oca i delegitimira maćehu kao nekoga tko nije dio krvne veze obitelji (slično usp. Zima 2011: 225). Uz pomoć životinja, kućnoga duha Bagana i djedova duha, Jagor dobiva, tj. ponovno osvaja dom koji mu prema krvnoj liniji i pripada, čime njegova nevinost i čistoća bivaju nagrađene. Bajka nam ne otkriva daljnji nastavak događaja, no može se zaključiti da ova bajka konstituira važne preduvjete za proces socijalizacije mladoga pojedinca. Ovdje je riječ o uspostavljanju materijalnih uvjeta i nasljedstva koji postavljaju temelje za daljnje korake – požrtvovan i marljiv rad te stvaranje obitelji koji su, često eksplicitno, predstavljeni kao završna točka socijalizacije djeteta i mladoga čovjeka u korisnoga i produktivnoga člana društva.

U bajci „Sunce djever i Neva Nevičica“ Nevina inicijalna ljudskost i spremnost na pomaganje bakici, koja je prerušena Mokoš, vraćaju se produktivnosti i efikasnosti u poslu odnosno omogućuju ga jer mlin uopće ne radi dok ga se ne dohvati Neva. Time joj se daje velika moć – sposobna je upravljati sredstvima za proizvodnju koja donose profit, uživati u bogatstvu, ne naslijeđenome, kraljevu ili carevu, nego stečenim radom svojih ruku, u duhu kapitalizma. Smatram zanimljivim taj Mokošin poklon jer Nevi ne daje rodno stereotipne moći (ljepota, zavodljivost, bogat muž), nego pristup u sferu ekonomske moći, što je gotovo do današnjih dana ženama nedostupno ili slabo dostupno. Dobrota se nagrađuje mogućnosti bogatstva, no dobra Neva ne mari za to jer joj je od te mogućnosti više stalo do harmonična odnosa s bližnjima: „Da mi je otići odavde, kad im mrzovoljnima ne mogu da ugodim.“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 200). Drugi Mokošin poklon ne prati subverzivnost prvoga te nudi mogućnost postanka caričine dvoranice. Nevina fleksibilnost i spremnost na promjenu donose joj ljubav koja odgovara obrascima moderne romantične ljubavi – Oleh ban i Neva odbijaju stalešku recipročnost – brak s carevnom (Oleh) ili sigurnost uhljebljenja na dvoru (Neva). I njihovo je vjenčanje ekscentrično – osim junaka i sirota, „da ih bude više i veselije“ (204), društvo im rade životinje: vuk i vučica, orao, kraguj, grlica i lastavica. Neva pokazuje autonomiju u svojim postupcima i oglušuje se o uputu i poklon Mokoš (da bude caričina dvoranica) pa pakosna Mokoš odbija pomoći Nevi i Olehu kada ih caričina vojska progoni. To je cijena Nevine neposlušnosti. Sunce dolazi kao svojevrsni deus ex machina koji djeluje prema meritokratskim, a ne prema staleškim principima poslušnosti te uništava caričinu vojsku kako bi to dvoje moglo ostvariti svoju ljubav. Afirmira se autonomija subjekta koji postupa prema vlastitoj volji i savjesti, neovisno o staleškim uzusima, kako bi ostvario svoju ljubavnu, ali i životnu sreću.

Bajka „Lutonjica Toporko i devet župančića“ donosi dva paralelna primjera dječje socijalizacije. Toporko, „sitan, tanak i garav, a tvrd“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 164), neželjeno je, prokrijumčareno dijete koje od malih nogu samoinicijativno luta


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šumom po cijele dane te tako stječe znanje i mudrost. To je djelo djeda Neumijke s kojim razgovara u šumi svaki dan, a u kojega je „mudrost baš onakova, za kakovu pita selo i naselje i o kojoj živi šuma i planina.“ (165). Vidimo da je riječ o znanju i mudrosti što proizlaze iz životnoga iskustva i poznavanja života i njegovih zakonitosti, a ne iz knjiga. Nasuprot tomu su devetorica župančića, svojevrsna Toporkova braća, koji iako jedri i rumeni, čime se konotiraju snaga i zdravlje, nikada nisu napustili dvorište te o životu ne znaju ništa, ali ih zato „mudroznanci svačemu naučaju“ (167). Socijalizacija je i klasno/staleško pitanje. Devet župančića raste pod pažnjom i maksimalnom zaštitom, koja čuva i oblikuje njihovu dobru i plemenitu narav, no čini ih nesnalažljivima i neiskusnima u životu. Slobodu i životno iskustvo omogućava im Toporko naukovanjem kod djeda Neumijke, no također ih izbavljuje otamo kada naukovanje postane kontraproduktivno. Čini se kako je takva životna obuka neophodna za njihovu budućnost u kojoj se očekuje da će morati preuzeti odgovorne upravljačke pozicije. Ideal vlasti iščitava se kao kombinacija mudrosti do koje se dolazi iščitavanjem knjiga, urođene plemenitosti naravi i mudrosti proizišle iz životnoga iskustva. Župančići preuzimaju vlast od oca župana u trenutku kada je njihova socijalizacija dovršena te u slozi zajednički vladaju županijom.3 Toporkova socijalizacija oslobođena je dužnosti upravljanja što proizlazi iz njegova položaja u društvenoj hijerarhiji, no podarena mu je osobna sloboda koju odlučuje iskoristiti kako bi činio korisna djela širom kraljevstva, čime se i njegova socijalizacija pokazuje uspješnom.

U bajci „Regoč“ susrećemo, osim naslovnoga junaka, lik male vile Kosjenke. Iako se radi o mitološkome biću, način na koji je Kosjenka predočena ne upućuje samo na to da je izrazito antropomorfizirana, nego su joj pridane osobine apolonskoga djeteta: čistoća, neiskvarenost, beskrajna znatiželja i radovanje životu te želja za upoznavanjem svih životnih tajni. Kosjenkina otvorenost i pozitivna nastrojenost prema životu i svim njegovim čudima u kontrastu je s Regočevim nedostatkom znatiželje, njegovom nepomičnosti i krutosti u fizičkome i mentalnome smislu. Kosjenka posjeduje svijest o promjenjivosti svijeta i same sebe te privlačnoj moći intervencije u prirodan poredak stvari, čak i ako to djelovanje možda ponekad dovodi do negativne posljedice (npr. u situaciji kada ostane zarobljena pod zemljom jer je pomaknula tanki štapić). Gaji vjeru u napredak, u usavršavanje sebe i svijeta. Paralelni tijek radnje vodi nas do dvaju sela čiji su stanovnici u sukobu, no djeca se i dalje međusobno igraju, simbolično, baš na granici obaju

3 Zanimljivo je kako su na tome putu socijalizacije počinili i umorstvo dvorskoga, kako bi obranili oca. To je gotovo jedina situacija moralne dvojbenosti pozitivnih likova u ovoj zbirci. Iako je čin opravdan prema načelima prirodnoga prava, netipično je da su likovi dovedeni u situaciju koja kompromitira etički apsolut kao model ponašanja pozitivnih likova. Zahvaljujem Dubravki Zima što mi je svratila pozornost na tu činjenicu ubojstva i slučaj djece kao ubojica.

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sela. U ovoj se bajci u djecu, kojoj pripovjedač često dodjeljuje pridjev „luda“, upisuju utopijska značenja. Seoska djeca odbacuju prizemne sukobe odraslih u ime višega zajedništva. Dječja igra utjelovljuje potencijal ljudske zajednice koja nije građena na principima vlasništva i podjele nego uzajamnosti i dijeljenja. Pokazuje se da su moralno, ali i razumom superiornija, npr. Liljo ne dopušta da mu emocije zamute pogled na nepobitne činjenice, kao što je to zloba uspjela kod odraslih: „znam, da naša polja i selo naše nisu tako visoka, i znam, da će se voda i nad nama sklopiti, i bit će još noćas more, gdje bijahu naša dva sela.“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 87). Seljani ne mogu odoljeti zlobi po cijenu vlastita samouništenja, djeca ostaju sama, no grade zajednicu na novim temeljima solidarnosti i zajedništva, u čemu im pomažu savjetima preživjeli djed i baka, osiguravajući zajednici legitimitet mudrosti, tradicije i iskustva te simbolički konsenzualni spoj staroga i novoga.

U bajci „Bratac Jaglenac i sestrica Rutvica“ djevojka Milojka utjelovljuje odanost načelima: poštenju, vjernosti, skromnosti i suosjećanju te ravnodušnosti prema materijalnim dobrima. Njezina djeca, osobito Jaglenac, oličenje su dječje neiskvarenosti i nevinosti koja ne poznaje zlo i bezazleno prihvaća život, ne vidjevši ni u čemu zla. Pripovjedač Jaglenčevo ponašanje karakterizira kao ludo, čime se naglašava razlika i drugost djeteta u odnosu na odrasle te afirmira romantičarska predodžba djeteta. Dok je Jaglenac urođeno dobro rusoovsko dijete, bez naslaga socijalne i idejne nadgradnje, koje jačinom svoje neiskvarenosti pobjeđuje zlo vila Zatočnica, Rutvica je glasnogovornik miroljubiva, nenasilna kršćanskoga načela koje se pokazuje jačim od Reljine pravdoljubive, ali nagle i žestoke sablje: „Silan junak bijaše Relja, čudnovato mu je s djecom razgovarati. Al djeci nije čudno s junakom razgovarati, jer im je srce svemu sklono i otvoreno.“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 151).

Zajednički osnivaju kneževinu čija je snaga upravo u odustajanju od okrutnosti i nasilja te radu za zajedničko dobro svih stanovnika, neovisno o društvenome statusu. Riječ je o rustikalnoj pastoralnoj utopiji poljodjelstva, stočarstva, sitnoga obrta i autarkije: „Sretne li kneževine, kojoj blago ne čuvaju ni silne vojske ni tvrdi gradovi, nego majke i dječica u pastirskoj kolibici. Takova kneževina propasti ne može!“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 153). Zadnje rečenice bajke potvrđuju simboličko i vrijednosno utemeljenje takve zajednice činom legitimacije odnosa Relje i Rutvice – brakom i, naravno, predviđenim nastavkom obiteljske loze te gradnjom crkvice na svetome jezeru.

Prema kontekstu: dijete između građanske kulture i utopije

Kao što je vidljivo, u svim se bajkama javljaju likovi djece i mladih, no to je čest slučaj u bajkama. U većini bajki iz zbirke ipak djeca i mladi igraju važnu, ako ne


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i središnju ulogu. Pokazala sam na spomenutim primjerima kako su reprezentirana djeca i adolescenti, no ostaje pitanje kako su nastale takve reprezentacije: je li to nešto što je inherentno žanru bajke ili je rezultat međudjelovanja širega književnoga i kulturnoga polja unutar kojega zbirka nastaje? Budući da je riječ o autorskim bajkama, nastalima osviještenim umjetničkim, književnim stvaranjem, ostavljam po strani strukturalistička ili morfološka čitanja, bitna za čitanje bajki koje su u prvome redu proizišle iz usmene predaje. Priklanjam se, zato, drugoj vrsti čitanja koja zbirku Priče iz davnine gleda kroz prizmu mehanizama koji su je omogućili te se oslanjam na važnost bajki u prenošenju vrijednosti važnih za socijalizaciju i kulturu u kojoj postoje. Zbirka Priče iz davnine arhiv je osobitoga razdoblja književne i kulturne povijesti te njezinih režima moći koja reproducira, ali ujedno i reinterpretira one diskurse koji su je omogućili.

Jack Zipes u studiji Why Fairy Tales Stick. The Evolution and Relevance of a Genre (2006) razmatra zašto su bajke tako uporno i dugo prisutne u ljudskim zajednicama, zašto su se održale tijekom povijesti. Pri tome se koristi onime što naziva epidemiološkim pristupom (2006: 3–4), pozivajući se na Dawkinsov koncept mema, jedinicu kulturne transmisije (po uzoru na gen). Mem se isprva imitira, zatim reproducira te tako prenosi, a kasnije institucionalizira. Prema Zipesu, bajke su složeni memi – javne reprezentacije ili kulturni replikatori – koji se ponavljaju i šire jer su bitni za preživljavanje zajednice, njezino prilagođavanje novim sociokulturnim uvjetima, ali i za očuvanje postojećih vrijednosti i vjerovanja (2006: 7–12). Oni nam otkrivaju socijalne konstrukcije koje zajednica ima o samoj sebi, ali i svjedoče o konfliktnim snagama kulturne proizvodnje (Zipes 2006: 14–15, 26).4 U tome smislu i bajke iz Priča iz davnine možemo razumjeti kao složene memove koji nam govore o načinu na koji se vidi i konstruira zajednica te uloga pojedinca u njoj i koje su vrijednosti važne, naravno, iz autoričine pozicije, imajući u vidu međudjelovanje njezine književne i djelatne autonomije i utopljenosti u tu istu nacionalnu, društvenu i kulturnu zajednicu.

U većini bajki u zbirci djeca i mladi predočeni su u izrazito pozitivnome kontekstu, a u svega dvije prikazana su neutralno ili ambivalentno. Možemo zaključiti da je riječ o svojevrsnoj sentimentalizaciji djece, što je odlika modernoga, poslijeprosvjetiteljskoga pristupa djetetu. Bajke u ovoj zbirci ne demonstriraju okrutne postupke usmjerene prema djeci ili sustavno zanemarivanje djece koje je često u bajkama čija je geneza u usmenoj bajci jer odražava okrutne realnosti života u predmodernome, feudalnome društvu. Čak i kada su u rijetkim primjerima zanemarena, imaju pomoćnike koji sprečavaju njihovu patnju.4 Ta se Zipesova teorija ponajprije odnosi na bajke koje imaju usmeno podrijetlo, stoga primjenjujem

njegove teze na Priče iz davnine u ograničenome opsegu i s oprezom.

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Predodžbe djece i mladih u ovoj zbirci donose svojevrsni katalog modernih, poslijeprosvjetiteljskih ideja o djetetu i o njegovoj ulozi u društvenoj zajednici. Kao što sam iznijela prethodno, u nekoliko bajki kao temeljnu preokupaciju iščitavam problem socijalizacije, tj. cilja socijalizacije, a to je oblikovanje djeteta ili mlade osobe u zreloga i odgovornoga pojedinca, funkcionalno uklopljenoga u zajednicu kojoj radi na dobrobit. Tu svakako možemo govoriti o slici djeteta koje je blisko prosvjetiteljskomu i kasnije romantičarskomu idealu, kao potencijalu za izgradnju građanskoga liberalnoga subjekta. To se očituje u afirmaciji autonomije subjekta i njegovih odluka prema vlastitoj savjesti i osjećaju odgovornosti i/ili dužnosti (Neva, Kosjenka, Rutvica) odnosno u afirmaciji utopijske ljudske zajednice čiji su zalog upravo djeca, nositelji vrlina i vrijednosti, kojima pripovjedačka svijest daje prednost (u „Regoču“, „Bratcu Jaglencu i sestrici Rutvici“, „Lutonjici Toporku i devet župančića“).

Oblik države i državne vlasti koji se smatra idealnim utemeljen je na razumu, mudrosti, miroljubivosti, radu i marljivosti, poljoprivrednoj i maloj proizvodnji, snažnoj nuklearnoj obitelji i vjeri u Boga. Kako ističe Žmegač, utopijski naboj idealne društvene zajednice „ostaje u granicama tradicionalnih predodžbi o vrijednosnim sustavima“ (2001: 288) u doba kada se oblikuju nove, često politički radikalne avangardne slike.

Pogledamo li rodnu karakterizaciju, primijetit ćemo da su ženska djeca, ali i žene općenito, predočene kao etički jače: odane, skromne, poštene, požrtvovne, miroljubive, spremne na oprost, ali i mentalno i emocionalno jače. Muški likovi psihički su i moralno labilniji, skloni podleći agresiji, uporabi sile, ostvarivanju moći i dominacije nad drugima ili se pak pasivno prepustiti ženskomu utjecaju (najčešće lošemu). U takvim slučajevima opet ženski lik igra ulogu etičkoga korektiva koji muškarca vraća na pravi put. Čini se kako se socijalizacija muške djece promatra kao teži i zahtjevniji zadatak, no takav dojam može biti povezan s kulturnom činjenicom da su u predmodernome vremenu, ali i u modernome razdoblju 19. i početka 20. stoljeća, ženska djeca pod većim socijalizacijskim nadzorom od muške, što je Dinko Župan slikovito izrazio u naslovnoj sintagmi svoje knjige – „mentalni korzet“ (usp. Župan 2013). U kontekstu građanske kulture ženskost je prisvojena kako bi pronosila interese dominantne građanske klase te je morala utjelovljivati cijeli niz socijalnih vrijednosti i ponašanja koja su usmjerena prema uspostavljanju stabilnosti te klase (Poster 1978: 177).

U književnopovijesnome smislu Priče iz davnine najčešće se stavljaju u kontekst neoromantizma i secesije, što je već dovoljno istraženo (Zima 2001, Žmegač 2001), pa se ovom prilikom neću na tome zadržavati. Ipak, treba imati na umu da zbirka izlazi 1916. godine kada su već nova, avangardna strujanja došla do


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izražaja u hrvatskoj književnosti, pa u tome smislu ova zbirka predstavlja svojevrsni književnopovijesni anakronizam.

Pišući o izvorištima vrijednosti i načela likova, kritika je često upozoravala na kršćansku etiku i/ili kršćanski svjetonazor kao djelatno načelo univerzuma Priča iz davnine (npr. Milanja 1977, Zima 2001, Zima 2011, Protrka Štimec 2015). No i cijeli niz kulturnih prilagodbi, amalgama i aproprijacija kršćanskoga nauka u konkretnome povijesnome i kulturnome kontekstu nešto je što se ne smije ispustiti iz razmatranja. Građanska kultura 19. stoljeća svakako je preuzela i preradila mnogobrojne postulate kršćanske etike i prilagodila ih svojim potrebama, usporedno s prosvjetiteljskim i liberalnim idejama o pojedincu i političkoj zajednici te teorijom i praksom kapitalističke ekonomije. Zbirka Priče iz davnine svjedoči i o koegzistenciji, proturječnosti, ali i prožimanju kršćanske etike i modernoga građanskoga svjetonazora. Zaustavit ću se na spominjanju samo jedne proturječnosti – nesklonosti načelima kapitalizma te stjecanju, profitu i materijalnomu bogatstvu kao vrijednostima koje iz njih proizlaze.

Deirdre McCloskey u knjizi Bourgeois Virtues (2006) prepoznaje sedam kršćanskih kreposti kao konstitutivnih i u sustavu građanske (i kapitalističke) vrline. To su: vjera, nada, ljubav, razboritost, hrabrost, umjerenost i pravda. Nije teško većinu tih kreposti prepoznati kao bitne u svijetu Priča iz davnine. Još su tu skromnost, poniznost, odanost, marljivost, strpljivost, čednost, osjećaj dužnosti. Kao što sam već spomenula, te osobine češće krase žene nego muškarce. Istodobno se te osobine postavljaju kao najvažnije u konstrukciji poželjne ženskosti europskoga, pa tako i hrvatskoga, građanskog društva 19. stoljeća (Župan 2013: 41) koje poštuje patrijarhalnu podjelu rodova na javnu i privatnu sferu te izgradnjom takvih konstrukcija poželjne ženskosti priprema djevojke za njihovu buduću ulogu u građanskome društvu. Već je bilo autora koji su doveli Ivanu Brlić-Mažuranić i njezin opus u vezu s građanskom kulturom i njezinim vrijednostima5 (Brešić 1994, Zima 2001, Žmegač 2001, Svetina 2015). Smatram da predodžbe djeteta u Pričama iz davnine dijele neke konstitutivne sastavnice s predodžbama djeteta unutar građanske kulture – od uloge i potencijala djeteta u zajednici, velike pažnje koja se pridaje djetetu, njegovu razvoju i socijalizaciji, do djeteta kao nositelja značenja važnih za tumačenje građanskih ideala vladanja, društva i države i razvoja

5 Osobito bih istaknula Žmegačevu opasku na kraju njegova teksta „Folklorne šare hrvatske moderne“ (2001) koja konstatira kako utopijski naboj Priča iz davnine ostaje u granicama tradicionalnih predodžbi o vrijednosnim sustavima, gotovo se ispričavajući zbog te konstatacije. U nastavku se okreće kraju Čudnovatih zgoda šegrta Hlapića te ističe pripovjedačev nedostatak dvojbe o tome da je Hlapićev građanski životni tableau put k sreći. To je strano središnjim romantičkim motivima, no „sjeta je toga sažetka, paradoksno, u tome što on ne budi sjetu: čežnju za životom koji se kreće izvan uhodanih staza.“ (Žmegač 2001: 288)

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autonomnoga građanskoga subjekta, a sve to unutar granica građanskoga morala koji podrazumijeva i javni i privatni moral (Edmondson III 2000: 1), a možda je najbolje izražen u trima temeljnim vrijednostima: obitelji, braku i napornu radu (Seaton 2000: 193).

Vinko Brešić pišući o Autobiografiji Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić tematizira upravo uspostavu građanskoga subjekta koji ima u vidu ne samo sliku o samome sebi, nego i predodžbe drugih. Tako I. Brlić-Mažuranić u svojoj autobiografiji ovjerava, potvrđuje svoj društveni status, ali i razotkriva vrijednosni sustav svojega etičkoga kodeksa koji je „eminentno građanski, tradicionalistički s visokom sviješću o temeljnim etičkim vrijednostima dobra i pravdoljubivosti, hrabrosti i samopouzdanja, ponosa i čestitosti, vjere i milosrđa. Svijet njezinih bajki strukturiran je upravo po načelu građanskog idealizma, odnosno jedinstva temeljnih etičkih vrijednosti.“ (Brešić 1994: 18). No ona svojom književnosti, zaključuje Brešić, djeluje i društveno i ideološki, u cementiranju društva ili drugim riječima, u povezivanju i stabilizaciji društvene strukture.

O povezanosti vrijednosti građanske kulture i književnosti svjedoči i Thomas Mann, prepoznavši da njegova djela nisu (samo) odbacivanje građanskih vrijednosti, nego i njihova afirmacija te da su njegova književna postignuća ovisila o kreativnoj tenziji između estetičkoga impulsa i etičke sklonosti, percepcije o dužnostima života, koju Mann tumači kao buržujski duh primijenjen na život (prema: Seaton 2000: 194–195). Deontološka etika, o čemu je već pisala M. Protrka Štimec (2015: 665), koja vodi neke od likova Priča iz davnine, neodvojiva je od Kantova sustava mišljenja, a toga filozofa neki smatraju i izvorištem građanskoga morala (usp. Schumacher 1997). Sličnu etiku dužnosti Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić vidi kao ključnu za osjećaj mira u duši, što je ujedno i naslov teksta u kojemu to razlaže (1997: 284). Po njoj boli, patnje i ono što se naziva nesrećom često dobrim dijelom leže u nama. Svojim stavom afirmira koncept osobne odgovornosti, koji se ponajprije povezuje s građanskim, osobito konzervativnim sustavima vrijednosti. Navodeći niz primjera, od kojih su neki važne scene povijesti kršćanstva, i reinterpretirajući ih, donosi apologiju prihvaćanja dužnosti kao cilja svojega života, naglašavajući rad i aktivnost kao potrebne i nužne (Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić 1997: 290):

Spoznajmo dužnost našu, nađimo cilj naš, odlučimo se jednom za svagda za tu dužnost i za taj cilj, prigrlimo ih i počnimo oko njih raditi. Ne bježimo od teškoća i neugodnosti života i dužnosti, ne uklanjajmo se životu. Ostanimo što više sred života, sred rada, na mjestu koje smo izabrali, koje nam je određeno. Tu je put do smirenja.

Oni koji u Pričama iz davnine iznevjere dužnosti, kao npr. Potjeh, završavaju tragično (a njegova neočekivana i pomalo apsurdna smrt povratno baca sjenu i na smisao njegova života), dok dosljedno izvršavanje dužnosti donosi nagradu u


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obliku ponovnoga stjecanja ljubavi ili povratka nekad izgubljene ljubavi (majka, Palunkova žena, Rutvica, Milojka, posredno preko Rutvice). Primjetno je da su opet žene i ženska djeca odana izvršavanju dužnosti. Kako je već rečeno, to je zacijelo povezano sa snažnijom disciplinarnom kontrolom socijalizacije djevojaka i žena (ali i djece) u građanskome društvu, no zbirka produktivno rabi ta društveno uvjetovana ograničenja i povratno djeluje na kulturu iz koje je iznikla nudeći predodžbe žena te osobito djece kao nositelja jezgre etičke i društvene promjene. Ta je ideja sukladna svjetonazoru modernoga vremena koji djecu i žene odvlači s nekadašnje društvene margine.

Završna razmatranja

Predodžbe djeteta i adolescenta u Pričama iz davnine mogu biti tumačene i kao svojevrsna sinteza građanske kulture „dugoga 19. stoljeća“ (Hobsbawm 1987: 8), no nipošto nisu lišene svojih proturječja i nepomirljivosti. Čini se da te predodžbe spajaju dva proturječna impulsa građanskoga morala (usp. Armstrong 2006: 350): afirmaciju individualnosti (građanskoga) subjekta (koja se odnosi na moderno poimanje djeteta kao bitnoga i vrijednoga te kao nositelja potencijala za društvenu preobrazbu) i potrebu za ograničavanjem individualnosti subjekta (izraženu problemom socijalizacije djeteta u društvenu zajednicu) kako bi se sačuvala stabilnost i funkcionalnost društvene zajednice.

Iako modernu kulturu odlikuje slabljenje utvrđenih granica i rastakanje uloga, položaja i institucija uslijed povećanja društvene nesigurnosti i nestabilnosti (Vuković 2015: 351), ova zbirka nastoji možda zadnjim snagama sačuvati stabilnost svojega svijeta, predodžbama djeteta, ali i društva te njegova sustava vrijednosti, koje jamče sretan kraj i ponovno uspostavljanje poremećene ravnoteže. Pri tome se snažno oslanja na kršćanski etos, ali i, prema vlastitu autopoetskome iskazu, na narodno pjesništvo koje izražava slavensku dušu (usp. Brlić-Mažuranić 1997: 276), kao na simboličke stupove povijesnoga i vrijednosnoga kontinuiteta. Godina 1916. nije više samo godina krize građanske kulture i njezina svijeta, nego zapravo mnogo više, godina njihova aktivnoga propadanja i nastajanja radikalno drukčijih svjetova. Unatoč tomu, ova zbirka može se tumačiti kao jedan blistavi univerzum, čija snaga i slojevitost fasciniraju istraživače i nakon stotinu godina.

Popis literaturePrimarna literaturaBrlić-Mažuranić, Ivana. 2011. Bajke i basne. Sabrana djela Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić.

Slavonski Brod: Ogranak Matice hrvatske Slavonski Brod.Brlić-Mažuranić, Ivana. 1997. Izabrana djela. Zagreb: Matica hrvatska.

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Individualism“. U: The Novel, vol. 2, Forms and Themes, ur. Franco Moretti, 349–388. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Bošković-Stulli, Maja. 1970. „‘Priče iz davnine’ i usmena književnost“. U: Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić. Zbornik radova, ur. Dubravko Jelčić, 163–180. Zagreb: Mladost.

Brešić, Vinko. 1994. „Sklad kao načelo“. U: Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić. Prilozi sa znanstvenostručnog kolokvija 1994. o 120. godišnjici rođenja, ur. Verica Vukelić, 11–19. Slavonski Brod: Matica hrvatska.

Connell, R. W. 1995. Masculinities. Cambridge: Polity Press.Edmondson III, Henry T. 2000. „Introduction: Literature and Public Ethics“. U: The Moral

of the Story, ur. Henry T. Edmondson III, 1–14. New York: Lexington Books. Fass, Paula S. 2004. „Preface“. U: Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood: In Society and

History, ur. Paula S. Fass, xi–xv. New York: Macmillan Reference USA.Frantz von, Marie-Louise. 2007. Interpretacija bajki. Zagreb: Scarabeus-naklada.Hameršak, Marijana. 2004. „Desetljeća Ariѐsove povijesti djetinjstva“. Časopis za

suvremenu povijest 36 (3): 1061–1078. Hameršak, Marijana. 2011. Pričalice. Zagreb: Algoritam.Hameršak, Marijana i Dubravka Zima. 2015. Uvod u dječju književnost. Zagreb: Leykam

international.Hobsbawm, Eric. 1987. The Age of Empire. 1875-1914. New York: Vintage Books.Jelčić, Dubravko i dr., ur. 1970. Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić. Zbornik radova. Zagreb: Mladost.Jenks, Chris. 1996. Childhood. London i New York: Routledge.Kos-Lajtman, Andrijana i Tamara Turza-Bogdan. 2010. „Utjecaj usmenoknjiževnog i

mitološkog supstrata varaždinskoga kraja na književni rad Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić“. Narodna umjetnost 47 (2): 175–190.

Kos-Lajtman, Andrijana i Jasna Horvat. 2011. „Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, Priče iz davnine: nova konstrukcija izvora i metodologije“. Fluminensia 23 (1): 87–99.

Majhut, Berislav. 2013. „Bijela područja i crne rupe povijesti hrvatske dječje književnosti“. U: Veliki vidar. Stoljeće Grigora Viteza, ur. Marina Protrka Štimec, Diana Zalar i Dubravka Zima, 310– 328. Zagreb: Učiteljski fakultet.

Marjanić, Suzana. 2008. „Marie-Louise von Franz, Interpretacija bajki“. Narodna umjetnost 45 (2): 212–214.

McCloskey, Deirdre N. 2006. The Bourgeois Virtues. Ethics for an Age of Commerce. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press.

Milanja, Cvjetko. 1977. „Mitska osnova strukture bajke. Na primjeru I. Brlić-Mažuranić: Kako je Potjeh tražio istinu“. U: Alkemija teksta, 47–63. Zagreb: Centar za kulturnu djelatnost Saveza socijalističke omladine Zagreba.

Poster, Mark. 1978. Critical Theory of the Family. New York: Seabury Press.Protrka Štimec, Marina. 2015. „Etika i mitologija u Pričama iz davnine Ivane Brlić-

Mažuranić“. U: „Šegrt Hlapić“ od čudnovatog do čudesnog. Zbornik radova, ur. Berislav Majhut, Smiljana Narančić Kovač i Sanja Lovrić Kralj, 657–670. Zagreb i Slavonski Brod: Hrvatska udruga istraživača dječje književnosti i Ogranak Matice hrvatske Slavonski Brod.

Reynolds, Kimberley. 2007. Radical Children’s Literature. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.Schumacher, Patrik. 1997. Materialism vs Morality – Part 2. Dostupno na: <http://www.

patrikschumacher.com/Texts/morality2.htm> (pristup: 1. prosinca 2016.).Seaton, James. 2000. „The Beauty of Middle-Class Virtue: Willa Cather’s O Pioneers!“. U:

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Svetina, Peter. 2015. „Hlapić u kontekstu građanske kulture“. U: „Šegrt Hlapić“ od čudnovatog do čudesnog. Zbornik radova, ur. Berislav Majhut, Smiljana Narančić Kovač i Sanja Lovrić Kralj, 55–61. Zagreb i Slavonski Brod: Hrvatska udruga istraživača dječje književnosti i Ogranak Matice hrvatske Slavonski Brod.

Tatar, Maria. 1992. Off With Their Heads! Fairy Tales and the Culture of Childhood. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Vukelić, Verica, ur. 1994. Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić. Prilozi sa znanstvenostručnog kolokvija. Slavonski Brod: Matica hrvatska, Ogranak Slavonski Brod.

Vuković, Tvrtko. 2015. „Izmješteni. Dislocirani subjekt i otpor imobilizaciji značenja u književnosti hrvatskog modernizma“. U: Dviženie i prostranstvo v slavjaiskite jezici, literaturi i kulturi. Zbornik s dokladi ot dvanadesetite meždunarodni slavistični četenija – Sofija, 9. – 10. 5. 2014., ur. Margarita Mladenova i dr., 350–355. Sofija: Sveučilište „Sv. Kliment Ohridski“.

Zima, Dubravka. 2001. Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić. Zagreb: Zavod za znanost o književnosti Filozofskog fakulteta u Zagrebu.

Zima, Dubravka. 2011. „Bajke Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić izvan Priča iz davnine“. Kroatologija 2 (1): 217–229.

Zipes, Jack. 2006. Why Fairy Tales Stick. The Evolution and Relevance of a Genre. New York i London: Routledge.

Zlatar, Manuela. 2007. Novo čitanje bajki: arhetipski, divlje, žensko. Zagreb: Centar za ženske studije.

Žmegač, Viktor. 2001. „Folklorne šare hrvatske moderne“. U: Književni protusvjetovi, Nikola Batušić, Zoran Kravar i Viktor Žmegač, 281–288. Zagreb: Matica hrvatska.

Župan, Dinko. 2013. Mentalni korzet. Spolna politika obrazovanja žena u Banskoj Hrvatskoj (1868. – 1918). Slavonski Brod: Hrvatski institut za povijest.

Lana MolvarecUniversity of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, CroatiaFakultät für Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften der Universität Zagreb, Zagreb, Kroatien

Representations of the Child and an Adolescent in Tales of Long Ago This paper analyses Tales of Long Ago by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić from a culturalist perspective. The initial hypothesis is that representations of children and young people correspond to the representations of the time when the collection was written and not to the period of a long-ago, unspecified mythological past. Further, the paper interprets the characteristics of children and young people representations in the tales of the collection. The importance of children and young people and the meaning that is attributed to them is interpreted as part of modern, post-Enlightenment views on children and young people, which construct them as the centre of family and social life. One set of representations shows the innate goodness of the children and their innate potential to change society for the better, thus it attributes them utopian meanings. Other representations show children and young people in their process of socialisation process which should turn them into subjects that participate in the activities of the community in a purposeful and useful way. Both

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groups of representations can be seen in the interaction with the civil culture of the long 19th century (Hobsbawm 1987) that marked the life and work of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić.Keywords: fairy tales, civil culture, modern representation of the child, socialisation, subject.

Vorstellungen von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Ivana Brlić-Mažuranićs Priče iz davnineIm Beitrag werden Ivana Brlić-Mažuranićs Priče iz davnine [Aus Urväterzeiten. Märchen aus kroatischer Urzeit] aus kulturologischer Perspektive beleuchtet. Es wird davon ausgegangen, dass die in dieser Märchensammlung enthaltenen Vorstellungen von Kindern und Jugendlichen nicht mit den Vorstellungen aus einer urväterlichen, unbestimmten mythologischen Vergangenheit, sondern mit jenen aus der Zeit, als die Sammlung entstanden ist, kongruieren. Am Beispiel aller in der Sammlung enthaltenen Märchen werden die Merkmale dieser Vorstellungen, aber auch der Stellenwert von Kindern und Jugendlichen sowie die Bedeutung, die ihnen in den Märchen zugeschrieben wird, im Sinne eines postaufklärerischen, modernen Kinderverständnisses interpretiert, wodurch diese letztlich zum Mittelpunkt des familiären und gesellschaftlichen Lebens avancieren. Ein Teil der Vorstellungen weist auf die angeborene Güte der Kinder sowie auf ihr angeborenes Potential zur Verbesserung der gesellschaftlichen Verhältnisse hin, sodass diese Vorstellungen sogar über utopische Züge verfügen. Im anderen Teil dieser Vorstellungen dominiert die Darstellung des Sozialisierungsweges von Kindern und Jugendlichen, auf dem sie zu sozial zweckmäßigen und nützlichen Subjekten werden. Beide Arten von Vorstellungen sind in der Interaktion mit der bürgerlichen Kultur des 19. Jahrhunderts zu betrachten, die das Leben und Schaffen von Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić stark prägte. Schlüsselwörter: bürgerliche Kultur, Märchen, moderne Vorstellungen von Kindern, Sozialisierung, Subjekt


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UDK 821.163.42.09-93-34

Katarina IvonSveučilište u Zadru, Odjel za izobrazbu učitelja i odgojitelja, Zadar, [email protected]

Sanja Vrcić-MataijaSveučilište u Zadru, Odjel za nastavničke studije u Gospiću, [email protected]

Metafora putovanja u Pričama iz davnine


Kao tematska i kompozicijska okosnica, putovanje se u Pričama iz davnine iščitava kroz prizmu metafore promjene/novih spoznaja na koju su književni likovi osuđeni. Polazeći od temeljne strukture bajke, koja započinje odlaskom, putovanje se pripovjedno grana na put, postaje, povratak ili ostanak. Njime se narušava ravnoteža, mijenja lokacija; ono podrazumijeva napuštanje poznatoga i odlazak u nepoznato, što uključuje i neizvjesnost, odricanje, žrtvu, kušnju. Likovi se odlučuju na putovanje motivirani znatiželjom, vlastitim uvjerenjima ili krajnjom nuždom. Stoga se u radu prati promjena prostornoga okvira koji utječe na (ne)stabilnost likova te se uspostavlja tipologija putnika/putovanja s obzirom na svrhu putovanja, mjesto i postaje na putovanju te krajnji rezultat. Time stvarno putovanje zadobiva metaforičku funkciju duhovnoga/unutarnjega putovanja. Putujući iz svjetlosti u tamu, iz života u smrt, iz fantastike u realnost, iz neznanja u znanje i obrnuto, likovi odlaze na tjelesno, ali i duhovno, unutarnje putovanje, koje je metaforički shvaćeno kao način njihova sazrijevanja, spoznaje, povratka, odrastanja – potrage za vlastitim identitetom. Analiza primarne funkcije metafore otkrivanjem konkretnih podataka stavljena je u kontekst apstraktnoga iskustva na osnovi kojega se iščitava i konceptualna metafora – putovanje je spoznaja/sazrijevanje.Ključne riječi: metafora, Priče iz davnine, putnik, putovanje, tipologija

Uvod

Čitanje Priča iz davnine kroz prizmu putovanja kao arhetipske književne teme na tragu je obnovljenoga interesa za fenomen putovanja unutar kulturnih teorija

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humanističkih i društvenih znanosti. Tema putovanja u dječjoj je književnosti nezaobilazan pripovjedni konstrukt i to u žanrovski raznolikim tekstovima, s time da se proučavanju putovanja u književnosti prilazi s različitih teorijskih motrišta. Dean Duda navodi kako je upravo putovanje funkcionalno prilagodljivo svakoj semantičkoj matrici pripovjednoga teksta. Ono se pojavljuje kao: „[…] povratak, preobrazba, potraga, istraživanje ili sazrijevanje, a može poprimiti i oblike tumačenja simbolične ili alegorijske strukture svijeta, života svetaca, hodočašća, procesa spoznaje i društvene analize“ (Duda 1998: 43). Tema putovanja unutar žanrovske konvencije bajke zadana je kategorija. Slijedom Lüthijevih i Proppovih stilskih i morfoloških određenja bajke, za njezino je žanrovsko određenje bitan tijek događaja, „[…] s naglaskom na junaku kao putniku među svjetovima te na čudesnom pomoćniku i njegovu daru“ (Bošković-Stulli 2012: 285). Detoni Dujmić (1998: 171) naglašava značaj putovanja u Pričama ističući da se

[...] u većini Brlićkinih proza glavni aktanti ponašaju […] kao sudionici starog pikarskog žanra: nostalgični su putnici podvrgnuti zahtjevnim obredima odrastanja i sazrijevanja. Njihova lutanja potaknuta su nepravdom, samoćom, žalošću, radoznalošću (nikada ne putuju zbog osvete ili mržnje), a glavni je pokretač polaska na put – misao.1

D. Težak i S. Težak (1997) također podcrtavaju, uz nezaobilaznu etičnost, snažnu želju likova za putovanjem, tumačeći je pokretačem radnje, uz uočavanje svrhovitosti putovanja u povratku staromu ognjištu ili smirivanju u novoizgrađenome.

Svako je književno putovanje, a napose putovanje u bajkama, ispunjeno neobičnim, čudesnim događajima. Osim što se putovanje može shvatiti u tjelesnome smislu kao prelaženje „semantičkih polja“ (Lotman 2001: 318), promjena lokacije s različitim ciljem, ono se može promatrati i u smislu duhovnoga, metaforičkoga putovanja koje za krajnji cilj ima dolaženje do određenih spoznaja. Pri tome se pripovjedni konstrukti iščitavaju i u svojemu konotativnome značenju kao nadogradnja prostorne topografije. Polazeći od Friedrichove tvrdnje kako je „metafora oduvijek služila poetskoj izmjeni svijeta“ (1985: 220), propitivanje njezine uloge u Pričama iz davnine vodilo nas je tragom iščitavanja različitih semantičkih polja kroz prizmu združenosti u okvir koji im daje novo značenje (Stamać 1983), mijenjajući sebe i svijet kojim se putuje. Kako su Priče po svojim strukturnim osobinama originalne, a prostor kojim se kreću književni junaci jedinstven, daleko složeniji od prostora i pripovjedne strukture narodne bajke, prepoznavanje metafore putovanja na tragu je i prepoznavanja poetičkih osobina neoromantizma i secesije (Zima 2001), pri čemu se prostorni imaginarij, s nizom

1 Autorica u svjetlu odnosa temeljnoga teksta i mitskoga interteksta upravo inicijaciju, koja je rezultat putovanja, vidi kao bitan pokazatelj sižejne djelotvornosti mitskoga interteksta navodeći kako putnici putovanjem spoznaju načela etičke dužnosti (Detoni Dujmić 1998: 174).

K. Ivon i S. Vrcić-Mataija: Metafora putovanja u Pričama iz davnine

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stiliziranih toposa i likova, nameće kao mjesto pronalaženja poetskih pojedinosti u metaforama.

Da su putovanje i bajkovita struktura u snažnoj sprezi, potvrđuje i glasovita Proppova Morfologija bajke (2012) u kojoj je jedan vid putovanja (odlaska) prva funkcija događajne strukture same bajke: „udaljavanje od kuće jednog člana obitelji“ (36). Kod Proppa to postaje i preduvjetom zapleta, odnosno pravoga odlaska junaka, što omogućuje daljnji razvoj događajne strukture. Upravo taj odlazak lika (putovanje) čini sižejnu okosnicu cijele pripovjedne strukture u kojoj autor razabire dvije vrste putnika/junaka: „junake-tražioce i junake-žrtve“ (Propp 2012: 47). Putovanje u Pričama iz davnine iščitavamo i tragom spomenutoga Lotmanova (2001) tumačenja umjetničkoga prostora i sižea. Autor tvrdi kako je granica najvažnije topološko obilježje koje organizira prostornu strukturu teksta, a koja čitav prostor teksta dijeli na dva dijela koji se ne presijecaju. Po njemu je osnovna karakteristika granice njezina nepropusnost, a način na koji granica dijeli tekst predstavlja njezinu temeljnu osobinu. Poseban naglasak stavlja na različitost unutrašnje strukture svakoga potprostora i nepropusnost spomenute granice.2 S pojmom umjetničkoga prostora usko povezuje i pojam sižea s predodžbom događaja premještanjem lika preko granice semantičkoga polja. Sukladno tomu, kao neizbježne elemente svakoga sižea, uz semantičko polje podijeljeno na dva uzajamno komplementarna podskupa i nepropusnu granicu među tim podskupovima, Lotman vidi aktivnoga junaka koji prelazi granicu, savladava prepreku prelazeći iz jednoga u drugo semantičko polje. Upravo u tome prijelazu Dean Duda na elementarnoj razini vidi najtočniju definiciju putnika i putovanja (2012: 49), što je ujedno i središnji interes rada. Svakako treba uzeti u obzir činjenicu kako većina bajkovitoga diskursa podržava predodžbu putovanja kao kazne, nužnosti ili određene pokore, odnosno svaki odlazak od kuće, prema Lotmanu – matične sredine, predstavlja odlazak na mjesto određenoga iskušenja ili tegobe, mjesto koje u konačnici nije ugodno, stoga na kraju mora uslijediti povratak kao krajnja točka putovanja, točka nakon koje je daljnje kretanje nemoguće.

Govoreći o samome činu putovanja, treba istaknuti kako je u Pričama iz davnine trajni naglasak na dominantnim momentima transformacije samoga lika koji putuje, stoga nužno moramo govoriti o metaforičkoj/duhovnoj dimenziji putovanja sukladno s njezinim fizičkim/stvarnim ekvivalentom.3 Gotovo da se u svakoj bajci nekamo odlazi, kreće se na putovanje iz različitih razloga, „[…] pri 2 Lotman posebno ističe prostor bajke koji se raščlanjuje na kuću i šumu s jasno istaknutom granicom

među njima. Navodi da junaci povezani sa šumom ne mogu prodrijeti u kuću jer su čvrsto povezani sa svojim prostorom kao i činjenicu kako su čudesni i strašni događaji povezani isključivo s prostorom šume (2001: 308).

3 Sličan se postupak događa i s Hlapićem kojemu putovanje služi ne samo kao promjena lokacije, već i kao sazrijevanje, odnosno potraga za vlastitim identitetom na što su upozorile autorice Marot Kiš i Palašić (2015).

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čemu je putovanje katkada i potraga za vlastitim identitetom“ (Plejić Poje 2010: 74). Također je važno naglasiti kako autoričini putnici u velikoj mjeri pri povratku (iako povratak nekad nije točka kojom završava putovanje) donose bitan etički kapital, određeni smiraj, ravnotežu i ispunjenost, čime se u konačnici i završava putovanje/potraga. Iz gore navedenih teorijskih promišljanja, moguće je ponuditi registar likova putnika kao i tipologiju prostora s pripovjednim postajama u Pričama, pri čemu pod pojmom putnika podrazumijevamo aktivne likove koji prelaze iz jednoga semantičkog polja u drugo.

Tipologija putnika i putovanja s obzirom na motiv ili svrhu putovanja

Niz je razloga koji potiču junake iz Priča na putovanje, a većinom ih karakteriziramo kao određeni propovski „nedostatak“ (Propp 2012: 45) često realiziran kao materijalni ili duhovni nedostatak, znatiželja, vlastito uvjerenje ili krajnja nužda koja likove navodi na odlazak od kuće; upravo motiv putovanja uvjetno ih i tipologizira na Proppove junake tražitelje i junake žrtve. Ovdje ćemo pojmove junaka tražitelja i junaka žrtve za potrebe rada preformulirati u putnika tražitelja i putnika žrtvu. Razvojem naracije ponekad isti junak postupno prelazi od „tražitelja“ u „žrtvu“, što opravdavamo Proppovom mišlju kako pojedini lik može obavljati nekoliko funkcija unutar bajkovite strukture. Treba uvažiti i svu kompleksnost umjetničkoga svijeta bajki Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić koja se bitno očituje u suptilnome oblikovanju likova, a kao zorni primjeri takvih funkcionalnih transformacija ističu se likovi Potjeha i ribara Palunka. Na tome tragu upravo inicijacijsko putovanje nezreloga Potjeha iščitavamo kao konstrukcijski element pripovjedne strukture bajke „Kako je Potjeh tražio istinu“. U naratološkome ključu Potjehovo neznanje (nemogućnost spoznavanja istine) tumačimo Proppovim pojmom nedostatka kao jednoga vida protivnikova nanošenja štete junaku, što ujedno i pokreće zaplet, odnosno Potjehovu odluku o putovanju. Prepreke na njegovu putu sićušni su Bjesovi, „arhetipski znakovi mladenačke nezrelosti“ (Detoni Dujmić 1998: 173), koji ga tijekom naracije preobražavaju od putnika tražitelja u putnika žrtvu.4 Potjehova odluka o odlasku nije bila laka,5 ali za njega je bila nužna 4 Treba naglasiti kako funkciji prethodi pripremna funkcija u kojoj žrtva dopušta da bude prevarena

i time pomaže neprijatelju, Propp je imenuje sudioništvom (2012), a pripisujemo je Potjehovoj mladosti/naivnosti, što u relaciji sa starošću/mudrošću aktualizira „mitski vitalizam“ (Detoni Dujmić 1998: 174) kao važno sižejno uporište bajke. Njoj prethodi početna funkcija privremenoga „udaljavanja iz kuće“ (Propp 2012: 36) koja je ujedno poticaj nanošenju štete junaku i njegovu odlasku. Detoni Dujmić (1998) Potjehovo privremeno udaljavanje od kuće karakterizira pokusnim, neuspjelim pretputovanjem s braćom do sunčana boga Svarožića.

5 „Potjeha pak jako zaboli srce za djedom, i malo, malo, te bi se na pragu predomislio i ostao uz djeda. No onda se silom otkine, kako bijaše odlučio i pođe u goru.“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 20).


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jer je vođena mladenačkim uvjerenjem o ispravnosti postupka. Starac Vjest pak, zahvaljujući mudrosti i životnomu iskustvu, ipak prepoznaje situaciju te ga u znak razumijevanja i odobravanja ljubi prije odlaska, čime i otpočinje pravo putovanje nezreloga Potjeha: „– Što li će meni, sinko, ta istina, kad ja, sijedi starac, mogu tri puta umrijeti, dok joj se ti dosjetiš? […] Al Potjeh odgovori: – Idem, djede, jer sam tako smislio da je pravedno“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 19). Tumačimo li motiv koji pokreće Potjeha na putovanje kao duhovni nedostatak (neznanje), tada Palunkov primarni motiv za putovanjem nosi materijalni predznak. U složenosti pripovjedne strukture Palunko se višestruko transformira: od putnika tražitelja (materijalnoga blaga) preko putnika žrtve (vlastite zablude)6 do putnika tražitelja (duhovnoga blaga). Njegov putnički poriv balansira žena koja putuje motivirana uvjerenjem o ispravnosti svojega postupka, odnosno krajnjom nuždom, jer joj jedino potraga može spasiti obitelj. Time se upravo ona pozicionira kao središnji lik/putnik čiju potragu i dvojbe na tome putu bajkovita struktura prikazuje. Kao tipičan putnik tražitelj, prelazeći iz privatne u javnu sferu, žena u konačnici uspijeva u svojemu naumu ponovno okupljajući obitelj. Uronjena u „patrijarhalni imaginarij“ (Duda 2012: 53), ona putuje zbog muškarca, okrenuta konačnomu cilju, pri čemu je samo putovanje sporedan čin. Cijela se bajka zapravo razvija na temelju opreke vrijednosnoga sustava muško-ženskih odnosa. Time njezino putovanje postaje „činom potrage“, a unutar muško-ženskoga dualizma i činom „stjecanja ženske moći“ (Plejić Poje 2010: 85), kao što je to slučaj i s majkom u „Šumi Striborovoj“. U bajci „Regoč“ pripovjedna matrica „doma i svijeta“ (Detoni Dujmić 1998: 173), dodale bismo i ostanak kao krajnju točku, realizirana je posebnom vrstom muško-ženskoga putovanja. Ontemski je sloj prepoznat u „[…] ljudskoj neslozi koja teži (samo)uništenju i na čijim razvalinama mora nastati drukčiji i bolji svijet […]“ (Zima 2001: 120), u kojoj se tema putovanja provlači kao metaforična podloga sazrijevanja i spoznaje dvaju putnika, Kosjenke i Regoča. Premda je zavolio Kosjenku i djecu, Regoč nije bio u mogućnosti ostvariti sreću izvan svojega matičnoga prostora;7 njegovim povratkom u početno stanje uspostavljena je ne samo prostorna, već ponajprije identitetska činjenica. Kosjenka posjeduje dinamiku putnice koja bez straha kreće u nepoznato kako bi se nauživala naslućene ljepote, drukčije od one u njezinu matičnome prostoru. Premda oduševljena svime što vidi, ona uvijek želi više razvijajući i produbljujući putem svoj odnos s Regočem koji, mijenjajući se putovanjem, postaje svjestan odgovornosti prema njoj. Kosjenka

6 „Al u Palunka samo jedna luda pamet, te kako si bijaše upiljio u glavu, da se nagleda i naužije bogatstva Kralja Morskoga…“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 41).

7 Nazivi prostornoga imaginarija: matični prostor, početno stanje, ključno mjesto, mjesto susreta, prostorna i identitetska činjenica preuzeti su iz Dude (2012).

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je „[…] zapravo Regočev dobri duh, njegov pokretač i vodič svijetom“ (Skok 1995: 111), premda ni sama taj svijet ne poznaje. Na početku je Regoč neaktivni junak, ali pristaje na putovanje motiviran Kosjenkinim nagovaranjem, ponajprije zato što mu je nedostajalo društvo. Jaglenac se pak, napuštajući okvir obiteljskoga života, profilira kao putnik tražitelj izgubljene sestrice Rutvice, nailazeći na svojemu putovanju na niz prepreka koje rezultiraju pobjedom nevinosti, dobrote i bezazlenosti. Za razliku od Rutvičine opravdane statičnosti, Jaglenac, zaštićen križićem na vratu, svojevoljno napušta matični prostor, ćuteći suvišnost svojega dječjega identiteta u svijetu odraslih,8 postajući putnikom koji potpuno bezazleno prelazi Kitež-planinu ne poimajući zlo kao prepreku. Smještena u okvir prirode čija je sila antropomorfno utemeljena u djedu Neumijki, priča o Lutonjici Toporku i njegovo devetero braće razvija temu putovanja ponajprije na temelju lika Toporka, ali i njegove braće te samoga djeda koji razlog putovanju vidi u nuždi uspostavljanja žuđene ravnoteže za razliku od dječjih likova kojima je putovanje bijeg i povratak u matični prostor, donekle izmijenjen u odnosu na pripovjedni početak. Po naravi skitnica, sklon cjelodnevnim lutanjima šumom u potrazi za životinjama, opravdano prozvan Lutonjicom, Toporko razvojem naracije svoje lutanje preusmjerava u ciljano putovanje – traženje braće. U bajci „Jagor“ putovanje poduzimaju dva putnička subjekta iz životinjskoga svijeta. Bušica i kozica nisu samo odane domaće životinje, u pripovjednoj strukturi one se transformiraju u putnike tražitelje koji pomažu Jagoru. Uz Baganovu pomoć noću odlaze u potragu za njim, u nepoznato, a odlazak/nestanak Jagora kojega otima baba Poludnica pripremni je trenutak njihove potrage: „Ne znaju bušica i kozica, ni kuda će, ni kojim će putem, samo ih Bagan uputio, da idu u krš i da traže dijete, gdje je krš najviši i najstrašniji“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 221). Majka u „Šumi Striborovoj“ u nekoliko navrata napušta kuću, međutim ona ostaje u okvirima istoga prostora čime se još uvijek ne deklarira kao putnica. Njezino pravo putovanje nastupa kada ju snaha tjera od kuće. Simboličkim prelaskom preko kućnoga praga, padom raspela te gašenjem vatre na ognjištu baka postaje putnicom žrtvom, u opusu Priča iz davnina jedina junakinja koja biva otjerana. „Čim je mati prešla preko praga, utrne se vatra na ognjištu i pade raspelo sa stijene“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 115). U bajci „Sunce djever i Neva Nevičica“ protagonistica, kako navodi Detoni Dujmić (1998), na putu je ženske inicijacije prema mladoženji. Treba naglasiti kako je u pripovjednoj strukturi težište usmjereno potrazi, odnosno gradacijskoj izgradnji identiteta dvaju

8 „[…] ali se nitko od njih nije ni toliko obazreo na Jaglenca, da bi ga ponudio čašicom vode, premda bijaše velika vrućina. […] Kad je ovo sve vidio Jaglenac, obazre se on časak po sobi, a onda osjeti dijete: nije ovo sve ništa, ostao sam ja sam na svijetu […] i ode da traži svoju sestricu Rutvicu“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 126).


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središnjih likova. I tu pratimo patrijarhalnu matricu na relaciji ženska intuicija – muško junaštvo. Na početku zatičemo skromnu Nevu koja se vodi isključivo srcem i biva zbog toga nagrađena, ali navlači prijezir svojih roditelja. Imajući dovoljno snage, ona odlazi iz vlastite kuće, ali i odbacuje blagodati koju joj nudi nalazak ključeva, ne iz obijesti, već iz skromnosti i poštovanja prema staleškoj zadanosti. Nudeći ključeve Olehu banu, svjesno se odriče bogatstva, dobivajući puno više, čime se potvrđuje ispravnost postupaka autoričinih ženskih likova. Neva Nevičica svoj identitet upravo pripovjednim putovanjem/metaforom sazrijevanja postupno gradi. Proces preobrazbe od obijesnoga mladića koji previše ne mari za pronalazak ključeva do snažnoga junaka,9 bezrezervnoga čuvara svoje banovine koji se junački suprotstavlja mnogobrojnoj vojsci, pratimo i kod Oleha bana.

Prostori putovanja s pripovjednim postajama

Prostor kojim putuju likovi Priča iz davnine promatramo u odnosu dvaju semantičkih polja unutar sižejne strukture te u ulozi granice kao važnoga topološkoga obilježja prostorne strukture teksta (Lotman 2001). Putovanje s obzirom na postaje ili zaustavne točke omogućuje fizički i duhovni progres likova. Noseći snažan gradacijski potencijal, pojačava neizvjesnost zahtijevajući od putnika sve veću žrtvu i odricanje. Raznorodnost prostornoga toposa u Pričama, od oblaka preko planina, ravnica, polja, rijeka, podzemlja, mora do podmorja, s nizom mikrotoposa, iščitavamo u svjetlu metaforom transformirane slike svijeta nastale uzajamnim djelovanjem putnika i prostora. Život na oblacima (Kosjenka, Neumijka, Potjeh) nosi predznak mitološke i kršćanske duhovne dimenzije s metaforičkim vrijednostima visoko postavljenoga etičkoga sustava suprotstavljenoga kopnenim, zemaljskim vrijednostima te podzemnim i podmorskim. U vertikali prostornih odnosa uočljiva je izrazito iznijansirana hijerarhizacija sustava duhovnih vrijednosti; spuštanjem s oblaka, metaforičkoga utjelovljenja gotovo nedostižnoga ideala života, kopneni se topos nameće kao prostor propitivanja i iskušenja putnicima, dok podzemni i podmorski metaforički utjelovljuje njihovo zastranjivanje, svojevoljno (Kosjenka, Palunko) ili prisilno (Jagor). U tome je smislu znakovito Potjehovo putovanje, prepuno alegorijskih ekvivalenata koji odgovaraju duhovnomu sazrijevanju i spoznavanju čovjekova unutrašnjega svijeta. Potjeh odlazi u goru/šumu što povezujemo sa simbolikom nesigurnosti i neizvjesnosti, ali i mjestom u kojemu

9 „Samo Oleh ban slabo se za ključeve ogleda, kano da mu je do igre i obijesti“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 201); „– Stužio se junak Oleh ban, ali onda se otrgne od Nevičice, srne kroz nadvorje i vežu, da odigne hrastove zapornje, da otvori vrata vojski nebrojenoj, da pogine ili da se probije kroz vojsku“ (208).

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većina likova u Pričama traži svoj duhovni mir i određeni balans za narušenu ravnotežu.10 Prijelomna točka/postaja na tome putu svakako je Potjehovo utapanje u zdencu koje putovanju osigurava novi smjer, odnosno višu duhovnu dimenziju. Upravo pored zdenca, religijski tumačenoga kao mjesta susreta i komunikacije između Boga i čovjeka,11 Potjeh saznaje istinu: trebao je slušati svoje srce i ne ostavljati djeda, no taj obrat iz neznanja u znanje ipak nije pratio ovozemaljski povratak u početno semantičko polje; iako je Potjeh to žarko želio, on mora biti kažnjen: „– Brže da se umijem i da poletim do miloga starca svoga. – To reče i prikuči se zdencu, da se umije. Nagnu se Potjeh da zahvati vode, nagnu se odviše, okliznu se i padne u zdenac. Padne u zdenac i utopi se“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 28). Utapanje u zdencu ima snažan simbolički karakter; zdenac kao pripovjedna postaja predstavlja granicu između onostranoga i ovostranoga koju Potjeh jednosmjerno prelazi, a bez kojega njegovo putovanje ne bi imalo smisla, niti bi bio postignut (etički) krajnji cilj same bajkovite pripovijedi. Putovanje Palunkove žene kroz gradacijske prepreke/pripovjedne postaje12 na koje nailazi dokazuje postojanost njezine ljubavi i vjernosti. U trenutku najveće dramatičnosti ženine kušnje životinje iščitavamo i kao svojevrsne metafore njezine duševne borbe s kulminacijom na zadnjoj postaji na kojoj se žena odriče vlastite sreće. Odabir lubina u svjetlu kršćanske simbolike podcrtava ispravnost njezina puta; slijedeći majčine upute – žrtvujući se za drugoga – u konačnici biva nagrađena obnovljenom obitelji. Njihov zajednički bijeg novo je svladavanje morskoga prostora, ovoga puta uz čarobnu moć što ga ženi daruje Zora-djevojka kao nagradu za vjernost; ujedno je to i povratak kući. Voda, more i podmorje metafore su Palunkove kušnje i prosvjetljenja; početni cilj Palunkova putovanja – kraljevstvo Morskoga Kralja, svojevrsna utopija s kojom se povezuje njegov san o blagostanju, preobražava se u prostor u kojemu junak ne može realizirati svoj identitet, ali mu je poslužilo kao katarza. Stroga opreka kopna i mora

10 Majka odlazi u šumu k Striboru, Kosjenka odvodi Regoča u šumu, Toporko luta šumom tragajući za svojom braćom, bušica i kozica odlaze u šumu u potragu za Jagorom itd. Šuma, odnosno krčevina u koju odlaze Potjeh i njegova braća, ambivalentni je prostor Dobra i Zla utjelovljenih u Svarožiću i Bjesomaru, ali je ponajprije prostor njihove kušnje.

11 Zdenac kao mjesto susreta i komunikacije između zemlje i neba, ovostranoga i onostranoga svijeta prikazuju mnoga biblijska mjesta. S time povezujemo i vodu kao biblijski simbol fizičkoga i duhovnoga čišćenja, ali i kao putokaz k vječnomu životu (Lujić 2011).

12 Dobra djela što ih čini Palunkova žena rezultiraju dobivanjem supomoćnika na prelascima semantičkih polja doma i svijeta. Uvođenjem u pripovijed likove životinja iščitavamo kao svojevrsne „zoometafore“ (Hameršak 2015: 29) čime se putovanje gradira. Mitske nemani kao prepreke na ženinu putu svladane su njezinom poniznošću, žrtvom i dobrotom. Zmije se javljaju u dvostrukome obličju; kao simboli zla koje pokušava uništiti junakinju, ali i kao supomagači koji uslugu vraćaju dobrim djelima. Orijaška ptica uzalud nudi ženi „živu vodu“ iz svojega kljuna – metaforu vraćenoga govora, jednako kao i zlatna pčela „maloga kralja“ – sina. Pripovjedna funkcija košute kao od Boga poslane pomagačice (Majhut i Lovrić 2010) putniku tražitelju, povezuje se s narodnim vjerovanjima kao motiv umrle majke koja nudi kćeri korisne savjete (Težak i Težak 1997).


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dodatno naglašava antagonizam pripovjednoga prostora. More i njegov fantastičan (mitski) svijet utjelovljuje Palunkove zablude, potiče privid sreće i nestabilnost lika te je suprotstavljeno sigurnosti i stabilnosti kopna (doma), čime se sugerira tjelesno, ali i duhovno putovanje iz realnosti u fantastiku i natrag. Kosjenkina želja za putovanjem motivirana je znatiželjom; njezin je silazak istovremeno „(i zbiljski i metaforički) jer zemaljski je život i najveće iskušenje i čudo – kako ga gleda ona svojim radoznalim očima“ (Zalar 2014: 30). Pašnjaci, rijeke, brda usputna su mjesta njihova putovanja, da bi dva sela smještena podno gore postala ključnim mjestom koje će osmisliti i usmjeriti njihovo zajedničko putovanje. Legen grad kao mjesto susreta topos je prema kojemu njih dvoje imaju ambivalentan odnos: Kosjenki je on mjesto susreta i odlaska, a Regoču i mjesto povratka13 u kojemu jedino može realizirati svoj identitet.14 Pripovjedna je postaja njihova putovanja podzemlje do kojega dolaze zahvaljujući Kosjenkinoj radoznalosti i Regočevoj snazi. Silazak u podzemlje metaforički je prikaz njihova zastranjivanja u želji za spoznavanjem nespoznatljivoga, što je Kosjenku zamalo došlo života. Mrak podzemlja razbijen je svjetlom svjetiljke, metafore života kao Božjega dara što se u konačnici, zahvaljujući putovanjem stečenomu prijateljstvu, razgori u pobjedi života. Prostor Kitež-planine, s nizom toposa i likova, antropomorfiziranih prirodnih fenomena, kojim Jaglenac putuje u potrazi za nestalom sestricom, prepun je arhetipskih i kršćanskih simbola u funkciji sukoba nevinosti i zloće što ih nivelira djetinja ćud i dječakov nedostatak uvida. Vile Zatočnice, metaforičko utjelovljenje mitskoga Zla, ne uspijevaju napakostiti dječjoj nevinosti koja se pripovjedno gradira nizom epizoda te uvođenjem likova životinja. Nasuprot bratu, Rutvica neželjeno napušta svoj matični prostor prebacujući se orlovim kandžama na vrh planine u kojemu biva zaštićena od svakoga zla, zahvaljujući svetosti mjesta i postojanosti svoje djetinje vjernosti. Otočić, crkvica i jezero postaju tako zaštićenim mjestom i krajnjim ciljem Jaglenčeve potrage. Na kraju se putovanja u bajci uspostavlja poetska promjena svijeta/prostora po kojoj planina od prvotnoga prostora utjelovljenoga Zla, u združenosti dječje nevinosti, postaje okvirom koji joj daje novo značenje – prostor svetosti kao zalog miru. Putovanje Toporka i njegovo devetero braće sa zemlje na oblake u znaku je bijega („Bježmo, braćo, ako Vam je život drag!“ Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 173) od opakoga i osvetoljubivoga dvorskoga

13 „– Lud si ti, Regoču, zaista si lud, što ovdje živiš i život svoj baviš brojeći pusto legensko kamenje. Hajdemo, Regoču, da vidiš krasote po svijetu i da si nađeš vrednijega posla – reče Kosjenka“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 68); „Nikada još ne bijaše Regoč pomislio, da si traži ljepšega mjesta od Legena grada, niti je kada pomislio, da ima boljega posla od njegova“ (isto).

14 „A onda dalje pođe Regoč do svog Legena. Tamo i sad sjedi, kamen broji i Bogu se moli, da ga nikad više ne odvede od silnoga i pustoga Legen-grada, kuda bijaše najbolje pristao onakav golem i neuputan“ (103).

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u sigurno utočište djeda Neumijke. Život na oblacima, potpuno oprečan onomu u županiji, donio im je mnoga znanja o prirodi, ali i uskratio povlastice u kojima su u domu uživali. Poput Regoča, i župančići žude polazišnomu mjestu – županiji kamo će ih, zahvaljujući domišljatosti, stečenoj bratskoj ljubavi i sućuti vratiti Toporko uz pomoć bake, spone dvaju oprečnih semantičkih polja, te šubarice, metonimije maloga čovjeka (Težak i Težak 1997) i velikoga djela. Metaforom poetizirani prostor kojim se likovi kreću, narušavajući granice polja i vraćajući se matičnomu, u znaku su dvaju ključnih, ambivalentnih pojmova – toposa zidina/šatora, polisemične metafore ograničenja, zabrane, sputanosti, ali i ironiziranoga staleškoga dosega, za razliku od „rosne ledine“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 164) – kao izraza slobode, nesputanosti i suživota s prirodom. Kao spona dvaju semantičkih polja nastupa Toporko nivelirajući oprečnosti u rupi, svojevrsnim drugim i drukčijim pogledom iz kojega i proizlaze spoznaje do kojih junaci dolaze.15 Putovanje iz poznatoga u nepoznato bušice i kozice u „Jagoru“ također ima svoje zaustavne točke. Pripovijedanje je strukturirano prema načelima gradacije: postaje određene danom putovanja pojačavaju neizvjesnost i zahtijevaju od putnika sve veću žrtvu i odricanje, a put koji trebaju proći postupno se gradira od livada za ispašu i obilja vode u kladenicama do samoga krša i neprohodnoga prostora te potpunoga izostanka vode. Treba naglasiti kako žrtvu putovanja prati i gradacija metaforičkoga pejzaža sa simbolikom kotline, opasane liticama i skliskim i vrućim gvozdenim pločama, u kojoj se nalazi Jagor, kao vrhuncem muke i neizvjesnosti (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 221):

Penje se ona, penje – kamen sve goliji i sve strmiji, pusta i strašna visina, kano da je u nebo uperila. Iskrvarila kozica noge, ali stigla pod gvozdenu zagradu. Vidi kozica, da je ono kotlina liticama i gvozdenim pločama opasana, a nad kotlinom razbijelilo se i nebo i zrak od vrućine. – Goreg mjesta u kršu nema, tu će i biti siroče [... ]

Podzemni prostor babe Poludnice, metaforičkoga predznaka pakla,16 s konotacijama zla ispriječenoga na putu Jagorova sazrijevanja, poput Jaglenčeve Kitež-planine, ne uspijeva nauditi čistoći djetinje ćudi, za razliku od oca koji zakašnjelo spoznaje vlastitu zabludu i na kojega paklenski prostor djeluje pogubno. Pripovjedna struktura „Šume Striborove“ postavlja jasnu distinkciju dvaju semantičkih polja, označenu oprekom kuće (realnoga) i šume (fantastičnoga), podržavajući pritom misao o nepropusnosti dvaju potprostora, ali i njihovu

15 „Čudom se čude župančići, jer njih mudroznanci svačemu naučaju, ali im dosada ni o kakvoj rudini ni besjede ne rekoše. Još se više čude, gdje imadu eto brata u čupavoj šubarici – sitnog brata s onu stranu zida, a oni jedva i znali, da tamo živog svijeta ima!“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 167).

16 „Ploča visoka za dva čovjeka, glatka kano staklo, vruća kao pakao. Pod njom u kotlini spava dijete; preteščala mu pečal za ovo četiri dana, pružilo se po kamenu i zaspalo“ (222).


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autentičnost. U strogoj prostornoj oprečnosti i autentičnosti, putovanju iz realnoga u fantastično te ponovno u realno najbliža je bajci „Ribar Palunko i njegova žena“. Upravo sinov odlazak od kuće, odnosno prelazak iz jednoga u drugi semantički prostor rezultira disbalansom, pronalaskom snahe guje čime se stvara preduvjet samoga bajkovitoga zapleta. Na početku bajke ističe se kako je šuma začarana i kako se u njoj svakojaka čuda događaju. „Zbivala se u njoj čuda dobra, ali i naopaka – svakome po zasluzi“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 105), čime se a priori odbacuje isključivo crno-bijela atribucija paralelnih prostornih svjetova. Na njezinu putu majci pomažu Domaći uz čiju pomoć prolazi začaranom šumom. Kao supomoćnik u svladavanju granice među semantičkim poljima, u naraciju se uvodi i antropomorfizirani lik jelena17 kao kršćanskoga simbola čistoće koji donosi baku pred Stribora. Zajedničko putovanje Neve i Oleha bana prema istomu cilju, odnosno odlazak konjem u Olehovu banovinu osigurava lagano, gotovo neprimjetno svladavanje granice među semantičkim poljima, ali sugerira i određenu opasnost koja ih kasnije može zadesiti. Oksimoronska slika banovine s „čađavim domom“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 203) u središtu, prostorni je topos koji nosi snažan metaforički potencijal. U obrani banovine, metafore ljubavi, skromnosti i zajedništva udružio se gotovo cijeli svijet: značajni su pomagači likovi iz životinjskoga svijeta: vuk, vučica, orao, kragulj, grlica i lastavica, ali i metamorfizirani mitski aktant Sunce koji utjelovljuje poveznicu Neba i Zemlje.

Povratak ili ostanak kao krajnja točka putovanja

Putovanje koje poduzimaju likovi s obzirom na krajnju točku može biti finalizirano dvojako: putnik putovanje završava povratkom u polazno semantičko polje / matični prostor ili putnik ostaje u sekundarnome18 semantičkome polju, pri čemu je uočljiva dominacija povratka matičnomu prostoru – domu. Povratak kući duhovnim sazrijevanjem putnika poprima novu dimenziju, a događa se u „Jagoru“, „Ribaru Palunku i njegovoj ženi“, „Lutonjici Toporku“, „Šumi Striborovoj“ i bajci „Bratac Jaglenac i sestrica Rutvica“, dok u „Regoču“ svjedočimo putničkomu povratku i ostanku. Najuočljivija promjena matičnoga prostora u konceptualnome smislu događa se u bajci o Jagoru čija je kuća na početku pripovijedi u znaku opake maćehe i nemarnoga oca, s izuzetkom zaštitnički određene staje. Povratkom putnika, Jagora, kozice i bušice, kuća mijenja svoju dimenziju (nestaje sve zlo) 17 Nadnaravno oblikovani životinjski likovi jelena s rogovima ukrašenim zvjezdicama i dvanaest

vjeverica s očima od dragoga kamena sugeriraju mitski sloj, ali postaju i premosnicom među semantičkim poljima vodeći radnju sretnomu raspletu. Semantička ambivalentnost na relaciji Dobro – Zlo utjelovljena je u likovima majke – metafore dobra i snahe – metafore zla.

18 Pojam sekundarnoga semantičkoga polja rabi se u opreci prema polaznome semantičkome polju ili ishodišnome prostoru.

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i postaje mjestom smiraja, topline i uspostave narušene duhovne ravnoteže.19 Koncepcija putovanja bušice i kozice počiva na traganju koje je realizirano iznimnom žrtvom, aktanti posjeduju gotovo mitsku snagu, što u konačnici mora rezultirati povratkom, odnosno blagostanjem koje je jedino moguće u matičnome prostoru. Palunkov povratak kući također je u znaku putovanjem stečene spoznaje o važnosti oproštaja i zaborava početnoga nepoćudnoga odnosa prema domu; metaforička vizura njegova povratka omogućuje mu da vidi ono što ranije nije vidio potvrđujući se povratkom kao suprug i otac. Novu, blagoslovljenu20 dimenziju dobiva i matični prostor županije u koju se vraćaju Toporkova braća. Nekad omražena kneževina kao nepoželjni prostor, „mrtvi grad“, koji su u bajci o Jaglencu i Rutvici likovi napustili, djelovanjem dječjih junaka potvrđenih putovanjem u svojoj nevinosti, doživljava svoju duhovnu i materijalnu reinkarnaciju. Majčin dom u „Šumi Striborovoj“, narušen djelovanjem mitskoga Zla, postaje utjelovljenjem obiteljskoga zajedništva stečenoga putovanjem potvrđenom snagom majčinskoga identiteta, dok snaha guja nestaje zajedno sa šumom potvrđujući i podržavajući misao o spomenutoj autentičnosti dvaju prostora. Kosjenkin ostanak u sekundarnome svijetu, izmijenjenome i u konačnici spašenome upravo njezinim i Regočevim djelovanjem, u znaku je pristanka na promjenu, djetinji doživljaj ljepote prirode i stečenoga prijateljstva. Regoč se vraća u svoj matični prostor stekavši „višak znanja“ (Duda 2012: 48) o ljudskoj civilizaciji, čime se uspostavlja i pripovjedna ravnoteža. U sekundarnome semantičkome polju ostaje i Neva Nevičica s Olehom banom čiji zajednički ostanak Olehovu banovinu preobražava u prostor potpuno novoga predznaka. Sižejna struktura bajke o Potjehu drukčija je od ostalih. Potjehovo ponuđeno inicijacijsko putovanje kao krajnju točku pripovjedne strukture ipak prepoznaje ostanak, povratak dokida kršćansko načelo koje čini strukturni temelj samoga teksta, a po kojemu se prava sreća ipak nalazi izvan primarnoga (ovostranoga) prostora, točnije u onostranome, koji bi u religijskome interpretacijskome ključu ipak simbolički predstavljao primarni čovjekov prostor.21 19 „Svezali se u tili čas krajevi gužve za stupove s obiju strana ljese, pa se nešto upregnulo pod gužvu

i zategnulo. Silno zategnulo, još jače potegnulo. Krenula se ljesa, krenuo se sav pleter i sve što je pleterom ograđeno bilo: povezla se i koliba i pojata, i njivica i polje niz humak. Kako se povezlo selište, tako se probio rov pred ljesom, pala maćeha sa ljese u rov, prešla kuća preko rova, zatrpala maćehu, odrubila glavu babi Poludnici, a dobro djetetovo sašlo lijepo i čitavo, kao na božjem dlanu, niz humak upravo do siročeta“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 229–230).

20 „A kako ona županija vele prostrana bijaše, tako je podijeliše među se na osam županija, a najjačega među sobom izabrali, te ga zakraljili. I vladao kralj sa braćom županima složno i blagoslovno onim županijama, te se i sad još spominje ono doba“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 195).

21 Milanja u Potjehovu putovanju, u strukturi same bajke prepoznaje mitsku osnovu koja je svoj obrazac našla u kršćanskoj tradiciji, odnosno modelu inkarnacije i uskrsnuća, kazne i okajanja. „U ovoj relaciji Vjest bi predstavljao Krista-Adama; on daje savjete Potjehu ali ne kao obvezatne prinudnosti, ostavlja, naime, Potjeha da sam odluči; on će na koncu biti i iskupitelj Potjehovih grijeha: iz čistilišta (predvorje Svarožićevo) on će ga izravno uvesti u dvor (raj)“ (Milanja 1977: 61).


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Potjehovo putovanje u „prostor onostranosti prikazano je slikama ovostranog putovanja“ (Grmača 2015: 105), a time je, rekle bismo, i ublaženo jer je „nepoznato stavljeno u relaciju s poznatim i bliskim“ (isto).

Zaključno – o putovanju kao konceptualnoj metafori spoznaje/sazrijevanja

U konačnici putovanje u Pričama biva realizirano kao nova spoznaja/duhovno sazrijevanje koje izaziva promjenu kod putnika te metaforički figurira kao „putnički kapital“ (Duda 2012: 49); putovanjem putnik spoznaje ono što ranije nije primjećivao/znao, stoga govorimo o „metaforičkome konceptu“ (Lakoff i Johnson 2015), koji se realizira u bajkovitome opusu, sadržan u metafori putovanja kao spoznaje/sazrijevanja. Trajna vrijednost realizirana putovanjem uvijek je u funkciji etičnosti koja je u autorice dosljedna od početka do kraja. Upravo ona gotovo u većini priča likove određuje kao putnike tražitelje koji su u stalnoj potrazi za boljim i pravednijim svijetom. Bitno je kako se kompleksnost etičkih načela, ali i njihova aktualnost, iščitava i iz funkcionalnih transformacija likova – od putnika tražitelja do putnika žrtve. Kulturološka zadanost, uz znatnu odvažnost ženskih likova, također utječe na funkcionalnu stabilnost likova putnica. Na tome tragu upravo kršćanska etičnost, uz reljefnost uloga koju Potjeh zadobiva u pripovijedi, nastavlja njegovo putovanje prema Svarožićevu dvoru – metafori raja. Sličan je u funkcionalnoj nestabilnosti, ali s različitim motivacijskim putničkim predznakom, Palunko čije putovanje kao trajno stečenu vrijednost donosi reafirmaciju i pobjedu obiteljskoga zajedništva. Regoč i Kosjenka, potpuno suprotni u karakterizaciji, od vizualne do psihološke divergencije, postaju suputnicima na proputovanju zemljom i pod zemljom, izgradivši odnos izrazite povezanosti, topline i ljubavi kao najveću vrijednost zajedničkoga putovanja.22 Funkcionalnu stabilnost potvrđuje majka u „Šumi Striborovoj“ koja preuzimajući ulogu putnice žrtve prolazi začaranom šumom s neupitnim i jedinim ciljem spašavanja sina, ali i Palunkova žena koja u tražiteljskoj ulozi gotovo mitskom snagom svladava sve prepreke na putu. Jaglenčevo i Jagorovo putovanje u konačnici je potvrđivanje njihova dječjega identiteta, za razliku od Reljina putovanja koje postaje načinom spoznavanja kršćanske filozofije praštanja. Relja od junaka koji mačem svladava Zmaja Ognjenoga, planirajući povratak domu realizirati borbom, postaje ponizni

22 Dirljiv je trenutak u kojemu Regoč spašava zatrpanu Kosjenku i u kojemu oboje spoznaju koliko jedno drugome znače: „Kosjenka pak skoči na nožice, uhvati se Regoču za bradu i od velike radosti zaplakaše oboje. Regočeve suze bijahu krupne kao kruške, a Kosjenkine sićane kao proso; al u stvari isto bijaše, i oni se od to doba silno zavolješe“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 78).

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obraćenik,23 čija je najveća putnička vrijednost upravo spremnost na promjenu, odbacivanje obijesti, sile i osvetoljubivosti te prihvaćanje nenasilnoga obrasca ponašanja. Time je Reljino putovanje inicijacijski ispit spoznaje etičke dužnosti u okviru kršćanskoga svjetonazora izmireno u pripovjednoj ravnoteži sretnoga zajedničkog života. Analogiju pronalazimo u putovanju Neve i Oleha bana čije je zajedničko putovanje također na tragu spoznavanja etičkih dužnosti zajedništva i ljubavi, usprkos materijalnoj sigurnosti i obijesti. Metaforika prostorne topografije, promatrana u odnosu primarnoga/matičnoga i sekundarnoga semantičkoga polja, tipološki raslojena na nebeski, zemaljski i podzemni/podvodni svijet, funkcionalno ostvarena kao prostor bijega, kušnje, ostanka, odlaska ili povratka, u konceptualnome je smislu usmjerena na semantičku promjenu što ga u nju upisuje novostečeni ili potvrđeni, visokoetični svjetonazor putnika dajući joj dimenziju ključnoga mjesta zbog kojega je, u konačnici, vrijedilo putovati.

Popis literature Bošković-Stulli, Maja. 2012. „Bajka“. Libri & Liberi 1 (2): 281–292.Brlić-Mažuranić, Ivana. 2011. Bajke i basne. Sabrana djela Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić, ur.

Vinko Brešić. Slavonski Brod: Ogranak Matice hrvatske. Detoni Dujmić, Dunja. 1998. Ljepša polovica književnosti. Zagreb: Matica hrvatska. Duda, Dean. 2012. Kultura putovanja. Uvod u književnu iterologiju. Zagreb: Ljevak. Duda, Dean. 1998. Priča i putovanje. Zagreb: Matica hrvatska. Grmača, Dolores. 2015. Nevolje s tijelom: alegorija putovanja od Bunića do Barakovića.

Zagreb: Matica hrvatska.Hameršak, Marijana. 2015. „Središte ruba, životinje i dječja književnost.“ Detinjstvo 41

(2): 29–39.Hugo, Friedrich. 1985. Struktura moderne lirike. Zagreb: Stvarnost. Lakoff, George i Mark Johnson. 2015. Metafore koje život znače. Zagreb: Disput. Lotman, Jurij. 2001. Struktura umjetničkog teksta. Zagreb: Alfa. Lujić, Božo. 2011. „Voda – biblijski simbol čišćenja i života“. Živo vrelo 28: 2–6.Majhut, Berislav i Sanja Lovrić. 2010. „Središnji motiv Genoveve i njegove reinkarnacije

u hrvatskoj dječjoj književnosti“. Kroatologija 1 (1): 149–168.Marot Kiš, Danijela i Nikolina Palašić. 2015. „Performativni identiteti u Čudnovatim

zgodama šegrta Hlapića“. U: Zbornik radova, ur. Berislav Majhut, Smiljana Narančić Kovač i Sanja Lovrić Kralj, 115–125. Zagreb i Slavonski Brod: Hrvatska udruga istraživača dječje književnosti i Ogranak Matice hrvatske Slavonski Brod.

Milanja, Cvjetko. 1977. Alkemija teksta. Zagreb: Centar za kulturnu djelatnost Saveza socijalističke omladine Zagreba.

23 „– Ne budali, luda djevojčice! Nije me majka rodila junaka, da me vodi svijeća i kandilo, dok ja imam sablju okovanu!“ (Brlić-Mažuranić 2011: 152); „Čudno mu je, tolikom junaku, što ga vode svijeća i kandilo, a ne vodi ga sablja okovana“ (153).


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Plejić Poje, Lahorka. 2010. „Tko doma ne sidi, a tko sidi? Tema putovanja i ženski likovi u ranonovovjekovnoj književnosti“. U: Dani hvarskog kazališta 36. Putovanje, lutanje i bijeg u hrvatskoj književnosti i kazalištu, ur. Nikola Batušić i dr., 72–87. Split: Književni krug.

Propp, Vladimir. 2012. Morfologija bajke. Beograd: Prosveta.Skok, Joža. 1995. Čudnovate zgode šegrta Hlapića i Priče iz davnine. Zagreb: Školska

knjiga.Stamać, Ante. 1983. Teorija metafore. Zagreb: Centar za kulturnu djelatnost Saveza

socijalističke omladine Zagreba.Težak, Dubravka i Stjepko Težak. 1997. Interpretacija bajke. Zagreb: DiVič.Zalar, Diana. 2014. Potjehovi hologrami. Zagreb: Alfa.Zima, Dubravka. 2001. Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić. Zagreb: Zavod za znanost o književnosti

Filozofskog fakulteta.

Katarina IvonUniversity of Zadar, Department of Teacher and Preschool Teacher Education, Zadar, CroatiaAbteilung für Ausbildung von Lehrern und Vorschullehrern der Universität Zadar, Zadar, Kroatien

Sanja Vrcić MataijaUniversity of Zadar, Department of Teacher Education Studies in Gospić, CroatiaAbteilung für Lehrerausbildung der Universität Zadar, Gospić, Kroatien

The Journey Metaphor in Tales of Long AgoAs a thematic and compositional framework in Tales of Long Ago by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, the journey can be read and interpreted through the metaphoric prism of changes/new realisations which the characters are destined to have. Starting from the basic structure of a fairy tale, which begins with a departure, the journey branches out to a kind of travel, stations, a return or stay. The journey disrupts the balance, it changes the location; it implies abandoning the familiar and going into the unknown, which often means uncertainty, self-denial, sacrifice and temptation. The characters decide to travel motivated by curiosity, their own convictions or extreme necessity. Therefore, this paper follows the changes in the spatial framework that affect the (in)stability of the characters and establish a typology of passenger/journey considering the purpose of the journey, place and the stations on the journey, as well as the end result. In this way, the actual journey takes on a metaphorical function of a spiritual/inner journey. Travelling from light to darkness, from life to death, from fiction to reality, from ignorance to knowledge – and vice versa – the characters go through a physical and a spiritual inner journey, metaphorically understood as a journey toward maturity, knowledge, returning home, growing up – a search for their own identities. An analysis of the metaphor’s primary functions through the revelation of specific data is placed in the context of abstract experience on the basis of which the conceptual metaphor – a journey is knowledge/maturity – can be interpreted.Keywords: Tales of Long Ago, journey, metaphor, traveller, typology

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Die Reisemetapher in Ivana Brlić-Mažuranićs Priče iz davnineIm Beitrag wird das Reisen als thematischer und kompositorischer Rahmen der Märchensammlung Priče iz davnine aus der Perspektive des metaphorischen Prismas von Veränderung bzw. von Erwerb neuer Erkenntnisse gedeutet. Ausgehend von der Grundstruktur eines Märchens, das mit der Abreise beginnt, wird das Reisen in narrativer Hinsicht auf den Weg, auf einzelne Stationen und auf die Rückkehr respektive das Verbleiben aufgeteilt. Durch die Reise wird man aus dem Gleichgewicht gebracht, es wird der Standort geändert; unter der Reise werden das Verlassen des Bekannten und das Sicheinlassen ins Unbekannte verstanden, was zugleich Ungewissheit, Verzicht, Opfer und Bewährung bedeutet. Die Gestalten begeben sich auf eine Reise aus Neugier, aus eigener Überzeugung oder aus äußerster Not. Deshalb werden im Beitrag die Veränderungen im räumlichen Rahmen verfolgt, die auf die (Un-)stabilität der Gestalten einwirken, wobei eine Typologie der Reisenden/Reisen in Bezug auf den Zweck, den Ort, die Stationen sowie auf das Endergebnis der Reise entworfen wird. Dadurch bekommt eine konkrete Reise ihre metaphorische Funktion der geistigen/inneren Reise. Mit der Reise aus der Helligkeit in die Dunkelheit, aus dem Leben in den Tod, aus dem Phantastischen in die Realität, aus Unwissen ins Wissen – und umgekehrt – begeben sich die Gestalten sowohl auf eine körperliche als auch geistige, innerliche Reise, die metaphorisch als Weg zu ihrer Reife, zur Erkenntnis, zur Rückkehr und ins Heranwachsen, d.h. als eine Suche nach der Eigenidentität zu verstehen ist. Die Analyse der primären Funktion der Metapher anhand der Hinterfragung konkreter Daten wird in den Kontext abstrakter Erfahrung eingebettet, um von da aus auch die konzeptuelle Metapher – Reisen ist Erkennen/Reifen – deuten zu können. Schlüsselwörter: Metapher, Priče iz davnine, Reise, Reisende, Typologie


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UDK 821.163.42-93-34:2-169

Željka Flegar and Ivana MoritzJosip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Education, Osijek, [email protected]@foozos.hr

Treasure, Thievery and Mischief: Blending Culture and Negotiating Boundaries in the Worlds of Little People


This study places Croatian Tales of Long Ago (1916) by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić in the context of international literature by discussing “little people” in children’s fictional texts. “Worlds of little people” (Lynch-Brown and Tomlinson 2005) reveal conceptual blending at a linguistic, cultural and semantic level visible in the creation of new emergent structures. Brlić-Mažuranić’s combining of seemingly incompatible concepts (Fauconnier and Turner 2002) from various aspects of Slavic and Croatian mythologies as input spaces in the process of conceptual integration demonstrates the ability of little people to transcend boundaries and allows for the creation of new and unique cultures and lexica. Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s Croatian Tales of Long Ago, populated with tiny characters such as Malik Tintilinić, is a superb example of an original, adaptable world comparable to those created by Swift, Andersen, Tolkien, Baum, Barrie, Norton, Dr. Seuss or Dahl. Consequently, the conceptual integration at work in Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s original Croatian mythology has resulted in the empowerment and enchantment of readers from long ago to the present day.Keywords: conceptual blending, culture, little people, modern fantasy, mythology

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Introduction

In 1991 Roald Dahl’s final book The Minpins described Little Billy surrounded by “more than twenty small windows all around where [he] was sitting, and from

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each window the[se] amazing little faces were peering out” (18). Such depictions appeared as early as Charles Perrault’s “Little Thumb” (Histories or Tales of Past Times, 1697) and in Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels (1726) in tales and adventures not originally intended for children, but gladly consumed by them. Subsequently, the existence of “little people” and “worlds of little people” in children’s literature, as noted by Carol Lynch-Brown and Carl Tomlinson (2005), has become both a tradition and a modern fantasy phenomenon. Lynch-Brown and Tomlinson suggest that little people “delight children because they can identify with the indignities foisted upon little and powerless people”, also because “the big people are invariably outdone by the more ingenious little people” (122). Many authors such as Hans Christian Andersen in Fairy Tales Told for Children (1835), Mary Norton in The Borrowers (1952), L. Frank Baum in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), Dr. Seuss in Horton Hears a Who! (1954), or J.R.R. Tolkien in The Hobbit (1937) successfully use the function of little people and their appearance as an understatement, signifying the cultural “give and take” of knowledge, goods, salvation, as well as a strong sense of community.1

Likewise, the appearance of little people was the point of origin of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s Croatian Tales of Long Ago (1916), a collection of stories that had a profound impact on Croatian literature and culture. As one of the most prolific Croatian (children’s) writers, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić was the author of fairy tales, stories, poems, novels, and fables, had a whole period of children’s literature (1913–1933) named after her, was the first woman ever to become a member of the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts and a four-time Nobel Prize nominee (Zima 2014: 239), and was recognised both in her homeland and abroad.2 It is our intention to place Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić in the context of the international literary canon by taking a look at the motif of little people, specifically Malik Tintilinić and the Domaći, as the manifestation of conceptual blending defined by Fauconnier and Turner (2002) and its implications on the creation of an original national mythology. Croatian Tales of Long Ago is an exceptional collection in Croatian children’s literature, marked by numerous editions and translations, as well as by its stylistic, thematic and ethical qualities (Hranjec 2004: 38). From Dubravka 1 The most obvious example being Norton’s Borrowers who “borrow” from the “human beans” or

Tolkien’s Bilbo Baggins who is a “burglar”. However, Swift’s Gulliver helps the Lilliputians steal their enemies’ fleet, Baum’s Munchkins introduce Dorothy to the Land of Oz and Dr. Seuss’ Whos perpetuate the multiethnic idea that “a person’s a person no matter how small” (Dr. Seuss 1954).

2 A review in the Time and Life (London, 5 December 1924) revealed that in Croatian Tales of Long Ago “[e]ach story is a parable of life, full of meaning and beauty” (cf. Narančić-Kovač 2016: 99, 102). The first English translation was published by Frederick A. Stokes in 1924, a mere eight years after the Croatian publication of the Tales.

Ž. Flegar and I. Moritz: Treasure, Thievery and Mischief: Blending Culture…

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Zima’s research on Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s membership in the Academy and her four Nobel Prize nominations (2014), it is evident that these achievements were primarily based on the cultural impact of Croatian Tales of Long Ago. The Tales have also been recognised for their complexity in terms of sources and influences, resulting in a unique authorial expression.

Conceptual blending, language and culture

Recent literary criticism has drawn on existing research in the field of cognitive linguistics to shed light on literary practice and phenomena.3 In talking about the world, we invoke all kinds of knowledge – mental spaces. They provide a conceptual background for the contextualisation and evaluation of the speaker’s ideas. Accordingly, conceptual blending implies the overlapping of mental spaces, as well as conceptual integration. The result of conceptual blending is a blended space containing elements from two (or more) input spaces. Originally, blending was studied only as a word-formation process, where elements of two words were joined and the result was a new word with a new meaning (Radden 2008: 11–13) (e.g. smoke + fog → smog). Subsequently, cognitive researchers realised that blending occurs not only at lexical, but also at conceptual, semantic and cultural levels. As such, conceptual integration functions in many fields – everyday creation of knowledge, conceptual change, metaphor and analogy, scientific discoveries, counterfactual thinking, grammar, acting and shaping (Fauconnier and Turner 1999: 77–78), being “a powerful means of creating new meanings from input spaces” (Radden 2008: 13). Coulson also elaborates conceptual integration theory, claiming that it offers a general model of meaning creation where a set of compositional processes functions within analogy, metaphor, and many more semantic and pragmatic phenomena (2006: 189). Equally, blending theory clarifies many former doubts about conceptual metaphors and metonymies, as well as other phenomena in cognitive science. According to Turner (2003), the mind constantly integrates apparently incompatible mental patterns. For Stephens and Geerts (2014), without such tendencies “radical adaptations could be neither imagined nor comprehended” (2014: 193). The fantastic, adaptable and fluid world of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s Croatian Tales of Long Ago is the perfect example of how conceptual blending works in rather complex ways. We will focus on the example of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s little people to illustrate this point.3 See, for example, John Stephens’ and Sylvie Geerts’ “Mishmash, Conceptual Blending and

Adaptation in Contemporary Children’s Literature Written in Dutch and English” (2014) or the forthcoming 3rd Cambridge Symposium on Cognitive Approaches to Children’s Literature (17 March 2017).

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Little people drawn from the past

Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s creation of Croatian Tales of Long Ago can be observed as an example of a process significantly marked by conceptual blending at a semantic, linguistic (lexical/etymological) and cultural level. In “Stribor’s Forest”4 she introduces the guardians of home and hearth, Domaći, thus (Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić 1924: 170):

The old woman wondered what on earth was going on there in the dark, and went into the kitchen. And when she got there the kindling-chips just flared up on the hearth, and round the flame there were Brownies5 dancing in a ring – all tiny little men no bigger than half an ell. They wore little fur coats; their caps and shoes were red as flames; their beards were grey as ashes, and their eyes sparkled like live coal. More and more of them danced out of the flames, one for each chip. And as they appeared they laughed and chirped, turned somersaults on the hearth, twittered with glee, and then took hands and danced in a ring. And how they danced!

In line with the characteristics of literary little people, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s Domaći are lively tiny creatures who engage in mischief by bringing joy to the old Mother whose son marries the Snake-Woman, for “[I]t seemed to the old woman as though she were growing young again” (1924: 172). They are involved in an exchange of material goods, having landed in the old Mother’s house by means of the kindling-wood that she had received as compensation from the poor girl whose sleeve she had mended. Finally, they provide access to treasure and salvation by taking the old Mother to their master Stribor who offers the old Mother a return to the village of her youth, “fenced about with silver” (182–183), which she politely declines, not willing to part from her son.

The origin of the Domaći was depicted by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić in the letter to her son Ivan Brlić written on 30 November 1929:

One winter night our home was, very unusually, completely quiet. There was no one around and the rooms were semidark, and seemed big and empty except for fires burning in all the stoves. Very mysterious! From the most distant room in the house, a huge dining room, I suddenly heard someone knocking. “Who is it?” I asked but there was no answer. Again I heard, “knock! knock!” and again asked “Who is it?” with no reply. So I went to explore and entered the big dining room with some trepidation. Suddenly I heard the sound “Crack!” and the fire in the stove flared up in a little explosion. A pine log was loudly throwing up sparks out into the room towards me, like a flock of tiny stars, and when I raised my hands to catch that golden gift, they flew up to the roof and… they were gone. – I was reading Afanasiev’s Vozzrijenija drevnih

4 Orig. “Šuma Striborova”.5 F.S. Copeland’s translation refers to the Domaći as “Brownies”, tiny creatures with a similar role in

Anglo-Saxon mythology (Keightley 1892: “The Brownie”).


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Slavjan na prirodu at the time, and at that moment I remembered the “domaći”. And this is how the “brownies” who eventually appear in “Stribor’s Forest” came into being, from that little explosion and tiny flock of sparks and stars. After that other stories came, seven of them, without any specific “genesis”. In a way they too were like the “brownies” thrown out from the hearth of an ancient Slavic home. (Translated by Bulaja 2002).

While denying a specific “genesis” of the Tales, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić nevertheless attributes the origin of the whole collection to the encounter with the Domaći. However, this excerpt also demonstrates that the Tales, although a superb example of modern fantasy owing to its known authorship and originality, was also created as a result of a multitude of influences, connections and correlations, all immersed within a complex conceptual system. This is also very likely the reason why images of the Domaći and Malik Tintilinić permeate the public sphere and the media to the present day (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. A simple Google search of “Malik Tintilinić”, “Domaći” and “Šuma Striborova” yields an impressive number of results.

Sl. 1. Jednostavno pretraživanje pojmova „Malik Tintilinić“, „Domaći“ i „Šuma Striborova“ uz pomoć programa Google donosi iznimno velik broj rezultata.

The case of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić strongly supports the idea of a unique emergent structure. The development of mental spaces theory and conceptual integration has the purpose of explaining cases where the contents of two or more mental spaces combine to create new inferences (Coulson 2006: 189–190). It is a basic and comprehensive mental operation that enables the blending of two or more mental spaces, thus creating a new mental space, which is not just a combination of the initial ones, but possesses its own emergent structure. A typical conceptual network consists of two input spaces, a blended space and a generic space. There can also occur a partial mapping between two input spaces, and selective

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projections from the input to the projection space (Fauconnier and Turner 1999: 77). By combining various input spaces, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić created an original national mythology to which we turn in exploration of our tradition and heritage.

Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s use of conceptual blending is particularly apparent in her creation of the Domaći as the catalysts of Croatian Tales of Long Ago. Accordingly, Fig. 2 maps the generic, input and blended spaces that lead to the final creation of Brlić-Mažuranić’s little people:

Fig. 2. Image of the mental spaces involved in the creation of the Domaći and Malik Tintilinić.

Sl. 2. Slika mentalnih prostora uključenih u nastanak pojmova Domaćih i Malika Tintilinića.

In the network of conceptual integration, the generic space involves an abstract structure that is common to all the input spaces. The first input space for

GENERIC SPACE

BLENDED SPACEMalik Tintilinić

and Domaći

INPUT SPACE 1Macić, Malić, Tintilin

INPUT SPACE 2Domovoi

INPUT SPACE 3I.B.-M.'s imagination


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the present linguistic and conceptual projection includes Macić, Malić and Tintilin, characters from Croatian tradition and mythology. Malić, malik or maljak is a tiny Istrian and Dalmatian household god, depicted as a small mischievous boy with a red hat, emerging from leaping flames. He is always positive and ready to help. Complementing Malić’ s looks and character, Tintilin, also part of Croatian folklore, a demon with a red hat, swooshing through houses, functions also as one of the constituents of input space 1 (more on the characters below) in the process of conceptual blending. The Domovoi, small and bearded6 house gods from Russian mythology, known as tricksters and shapeshifters, make up the second input space. Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, being well read and of extensive knowledge, therefore also under the versatile influences of Slavic mythology, as shown in her letters and through her collaborations, added elements from her own imagination in the form of input space 3, thus creating brand-new, original concepts in the form of Malik Tintilinić and the Domaći. They are combinations of selected features from all three input spaces, new concepts with new original elements.

Conceptual integration works at multiple levels in the case of Malik Tintilinić and the Domaći. Both names, Malik Tintilinić and Domaći, are linguistic blends, created from Malić, Tintilin and Domovoi. Blending processes and mental spaces resulting at semantic and cultural levels permeate in a certain way, since the creation of unique characters, as are Malik Tintilinić and the Domaći, has brought new concepts not only to children’s literature, but to culture and conceptual systems in general. Malik and the Domaći are part of the general cognitive experience of Croatian (and international) minds and lives, thus being a universal (inter)national cultural blend/phenomenon.

So, while creating Croatian Tales of Long Ago, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić relied on fragments of Slavic mythology, as well as the oral tradition of storytelling and the Christian tradition. The specific sources indicated in the aforementioned letter to her son and detected in research conducted by Maja Bošković-Stulli (1970), and subsequently by Andrijana Kos-Lajtman and Jasna Horvat (2009, 2012), are Alexander Nikolayevich Afanasyev’s The Poetic Outlook of Slavs about Nature (1865, 1868, 1869)7 and Anton Tkány’s Mythologie der alten Teutchen und Slaven [Mythology of Old Germans and Slavs] (1827). Several examples are listed in Table 1.

6 Sometimes hairy all over.7 Orig. Vozzrijenija drevnih Slavjan na prirodu; another possible source is the mythological study

by Natko Nodilo Religija Srba i Hrvata na glavnoj osnovi pjesama, priča i govora narodnog [The Religion of Serbs and Croats, on the main basis of songs, stories and folk speech] (1890).

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Table 1. Some examples of names in Croatian Tales of Long Ago derived from Slavic mythology and Croatian folklore and folk tradition.Tablica 1. Neki primjeri imena u Pričama iz davnine koji su razvijeni na temelju slavenske mitologije te hrvatskoga folklora i folklorne tradicije.

Slavic mythology Croatian folk tradition Svarožić (All-Rosy; son of god Svarog)Stribor (Stribog)Mokoš (Mokosh)Bjesomar (Rampogusto)Zora-djevojka (the Dawn-Maiden)djed Neumijka (Old Man Weather)Poludnica (the Noon Crone / Witch) Zmaj orijaški (the Fiery Dragon)

Regoč (Reygoch; Ignjat Đurđević; Suze Marunkove; Vladimir Nazor: Veli Jože)Legen (the city of Frosten; Leđan)Relja (Relya; Hrelja, derived from epic tradition)Malik Tintilinić (Wee Tinkilinkie; malik – devil; Belostenec)žena-guja (Snake-Woman; also Christian symbolism)

Source: Hranjec (2004).

Accordingly, Branimir Donat suggests that Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić built original structures on the foundation of mythology and oral tradition and created “an artistically vital fairy tale pastiche” (1970: 31). In her research, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić dealt with incomplete mythologies which she reconstructed and combined to form original plots and storylines. This resulted in original tales with an archaic foundation, stylistically resembling the orally transmitted tales of Croatian folklore and folk tradition. The conceptual blending explanations of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s phenomena fully support the previous research findings.

The times of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić

The fantastic scenes that Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić constructed throughout her work, the historical and biblical creatures, as well as her patriotic sentiment (Hranjec 2006: 57), were also the result of her upbringing and circumstances,8 reflecting the influence of the period of the belle époque and neo-romanticism,9 and her family. In her “Autobiography” commissioned by the Academy of Sciences

8 “I remember well the excitement that I felt about the strange surroundings and unusual folk costumes of the local people. The mountain Klek, with its strange and striking shape, and the romantic river Dobra running nearby fired my imagination till late into the night, spinning in my mind the strangest images and the most fantastic ideas” (Brlić-Mažuranić: “Autobiography”; transl. by Bulaja 2002).

9 Marked by tendencies towards the imaginative, exotic and historical subject matter, stylised expression and the picturesque (Hranjec 2004: 40). The “epochal characteristics are also found in her extremely visual experience, in the pictures that she in the preface to the collection considers the core of every art” (Skok 1995: 25, emphasis in the original). Such influences are also discussed in Dubravka Zima’s monograph Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić (2001).


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and Arts in 1916, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić lists her immediate influences, foremost her grandfather Ivan Mažuranić, Croatian poet, linguist, lawyer, politician and the first commoner to become Croatian Ban, as well as Josip and Fran Mažuranić, poet and friend Franjo Marković, Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer, and her own children. However, Kos-Lajtman and Horvat (2009) suggest that much of the terminology might have been derived from Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s collaboration with her father Vladimir Mažuranić, a scientist, lawyer, and author. Evidence of this can be found in the dictionary of legal and historical terms Prinosi za hrvatski pravno-povjestni rječnik [Contributions to the Croatian Dictionary of Legal and Historical Terms] from 1908 to 1922 and its appended version from 1923.10 According to scholars, the dictionary contains notes written by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić herself, and entries that might pinpoint the origin of specific names, such as that of Malik Tintilinić, the head Domaći in “Stribor’s Forest” (see Table 2).

Table 2. Entry for malić, maljak and tintilin in Prinosi za hrvatski pravno-povjestni rječnik by Vladimir Mažuranić, 1908–1922. The creature is primarily defined as an apparition, a spirit or a ghost (of a child), often with negative connotations, such as the devil, or otherwise in an idolatrous context.Tablica 2. Natuknice „malić“, „maljak“ i „tintilin“ u djelu Prinosi za hrvatski pravno-povjestni rječnik Vladimira Mažuranića, 1908. – 1922. To je biće ponajprije određeno kao utvara, prikaza ili duh (djeteta), često s negativnim konotacijama, kao npr. vražić, ili, naprotiv, u idolatrijskome smislu.

malić, malik, maljak

maljak

m., a type of apparition, approximately the same as macić or mačić. See Maljak (p. 626)

m., same as macaruo, malik, etc. The phantasm is different on different sides. Methinks, however, one must not forget Mikl. Etym.Wtb. under the word maljeva. – perhaps there is no confirmed relationship with the Old German mal, yet the old meaning of malik in Slov. language is statue, idol, (the same as kumir), thus implying evil spirit, etc. Belost. says it is also a synon. for devil, so sub verbo lar, “malik, household god” (among pagans). Like the basilisk, maljak emerges from an egg, laid by a cock, etc. (p. 626)

tintilin m., spiritus, ghost (of a child), macić, maljak; see macaruo, etc. (p. 1452)

Source: Andrijana Kos-Lajtman and Jasna Horvat (2009).

The origin of the character Malik Tintilinić implies conceptual blending at a cultural and etymological level. Malik (and variations) is a mythological character

10 Dodatak prinosima za hrvatski pravno-povjestni rječnik (1923).

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often appearing in the oral tradition from Istria to central Dalmatia (also recognised by Kajkavian Croats and Slovenes), whereas tintilin is mentioned in the tales of southern Dalmatia and the area of Dubrovnik (Bošković-Stulli 1970: 169). In the oral tradition, tintilin appears as a tiny boy in red clothes and a red cape, mischievous and joyful, who brings prosperity. In “Stribor’s Forest”, Malik Tintilinić is the most outspoken, cunning and mischievous of all Domaći, the protagonist who provides the means to expose the Snake-Woman and restore the original order (Brlić-Mažuranić 1924: 173):

I will help you! I will go to the sunshiny land and bring you magpies’ eggs. We will put them under the sitting hen, and when the magpies are hatched, your daughter-in-law will betray herself. She will crave for little magpies like any ordinary forest snake, and so put out her tongue.

In her 1970 study, Bošković-Stulli explains that “[I]n the index at the end of the book [Malik] is presented as ‘the old folk name for one of the liveliest domaći,’ but that is not true. The name Malik Tintilinić was coined by the authoress herself, aware of the beliefs about malik and tintilin” (169).11 The image of Malik Tintlinić remains recognisable a century later. He is the tiny fire-like guardian of the hearth and the playful protector of the weak and the oppressed. In other words, by blending the local mythologies, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić created a novel mythological creature recognisable across the national culture.

In such a manner, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić created a distinct language of the Tales as well. Consequently, her work has been recognised for the opulence and stylistic richness of her literary expression. As a virtuoso of the Croatian language, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić often used archaisms, verses and the rhythm of folk poetry, as well as the decasyllabic verse of heroic epics. She was infinitely lauded for her rhythmic and narrative playfulness, luxuriant picturesqueness and lexical opulence (Hranjec 2004: 44), also evident in her description of the Domaći (Brlić-Mažuranić 1924: 171–172):

Round the hearth, in the ashes, under the cupboard, on the table, in the jug, on the chair! Round and round! Faster and faster! They chirped and they chattered, chased and romped all over the place. They scattered the salt; they spilt the barm; they upset the flour – all for sheer fun. The fire on the hearth blazed and shone, crackled and glowed; and the old woman gazed and gazed. She never regretted the salt or the barm, but was glad of the jolly little folk whom God had sent to comfort her.12

11 All translations were done by the authors, unless indicated otherwise.12 Here is a fragment of the original Croatian text: “Pa zaigra kolo: po ognjištu, po pepelu, pod policu,

na stolicu, po ćupu, na klupu! Igraj! Igraj! Brzo! Brže! Cikću, vrište, guraju se i krevelje. Sol prosuše, kvas proliše, brašno rastepoše – sve od velike radosti. Vatra na ognjištu plamsa, sjaji, pucka i grije” (Brlić-Mažuranić 1997: 85).


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Therefore, conceptual blending is also present in the distinct literary style of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić. Ana Pintarić suggests that Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić combined elements of classic fairy tales, embellished with details, descriptions and narrations like those of Oscar Wilde, was thematically positioned between the Grimms and Andersen, and stylistically by means of introducing characters based on Slavic mythology conceived unique and original fairy tales (2008: 166).

Likewise, the translation of Domaći and Malik Tintilinić points to conceptual blending as the general strategy for finding the equivalent term in the English language. The first translator, F.S. Copeland, opted predominantly for names which corresponded to the cultural equivalent of the mythical creatures, in this case the “Brownies”, “little home ghosts that come to hearth, and they often do a lot of damage, but sometimes they can do good” (Keightley 1892: "The Brownie"). The temperament of the Brownies resembles that of the Domaći, including their inclination towards the exchange of goods, with the only exception being their outfit which is predominantly brown (ibid.). However, because of the local origin of some of the characters, such as Malik Tintilinić, the translation simply accommodated the English language equivalent and resulted in new terminology (i.e. Wee Tinkilinkie). It is important to note that because of the blending involved in the creation of such distinct characters, they are immediately recognisable across cultures as well.

Although Croatian Tales of Long Ago has been recognised as Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s original work, it is nevertheless referred to in the context of the Croatian cultural heritage and the national tradition of storytelling as well. In the aforementioned letter to her son, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić explains (1929):

Successful or unsuccessful, defective or perfect, the Tales are, in their essence as well as in their realisation purely and completely my own original work. They are indeed created with names and characters from Slavic mythology, and that is all there is to say about their link to any folk mythology or heritage. Not a single scene, a single plot, a single development, a single tendency in those stories is found complete in our mythology. (Everyone who has tried to study Slavic mythology knows that, unfortunately, our Slavic mythology as a whole is a structure of almost completely incoherent guessing; it is like a field full of ruins, in which the only pillars left standing are just the names).

However, she goes on to elaborate:If any link exists between the Tales of Long Ago and our traditional folk poetry, it is perhaps on a deeper level. From this point of view my stories really are not mine: they are inspired by the storytelling, visions, hopes, beliefs and secrets which comprise the soul of the Slavic tribe. From Slavic land and air, from the white hazes of Slavic waters and seas, from Slavic snows and blizzards, from the grain of Slavic fields, our body is being created and renewed – body of all Slavs. From Slavic feelings and emotions, from Slavic opinions and convictions, our mind and soul is made. So, when we dive

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into ourselves, to write something from our hearts, then everything we create is truly Slavic folk poetry. (Translated by Bulaja 2002).

All these examples point to the use of conceptual blending as a distinct feature of the creation of Croatian Tales of Long Ago. It is for this reason that as the founder of children’s literature in Croatia and its most prominent representative (Crnković 1970: 101), Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić is, according to Antun Branko Šimić (1960), “as distinctly Croatian as the Croatian land, Croatian national costume and Croatian wine”, but is also often compared to the foreign literary greats such as Hans Christian Andersen or J.R.R. Tolkien. Much like them, she created fantastic worlds, characters and mythologies that have their roots in the past, yet were conceptually moulded in her mind. In this way, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić created a novel structure that is nowadays considered a national mythology in its own right.

The future of the little people

Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić is a representative example of the fairy-tale web as defined by Cristina Bacchilega in Fairy Tales Transformed, a construct proposed as a metaphor, a traditional practice and twenty-first-century phenomenon “that reaches back in history and across space to intersect with multiple story-weaving traditions” (2013: 20). Due to the fact that the fairy-tale web spans across the oral tradition of storytelling to the World Wide Web, the complex conceptual system in Croatian Tales of Long Ago has found its way into media adaptations and global culture. Accordingly, Ana Pintarić emphasises numerous translations, dramatic performances and media adaptations of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s work (2008: 166).13 In her novel Finding Stribor,14 Snježana Grković-Janović described the guardians of the home/house/hearth/table/threshold as mythical creatures and tiny household ghosts called Domaći, inhabitants of the stove/fire and invisible until the fire is lit (1997: 257) which builds on and expands the legacy of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić (Pintarić 2005: 73). Helena Bulaja, the project editor of the Croatian Tales of Long Ago interactive CD released in 2002, which involved collaboration with renowned artists and was the recipient of many international awards,15 claims that it was a challenge to depict Croatian Tales of Long Ago in this particular medium (2002):

13 See also the study on online media material related to Croatian Tales of Long Ago “A Communicative Approach to Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s Opus in the Digital Media” (2016) by Irena Krumes Šimunović and Maja Koporčić.

14 orig. Striborovim stazama.15 e.g. NetFestival 2002.


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The digital revolution, globalisation, the Internet, modern communications on the one hand, and the world of fairytales on the other. Where to start it all? Even the concept of an interactive book is so open, and, unlike film, theatre or illustration, it can take almost any form, that at the same time can be a film and an illustration and a game […].

The trilingual multimedia project Croatian Tales of Long Ago sought to explore the relationship between digital media and literature (Bulaja naklada 2000–2014) and was a significant step towards combining hypertextuality, animation techniques and interactivity within the narrative. The result was yet another version of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s Tales adorned in a new style and format. This adaptability further accentuates the significance of the Tales and its emergent structure which allows for the creation of newly blended spaces.

Conclusion

By observing the motif of little people in literature, it is apparent that by means of “thievery” and “mischief” they transfer and exchange goods, wisdom and knowledge, and signify the empowerment of a (child) reader. In her writing, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić created the “poetry of the home” (Crnković 1980) and introduced the little people who are “recognisable in their demeanour, mood, and readiness to help in the battle against the forces of evil” (Pintarić 2005: 86). Likewise, it is true that Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s characters are “half-mythical co-creators of reality which contain the residue of much that has accumulated in the collective human memory [...]” (Detoni Dujmić 1998: 184). In borrowing, transferring and merging cultures, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić created an original Croatian mythology. Much like the literary greats abroad, she also generated fantastic worlds and a unique mode of expression which earned her the title of the most prominent representative of children’s literature in Croatia and beyond. There is a need for worlds of little people within the fairy-tale web to transfer meaning, language and culture. Thanks to them, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić has endowed us with fantastic images that inspire us to the present day. Her example shows that integrating concepts, as well as drawing from one’s own past and present, results in emergent structures which are the foundation of identity and the future.

ReferencesBacchilega, Cristina. 2013. Fairy Tales Transformed: Twenty-First Century Adaptations

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Brlić-Mažuranić, Ivana. 1924 [1916]. Croatian Tales of Long Ago. Translated by F.S. Copeland. New York: Frederick A. Stokes.

Brlić-Mažuranić, Ivana. 1929. “Letter to Son Dr. Ivan Brlić.” [Dated 30 Nov. 1929, translated by Bulaja naklada]. Brod na Savi: Bulaja.

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Grković-Janović, Snježana. 1997. Striborovim stazama. Split: Laus.Hranjec, Stjepan. 2004. Dječji hrvatski klasici. Zagreb: Školska knjiga.Hranjec, Stjepan. 2006. Pregled hrvatske dječje književnosti. Zagreb: Školska knjiga.Keightley, Thomas. 1892 [1828]. The Fairy Mythology, Illustrative of the Romance and

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usmenoknjiževnih elemenata na diskurs Priča iz davnine Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić.” In Zbornik radova Petoga hrvatskog slavističkog kongresa, edited by Marija Turk and Ines Srdoč-Konestra, 157–166. Rijeka: Filozofski fakultet u Rijeci.

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Pintarić, Ana. 2005. “Domaći i Malik Tintilinić u djelima Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić, Jagode Truhelke i Snježane Grković-Janović.” In Zlatni danci 6 – Život i djelo(vanje) Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić, edited by Ana Pintarić, 69–87. Osijek: Filozofski fakultet.

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Radden, Günter. 2008. “The Cognitive Approach to Language.” In When Grammar Minds Language and Literature: Festschrift for Prof. Béla Korponay on the Occasion of his 80th Birthday, edited by József Andor, Béla Hollósy, Tibor Laczkó and Péter Pelyvás, 387–412. Debrecen: Institute of English and American Studies.

Skok, Joža. 1995. “Čudnovate zgode šegrta Hlapića i Priče iz davnine.” Ključ za književno djelo, kolo II., knj. 5. Zagreb: Školska knjiga.

Stephens, John & Sylvie Geerts. 2014. “Mishmash, Conceptual Blending and Adaptation in Contemporary Children’s Literature Written in Dutch and English”. In Never-ending Stories, edited by Sara Van den Bossche and Sylvie Geerts, 193–214. Ghent: Academia Press.

Šimić, Antun Branko. 1917. “Priče iz davnine.” Obzor LVIII (54).Turner, Mark. 2003. “Double-scope Stories”. In Narrative Theory and the Cognitive

Sciences, edited by David Herman, 117–142. Stanford: Center for the Study of Language and Information.

Zima, Dubravka. 2001. Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić. Zagreb: Zavod za znanost o književnosti FFZG.

Zima, Dubravka. 2014. “Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, članstvo u Akademiji i Nobelova nagrada”. Libri & Liberi 3 (2): 239–262.

Željka Flegar i/und Ivana MoritzSveučilište u Osijeku, Fakultet za odgojne i obrazovne znanosti, Osijek, HrvatskaFakultät für Bildungs- und Erziehungswissenschaften der Universität Osijek, Osijek, Kroatien

Blago, lopovluk i nestašluk: stapanje kultura i pregovaranje granica u svjetovima napučenima čovječuljcimaIstraživanje smješta Priče iz davnine (1916) Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić u kontekst širega književnoga korpusa, fokusirajući se na pojavu čovječuljaka ili sićušnih ljudi u fikcionalnim tekstovima za djecu. Postojanje „svjetova čovječuljaka“ (Lynch-Brown i Tomlinson 2005) primjer je prakse konceptualnoga stapanja na jezičnoj, kulturnoj i semantičkoj razini, koja dolazi do izražaja u tvorbi imena, prostora i značenja. Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić kombinirala je naizgled nespojive koncepte (Fauconnier i Turner 2002), koji pripadaju različitim razinama i slojevima slavenskih i hrvatskih tradicija i mitologija. Takve su kombinacije u Pričama iz davnine ključna mjesta u procesu konceptualnoga međudjelovanja koja pokazuju i dokazuju sposobnost čovječuljaka kao književnih bića da prelaze granice, čime omogućuju stvaranje novih i jedinstvenih kultura i pojmova. Napučene čovječuljcima poput Malika Tintilinića, Priče iz davnine izvanredan su primjer fluidna i prilagodljiva svijeta, usporediva s onima što su ih stvorili Swift, Andersen, Tolkien, Baum, Barrie, Norton, Dr. Seuss ili Dahl. S

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tim u skladu, konceptualna integracija obilježava jedinstven književni sadržaj i stil izvorne hrvatske mitologije Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić čiji je krajnji rezultat osnaživanje i očaravanje čitatelja od davnina do danas.Ključne riječi: konceptualno stapanje, kultura, mali ljudi, mitologija, suvremena fantastika

Schätze, Diebstähle und Unfug: Zusammenschmelzung von Kulturen und Grenzabsprache in den mit Männchen bevölkerten Welten Im Beitrag wird Ivana Brlić-Mažuranićs Werk Priče iz davnine in einen breiteren literarischen Kontext eingebettet, indem das Vorkommen von Männchen oder winzigen Menschen in fiktionalen kinderliterarischen Texten unter die Lupe genommen wird. „Mit Männchen bevölkerte Welten“ (Lynch-Brown und Tomlinson 2005) stellen ein Beispiel der konzeptuellen Zusammenschmelzung auf sprachlicher, kultureller und semantischer Ebene dar, die in der Schöpfung von Namen, Räumen und Bedeutungen zum Vorschein kommt. Die Kombination von scheinbar unvereinbaren Konzepten (Fauconnier und Turner 2002) ist im Schaffen von Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić auf verschiedenen Ebenen und in unterschiedlichen Schichten der slawischen und kroatischen Tradition und Mythologie vorzufinden. Solche Kombinationen stellen in Priče iz davnine entscheidende Stellen der konzeptuellen Interaktion dar, worin gezeigt und bewiesen wird, dass Männlein als literarische Wesen fähig sind, Grenzen zu überschreiten, wodurch sie die Erschaffung von neuen und einzigartigen Kulturen und Begriffen ermöglichen. Indem Priče iz davnine mit Männchen wie Malik Tintilinić bevölkert sind, erweisen sich diese Märchen als ein außerordentliches Beispiel von fluiden und anpassbaren Welten, worin sie vergleichbar mit jenen von Swift, Andersen, Tolkien, Baum, Barrie, Norton, Dr. Seuss oder Dahl sind. Dementsprechend trägt die konzeptuelle Integration zu dem einmaligen literarischen Gehalt und dem urväterlich wirkenden mythologischen Stil von Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić bei, deren Endergebnis in der Ermutigung und Bezauberung des Lesers von Urzeiten bis heute liegt. Schlüsselwörter: konzeptuelle Verschmelzung, Kultur, Männchen, Mythologie, zeitgenössische Phantastik


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UDK 821.163.42-93-34’255=131.1821.163.42.09-93Brlić-Mažuranić,I.

Sabrina FavaUniversità Cattolica del S. Cuore, Milan, [email protected]

Fairy Tales in Italy during the 20th Century and the Translations of Tales of Long Ago


Why was the book Tales of Long Ago translated into Italian only in 1957, whereas it was published by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić in 1916? The paper explains that this delay depends on the development of fairy tales in Italy during the 20th century between the folktale tradition and fantastic children’s literature. At the beginning of the 20th century there were two lines of evolution: on the one hand, attention was given to fairy tales coming from Northern Europe and, on the other hand, attention was given to traditional and local folktales. During the Fascist era, fantastic writing was an “unfettered realm” which prepared the development of the post-war period. In the second half of the 20th century in Italy, cultural and publishing trends were directed to reinforce national identity and build a European identity at the same time. Tales of Long Ago was translated into Italian and then this collection became part of the Enciclopedia della leggenda [Encyclopaedia of the Legend] (1957), a book edited by Giunti-Marzocco which extended the worldview of Italian children. The documentation in the Giunti Historical Archive allows us to explain the complex history of the Italian translation of Tales of Long Ago.Keywords: publishing history, fairy tales, Italy, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, 20th century.

Controversial dissemination of fairy tales in Italy in the 19th and the 20th centuries

According to Italo Calvino, the fairy tale with its themes emerged sooner in Italy than in other countries. As early as the mid-16th century, Giovanni Francesco Straparola’s Piacevoli notti [Pleasant Nights] had infused tales of wonder and

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imagination tales with gothic and dialectal elements, while in the following century Giambattista Basile produced the grotesque Pentamerone (Calvino 1956). However, north of the Alps the fairy tale appeared as a fully fledged literary genre. At the Versailles court, Charles Perrault’s Contes de fées [Fairy Tales] (1697) introduced a literary genre intended for adults, while at the beginning of the 19th century the German Märchen blended with the oral folk tradition. Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm collected folk tales and translated them into German so that children could develop their national culture and identity seated around the family hearth (Rak 2004: 117–142; Zipes 2004: 103–121).

The reworking of the fairy tale as fantasy traversed the Romantic period in Europe from Hoffmann through Afanas’ev to Puškin and finally condensed into Andersen, with his extraordinary insight into how children think, perceive and feel.

Nothing like this happened in 19th century Italy, where the unification of the country was paramount. In the Risorgimento epoch, Romantic values gave way to the historical values exemplified in Manzoni’s writings. Verisimilitude, a literary synthesis of “vero storico e vero poetico” [historical truth and poetic truth], was mainly a feature of the increasing number of books intended for young readers who needed to be educated rather than entertained. Le avventure di Pinocchio [The Adventures of Pinocchio], Carlo Collodi’s masterpiece published in 1883, is a reworking of fairy-tale elements drawn from the Italian baroque tradition and the French tradition of Perrault, whose Contes de fées he had already translated into Italian in 1875. At the same time, the influence of the German and, more generally, Northern European fairy-tale tradition is less evident in the tale of the famous puppet.

The positivist folk psychology studies of the late 19th century, in Italy mainly those of Giuseppe Pitré and Domenico Comparetti, tried to construct an archaeology of the folk tale in the form of an historical and philological document, though it remained within a small circle of specialists despite its evident cultural value (Calvino 1996: 47–66). An example of the limited literary dissemination of the fairy tale is Luigi Capuana’s fairy tales – Il Raccontafiabe [The Tale Teller] (1893), Chi vuol fiabe, chi vuole? [Anyone Want Fairy Tales? Anyone?] (1908) – whose reworking of traditional fairy tale structure encouraged the shift towards the classic fairy tale.

The immediate effects of these specialised studies on Italian children’s literature were mainly indirect, though interesting nonetheless. With folk psychology on the one hand, and, on the other, the start of a new century marked by the appearance of educational studies centring on children as educational subjects with specific traits that could not be subordinated to those of adults (see Key, Il secolo dei fanciulli,

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1906, original edition Barnets arhundrale, 1900), new hermeneutical attention was paid to the fairy tale (Gecchele, Polenghi and Dal Toso 2017: 9–49). The most evident result was a new distinction between anonymous folk tales and fairy tales written specifically for a young public. The latter were extremely popular at the beginning of the 20th century because not only did they translate foreign works, but also offered new Italian stories.

In translation, Maria Pezzè Pascolato’s renderings of Andersen’s fairy tales in 1904 proved fundamental (Filippini 2004). It was she who first enabled Italian children to read them, translated directly from the Danish original. This was not simply the result of her linguistic and literary competence, but also of the well-grounded studies of folklore that constituted her translation background. It comes as no surprise that her translations from Andersen were highly praised by Giosue Carducci (1904), and remained an exemplary educational model for all the Italian writers who would later venture into the realm of fairy tales, including such intellectuals as Guido Gozzano with I tre talismani [The Three Talismans] (1914) or La principessa si sposa [The Princess Gets Married] (1917). The same period also produced Dino Provenzal’s translations of the Grimms’ collections (1914) and the first publication of Puškin’s and Hoffmann’s fairy tales, selected by Silvio Spaventa Filippi for the readers of Corriere dei Piccoli, the weekly children’s magazine he edited from 1908 to 1931.1 The Belle Époque years were marked by the publication in Italy of English fantasy tales such as J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan and Lewis Carroll’s Alice nel paese delle meraviglie [Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland] along with its sequel Attraverso lo specchio [Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There].2 Although, strictly speaking, these works were not fairy tales, their element of fantasy helped to shape the magical features in the works of a new generation of female writers such as Carola Prosperi with Coda di topo [The Mouse’s Tail], Camilla Del Soldato with Le memorie del merlo zoppo [The Lame Blackbird’s Memoirs] (1920), as well as the magical realism of Massimo Bontempelli’s La scacchiera davanti allo specchio [The Chessboard in Front of the Looking Glass] (1922), and Annie Vivanti’s Il viaggio incantato [The Enchanted Journey] (1923 and 1933).

During the twenty years of the Fascist Era, fairies and magic became workable antidotes to the regime’s propaganda rhetoric – a sort of ideologically untainted

1 About Corriere dei Piccoli and Silvio Spaventa Filippi as director, see in Ginex (2009) and Fava (2009: 45–71).

2 Peter Pan appeared quite early in Corriere dei Piccoli, translated by Silvio Spaventa Filippi: in 1909 and 1912. Spaventa Filippi also translated Alice nel paese delle meraviglie during the same period (1913).

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“unfettered realm” – as well as an opportunity to try out new narrative solutions and visions of childhood that would pave the way for literary production in the postwar era. The notion of a child’s world that was both autonomous and praised by adults barely survived the pressures of totalitarianism and the wars that robbed infancy of infancy itself. Such initiatives as the “Scala d’oro” collection proved highly successful in raising awareness of classic literature, fairy tales included. Writers like Mary Tibaldi Chiesa and Dino Buzzati (Boero and De Luca 1995/2009, Fava 2004) expressed their detachment from Fascism through, among other things, fantasy metaphors that encouraged readers to see beyond the grey skies of the times they were living in.

New scenarios in the acceptance of the fairy tale in the postwar era

The desire to rebuild the country was a major force in postwar Italy where, despite the ubiquity of neorealism in all the arts, the main objective was once again to reinforce national identity. In this sense the re-evaluation of traditional fairy tales helped to strengthen the cultural unity of the nation. At the same time, renewed awareness of foreign fairy tales helped to nurture relations and significant exchanges at the European level. Several publishing ventures merit consideration in this twofold situation, which was simultaneously national and European: first, the pivotal role played by the translation of Vladimir Propp’s Le radici storiche dei racconti di fate [Historical Roots of the Fairy Tale] published by Einaudi in 1949. In it he reminded scholars that memories of ancient rituals and traditions were the key to deciphering the hidden meanings behind metaphors and symbols in fairy tales. And second, there was an increasing awareness of Russian fairy tales as publishing houses assigned more room to this genre in their catalogues. The ambitious Enciclopedia della fiaba [Encyclopaedia of Fairy Tales] launched by Principato in 1941 was systematically developed only from 1949, when the first collection of classic fairy tales was followed by another three volumes dealing with Western, Eastern, and Central Europe, and finally the Middle and Far East.

The section “The Balkan Fairy Tales and Legends” (Palazzi 1941–1959) includes some that generically come “from Yugoslavia”, though the authors are not named and no more information is given. In 1951, Einaudi launched the “I millenni” collection that not only included Italo Calvino’s Fiabe italiane [Italian Folk Tales] (1956) but, as Calvino wrote in a letter to Cocchiara, “intendeva porre mano a un piano organico di tutta la favolistica mondiale” [was aiming to create a structured plan of all the fairy in the world] (Lavagetto 1996: 3) with the evident imbalance between countries that already had printed collections of fairy tales and others that had not.

S. Fava: Fairy Tales in Italy and the Translations of Tales of Long Ago

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This recovery of collective memory through Italian and foreign fairy tales was accompanied by important changes in children’s literature criticism. More specifically, the IBBY (International Board on Books for Young people) has played a leading role since 1953 in raising awareness of children’s literature and fostering dialogues among various countries in Eastern and Central Europe, notwithstanding the Berlin Wall and the Cold War.3 Italy played an active part in IBBY conferences, fostering lively discussion and initiating publishing projects, which in our view included the Italian translations of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s Racconti e leggende della Croazia [Croatian Tales of Long Ago].

A long story: the Italian translation of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s fairy tales

The name Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić briefly appeared in Italy in 1952 when Erio Franchi was commissioned by the Mladost publishing house in Zagreb to translate her fairy tale “Compare Sole e Comarina Candida” (“Sunce Djever i Neva Nevičica”) [Godfather Sun and Godmother Candida], a rather unusual choice in the publishing field. The choice of the Croatian publisher certainly did nothing to raise awareness of Mažuranić and her work among the Italian readers but may have caught the attention of the Istrian-Dalmatian community, which was especially aware of and eager to encourage cultural interchange between the two bordering countries.

The translation of Priče iz davnine [Tales of Long Ago] (1916) got off to a better start in Italy thanks to the intervention of Umberto Urbani in 1953. At that time, Urbani was a faculty member at the Slavic Philology Institute at Università degli studi di Trieste,4 where he had long been engaged in the dissemination of the Slavic culture.5 He was also an active presence at the Università popolare della città di Trieste [Popular University in Trieste]. Moreover, he lived in Trieste. It was not by chance that he went to the Bemporad Marzocco publishing house with his translation of Brlić-Mažuranić’s fairy tales, considering that he had already written

3 For more information on this topic, see Fava 2016, where there is a contextualisation of the Italian support to IBBY in the development of the association within the European context in the 1950s.

4 The link between Umberto Urbani and the Slavic Philology Institution at Università degli studi di Trieste can be inferred from the letterhead that he used since his first document on 25 November 1953 preserved in the Fondo Bemporad in the Giunti Archive in Florence (from now on AG, FB. U.U.).

5 Beginning in the 1920s he opened up to Italy the beauties of Dalmatian nature with Le Grotte di Postumia: nel mondo sotterraneo ai confini d’Italia. [Postumia Caves: an underground world at the edge of Italy] Trieste: Spazzal 1923, or the literature from Yugoslavia (Scrittori jugoslavi. [Yugoslavian writers] Trieste: Parnaso, 1927), or again in the 1940s, when he published a bilingual Croatian-Italian dictionary (Dizionario di italiano e croato. Trieste: Trani, 1944).

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a Croatian conversation manual entitled Parliamo croato [Let’s Speak Croatian] (1945), which remained in Marzocco’s catalogue at least until 1960.

From the documentation in the Giunti Historical Archive, it seems that Urbani submitted his translation to the publisher in March 1953 (AG, FB. U.U. doc. dated 25.11.1953) but had to wait until at least April 1954 to be finally accepted (AG, FB. U.U. doc. 24.4.1954). This was because Marzocco consulted Luigi Salvini, an official at the Ministry of Education who directed the Library and was editor of Bollettino di Legislazione scolastica comparata, the Bulletin of Comparative School Legislation.6 Due to his specialisation in Slavic studies, Salvini had already translated several Slavic authors for Marzocco (including Vladimir Nazor, Tone Seliškar, Laza Lazarević, Božena Němcová, among others). Salvini was asked to compare Urbani’s translation with the original Croatian text only in July 1953. At that time, he was already on holiday running a campsite in Polesine,7 so he managed to postpone the revision to the following September (AG, FB. Salvini Luigi, doc. 26.7.1953). Health problems in the following months (AG, FB. Salvini Luigi, 30.11.1953) delayed completion of the task until April 1954 (AG, FB. U.U. doc. 24.4.1954). In accepting his work, Marzocco offered him two options. One was to include the text in its “Capolavori stranieri” [Foreign Masterpieces] collection; the other was to add it to a new collection entitled “Storie, favole e leggende di tutti i popoli” [Stories, Fairy Tales and Legends of All Peoples]. Marzocco chose the second option which, though implemented as early as 1954, came to fruition only in 1957 under the leaner title “Racconti e leggende di tutti i popoli” [Legends and Tales of All Peoples]. It contained five titles,8 including Mažuranić’s fairy tales, but the initiative was not particularly successful because the original intentions were shelved and the number of titles in the collection was gradually whittled down until 1960.

Thus, the translation had a lengthy gestation and decisions concerning every single aspect of the job were the result of a painstaking exchange of letters between the translator and the editor. In the correspondence the shortened title Favole antiche 6 The information on Salvini’s assignments can be inferred from the letterhead of the document dated

26 July 1953 (AG, FB. Salvini Luigi).7 Salvini appears to have written about this life experience in Una tenda in riva al Po: racconti di

Bosgattia. (1957) Firenze: Marzocco.8 In the Catalogo Editrice Marzocco Bemporad of 1957, the collection “Racconti e leggende di

tutti i popoli” was supposed to include seven titles (Ballario Pina, Leggende delle Dolomiti, Cioni Raffaello, Leggende popolari toscane; De Giacomo Lamberto, Leggende della Sila; Fulizio Aldo, Racconti della giungla africana; Gelardini Renata, Dalla terra dei ciliegi; Brlić-Mažuranić Ivana, Favole antiche; Pezzetta Silvano, Novelle dei piccoli negri). Actually, from the 1958 catalogue it can be inferred that Fulizio Aldo, Racconti della giungla africana had not been published and from the 1960 catalogue there is not even a mention of Pezzetta Silvano with Novelle dei piccoli negri, which had been marked as ‘forthcoming’ in previous catalogues.


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was used for quite some time. Indeed, there is reason to believe that the decision to use the title Leggende croate, as it became known to the public, was taken only after the first galleys were printed, as shown by the originals in the archive. In any case, the chosen title gives the text a prevalently popular feel related to the traditions of the Croatian people, whereas the genuine fairy-tale feel and magic naturally present in Brlić-Mažuranić’s collection has been lost. It is possible that the reason for the inaccurate classification of the text as a fairy tale collection lies in Italian postwar realism which – again wrongly – tended to attribute all cultural content relating to magic to fairy tale and the legend. This was because it was difficult to accept the sense of wonder typical of fairy tales.

Urbani’s typescript included all eight Favole antiche whereas the publisher had stipulated only four: “Potieh cerca la verità” [Potieh Looks for the Truth], “Il pescatore Palunko” [Palunko the Fisherman], “Jagor”, “Il bosco di Stribor” [Stribor’s Wood] (AG, FB. U.U. doc. 28.5.54). While the publisher justified this choice saying that these were most consonant with Italian public taste (AG, FB. U.U. doc. 7.6.54), the translator unwillingly accepted this limitation, trusting that there would be a further collection of the other fairy tales (AG, FB. U.U. doc. 9.6.54). Actually, one more was added later on: “La sorellina Rutvica e il fratellino Jaglenac” [Sister Rutvica and Brother Jaglenac], titled “Il piccolo fratello Primrose e la sorella Lavender” [Little Brother Primrose and Sister Lavender] in other editions. This shows, then, that the publisher’s choices were made bearing in mind the Croatian edition of 1926, in which Brlić-Mažuranić included “Manicuccio il Girandolone e i nove principini” [Manicuccio il Girandolone and the Nine Young Princes] and “Jagor”, compared with the six fairy tales of 1916. Unlike the expanded edition, the Marzocco collection of 1957 did not include “Il sole padrino e la sposa Neva” [Godfather the Sun and Neva the Bride], “Regoc e Primolino”, or “Manicuccio il girandolone e i nove principini”.

A compromise also had to be reached concerning Urbani’s fee, about 50,000 liras at the time, though in his opinion 80,000 liras would have been nearer the mark. Urbani’s position was backed by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s own son, Ivan Brlić, who in a letter to Urbani later forwarded by Brlić to the publisher (AG, FB. U.U. doc. 18.5.54) declared:

I really do believe that the publisher’s offer of 50,000 liras is way too low, especially for such a lengthy, difficult and demanding literary work. The offer does not even represent one tenth of the real value of the work. Unfortunately, the best intellectual work has always been miserably rewarded.

Negotiations reached a turning point in June 1954 when Marzocco proposed a midway price of 60,000 liras, showing they had also taken into consideration the

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influence exercised by Ivan Brlić (AG, FB. U.U. doc. 7.6.54). This solution was also made easier when Brlić and his sister formally waived copyright to allow this first edition to be published in the “harmonious and expressive [Italian] language” (AG, FB. U.U. doc. 18.5.54), a collection they had long been waiting for. For these reasons, Brlić said:

[...] we must entrust publication of the collection to your experience and the love with which you began the work that will make our mother’s TALES accessible to the Italian public. You are undoubtedly able to decide what can be done in the circumstances to ensure that the publication will be a worthy one.

Thus, the heirs set great store by a publishing initiative which would finally do justice to Mažuranić’s collection of fairy tales, almost unknown until then in Italy. For these reasons they favoured the rapid publication of a worthy, stylishly illustrated edition.

The sign that the publication was imminent came when payment for the translation endorsed by Urbani on 25 June 1954 was received. There is also reason to believe that, in reality, further delay in publication was due to the difficulty in reaching a mutually satisfactory agreement over the graphic design.

In an exchange of letters in May 1954 Urbani had already proposed that the publisher should use “the much praised illustrations by Vladimir Kirin” (AG, FB. U.U. doc. 10.5.54), which had already spurred the imagination of young readers in several European countries. These illustrations had already left their distinctive mark on all the authoritative international editions, from the English version (1924) translated by F.S. Copeland, the Swedish (1928) and the Danish (1929), to the Russian (1930) and finally the Slovakian (1931) and German (1933) editions (cf. Javor 2002).

The Florentine publisher turned to the writer’s son to ask for the original plates, but based on the reply that reached Marzocco late in the summer of 1954 it can be inferred that Ivan Brlić may only have been able to provide the black-and-white original illustrations, admitting that he did not own the original colour illustrations (AG, FB. U.U. doc. 29.9.54). The impossibility of reproducing artist Vladimir Kirin’s illustrations in their entirety seems to have persuaded the publisher that the volume had to be totally redesigned. The archive material is of no help in determining when the design of the colour plates was awarded to David Baffetti and the black-and-white ones to Carlo Galleni. Both had been working with Marzocco for several years, and Galleni had also worked with Salani and Vallechi, as well as with Mondadori on the realisation of its Enciclopedia dei ragazzi [Young People’s Encyclopaedia] (1948).


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In the correspondence with Urbani, the long silence regarding the graphic design project suggests that a decision had not yet been taken. Work on the text layout progressed and in October 1955 Urbani stated that he had sent the draft copies to the printers and had written a “short bio of the writer” so that Italian readers could fully appreciate the literary quality of “the Croatian Andersen” (AG, FB. U.U. doc. 27.10.55 and Urbani, 1957, p. 7). However, nothing was said about the illustrations, and the translator evidently knew nothing about them because he expressly asked for information on the matter. The correspondence offers no further clarification. One possible explanation of this silence and the two-year gap before the work was printed and released in December 1957 for the Christmas gifts market follows, if one takes into account the vicissitudes of the publishing house. In 1955 Marzocco went through a crisis that led to internal restructuring at board level. Significantly, the crisis ended in 1957 when Renato Giunti acquired ownership of Marzocco and immediately set about expanding the business (Cecconi 2008). Evidently the collection was never a success since it was never enlarged, whereas the focus shifted in the following years to the “Capolavori stranieri per la gioventù” collection, which also included Croatian writers such as Vladimir Nazor L’angelo del campanile [The Angel of the Bell Tower] (1951), though the novel and short-story genres not specifically related to fairy tales also received special attention.9

The endless problems involved in getting Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić published by Marzocco were interwoven with a parallel publishing initiative undertaken by Saie in Turin. Lack of archive material precludes any detailed reconstruction of the story. However, it is certain that the correspondence relating to Brlić relinquishing his copyrights to Marzocco definitely sets the beginning of the Saie project later than 1955. Most probably, the long silence over publication by Marzocco left an open playing field which other publishers could exploit at will. Translation of the tales was assigned to Franjo Trogrančić, a leading exponent of Slavic studies in Italy who taught Serbo-Croat Language and Literature at Università La Sapienza in Rome. He had already written Storia della letteratura croata [History of Croatian Literature] (1953) and in 1965 his book Poeti croati moderni [Modern Croatian Poets] was well received by critics.

With the exception of “Il pescatore Palunko” [Palunko the Fisherman] (Trogrančić 1956), Trogrančić decided to translate the entire corpus of fairy tales, meaning that his main concern was the literary character of the text rather than its accessibility by the public. In short, his primary objective was to raise awareness of the tales, and only secondarily to assess the tastes and preferences of Italian readers. 9 Catalogo casa editrice Bemporad – Marzocco (1960).

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The beauty of the tales, and the spontaneity and honesty inherent in their “spark of joyful poetry” (Trogrančić 1957: 183) are the distinctive traits that Trogrančić regarded as undisputed merits of Brlić-Mažuranić’s works, which had justly earned her the praise of Italian young readers.

Published as Racconti e leggende della Croazia [Croatian Legends and Tales], the collection became part of the “Racconti e leggende di tutti i paesi” series of around 20 titles which appeared over a period of about 20 years from 1954 to the mid-1960s. The year of publication is not mentioned in the text but is given as 1956 in the Bollettino delle pubblicazioni italiane ricevute per diritto di stampa [Bulletin of Italian Editions Submitted for Copyright] in 1957.

Trogrančić’s translation was subsequently included – though no later than 1957 – in the Enciclopedia della leggenda, whose third volume covered Racconti e leggende della Boemia, Russia, Polonia e Croazia [Legends and Tales from Bohemia, Russia, Poland and Croatia]. Clearly, the Encyclopaedia’s aim was to harmonise the publication of each volume of tales so as to preserve their unity. Not a single aspect of Brlić-Mažuranić’s tales was altered in their transfer to the Enciclopedia. Alongside the translator appeared the illustrator Giannina Lavarello, a scrupulous interpreter of Russian culture whose chiaroscuro greens and the grotesquerie of her graphic design gave the tales a dreamlike atmosphere. By contrast, the small number of four-colour plates conveyed a message of hope and joy.

In short, the complex publishing history of Ivana Mažuranić’s tales in Italy was paradoxical. The first translation for the Marzocco collection does not match the first publication of the original text, while Saie had already published it several months earlier. Thus, in 1957 two different editions of Tales of Long Ago were available to Italian readers. The lasting success of these translations rewarded Saie’s investment in Brlić-Mažuranić’s literary style and the fidelity to the book’s original structure. Indeed, until 1975 Brlić-Mažuranić’s tales remained in the catalogues of Paoline, Saie’s publishing trademark, and continued to feed the imagination of young readers.

Archive sourcesArchivio storico Giunti Editore. Fondo Bemporad. AG. FB, Urbani UmbertoAG. FB, Salvini Luigi

Archivio storico Giunti Editore. Raccolta iconografica. Cartella 443


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Sabrina FavaKatoličko sveučilište Svetoga Srca, Milano, ItalijaKatholische Universität des Hl. Herzens, Mailand, Italien

Bajke u Italiji u 20. stoljeću i prevođenje Priča iz davnine Zašto je knjiga Priče iz davnine, koju je Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić objavila 1916. godine, na talijanski jezik prevedena tek 1957. godine? U radu se ta činjenica objašnjava razvojem bajke u Italiji u 20. stoljeću, na razmeđi tradicije usmene pripovijesti i fantastične dječje književnosti. Na početku 20. stoljeća bajci su svojstvene dvije razvojne linije: prva se odnosi na pridavanje pozornosti bajkama koje su u Italiju stigle sa sjevera Europe (primjerice, Andersenove bajke u važnome prijevodu M. Pezzè Pascolato, 1904.), a druga na priklanjanje tradicionalnim i lokalnim pripovijestima (primjerice, onima iz zbirke Il Pentamerone G. Basilea, pisanima dijalektnim izričajem, koje je 1925. godine na talijanski preveo B. Croce). Za vrijeme fašizma fantastična se književnost smatrala „nesputanim područjem“ koje je pripremalo temelje za razvoj u poslijeratnome razdoblju. U drugoj polovici 20. stoljeća cilj kulturnih i nakladničkih trendova u Italiji bio je istovremeno jačati nacionalni i graditi europski identitet. U tome kontekstu Calvino je 1956. objavio Le fiabe italiane [Talijanske bajke], a djelo Povijesni korijeni bajke Vladimira Proppa (1946) talijanskoj publici postalo je poznato gotovo trenutačno, već 1949. godine. Osnivanje svjetske organizacije International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), Međunarodnoga odbora za dječju knjigu, 1953. godine, dalo je važan kulturni poticaj za upoznavanje dječje književnosti središnje i istočne Europe. Priče iz davnine stoga su prevedene na talijanski jezik te potom uvrštene u djelo Enciclopedia della leggenda [Enciklopedija legendi] nakladnika Giuntija i Marzocca, objavljeno 1957. godine. Na taj su se način proširili vidici talijanske dječje čitateljske publike. Složena povijest talijanskoga prijevoda Priča iz davnine objašnjava se uz pomoć dokumenata pohranjenih u Povijesnome arhivu „Giunti“.Ključne riječi: povijest objavljivanja, bajka, Italija, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, 20. stoljeće

Märchen in Italien im 20. Jahrhundert und die Übersetzung von Ivana Brlić-Mažuranićs Priče iz davnineWarum erfolgte die italienische Übersetzung der 1916 veröffentlichten Märchensammlung von Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić Priče iz davnine erst im Jahre 1957? Diese zeitliche Verzögerung wird in der Arbeit anhand der Entwicklung von Märchen in Italien im 20. Jahrhundert erklärt, die an der Schnittstelle zwischen dem mündlichen Erzählen und der phantastischen Kinder- und Jugendliteratur anzusiedeln sind. Zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts sind zwei Entwicklungslinien zu erkennen: In der einen richtet man die Aufmerksamkeit auf die nach Italien aus Nordeuropa herkommenden Märchen wie beispielsweise jene von Andersen, die Pezzé Pascolate 1904 übersetzte, in der anderen auf die traditionellen und lokalen Erzählungen wie jene aus G. Basiles Sammlung Il Pentamerone, die im Dialekt verfasst sind und die B. Croce 1925 ins Italienische übersetzte. Zur Zeit des Faschismus stellte die phantastische Literatur einen „uneingeschränkten Bereich“ dar, innerhalb dessen die Grundlagen für die Nachkriegsentwicklung vorbereitet wurden. In der zweiten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts verfolgte man in der italienischen Kultur und im italienischen Druck das Ziel, zugleich die nationale Identität zu stärken und die europäische Identität auszubauen. In einem solchen Kontext veröffentlicht Calvino Le fiabe italiane (Italienische Märchen, 1956), wobei sofort das italienische Publikum auch mit Vladimir Propps Werk Historische Wurzeln des Märchens vertraut gemacht wird. Die Gründung des IBBY (Internationales

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Kuratorium für das Jugendbuch, 1953) bildet einen wichtigen kulturellen Anstoß zum besseren Kennenlernen der Kinder- und Jugendliteratur aus Mittel- und Osteuropa. Deshalb wurden auch Priče iz davnine ins Italienische übersetzt und danach in die seitens Guinti-Marzocco redaktionell betreuten Enciclopedia della leggenda (Legendenenzyklopädie, 1957) aufgenommen, wodurch der Horizont des jungen italienischen Lesepublikums erweitert wurde. Die sehr komplexe Entstehungsgeschichte der italienischen Übersetzung von Priče iz davnine wird im Beitrag anhand der im historischen Archiv Guinti aufbewahrten Unterlagen erklärt. Schlüsselwörter: Veröffentlichungsgeschichte, Märchen, Italien, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, 20. Jahrhundert

Appendix The letters reprinted below are preserved in the archive of Casa Editrice Giunti

in Florence (abbreviated as AG) and belong to Fondo Bemporad (abbreviated as FB). The letters are unnumbered and they belong to the folder on the translator Urbani Umberto and to the folder on the translator Luigi Salvini. These documents include the correspondence between Umberto Urbani and Renato Giunti, and between Luigi Salvini and Renato Giunti, regarding the preparation and publishing of Leggende croate. These original letters were written in Italian. There is also a letter by Ivo Brlić that was written in French. All letters have been translated into English by the author of this paper.

AG FB, Urbani UmbertoTrieste 25.11.53 Pendice Scoglietto, 18

Spett.le Casa Editrice Marzocco Firenze

Con nota Pr/essi del 23 marzo a.c. mi avete comunicato di aver ricevuto il dattiloscritto di Favole antiche di Ivana Brlić Mazuranic e di confidare potermi comunicare presto le vostre decisioni in proposito. Io risposi che non c’era fretta di decidere; ora però desidero saper qualche cosa anche per informare M Ivan Brlić, figlio dell’Autrice.

Nel contempo Vi prego di comunicarmi qualche dato sulla poetessa Edvige Pesce

AG FB, Urbani UmbertoTrieste 25 November 1953 Pendice Scoglietto, 18

Casa Editrice Marzocco Florence

You wrote on 23 March last to tell me that you had received the typescript of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s Favole antiche and that you were confident you would soon be able to inform me of your reactions to and decisions on the matter. I replied that there was no need to hurry but now I wish to be updated because, among other things, I need to keep Ivan Brlić, the writer’s son, informed.

Could you also tell me something about the poetess Edvige Pesce Gorini, whose

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387Libri & Liberi • 2016 • 5 (2): 373–394

Gorini di cui avete pubblicato le liriche Respingo il sole, prestatemi da un amico con preghiera che ne scrivessi nel “Corriere di Trieste”.

In attesa di un sollecito riscontro Vi saluto cordialmente.

Prof. Umberto Urbani

24 aprile 1954Al Chiar. mo Prof.UMBERTO URBANIPendice Scoglietto, 18TRIESTE

Dopo cento solleciti il nostro consulente ci ha finalmente restituito le Favole Antiche della Mazuranic da lei tradotte; e vedremo di curarne la stampa il più sollecitamente possibile.

Il volume entrerà dunque a far parte della nostra Collezione di “Capolavori stranieri” o della nuova collezione “Storie, favole e leggende di tutti i popoli”.

E siamo disposti a compensare il suo lavoro di traduzione con pagamento a forfait di ₤ 50.000 (cinquantamila).

Ci faccia conoscere con tutta franchezza il suo pensiero a questo riguardo e gradisca intanto i nostri migliori saluti.

Trieste, 10 maggio 1954Pendice Scoglietto, 18

Spet. Casa Editrice MarzoccoFirenze

Appena ricevuta la Vostra pregiata del 24 u.s., con la quale mi comunicavate che al più sollecitamente possibile vedrete di curare la stampa di FAVOLE ANTICHE di Ivana Mažuranić Brlić, scrissi all’avvocato dott. Ivo [Ivan] Brlić, figlio dell’Autrice,

collection of lyrical poems, Respingo il sole, you have published; a friend has lent me the book hoping I might write about these poems in the Corriere di Trieste.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.Best regards, Prof. Umberto Urbani

24 April 1954To Prof.UMBERTO URBANIPendice Scoglietto, 18TRIESTE

After a hundred reminders, our consultant has finally returned your translation of Mažuranić’s Favole Antiche; we will try to publish it as soon as possible.

The printed volume will be included in our “Capolavori stranieri” collection, or our new Storie, favole e leggende di tutti i popoli collection.

And we are prepared to pay a lump sum of 50,000 (fifty-thousand) liras for your translation.

Please let us know frankly what you think about this proposal.

In the meanwhile, best regards.

Trieste, 10 May 1954Pendice Scoglietto, 18

Casa Editrice MarzoccoFlorence

I have just received your letter dated 24 April last which you say that you will publish the print edition of Ivana Mažuranić Brlić’s FAVOLE ANTICHE as soon as possible. I have written to the writer’s son, Ivo [Ivan] Brlić, a lawyer, who lives in

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residente a Jesenice na Dolenjskem (Slovenia), invitandolo a rinunciare ai diritti d’autore, ma non ebbi ancora risposta.

Giacché volete conoscere il mio pensiero riguardo al compenso, Vi dirò francamente che quanto offertomi per il lavoro di traduzione, con pagamento a forfait, è troppo poco. Colleghi, con i quali ne parlai, richiederebbero il doppio: io mi accontenterei di 80.000 (ottantamila) lire e di una diecina di copie. Secondo me, sarebbe meglio inserire il lavoro della Brlić nella collezione “Storie, favole e leggende di tutti i popoli”, mentre per l’altra collezione potrei offrirvi la ristampa del bellissimo romanzo sloveno FUOCHI DI SAN GIOVANNI di Francé Bevk, uscito nel 1937 presso le Lingue Estere di Milano e da anni esau/rito. È pure esaurito il romanzo sloveno STREGHE E DEMONI di Ivan Tavčar, da me pubblicato a Trieste, circa vent’anni or sono. Né per l’uno né per l’altro c’è da pensare a diritti d’autore.

Come l’edizione inglese, tedesca, russa ecc., anche l’edizione italiana di FAVOLE ANTICHE dovrebbe fregiarsi delle lodatissime illustrazioni di Vladimir Kirin. Riterrei pure necessario premettere un mio saggio sulla famiglia Mažuranić che hanno dato tanti nomi illustri alla cultura croata.

Vogliate gradire i miei distinti saluti.(prof. Umberto Urbani)

Con Reg.[Non comprensibile]R. [Renato Giunti]

Trieste, 18 maggio 1954Pendice Scoglietto, 18

Spett. Casa Editrice MarzoccoFirenze

Jesenice na Dolenjskem (Slovenia), inviting him to relinquish his copyrights, but so far I have received no reply.

Since you wish to know my thoughts about payment, to be frank I must say that the lump sum you are offering for my translation is not enough. Some of my colleagues I have turned to for advice would expect to receive twice that amount. I would be willing to accept 80,000 (eighty-thousand) liras and a dozen or so copies of the book. In my opinion it would be better to include Brlić’s title in the “Storie, favole e leggende di tutti i popoli” collection, whereas for the other collection I could offer you a reprint of Francé Bevk’s fine Slovene novel FUOCHI DI SAN GIOVANNI, which was published in 1937 by Lingue Estere in Milan and has been out of print for years. There are also no copies left of Ivan Tavčar’s Slovene novel STREGHE E DEMONI, which I published in Trieste about twenty years ago. The copyrights for these two books are not an issue.

Like the English, German, Russian, etc. editions, the Italian edition of FAVOLE ANTICHE should also be accompanied by the much praised illustrations by Vladimir Kirin. I would also suggest that the book should include my essay on the Mažuranić family, many members of which have contributed significantly to Croatian culture.

Best regards,(Prof. Umberto Urbani)

[Unintelligible]R. [Renato Giunti]

Trieste, 18 May 1954Pendice Scoglietto, 18


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389Libri & Liberi • 2016 • 5 (2): 373–394

A seguito della mia del 10 corrente, posso comunicarVi ora quanto mi scrisse l’altro giorno il Dott. Ivo [Ivan] Brlić in risposta alla mia del 27 u.s. Ecco la parte che Vi potrà interessare:

“Per la stampa della versione italiana di FAVOLE ANTICHE della nostra defunta madre Ivana Brlić = Mažuranić, noi suoi eredi non richiediamo diritti d’autore.

Questa mia dichiarazione è legalmente obbligatoria per me e per le mie sorelle delle quali sono io il procuratore. Saremo lieti se quest’opera di nostra Madre uscirà, in bella veste editoriale, nella Sua bellissima versione, nell’armoniosa ed espressiva lingua italiana, e perciò dobbiamo affidare la cura dell’edizione alla Sua esperienza e all’amore con cui Ella si è accinto al lavoro che renderà accessibile al pubblico italiano le FAVOLE di nostra Madre. Ella saprà benissimo ciò che si potrà fare in date circostanze perché l’edizione riesca in bella veste dignitosa”.

Omissis“Mi sembra veramente irrisoria l’offerta

di ₤ 50.000 che Le fa l’editore per un lavoro letterario così voluminoso, difficile e di responsabilità. L’offerta non presenta nemmeno il decimo del vero valore dell’opera. Il miglior lavoro intellettuale, purtroppo, è stato sempre meschinamente ricompensato”

(F. to Dott. Ivo [Ivan] Brlić)

Da parte mia confermo quanto Vi ho scritto in data 10 corrente: Accetterò il modesto compenso di ₤ 80.000 purchè vengano accettate anche le altre mie condizioni affinché l’edizione di FAVOLE ANTICHE sia degna della più grande Scrittrice croata e non sfiguri di fronte alle fortunate versioni, uscite in altre lingue.

Nell’attesa di un Vostro riscontro, Vi saluto distintamente.

(prof. Umberto Urbani)

Following my letter on 10 May, I can now inform you of Mr. Ivo [Ivan] Brlić’s reply to my letter of 27 April. This is the part that may interest you:

“Regarding the published Italian version of FAVOLE ANTICHE by our late mother Ivana Brlić Mažuranić, as her heirs we are not requesting any copyrights.

The statement is legally binding on me and my sisters, for whom I act as legal counsel. We would be pleased if our mother’s book were published in your fine Italian translation, a harmonious and expressive language. Therefore we must entrust publication of the collection to your experience and the love with which you began the work that will make our mother’s TALES accessible to the Italian public. You are undoubtedly able to decide what can be done in the circumstances to ensure that the publication will be a worthy one.”

Omissis“I really do believe that the publisher’s

offer of 50,000 liras is way too low, especially for such a lengthy, difficult and demanding literary work. The offer does not even represent one tenth of the real value of the work. Unfortunately, the best intellectual work has always been miserably rewarded.”

(Signed Dr. Ivo [Ivan] Brlić)

For my part I confirm what I said in my letter of 10 May: I will accept the modest amount of 80,000 liras provided that the other conditions I have stipulated are accepted, to ensure that the publication of FAVOLE ANTICHE is worthy of the most important Croatian writer and matches the standard of the other versions in other languages.

I await your reply.Best regards.

(Prof. Umberto Urbani)

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Ill. mo Prof. Umberto UrbaniPendice Scoglietto, 18Trieste

28.5.54Scusi se rispondiamo con ritardo alla sua

del 18 corr. [corrente]Per la sua traduzione delle “Favole

Antiche” della Mauranic, ci permettiamo insistere sull’offerta di ₤ 50.000. = (cinquantamila) avuto riguardo al fatto che noi desideriamo pubblicare quattro sole favole e precisamente:

Potjeh cerca la VeritàIl pescatore PalunkoJagorIl bosco di Stribor

Queste quattro (le più adatte al ns. [nostro] pubblico) sono sufficienti a formare un volume di 120–140 pagine circa.

Il volume porterà, come è anche suo desiderio, una introduzione che illustri l’opera dell’autrice.

Ci scriva due righe definitive a questo riguardo e gradisca intanto i nostri migliori saluti.

PR/vgIll. mo Prof. UMBERTO URBANI

7 giugno 1954Pendice Scoglietto, 18Trieste

Scusi se rispondiamo con ritardo alla Sua del 18/5 u.s.

Per la Sua traduzione delle “Favole antiche” della Mažurani[c] siamo disposti a ritornare sulle nostre decisioni e portare a 60.000 (sessantamila) il compenso.

Il nostro Consiglio di Amministrazione ci pone questo limite per il fatto che è nostra intenzione pubblicare per ora quattro sole favole, e cioè le meglio adatte al nostro pubblico. Per le altre vedremo in seguito ciò che potremo fare.

To Prof. Umberto UrbaniPendice Scoglietto, 18Trieste

28 May 1954 Please excuse us for our late reply to

your letter of 18 May [1954].For your translation of Mažuranić’s

"Favole Antiche” we must insist with our offer of 50,000 (fifty-thousand) liras in consideration of the fact that we wish to publish only four stories, which are:

Potjeh Looks for the TruthPalunko the FishermanJagorStribor’s Wood

These four (the most suitable for our readers) are enough to constitute a volume of about 120–140 pages.

It will include, as you have asked, an introduction on the author’s work.

Please send us a definitive statement on this issue, and accept our kind regards.

PR/vgIll. mo Prof. UMBERTO URBANI

7 June 1954Pendice Scoglietto, 18Trieste

Please excuse our delay in replying to your letter of 18 May [1954].

For your translation of Mažuranić’s “Favole antiche” we are willing to reconsider our earlier decisions and raise the payment to 60,000 (sixty-thousand) liras.

Our Board of Directors set this limit because it is our intention to publish only four stories for the moment, those which are most suitable to our readership. For the others we will see what can be done later on.

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391Libri & Liberi • 2016 • 5 (2): 373–394

Le quattro che vorremmo intanto pubblicare sono:

– Potieh cerca la verità; – Il pescatore Palunko; – Jagor; – Il bosco di Stribor.

Il volume porterà, come è anche Suo desiderio, una introduzione che illustri l’opera dell’Autrice e dia una breve biografia della medesima.

Ci scriva due righe definitive a quanto sopra e gradisca intanto i nostri migliori saluti.

Trieste, 9 giugno 1954Pendice Scoglietto, 18

In risposta alla notaPR/vg del 7 giugno 1954

Spett. Casa Editrice MarzoccoFIRENZE

Con riferimento alla nota del 7 c.m., accetto il compenso di ₤ 60.000 (sessantamila) per la traduzione di “Favole Antiche” di Ivana Brlić Mazuranić.

Sono pure d’accordo con Voi sulla scelta delle quattro favole che intendete pubblicare per ora.

Accludo l’articolo, che Voi già conoscete, che potrebbe forse servire da prefazione, a meno che non preferiate pubblicare un saggio più lungo.

Vogliate gradire i miei distinti saluti.(prof. Umberto Urbani)

Spett. Casa Editrice Marzocco,rimando ricevuta10, debitamente firmata,

a saldo del mio avere per traduzione di “Favole antiche”. Gradirò sapere notizie riguardo alla prefazione e quando usciranno.

Distinti salutiUmberto UrbaniDr. Ivan Brlić

The four stories we wish to publish now are:

– Potieh Looks for the Truth; – Palunko the Fisherman; – Jagor; – Stribor’s Wood.

The volume will include, as you suggested, an introduction to the author’s work and a short biography.

Please send us your definitive statement on this issue, and accept our kind regards.

Trieste, 9 June 1954Pendice Scoglietto, 18

Reply to letterPR/vg, 7 June 1954

Casa Editrice MarzoccoFLORENCE

With reference to your letter of 7 June, I accept the sum of 60,000 (sixty-thousand) liras for the translation of Ivana Brlić Mazuranić’s “Favole Antiche”.

I also agree with you on your choice of the four stories that you wish to publish first.

I attach the article you already know, which may serve as preface unless you prefer to publish a longer essay.

Please accept my kind regards.(Prof. Umberto Urbani)

Casa Editrice Marzocco,I am returning you, duly signed,

the receipt11 which settles our financial agreement for the translation of “Favole antiche”. I look forward to hearing about the preface and when the volume will be published.

Best regardsUmberto UrbaniDr. Ivan Brlić

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10 The receipt is dated 25 June 1954.11 The receipt was sent on 25 June 1954.

392

(Mazuranic – traduz. Di Urbani)Jesenice na DolenjskemSlovenja – Jugoslavija

le 29 sept. 1954Casa Editrice MarzoccoSoc. ital. p. az.

Firenze

Signore,Voglia gradire le mie scuse per non aver

potuto rispondere alla vostra amabile lettera del 10 settembre in italiano, che rimpiango infinitamente di non poter scrivere. Sono stato assente dal 10 al 26 di questo mese, e ho trovato la vostra lettera rientrando al mio domicilio.

Temo che la mia risposta ritardi e anche il fatto, che i clichés non sono miei ma di mia sorella, la quale non sarà a casa se non verso la metà di ottobre, non causino troppo ritardo per la vostra edizione, che io attendo con impazienza e con il più grande piacere.

In tale edizione originale vi sono illustrazioni a colori e altre in bianco e nero. L’avverto che possiedo solo i clichés delle vignette e delle illustrazioni in bianco e nero. Pertanto la vostra edizione sarà ancora più accurata e interessante, se voi aggiungete tali illustrazioni. Ora, potete domandare al Signor Urbani la copia del volume originale e comunicarmi al più presto la vostra decisione, in modo che vi potrei inviare, verso la metà del mese di ottobre, i clichés delle illustrazioni in bianco e nero.

In attesa di una vostra cortese risposta, voglia, Signore, gradire i miei più distinti saluti

Ivan Brlić

Spett. Casa Editrice Marzocco Firenze

Prof. Umberto UrbaniPendice Scoglietto, 18Trieste

Trieste 19.9.1955

(Mažuranić – transl. Urbani)Jesenice na DolenjskemSlovenja – Jugoslavija

29 Sept. 1954Casa Editrice MarzoccoPLC

Florence

Sir,Please accept my apologies for not

having been able to reply in Italian, a language I profoundly regret I am unable to write, to your kind letter of 10 September. I have been away from 10th to 26th of this month and I found your letter on returning home.

I am afraid that my reply comes late, and also that I do not own the clichés, as they belong to my sister who won’t be at home before mid-October. I hope this won’t delay the publication of your edition, which I await with the utmost pleasure and I can barely wait to see.

This original edition has both colour and black-and-white illustrations. Please bear in mind that I own the clichés of the black-and-white stereotypes alone. Your edition will be all the more authoritative and interesting if you include these illustrations. Could you now ask Mr. Urbani for a copy of the original volume and inform me of your decision as soon as possible so that I may send you, around mid-October, the stereotypes of the black and white illustrations.

I look forward to receiving your reply.Warm regardsIvan Brlić

To Casa Editrice MarzoccoFlorence

Prof. Umberto UrbaniPendice Scoglietto, 18Trieste

Trieste 19 September 1955

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Leggo nei giornali jugoslavi che a Lubiana sono uscite, tradotte in sloveno, Favole antiche della scrittrice croata Ivana Brlić Mažuranić. Gradirei sapere quando uscirà la versione italiana?

Distinti saluti.Prof. Umberto Urbani(IncrociarLo con la ris. di ieri)

Trieste 27/ X/ 55 Pendice Scoglietto, 18

Spett. Casa Editrice MarzoccoFirenze

Ieri Vi ho spedito le bozze di “Favole antiche” di Ivana Brlić Mažuranić, oggi accludo un breve profilo dell’autrice. Nelle bozze ho apposto i segni diacritici dell’ortografia croata (ć, č, š, ž), pur non sapendo se la Vostra tipografia possieda tali caratteri. Così pure non so se avete ricevuto a suo tempo i clichés dal figlio dell’autrice, Dott. Ivan Brlić di Jesenice na Dolenjskem (Slovenija).

In attesa d’un gentile riscontro, Vi saluto distintamente,


AGFB, Salvini Luigi

Casa Editrice Marzocco,Firenze

Ricevo la Vs. gradita del 22.7.’53 e sarò ben lieto di rivedere, in confronto con l’originale, le favole della Mažuranić tradotte dall’Urbani. Presentemente, però, sono lontano dai libri e dalle sudate carte; mi occupo di pesca e di caccia fino alla fine di agosto. Giungerà in ritardo la mia revisione, se la comincerò a settembre?

I have read in Yugoslavian newspapers that a Slovene translation of “Favole Antiche” by the Croatian writer Ivana Brlić Mažuranić has been published in Ljubljana. I would be grateful if you could tell me when the Italian version is due.

Kind regards.Prof. Umberto Urbani(Compare with yesterday’s reply)

Trieste, 27 October 1955Pendice Scoglietto, 18


Yesterday I sent you the proof copies of Ivana Brlić Mažuranić’s “Favole antiche”. Today I enclose a brief profile of the writer. In the proof copies I have added Croatian diacritical marks (ć, č, š, ž), though I don’t know if your printing works has them in its stock. Also, I do not know if you received in due course the stereotypes from the writer’s son, Dr. Ivan Brlić from Jesenice na Dolenjskem (Slovenia).

I await your reply and send you my warm regards,


AGFB, Salvini Luigi

Casa Editrice Marzocco,Florence

I have received your letter of 22 July 1953 and I will be more than willing to revise Mažuranić’s tales translated by Urbani, comparing them with the original text. At the moment, however, I am far from my books and everyday chores; I’ll be hunting and fishing until the end of August. Will my revision come too late if I start

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394

Vi prego di darmi qualche indicazione in proposito. Frattanto, ricambio cordialmente i saluti migliori

Affez. [ionatissimo]Luigi Salvini 26.7.’53

[risposta 11.9. 53]

Roma 30 novembre 1953Spett.le Sede,

Il Prof. Salvini è in clinica per una operazione; mi ha pregato di dirvi di pazientare altri 8 o 10 giorni in modo che possa tornare a casa per spedirvi il manoscritto.

Cordiali saluti.Marrucci

in September? Please let me know. In the meanwhile, I send you my best regards

Yours [most] trulyLuigi Salvini 26.7.’53

[reply dated 11/9/53]

Rome 30 November 1953Dear Sirs,

Prof. Salvini is in the hospital for an operation; he asked me to tell you to be patient for 8 to 10 days more so that he can return home and send you the manuscript.

Best wishes. Marrucci

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

⁎ ⁎ ⁎


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UDK 821.163.42-93-34’255=162.4

Radoslav RusňákUniversity of Prešov, Faculty of Education, Prešov, [email protected]

Slovak Editions of Tales of Long Ago in the Context of New Reading*

Pregledni rad / review paperPrimljeno / received 14. 12. 2016. Prihvaćeno / accepted 10. 3. 2017.DOI: 10.21066/carcl.libri.2016-05(02).0005

The paper focuses on the concept of world literature for children and young adults, defining its constant, unchanging part and its variable part, which is still in the process of verification. Tales of Long Ago by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić is identified as a constituent of world literature for children and young adults. The translation of the collection entered Slovak children’s literature thanks to its valuable, as well as pragmatic aspects. The paper evaluates Tales of Long Ago from a genealogical aspect, as a fusion of three genres of children’s literature. Two different Slovak editions are addressed: one from 1976, Rozprávky z pradávna [Tales of Long Ago] and the other from 1991, Ctiborova hora a iné rozprávky [Ctibor’s Forest and Other Tales], both translations signed by Zlatko Klátik. We are particularly interested in the concept of new reading, which significantly differs for each edition. New reading is defined as a progressive process of the revival of older literary works and reception of foreign literary texts by contemporary children, which brings a new type of pleasure to old tales.Keywords: Tales of Long Ago, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, translation into Slovak, literary translation, new reading, world literature for children and young adults

Based on an artistic understanding of literary works with a dominant aesthetic function, we could wrongly suppose that world literature for children and young adults (YAs), in its four-hundred-year development, had to build on better, more

* The paper is a partial outcome of the grant project VEGA 1/0233/15, Svetová literatúra pre deti a mládež v slovenskom preklade po roku 1990. [World Literature for Children and Young Adults in Slovak Translation after 1990].

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original and higher quality works. We could think that, in order to become “world-known”, a given work must necessarily be at least one level better in terms of the horizontal-vertical structure than a different work belonging to the same genre. However, this is not true. Without the criteria that world literature generally creates, it is not possible to understand and evaluate the significance of literature; literature is not developing as an art in this sense – therefore, not even in the corpus of world literature for children and young adults is one work considered to be better than another (Ďurišin 1992: 13; Rakús 1993: 16). Only something which is of the highest value in itself can be considered art. Seen from this perspective, literature is a set of high values.

According to Zlatko Klátik (1973: 650–655), the basic invariant model represents a more general and wider term of world literature, while world literature for children and YAs is built as its variant, defined by its so-called children’s aspect (i.e. acceptance of a child’s way of perceiving and evaluating reality at a certain level of psychological development). The variability of world literature for children and YAs is, on the one hand, rooted in different ways of its selection and creation; on the other hand, it is defined by the otherness of its determinants, because literature for children and YAs is created and selected by adults, while the child reader ultimately decides whether or not s/he will accept this offering.

Widely defined, world literature for children and YAs consists of two parts: a constant (unchanging) one and a variable (non-closed) one. Namely, literary artefact does not automatically acquire artistic value; rather, a given society and culture have to assign this value to the artefact. A literary work needs to be accepted as literary reality, which is able to reach specific addressees. Indeed, it does not need to be the society in which the literary work was created, but it might also be a temporally more distant society (or another generation). The constant part of world literature for children and YAs, according to Klátik (1978: 17), also includes classic works of children’s literature, and the gaps which are filled in subsequently; the variable part, on the other hand, mirrors the verification process of a given work, the value of which is ultimately defined through time.

As part of world literature for children and YAs, Priče iz davnine, i.e. Tales of Long Ago by the Croatian author Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, first published in 1916, entered Slovak children’s literature in the 20th century in several translations. This is very unusual for the Slovak context of translated literature. Therefore, we might state that, considered from the above-mentioned perspective on world literature for children and YAs, the work of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić represents its constant, time-verified part.

R. Rusňák: Slovak Editions of Tales of Long Ago in the Context of New Reading

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There is no doubt that the Croatian author has a stable place among writers of world children’s literature.1 Although attempts have been made to understand and explain the position of this Croatian author within Slovak children’s literature, it remains somewhat unclear. Admittedly, the primary criterion is the axiological aspect, as well as the aspect of a common cultural-historic (Slavic) tradition. The case of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić could easily be explained through the existence of the so-called non-textual space in a literary text, also known as interference zones (Rakús 1995). This is what might be known as supra-text, i.e. the existence of another (vertical) plane of text, which runs parallel to the linear story plane; the sub-text, i.e. reading between the lines, which does not have a holistic dimension, but always connects with some parts of the literary text; and the post-text, i.e. the space of catharsis, including the ideological message of the story, which is connected to the strong emotional reaction of a reader faced, for instance, with the death of the protagonist. Obviously, these zones always transcend the child in some way, but at the same time enable his/her emotional and spiritual growth in their continual “fulfilment”, which could be compared with Lev S. Vygotskij’s (1970) zone of proximal development. However, as a secondary criterion we cannot forget the real (pragmatic) aspect, including the contemporary political situation, the experimentation of the author, the cultural politics of the former Czechoslovakia, the subjective tastes of translators, the assertiveness of the author or the inheritors of her copyright, as well as a cluster of completely random circumstances (Klátik 1974).

Our interest in Brlić-Mažuranić’s most popular work was not stimulated only by “A Century of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s Tales of Long Ago”, the international conference held in Zagreb and dedicated to the author. We were also motivated by professional interest in world literature for children and YAs (Rusňák 2009) as well as our participation in the Slovak project2 focused on literary scholarship and literary history. So, how can we look at this best-known and most-translated work of Croatian children’s literature from the current point of view?

Seen from the current genealogical aspect, the stories in Tales of Long Ago are the result of an interesting fusion of three genres: myth, folktale (folk fairy tale) and literary fairy tale, or “authorial fairy tale” (cf. Rusňák 2012). As a myth, Tales of Long Ago presents a universal Slavic explanation of the world and its functioning,

1 For instance, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić is included in the 2007 Czech dictionary of world authors for children and young adults (Řeřichová et al.).

2 World Literature for Children and Young Adults in Slovak Translation after 1960 (2012–2014); World Literature for Children and Young Adults in Slovak Translation after 1990 (2015–2017).

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receptively stimulating concrete models of human behaviour in borderline life situations and simultaneously offering a fundamental way of human perception of the world. As a collection of artistic stories, these tales give the impression that they are a product of collective human creation (which is a typical feature of myths). Moreover, Brlić-Mažuranić’s protagonists are not moved by reason, but by emotion, will, desire, faith, and fear. By portraying such protagonists, the stories also present a basic mythical mission: since evil always arises, it is necessary to constantly fight it so the world can be preserved as a place for living. In this fight, man can become weaker and even die, but he can never succumb to evil. Using old-fashioned songs and surreal figurative expressions, the author combined knowledge of Croatian and Slavic mythology and created her own mythical world, in which everything happens in the right and proper way (see Řeřichová et al. 2007).

As a collection of fairy tales, Tales of Long Ago brings together stories organised on the ethical principle: the fight between good and evil. Similar to folktales, Brlić-Mažuranić also brings together fictional apocryphal stories, unclear and uncertain in terms of time and space. Their endings still have an ethical dimension, as justice always wins. Similar to folktale characters, Brlić-Mažuranić’s protagonists are models of ethical categories: they readily stand in clear contrast to one another and reveal more about themselves through their actions than their words. As in traditional folktales, here we can find the magic of numbers, particularly the number three. If we look at Brlić-Mažuranić’s stories as folktales in terms of their functions, we could state that they also have the ambition to bring meaning and rules into an irrational (and, for children, chaotic) world, offer meanings and solutions to different life problems, but also a hierarchical reality (cf. Černoušek 1990).

As a collection of authorial fairy tales, Tales of Long Ago represents a metamorphosis of the folktale. On the one hand, the author follows the folktale tradition, but on the other hand she challenges it. In the case of the artistic tale, it is very difficult to define the age suitability of the recipient: age suitability is closely related to the ability to express oneself through a tale addressing elementary ontological issues. From the aspect of the artistic tale, it is obvious that the author does not treat folklore and its simulation arbitrarily: Brlić-Mažuranić shows that even in clearly authorial adaptations, the folklore material is not allowed to crash and irreparably disturb the mythical rule of the world. As artistic creations, the stories in Tales of Long Ago deeply respect the rules of folklore: they do not lose the sense of myth (they preserve the mythical dimension of a forest, nature, fire, sea, etc.); similarly, the Tales of Long Ago does not lose the sense of the deeply rooted familiar dimensions of life (the relationship between man, woman and child, grandfather and grandchildren, siblings, etc.).


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Brlić-Mažuranić’s stories could also be labelled as imitations of folktales; in the Slovak context, this kind of artistic tale is characterised as “folklorised”. The folklorised artistic tale presents a bond between the folk and the artistic tale; it is like a variant of a folk model. Affirmatively, it remains within the folktale context, without stepping outside its frame in terms of motifs, composition or style. Tales by the Croatian author also incorporate folk motifs, which are transformed through the author’s creativity and autonomy. In addition to the folklorised type, they are also close to the symbolic artistic tale (which has a more complex internal structure and rich connotative space, as the vertical storyline hides human issues and develops great ideas within small textual space), as well as the imaginative tale (with a weakened sujet, because of the atmosphere and the sense of the proximity of the reality to magic; in its macrocomposition, the story is a great metaphor).

As we mentioned above, there have been several translations of Tales of Long Ago into Slovak. The collection first appeared in 1931, titled Povesti z pradávna, translated by Anna Dollinayová-Vračanová and with illustrations by Vladimir Kirin. It was published by Vydanie Matice slovenskej in Turčiansky sv. Martin. The translation of the recognised Slovak literary scholar, writer and translator with southern-Slavic roots, Zlatko Klátik, titled Rozprávky z pradávna, appeared with illustrations by Irena Tarasová in Bratislava in 1976, published by Mladé letá. Juraj Tušiak’s translation, titled Rozprávky z pradávna, illustrated by István Bálint, was published by Zavod za izdavanje udžbenika in Novi Sad, former Yugoslavia, twice, in 1979 and in 1984. The most recent Slovak edition is that published in 1991 by Mladé letá in Bratislava. It is titled Ctiborova hora a iné rozprávky, and it is another publication of tales in Klátik’s translation. However, his text was modified by the language editor Mária Števková, whose adaptations reveal somewhat different strategies.

For the purposes of this paper, which focuses on “new reading” of the literary work of Brlić-Mažuranić, we will consider the last two translations published in Bratislava, those from 1976 and 1991. We have two significant reasons for doing so.

The first comes from the availability of this work by the Croatian author in Slovak libraries. For the purposes of our paper, we contacted the Slovak National Library in Martin, as we needed to find out where in Slovakia Tales of Long Ago was available for Slovak readers. In Slovakia, Tales of Long Ago is available in 27 cities and 31 public libraries in total. However, only the last two publications of 1976 and 1991 are available. As mentioned above, in both cases Zlatko Klátik is named as the translator, but the texts differ due to the language editing of the latter edition. Copies of the translation into Slovak published in the first half of the 20th century are practically inaccessible to “ordinary” readers (in many cases, they

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Fig. 1. The front cover of the Slovak edition of Tales of Long Ago of 1976.Sl. 1. Prednja strana korica slovačkoga izdanja Priča iz davnine iz 1976.

are placed in the archives or removed from the catalogues and from the shelves, possibly due to the disinterest of readers).3

The second reason is our interest in the concept of new reading of this Croatian author’s works: for this purpose, the last two Slovak publications of the book (with the same translator, but a different concept) are the most suitable. In fact, both publications appeared in diametrically different societal, cultural, and also political circumstances, which significantly influenced the readers’ perception and the appeal of the work for Slovak children.

The 1976 edition of Tales of Long Ago (Fig. 1) has been found in the third biggest Slovak city, Prešov.3 Tušiak’s translation is not available to Slovak readers in Slovakia, as his translation probably never

reached Slovak libraries, and Dollinayová-Vračanová´s translation is only in the holdings of the Slovak National Library; it is removed from both shelves and catalogues of Slovak public libraries (probably sold cheaply in a book market of „unwanted“ books). It would be most unfortunate if this happens to be the destiny of Klátik´s translation from 1976, too.


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Fig. 2. A lending record card, front.Sl. 2. Prednja strana knjižnoga listića.

Fig. 3. A lending record card, back.Sl. 3. Stražnja strana knjižnoga listića.

However, the book was not available in the central children’s library, only in its branch office in one of Prešov’s suburbs (which was quite surprising for us). Some of the books were long in the possession of this library, and in the copy used in this research, the library lending record card has not been removed, which helped us explore the reading fate of the collection in the hands of Slovak children through time (Figs. 2, 3). The book had been borrowed quite regularly in the period 1977–1982, then a couple of times in the mid 1980s, and its only borrowing after that was in 1994.

The most important milestone in the history of the Slovak translation of Tales of Long Ago is 17 November 1989. In that year, the Velvet Revolution took place in the former Czechoslovakia, which completely changed the political and socio-cultural situation in the common state of Czechs and Slovaks (which in 1993 was definitively separated into two independent states, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic). Since November 1989, as Zuzana Stanislavová (2010)

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Fig. 4. The front cover of the Slovak edition of Tales of 1991.Sl. 4. Prednja strana korica slovačkoga izdanja Priča iz 1991.


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mentions, significant changes occurred on the Slovak book market, as well as in the field of publishing, in the span of several years. Some of the changes also relate to market mechanisms, which were established in the field of culture as well, and thus children’s books became a source of profit. This meant that Slovak publishing houses started to focus on publishing commercial and trivial titles, mainly foreign ones. In Slovakia, a value and reading crisis occurred very quickly, and this completely changed both publishing and reading habits. This fact is recorded in the library lending record card – especially with the last three dates between 1989 and 1994: one from 1990 and two from 1994, obviously extended borrowing by the same person.

More interesting is the fact that Brlić-Mažuranić’s book was published again in 1991 (i.e. two years after the political and social changes in Czechoslovakia), once again in Klátik’s, albeit edited, translation. This edition is a selection of stories from the original collection of Tales of Long Ago, published under the title Ctibor’s Forest and Other Tales and with illustrations by the Croatian artist Cvijeta Job (Fig. 4).

If we compare these two publications of the book, we come to some interesting findings that can best describe the concept of new reading. By “new reading” we do not mean the second reading of the same text, which, according to P. Nodelman and M. Reimer (2003: 45), changes the reader’s pleasure, because s/he knows what is going to happen. Rather, what we have in mind is the interpretative variation and modification of original literary works, which is supposed to contribute to their repeated attractiveness within world literature for children and YAs. If we return to the introductory explanation of what the meaning of world literature for children and YAs is, we have to state that Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s book undoubtedly belongs to the constant part of world children’s literature. Even so, the book has almost disappeared from the real reading of Slovak children. The concept of new reading of Rozprávky z pradávna (1976), as well as the selection of tales titled Ctibor’s Forest and Other Tales (1991), which has the potential to bring Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić back to the reading of Slovak children, is briefly summarised in Table 1, by means of a comparison of two editions.

As seen, the more recent 1991 publication is interesting from the perspective of new reading as it contains only a selection of tales from the original collection (four of the original eight tales; and reasons for selecting those four tales are not clear or even explained). One of those – “Ctibor’s Forest” – lent its title to the entire collection. However, we can see that the title was actualised and modified: “Stribor’s Forest” was modified to “Ctibor’s Forest”. Stribor is a name taken from Slavic mythology: its current and, for children, more understandable form in the Slovak language is Ctibor. This name communicates a meaning to Slovak readers: one who fights for honour.

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Table 1. A comparison of two Slovak editions of Tales of Long Ago.Tablica 1. Usporedba dvaju slovačkih izdanja Priča iz davnine.

Year of publication 1976 1991

Title (in English translation) Croatian Tales of Long Ago Ctibor’s Forest and Other Tales

Number of pages 178 pp. 94 pp.

Format A5 A4

Typography Smaller font size Larger font size

Illustrator Irena Tarasová (Slovak) Cvijeta Job (Croatian)

Illustrations vs. text A few illustrations over a number of pages

Numerous illustrations over a number of pages

Included tales Stribor’s ForestFisherman Plunk and his WifeHow Quest Sought the TruthToporko the Wanderer and the

Nine Princes ReygochLittle Brother Primrose and

Sister LavenderBridesman Sun and Bride

BridekinsJagor

Ctibor’s ForestFisherman Plunk and his WifeHow Quest Sought the TruthToporko the Wanderer and the

Nine Princes

Editorial tendency Mythological concept emphasised Tale-fantastic concept emphasised

Epilogue (about the author) Yes (pp. 171–174) Absent

Explanatory notes Yes (pp. 175–178) Absent

Intention Two implied readers One implied reader

In this part of the paper, we take a closer look at the literary aspects of the tale “Stribor’s Forest” published in 1976, with reference to its 1991 publication as “Ctibor’s Forest”.

From the point of view of composition, in the fairy tale “Ctibor’s Forest” the literary-artistic artefact is created by various principles, which influence its internal composition. Several principles can be found in one text in different forms. In “Ctibor’s Forest” we can identify the following compositional principles (see Všetička 2001): the contrast principle, the route principle, the hooding principle (the disguising of the character), and the motivic principle (the motif of a snake, fire, elf/brownie, and forest).


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The contrast principle within the text tectonic belongs to one of the oldest and most frequently implemented principles. Its basic characteristic, which defines it and on which it is built, is the principle of opposition, contrast. In the form of contrast, this principle not only allows the expression of human relationships and attitudes, but gives them a tone of urgency and clarity as well. The fairy tale contrasts the femininity element, represented by two female protagonists: the mother – the main protagonist around whom the story revolves (however, it is an unusual main character for a fairy tale laden with folklore) and the bride – in the role of pest, antagonist (typical of folktales) and the shrew. At the same time, the viper-bride is a disturbing character. Indeed, at the beginning of the story she suddenly steps into a foreign and already stable environment, and disturbs the calm family relationship between the mother and son, deflects him and disappears again at the end of the story. This character’s behaviour is such that all the protagonists have to take a stand – either positive (son), or negative (mother, brownies, Ctibor). Essentially, the character of the viper-bride is different from the others – she possesses certain magical powers.

The route principle is a typical compositional principle in folktales, implemented in the story of Ctibor’s forest as well. On the journey to Ctibor, the main character, the mother, travels to seek redemption for her son, enchanted by the viper-bride. During the journey to her destination, she is pursued by the adversary (bride); however, this tracking will not have any impact on the plot. After meeting Ctibor, the forest ruler, the mother rejects the offered solution to her problem, because it would require her to forget her son – to give up the role of mother. The main protagonist rejects Ctibor’s tempting offer to return to the period of her youth, because she considers motherhood to be the most precious thing in her life, despite her son being unworthy.

The hooding principle is based on a character wearing a disguise. Characters pretend to be someone they are not and beguile others against their will. In the analysed story, this principle is explicitly implemented through the role of the bride, who is essentially a dark soul, cursed into a serpentine form. The beauty of the girl is only her mask, needed in order for her to selfishly survive (only the one who would marry her could survive her). Implicitly, the hooding principle occurs in the shy and timid son, who is influenced by the viper-woman to such an extent that he develops hatred for his good mother (the nature of the snake is such that she can hypnotise her victim).

The motivic principle is always the most important principle in the construction of a literary work. As the name of the principle suggests, its basic element is a motif. In the story of “Ctibor’s Forest”, the following dominant motifs can be identified:

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the snake, fire, brownie, and forest (see Richter 2004). In our opinion, these motifs contribute the most to the artistic persuasiveness of Brlić-Mažuranić’s story/stories and thus lend her work an axiological timelessness. Motivic construction and its encryption of meaning also contribute to the reading experience (so important for literature), on which the very existence of literature as a literary artistic artefact is built.

In the world of folktales, the snake motif embodies danger, smoothness, cunning, a mysterious gripping quality (the ability to hypnotise the victim) as well as the fear of poison. Through its attachment to the ground, the snake motif is more engaged with underground evil forces and, from a Biblical perspective, it is seen as an ally of the devil, even as a self-reincarnation of the devil. The feminine nature and essence are usually attributed to the snake, which is a symbol of sexual lust and, because of its poison, death and destruction (interchangeable with the dragon in fairy tales). The viper-woman in Brlić-Mažuranić’s story is originally a sinful soul, and therefore founds her transitional physical shape in a snake. After her transformation into a woman, her only weaknesses are the snake’s forked tongue and snake instincts, which ultimately turn against her.

In folktales, the fire or fireplace motif is a symbol of life, its cycle, but also of purification and transformation. Moreover, fire in the house is a symbol of home and has a link to basic needs: warmth, food, and safety. From a mythological perspective, fire has a link to the cult of ancestors: the fireplace is where dead ancestors remain. As a flame, fire is a reflection of spirituality and spiritual power. In our story, fire signifies home and maternal care, but also appears as a source of spiritual and magical forces (the good): the brownies, and especially Pinkie Tintilíček who acts as the main helper and supporter of the old mother.

In Slavic folklore, elves/brownies are little domestic ghosts, fairy figures, who come to the fireplace and mostly do a lot of damage. In the Slovak context, these kinds of elves were commonly known as zmok or rarášok. As a brownie (an elf which belongs to Croatian folklore), Pinkie Tintilíček fulfils the important role of helper of the main protagonist.

The forest motif has a significant mythological dimension for Slavic nations. It is seen as a dark place associated with wandering, a place of getting lost or being abandoned, a place of disorientation, danger, threat, and tests. At the same time, it is an unknown and mysterious place. Simultaneously, the forest motif represents a place where the fate of a man is decided, where routes are lost, changed, or derived. As such, the forest in the analysed story is the residence of the forest ruler Ctibor. According to Slavic mythology, Stribor was the god of the winds, but the author has creatively changed his mythological role and turned him into a fairy creature, full


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of magical powers. As the mother’s guide on her journey to Ctibor, a deer appears, a symbol of dignity and majesty, but also a messenger or a guardian. In the mythology of primeval nations, the deer is a symbol of light; this connotation is also found in our story, where the deer has a little star on each horn and thus lights the road during the night-time journey. Surprisingly, the deer is also seen as opposite to the snake. Moreover, the deer is associated with speed, fertility, freshness, and restoration.

If we compare the story of “Stribor’s Forest” and “Ctibor’s Forest” in the two analysed editions of Brlić-Mažuranić’s stories in Slovak (1976 and 1991), we can find that “Ctibor’s Forest” (1991) contains more than 160 different modifications at various levels (from small ones to more significant changes) when compared to Klátik’s original translation of the story (1976). However, seen as a whole, all of these lexical-stylistic corrections give the story of “Ctibor’s Forest” (as well as the other three tales published in this selection) the character of new reading (Table 2).

Table 2. A comparison of two Slovak editions of Tales of Long Ago: differences in the texts of the translation. Selected examples.Tablica 2. Usporedba tekstova dvaju slovačkih izdanja Priča iz davnine. Izabrani primjeri.

Publication year 1976 1991

Comparison: (The examples are translated literally into English.)

At the level of word order

zostalo v ústach – remained in the mouth

v ústach zostalo – in the mouth remained

stará slepaňa – the old blind one

slepaňa stará – the blind old one

zočila znezrady – faced suddenly

znezrady zočila – suddenly faced

At the level of proper names

Stribor Ctibor

Malíček Tintilínček – Pinkie Tintilínček

Malíček Tintilíček – Pinkie Tintilíček

At the level of general names/words

klát – Log

peň – tree stump

premieňala – converted

premenila – changed

vystupujú z plameňa – act from the heat

vyskakujú z plameňa – jump out of the heat

tancujú po ohnisku – dancing by the fireplace

roztancujú sa po ohnisku – dancing on the fireplace

rozkázala – commanded

zapovedala – ordered

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Publication year 1976 1991At the level of collocations

odpočinúť v pekný zimný deň

– relax on a nice winter day

odpočinúť, pretože bol pekný zimný deň – relax, because it was a nice winter day

syn sa na to zasmial – son laughed at it

syn sa na tie reči zasmial – son laughed at those words

smelý a bystrý mládenec by na ňu hneď zamával sekerou a skríkol...

– a courageous and bright young man would soon wave at her with an axe and shout

keby teraz pred ňou smelý a bystrý mládenec zamával sekerou a skríkol... – if now in front of her a courageous and bright young man waved an axe and shouted

mamička – mommy

mamička moja – my mom

stálo tam vysoké bralo – there stood a high cliff

obďaleč stálo vysoké bralo – nearby stood a high cliff

a jedného dňa rozkáže – and one day he will command

a tu jedného dňa rozkáže – and here one day he will command

prizrie sa dievčine – looks at the girl

prizrie sa peknej dievčine – looks at the nice girl

zapláta synovu košeľu – mends the son’s shirt

zapláta synovu roztrhanú košeľu – mends the son’s torn shirt

starenka bola ako omladnutá – the old woman was like juvenescence

starenka akoby omladla – the the old woman appeared to rejuvenate

že sa kolo v tanci zastavilo – that the wheel stopped dancing

že sa tanec hneď zastavil – that dancing stopped immediately

pomôžte mi prizrieť sa na jazyk mojej nevesty – help me to have a look at my bride’s tongue

či by ste mi vedeli pomôcť prizrieť sa na jazyk mojej neveste – could you help me to have a look at my bride’s tongue

At the level of sentence structure

Večer vraví nevesta starenke: „Pôjdem na návštevu ku kmotre, a ty, kým sa vrátim, prihrej vodu!“

– In the evening, the bride tells the old lady: “I am going to visit the godmother, and until I come, you warm up the water!”

Ubehol deň a večer vraví nevesta starenke: „Zájdeme s mužom ku kmotre na návštevu, a ty prihrej vodu, kým sa vrátime!“ – A day passed away and in the evening the bride tells the old woman: “With my husband, we are going to visit the godmother, and you warm up the water until we come back!”


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Keď s mužom odišla preč, starenka osamela, vzala triesky od dievčiny, nakládla oheň v ohnisku a šla do kôlne po drevo. – When she left with her man, the old woman stood alone, took the girl’s kindling-wood, lit the fire in the fireplace, and went to the shed for wood.

Starenka osamela, vzala triesky, ktoré jej dala dievčina, nakládla oheň v ohnisku a šla do kôlne po drevo.

– The old woman stood alone, took the kindling-wood that the girl had given her, lit the fire in the fireplace, and went to the shed for wood.

Starenke sa to v noci videlo čudné a vrátila sa do kuchyne. – The old woman found it strange at night, and she went back to the kitchen

Starenke sa to zdalo čudné, čo sa deje v noci, a vrátila sa do kuchyne. – The old woman found it strange what it was happening at night, and she went back to the kitchen.

Starenka všetko piadimužíkom vyrozprávala. – The old woman told the brownies everything.

Starenka vyrozprávala piadimužíkom všetko tak, ako bolo. – The old woman told the brownies everything just as it was.

At the level of a compound sentence

Starenka bola ako omladnutá, zasmiala sa ako hrdlička. Vyskočila ako dievčatko a vychytila sa s piadimužíkmi tancovať. – The old woman was like juvenescence, laughed like a turtle-dove. She jumped like a little girl and wanted to dance with the brownies.

Starenka akoby omladla – zasmiala sa ako hrdlička, vyskočila ako dievčatko a vychytila sa s piadimužíkmi tancovať. – The old woman rejuvenated suddenly – she laughed like a dove, jumped like a little girl and wanted to dance with the brownies.

At the level of addition

--- Prosil syn boha i matku, aby mu odpustila. – The son begged God and mother to forgive him.

In the context of new reading, we can state that such a large amount of changes and various modifications in the text of one translation did not occur solely because of the lexical update and stylistic modification of the text after fifteen years. The modification of the original translation of Brlić-Mažuranić’s tales of 1976 includes (not only in the analysed “Ctibor’s Forest”, but in other tales as well) more ceremony and folktale conventions. Parentheses (inserts), inversions, flowery adjectives and full sentences, shortening of long compound sentences, lexical-stylistic interventions, etc., are all eloquent editing interventions, supported also by the choice of the surrealist illustrations by Cvijeta Job. In their aesthetic effect, they are particularly close to the similarly surrealist world of the painter and illustrator of Slovak folktales and legends, Albín Brunovský.

As shown in Table 1, Brlić-Mažuranić’s collection published in Slovak translation in 1976 in A5 format had more pages (178 pp); the compilation from 1991 was published in A4 format and was slenderer (94 pp). The difference is

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obvious also in font typography, which is different in these publications, and in the amount of illustrations per total number of pages. The publication from 1976 has smaller font size and only a few illustrations by the Slovak illustrator Irena Tarasová; the 1991 publication has larger font size and rich (“child friendly”) illustrations by Cvijeta Job. Both publications also differ in their editorial tendency; it is obvious that the 1976 publication has a more prominent mythological Slavic dimension of the literary text, which corresponds to the inclusion of the Croatian author’s epilogue with explanatory notes related to the names of the characters in the tales derived from the Slavic mythological context. However, the 1991 publication does not contain this, because its intention is to intensify and strengthen its tale-fantastic character (generally, child readers read myths like tales, i.e. without perceiving their mythological core and archetypal dimension).

We can state that another difference between the publications lies in the category of implied reader. According to Nodelman and Reimer (2003: 17), it is not only the quality that makes a specific kind of reader the implied reader – it is the role which the text indicates and invites the real reader to fulfil. A reader has to identify with an implied reader in a certain way and at a certain level. However, Klátik’s translation from 1976 actually had two implied readers: a pseudo-addressee and a real addressee. Indeed, the child in this translation is more of an excuse while the adult reader is the real addressee (cf. Nodelman & Reimer 2003: 55). On the other hand, the 1991 compilation has only one implied reader: the child, becoming both the primary intended reader and the real addressee at the same time.

The aim of this paper is not to evaluate changes in the editions of the text in terms of their adequacy. The changes are perceived rather as indicators of a new reading of old tales.

The paradox of the great works of world literature for children and YAs lies in the fact that they are acknowledged for their uniqueness, as well as for the versatility of their content. Tales of Long Ago by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić is important for both its uniqueness and versatility. It would be sad if this artistically convincing work – which teaches readers not to forget their past in order not to lose their future – disappeared from what children actually read. In order to avoid this, new readings of old texts could renew or restart the original life of the work, even at the cost of various modifications and variations in translation, interpretation and reception of text. Moreover, as H.G. Gadamer states, the meaning of a text is never depleted by the intentions of its author (as quoted in Compagnon 2006: 66). When a text moves from one historical or cultural context to another, new meanings are assigned, which neither the author nor the original reader predicted. Therefore, each interpretation is contextual and depends on the criteria of the context in which it takes place. The concept of new reading of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić in Slovak translation is a


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contextual reading, particularly in relation to the new situation of contemporary children and their reading habits.

ReferencesBrlić-Mažuranićová, Ivana. 1976. Rozprávky z pradávna [Tales of Long Ago]. Bratislava:

Mladé letá.Brlić-Mažuranićová, Ivana. 1991. Ctiborova hora a iné rozprávky [Ctibor’s Forest and

Other Tales]. Bratislava: Mladé letá.Compagnon, Antoine. 2006. Démon teórie. Literatúra a bežné myslenie. Bratislava:

Kalligram.Černoušek, Michal. 1990. Děti a svět pohádek. Praha: Albatros.Ďurišin, Dionýz. 1992. Čo je svetová literatúra? Bratislava: Obzor.Klátik, Zlatko. 1973. “O pojme a výskume svetovej literatúry pre deti a mládež 1”. Zlatý

máj 12 (10): 650–655.Klátik, Zlatko. 1974. “O pojme a výskume svetovej literatúry pre deti a mládež 2”. Zlatý

máj 13 (1): 15–20.Klátik, Zlatko. 1978. Svetová literatúra pre mládež (profily a prehľady). Bratislava: SPN.Nodelman, Perry & Mavis Reimer. 2003. The Pleasures of Children’s Literature. 3rd ed.

Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Rakús, Stanislav. 1993. Medzi mnohoznačnosťou a presnosťou. Levoča: Modrý Peter.Rakús, Stanislav. 1995. Poetika prozaického textu. Bratislava: Slovenský spisovateľ.Richter, Luděk. 2004. Co je co v pohádce. Praha: Dobré divadlo dětem.Řeřichová, Vlasta et al., eds. 2007. Autoři světové literatury pro děti a mládež. Multimedia

CD-ROM. Olomouc: nakladatelství Olomouc.Rusňák, Radoslav. 2009. Svetová literatúra pre deti a mládež v didaktickej komunikácii.

Prešov: Prešovská univerzita v Prešove, Pedagogická fakulta. Rusňák, Radoslav. 2012. “Variants of Authorial Fairy Tale and the Current Children

Audience”. Practice and Theory in Systems of Education 7 (2): 153–158.Stanislavová, Zuzana et al., eds. 2010. Dejiny slovenskej literatúry pre deti a mládež po

roku 1960. Bratislava: Literárne informačné centrum.Všetička, František. 2001. Tektonika textu. Olomouc: Votobia.Vygotskij, Lev Semionovič. 1970. Myšlení a řeč. Praha: SPN.

Radoslav Rusňák Obrazovni fakultet, Sveučilište u Prešovu, Prešov, Slovačka Pädagogische Fakultät der Universität Prešov, Prešov, Slowakei

Priče iz davnine na slovačkome u kontekstu novoga čitanja Rad se bavi konceptom svjetske književnosti za djecu i mladež koja se dijeli na stalni, nepromjenjivi dio i na promjenjivi dio koji je još u fazi prepoznavanja i priznavanja. Priče iz davnine Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić ubrajaju se u njezin stalni dio. Prijevod te zbirke ulazi

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u slovačku dječju književnost zahvaljujući svojemu vrijednosnomu, ali i pragmatičnomu aspektu. U radu se Priče iz davnine razmatraju sa žanrovskoga stajališta, kao spoj triju žanrova dječje književnosti. Analiziraju se dva različita slovačka izdanja: Rozprávky z pradávna (Priče iz davnine) iz 1976. i Ctiborova hora a iné rozprávky (Ctiborova šuma i druge priče) iz 1991. godine, koje kao prevoditelj potpisuje Zlatko Klátik, pri čemu je tekst drugoga izdanja jezično izmijenjen. Posebna se pozornost posvećuje konceptu novoga čitanja, koji se oslanja na razlike u tekstovima. Novo čitanje definira se kao progresivni proces revitalizacije starijih izdanja i suvremene dječje recepcije stranih književnih tekstova, a omogućuje novu vrstu uživanja u starim pričama. Ključne riječi: Priče iz davnine, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, prijevod na slovački jezik, književni prijevod, novo čitanje, svjetska književnost za djecu i mladež

Priče iz davnine in slowakischer Sprache und im Kontext des Neuen LesensIm Beitrag setzt man sich mit dem Konzept der Weltliteratur für Kinder und Jugendliche auseinander, die hier in einen beständigen, unveränderbaren Teil und einen veränderbaren Teil, der erst zu entdecken und anzuerkennen ist, aufgeteilt wird. Ivana Brlić-Mažuranićs Werk Priče iz davnine gehört zum beständigen Teil der Weltliteratur für Kinder und Jugendliche. Die Übersetzung dieser Märchensammlung ist nicht nur wegen der darin enthaltenen Wertvorstellungen, sondern auch aus pragmatischen Zwecken zum festen Bestandteil der slowakischen Kinder- und Jugendliteratur geworden. Im Beitrag wird der genrespezifische Aufbau der Sammlung besprochen, der aus dem Zusammenspiel von drei kinderliterarischen Genres besteht. Dabei werden zwei unterschiedliche slowakische Sammlungsübersetzungen analysiert: Rozprávky z pradávna (1976) und Ctiborova hora a iné rozprávky (1991), die von ein und demselben Übersetzer, Zlatko Klátik, stammen, wobei im letztangeführten Titel sprachliche Änderungen festzustellen sind. Besonderes Interesse wird dem Konzept des Neuen Lesens gewidmet, das auf Textunterschiede ausgerichtet ist. Neues Lesen ist als ein progressiver Prozess der Wiederbelebung älterer literarischer Werke und der Übernahme fremdliterarischer Texte seitens der zeitgenössischen jungen Leser zu verstehen, der die Lust am Lesen alter Geschichten steigern sollte.Schlüsselwörter: Priče iz davnine, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, Übersetzung ins Slowakische, literarische Übersetzung, Neues Lesen, Weltliteratur für Kinder und Jugendliche


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UDK 37.091.3:821.163.42

Ivana CindrićUniversity of Zagreb, Faculty of Teacher Education, Zagreb, [email protected]

Vlatka BlagusAmerican International School of [email protected]

Young Croatian Heritage Language Learners’ Reception of the Fairy Tale “Reygoch”


The paper presents the habits and attitudes of young Croatian heritage language learners (CHLLs) attending the American International School of Zagreb (AISZ) towards reading in general and towards reading fairy tales in Croatian and English. More specifically, their reception of the fairy tale “Reygoch” by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić is considered. Although mostly bilingual, the CHLLs in this study follow the curriculum in the English language, and they attend Croatian Language and Literature classes. The curriculum for this subject, adapted to AISZ students’ needs, introduces Croatian Tales of Long Ago by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić in Croatian in the 4th grade. The results show that works of Brlić-Mažuranić can be offered for reading to young CHLLs, taking into consideration their specific reception. They also reveal the level of literary reading skills and describe the differences between students. Possible difficulties which students encounter in reading an authentic text, challenging at various levels of reading a literary text, are explained. Finally, the authors offer suggestions to help avoid such difficulties or at least to lessen them.Keywords: c-test, fairy tale, reception, “Reygoch”, young Croatian heritage language learners

Introduction

Present day technology has enabled people to establish a variety of relationships and connections at a global level without moving from the comfort of

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414 I. Cindrić and V. Blagus: Young Croatian Heritage Language Learners’ Reception…

their home. Technology and travel opportunities have also influenced the ease with which people move to close, distant, even remote areas of the world while, at the same time, maintaining relationships with their family, relations and friends in their home country. These days, people’s desire to move is powered not only by whim, curiosity, exploration, but by the nature of their work, professional opportunities, dislocations of businesses and companies, and the search for better opportunities. Over the last few decades, this has created a kind of global nomad. The term was coined by Norma McCaig in 1984, defining a person of any age or nationality who has lived a significant part of his or her developmental years in one or more countries outside his or her passport country because of a parent’s occupation (Schaetti 1993). Such living has created the need for children to be educated in a way that provides them with a programme of study that is internationally common and recognised, regardless of where the students are or will be educated. Children who require such an education do not generally enter or plan to continue their education in the host country and often simply study the language of the host country as a foreign language by taking language acquisition classes.

Looking at the Croatian context, one school offering an international and American curriculum for children from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 for students on the go is the American International School of Zagreb (AISZ). For approximately 30% of the students attending AISZ, Croatian is a heritage language (HL), as those students are children of Croatian nationality or Croatian descent. Jelaska (2014) refers to heritage language learners (HLLs) as a subgroup of second language learners who acquire HL in the family or in the narrow language environment of a dominant language, and therefore they are in a broader sense bilingual. Due to their very limited instruction time in Croatian and their family background, Croatian Language and Literature students at AISZ mostly belong to the group of HLLs. For example, in grades 1 to 5 only 5% of the total language instruction is in Croatian. In grades 6 to 10 the percentage is higher, 12.5%. The ratio of instruction time in Croatian and English with French / German shows that Croatian heritage language learners (CHLLs) at AISZ are not sufficiently exposed to the Croatian language in order to acquire it as Croatians in Croatian public schools, and they often need to learn it as second language learners (SLLs) do. Moreover, for AISZ CHLLs, English has become the dominant language for most social interactions even outside the school, with both peers and siblings. The course Croatian Language and Literature at AISZ bridges these gaps and provides its students with language to enable them to enter the Croatian school system at some point at primary, high school, or university level, or simply to work in Croatia. These students will receive an international primary and high school education with English as the language of instruction, but could potentially enrol in a Croatian university.

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In order to reconcile the specific needs of such CHLLs, the curriculum for Croatian Language and Literature encompasses both the international and Croatian curriculum. According to the Croatian National Educational Standard for Elementary School (Nastavni plan... 2006), one of the two obligatory literary works in grade four are the two fairy tales, “Stribor’s Forest” and “Reygoch”, from the Tales of Long Ago by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, first published in 1916, in Croatian.1 For the last ten years, the mentioned fairy tales have been introduced to AISZ students in the fourth grade. However, the difference in students’ reception between the two fairy tales has been evident year after year. While “Stribor’s Forest” would instantly engage students into the world of fantasy, generating much discussion from students, “Reygoch” was often received in a lukewarm manner, requiring additional explanations and contextualisation. We put forward some of the obvious explanations for such differences in the reception of the two fairy tales: length (“Reygoch” has almost twice the number of pages, 18 pages compared to 10 pages of “Stribor’s Forest”); familiarity/likability of literary elements (themes, characters, or setting); teaching strategies and tools employed by the teacher; the phase of the school year, or even the season when the fairy tales are introduced (e.g. “Stribor’s Forest” which takes place in winter is also introduced in the winter season, making it easy for students to sense the atmosphere and engage in the story; “Reygoch”, on the other hand, is a story which takes place in summer but is read with students during the winter months, possibly making it difficult for students to sense the atmosphere in the fairy tale); and the students’ various profiles (their specific readiness, interests, learning profiles). Even when the animated CD-ROMs Croatian Tales of Long Ago 1 and Croatian Tales of Long Ago 2 were used as instructional tools in the classroom for both fairy tales, students continued to demonstrate less engagement and comprehension with regard to “Reygoch” than to “Stribor’s Forest”. To what extent is the students’ engagement based on their text comprehension? And to what extent is students’ comprehension based on familiarity of vocabulary and context, and simplicity of syntax? These three categories (vocabulary, syntax and context) were considered as challenging factors for CHLLs while reading “Reygoch”.2 If students’ engagement and comprehension are highly correlated with these three categories, how would they be ranked? Furthermore, what makes “Reygoch” difficult for students to comprehend and carry

1 This collection of tales, originally titled Priče iz davnine, was translated into English by Fanny S. Copeland in as early as 1924, and received a wide and positive response in the English-speaking world (Narančić Kovač 2016).

2 “Reygoch” is about a giant and a little girl, Curlylocks (Regoč and Kosjenka in Croatian), who help unite two previously conflicting villages into one, so they could live in peace and pursue their common interests together.


on reading? Many questions regarding the teaching of “Reygoch” have been raised over the past decade and this study has been conducted in an attempt to answer them.

Theoretical frame

Research related to the reception of works by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić has mostly focused on the perception and reception of her work from the literary-theory point of view, i.e. with respect to the reception theory in literature. Such research has shed light on reception with respect to the social-historical context (e.g. Skok 1995, Ewers 2013, Jurišić 2014), or with respect to readers whose mother tongue is not Croatian (e.g. Hranjec 2010, Turza-Bogdan & Kovač 2015, Grahovac-Pražić & Marijić 2015). Furthermore, the majority of recent research has focused on Brlić-Mažuranić’s first children’s story The Strange Adventures of Hlapich the Apprentice.

In the field of Croatian second language acquisition, only research on literary texts in relation to adult learners has been conducted. One of the newest products of such research is the first complete adaptation of Šegrt Hlapić for B1 level (Grgić, Đurđević and Salak 2015) by Croaticum’s3 lecturers. This paper will reveal yet another group of language learners, young Croatian heritage learners, and their reception of literary works by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić. It is hoped it will add to the richness of research in the domain of literature and language.

Aims and research methodology

The research mentioned, or lack of research, prompted us to study a group of Croatian heritage language learners (CHLLs) at AISZ. The research conducted would provide insight into the habits and attitudes students have towards the fairy tale as a genre and in particular students’ reception of the fairy tale “Reygoch”. More precisely, with this research, we aimed to establish the following:

1. Young Croatian heritage language learners’ (CHLLs) reading habits in Croatian and English;

2. Young CHLLs’ attitudes towards the fairy tale genre and the fairy tale “Reygoch”;

3. Young CHLLs’ reception of the fairy tale “Reygoch” and their comprehension of an excerpt from the fairy tale.

Finally, based on the research findings, the aim was to provide suggestions and strategies to help CHLLs improve their reception and comprehension of fairy tales

3 Croaticum – Centre for Croatian as a Second and Foreign Language at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb.

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in general, but in particular Croatian fairy tales. The research results were expected to disclose successful aspects of students’ reception of fairy tales, but also aspects which are complex and therefore challenging for second language learners.

Research questions

According to the aims of the research, the following research questions were set: 1. Do young Croatian heritage language learners read more in English or

Croatian?2. What attitudes do Croatian heritage language learners have towards the fairy

tale genre, Croatian and English fairy tales and the fairy tale “Reygoch”?3. What is the difference between young CHLLs’ reception of the fairy tale

“Reygoch” with respect to their grade level, number of years out of the Croatian school system, and mother tongue(s)?

4. What is the difference between young CHLLs’ comprehension of the fairy tale “Reygoch” with respect to students’ grade level, number of years out of the Croatian school system, and mother tongue(s)?

Sample of participants

The sample of participants included students (N=30) of the American International School of Zagreb who attend the Croatian Language and Literature course. In terms of gender, the sample of participants was distributed almost equally, i.e. 14 male and 16 female participants. The distribution of participants in grades was the following: grade six – 7 students, grade seven – 9 students, grade eight – 4 students, grade nine – 4 students and grade ten – 6 students. Because of the relatively small sample size and uneven distribution of students per grade level, in the analysis of results, students were grouped into middle school students (20) and high school students (10). All the students in grades 6 to 10 have Croatian Language and Literature lessons of 90 minutes, two/three times per week alternatively. The research was conducted in September 2016, almost a month into the school year.

Instruments

Three instruments were used for the purpose of this research. The first instrument was a 3-part questionnaire with the first part providing general information about the participants, i.e. student bio-data (part A). In the second part of the questionnaire (part B), participants were provided with questions and statements on a 5-point Likert scale to elicit student habits and attitudes with respect to reading in Croatian and in English and their attitudes and perception of the fairy tale genre in general. It also provided data on students’ perception of the fairy tale “Reygoch”. Finally, the third part of the questionnaire (part C), which was completed upon reading an


excerpt from the fairy tale “Reygoch”, provided information on students’ reception of the text and aspects of the fairy tale with which they expressed their degree of agreement.

The second instrument used in the research was a six-page handout containing the first of the two original parts of the fairy tale “Reygoch” (Brlić-Mažuranić 2006) which students were to read independently in class. While reading, students were encouraged to circle or underline words or expressions they found unusual or unknown. Given that the students are at various proficiency levels, the instructor/researcher suggested that students should try to read as much as they could, but insisted that they all read the first page.

The final, third instrument was an assessment in the form of a c-test. The c-test is a series of short texts prepared for testing by deleting the second half of every second word (Read 2000: 111). Its intention is to assess general proficiency in the language, particularly for selection and placement purposes, and the deletions should be a representative sample of all the elements in the text (Klein-Braley 1985[1997]: 63–66 as cited in Read 2000). For the purpose of our research, two initial paragraphs from the fairy tale “Reygoch” were chosen for the c-test. The second half of every second word was omitted, thus making 21 omissions in the first paragraph (Task 1) and 20 omissions in the second paragraph (Task 2). The rationale for using a c-test rather than some other type of test for testing as indicated by Katona and Dörnyei (1993) is that more items can be included since we were using shorter paragraphs, easy and objective scoring, a more representative sample of different parts of speech, and students enjoy doing c-tests. Finally, deleting the second half of a word might suggest that knowledge of word formation and sentence structure is more important in this kind of test than, for example, semantic aspects of vocabulary, especially if the language being tested has a complex system of word endings (Read 2000: 111) as is the case with Croatian. Therefore, this instrument was used to determine the students’ language comprehension of a recently read text. After reading “Reygoch”, students were instructed to first answer the third part of the questionnaire (part C), then to fill in the blanks in the two paragraphs. All three instruments (questionnaire, excerpt from the fairy tale “Reygoch”, and the c-tests) were coded in order to establish a correlation between the tested variables in the research.

Procedure

The research was carried out in a regular classroom setting. Students from grades 6–10 who attend Croatian Language and Literature courses at AISZ are

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divided into 4 groups. Grade 6 and grade 7 students have a joint lesson. During the 90 minutes (double lesson) students were given the 3-part questionnaire, the reading assignment – the first chapter of “Reygoch”, and the final task, the c-tests. The teacher allocated a maximum of 30 minutes for the completion of each of the tasks, but most students handed in all their answers in 60 minutes.

All students who participated had parental permission to do so. Through a written consent form, parents were informed about the nature of the research and its purpose. Data were entered into the SPSS 17.0 statistical program and were analysed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, non-parametric tests for independent samples and content analysis.

Results and discussion

As students attending AISZ are a highly mobile group of students in terms of moving to different countries and educational systems, we wanted to establish the number of years this population has been out of the regular Croatian system of education. Because of the small sample size and uneven distribution of participants according to the number of years away from the Croatian school system, the researchers created two categories for this variable: students who have been out of the Croatian school system from 1–4 years and those out of it for 5+ years. As a result, the distribution of students was the following 1–4 years: 15 students, and 5+ years: 15 students. In the analysis of results, this kind of a categorisation might indicate whether there are statistically significant differences between students who have been away from the Croatian school system for shorter or longer periods, and variables such as habits, attitudes and reception.

The language of instruction at AISZ is English; however, keeping in mind the variety of national backgrounds of students in our sample as bilinguals with some possible multilinguals, we also wanted to establish what language(s) the students speak in the home environment. Based on the students’ responses, their answers were grouped into three major categories: Croatian only, Croatian +1 or more languages, and other (a language other than Croatian). The distribution of languages spoken at home can be seen in Table 1.

Having correctly anticipated that in the last two years CHLLs would have read more in English, we wanted to find out whether the situation was somewhat different over a longer period of time (six years). Fig. 1 shows the number of books students have read in the Croatian language over the last six years. Most students reported they do not read more than two books in Croatian per year, which is an unexpected finding because most students have been enrolled in Croatian Language


Table 1. Distribution of languages students speak in the home environment.Tablica 1. Distribucija jezika koje učenici govore kod kuće.

Frequency Percent Valid Percent

Cum.Percent

Croatian only 11 15.7 36.7 36.7

Croatian +1/more 14 20.0 46.7 83.3

Other 5 7.1 16.7 100.0

Total 30 42.9 100.0

and Literature classes for at least two years, in which they had to read at least eightnovels in Croatian. Although the distribution of students’ answers is varied, further analysis showed no statistically significant differences with respect to the school department (middle school / high school); the number of years out of the Croatian school system (one to four / more than four), or mother tongue(s) spoken at home (Croatian only / Croatian +1).

Books read in the Croatian language

14

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

4

22

none two/three four/five six/seven eight/more

13

9

Fig. 1. Distribution of books read in the Croatian language over a period of six years.

Sl. 1. Distribucija broja knjiga na hrvatskome jeziku pročitanih tijekom šest godina.

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Table 2. Mean values for students’ attitudes towards the fairy tale genre, Croatian fairy tales, and fairy tales in English.Tablica 2. Srednja vrijednost stavova učenika prema bajci kao žanru, hrvatskoj bajci i bajci na engleskome jeziku.

N Min. Max. Mean Std. Deviation

Fairy tale genre 30 1 5 3.40 1.192

IBM’s fairy tales in Croatian 30 1 4 2.70 1.022

Fairy tales in English 30 -1 5 3.87 1.224

Valid N 30

The second part of our questionnaire focused on students’ attitudes towards the fairy tale genre. It included attitudes students have towards Croatian fairy tales, more specifically fairy tales by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić and fairy tales in the English language, and their perception of the fairy tale “Reygoch”.

The mean values of students’ reports of their attitudes towards the fairy tale genre, fairy tales by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić in the Croatian language, and fairy tales in the English language are reported in Table 2. The students in our sample show an indifferent attitude towards the fairy tale as a genre (M=3.4), i.e. they neither like nor dislike them. The situation is slightly different in terms of Croatian fairy tales, where the analysis shows that they mostly do not like Croatian fairy tales (M=2.7). The rather negative perception of Croatian fairy tales could be ascribed to insufficient, partial or inadequate exposure to the mentioned fairy tales throughout their education or upbringing, leading to the perception they report. What is more, fairy tales by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić in the Croatian language are very rich in stylistic aspects (description, rhythm, idiolect), and in linguistic aspects (vocabulary, phraseology, syntax, etc.), making them somewhat more challenging for CHLLs to read than fairy tales in the English language which are abundant and presented in numerous reader-friendly ways. The mean value for attitudes towards fairy tales in the English language was calculated at M=3.87, again indicating that even fairy tales which are written in the language of instruction and in which students read more often do not seem to inspire a like or even a dislike for that matter.


Attitudes towards IBM’s fairy tales in Croatian and fairy tales in English

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No answer Mostly don’t like Mostly like Like a lot

Croatian fairy tales Fairy tales in English

Neither like nor dislike

Fig. 2. Comparison of students’ attitudes towards Brlić-Mažuranić’s fairy tales in Croatian and fairy tales in the English language.

Sl. 2. Usporedba stavova učenika o bajkama Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić na hrvatskome jeziku i bajkama na engleskome jeziku.

Fig. 2 gives a visual comparison of students’ attitudes towards Croatian fairy tales and fairy tales in the English language. Although students express a general liking of fairy tales written in the English language, they do not disregard or reject Croatian fairy tales entirely. There is evident indifference, but more positive than negative attitudes.

Considering the variety of students’ backgrounds in terms of the number of years out of the Croatian school system, the researchers wanted to find out how many students were familiar with the fairy tale “Reygoch”, and how they liked it. Almost half of the participants (N=13) were familiar with the fairy tale, while 12 participants were not, and the remaining 3 participants could not recall. Of the 13 students who had read “Reygoch” or were familiar with it, 8 students liked it a little, while 4 neither liked it nor disliked it and 1 student did not like it at all. Students who had not read the fairy tale were asked to report their expectation of the fairy tale. In the analysis of this question, more answers were reported than expected, indicating that some students who had either read the fairy tale or were familiar with it also expressed their expectation, perhaps because they misunderstood the question or perhaps they had a different expectation for this particular reading session. The distribution of their answers is the following: 4 students reported that they would not like it at all, 2 students said they would not like it, 8 students were indifferent

423Libri & Liberi • 2016 • 5 (2): 413–435

in their reply, 5 students said that they would like it a little, and 2 students said that they would like it a lot. This is a similar distribution to the students’ liking of Croatian fairy tales in general.

According to the students’ responses to the question “Have you read any other fairy tales by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić?”, 13 students reported having read some of her works, while the remaining 17 students had not read any, or could not recall. Some of the fairy tales students mentioned were: “Stribor’s Forest”, “Little Brother Primrose and Sister Lavender”, Tales of Long Ago, and Wild Horse (which is a tale by Božidar Prosenjak, and not by Brlić-Mažuranić). Those students who had been at the school since grade 4 would probably recall having read “Stribor’s Forest”, and those students who had been in a Croatian school system in the higher grades would most certainly recall having read Tales of Long Ago in grades 6, 7. It is also not wrong to assume that, being heritage language learners, some students would have been exposed to the fairy tales by reading them in the home environment.

Guided by the schema theory which is based on Kenneth S. Goodman’s model of reading as a guessing game (1967), i.e. that evoking schema aids comprehension, prior to engaging in reading the fairy tale, students were asked if they could make some associations for the title of the fairy tale “Reygoch”. One assumption about schema activation is that some words, or groups of words, or the title of a text, are highly suggestive and can signal a certain schema (An 2013). Students’ answers are presented in Fig. 3. Although the answers vary, we can categorise them as associations with a giant (monster), a feature from nature (plant, forest, tree, stream, field, mushroom), a name (character, boy, animal), and a sound. One student mentions an association with the sound of a frog, which from the point of view of an English speaker would be “ribbit ribbit” or “breedeet breedeet”, but the Croatian cross-linguistic onomatopoeia would be “rega rega”, indicating the possible influence of the Croatian language for this particular student. Three students could not associate the title with anything, while five students reported not being able to make an association as they struggled with the meaning of the word.

Students’ responses regarding some aspects of fairy tales were tested in order to establish what makes an interesting fairy tale for Croatian heritage language learners. On a 5-point Likert scale (1=not important at all; 2=not important; 3=neither important nor unimportant; 4=mostly important; 5=very important) students reported their opinion in terms of the importance of a particular fairy tale feature. Table 3 shows that the variables exciting plot, convincing dialogues, words and expressions I can understand, and unpredictable ending are for them the important characteristics of an interesting fairy tale. This suggests that in order for students to read a fairy tale, it should have an interesting action (plot), convincing dialogues


Associations with the title “Reygoch”

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Fig. 3. Associations with the title “Reygoch”.Sl. 3. Asocijacije uz naslov „Regoč“.

unburdened by unfamiliar words and expressions, and have an unpredictable ending. Other characteristics of fairy tales, such as rich descriptions of time and place (M=3.70), rich character descriptions (M=3.87), a moral (M=3.83), rich illustrations (M=3.27) were neither important nor unimportant for this sample of participants. Students’ indifference to the aesthetic presentation of fairy tales is, however, particularly important for teachers, as this creates a space for resorting to strategies, activities and tasks which will help students understand and consequently appreciate the significance of the mentioned features. The engagement of teachers in this case is crucial in order for students not only to overcome potentially difficult language, but to have a better understanding of characters, the setting, to make and create associations, explore illustrations, inquire, predict, and discuss the moral of the fairy tale.

Upon reading the excerpt from the fairy tale “Reygoch”, students were asked to report their reception (general liking, motivation to read on, understanding) of the first pages of the fairy tale. Their reports are presented in Fig. 4. Five students did not provide an answer to this question, which could be attributed to a simple omission. Only six students in the sample answered that they did not like the beginning of the fairy tale, while four students were indifferent. Nine students liked the beginning a little, and six students mostly liked the beginning. It could be said that for half of

4

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Table 3. Students’ opinions of the importance of aspects of fairy tales.Tablica 3. Učenički stavovi o važnosti pojedinih aspekata bajki.

Variable N Mean Std. Dev Min. Max.

Exciting plot 30 4.27 .69 3.00 5.00

Rich description of time and place 30 3.70 .84 2.00 5.00

Rich character description 30 3.87 1.07 1.00 5.00

Convincing dialogues 30 4.20 .89 2.00 5.00

Words and expressions I can understand 30 4.33 .76 3.00 5.00

Unpredictable ending 30 4.37 1.00 1.00 5.00

Moral 30 3.83 .91 2.00 5.00

Rich illustrations 30 3.27 1.62 1.00 5.00

our sample (15 participants), the reception of the initial part of the fairy tale was rather positive, while the rest of the sample is not purely negative. Rather, it is distributed across dislike (6 students), indifference (4 students) and 5 students who did not provide an answer to this question. The mean value for students’ answers is M=1.8 indicating that the sample liked the initial part a little. This kind of a result indicates that the reception of the fairy tale is on the positive side. However, in order to strengthen that reception, preparatory, pre-reading activities (explanation of words, discussions, description of context) should be conducted, regardless of the students’ age and grade level.

Table 4 shows the mean values of the variables relating to particular aspects of the students’ reception of the fairy tale. According to the students’ responses, it seems that they were rather indecisive in determining whether the fairy tale motivated them to read on (M=3.27). This finding indicates that in order for students to read on, efforts should be made by the teacher not only before the actual reading, but after reading the initial part in order for students to reflect, explain and discuss the introduction, visualise the setting, the characters, discuss character descriptions and make predictions.

An unexpected finding in respect of the students’ comprehension reports was that they mostly understood (M=2.50) the fairy tale, regardless of the words that were unfamiliar to them and regardless of the unusual word order (M=2.43). These


Students’ reception of the first pages of the fairy tale “Reygoch”

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no answer don’t like at all neither like nor dislike

like a little mostly like

Fig. 4. Students’ reception of the initial part of the fairy tale “Reygoch”.Sl. 4. Učenička recepcija uvodnoga dijela bajke „Regoč“.

answers will be explored further when they are analysed in comparison with the results of the students’ assessment. Furthermore, students were rather undecided in their responses with respect to having to watch the animated version of the fairy tale in order to understand the story (M=3.10).

Table 4. Students’ reception of particular aspects of the fairy tale.Tablica 4. Učenička recepcija određenih aspekata bajke.

N Min. Max. Mean Std. Deviation

The beginning motivates me to read on. 30 -1 5 3.27 1.461

I understand the fairy tale regardless of unknown words. 30 -1 5 2.50 1.503

I understand the fairy tale regardless of word order. 30 1 5 2.43 1.278

To understand one should see the animated film. 30 1 5 3.10 1.583

“Reygoch” should be obligatory reading in school. 30 1 5 3.70 1.236

I would recommend “Reygoch” to my friends. 30 1 5 3.77 1.223

Valid N 30

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“Reygoch” should be read as a required reading in school.

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Fig. 5. Students’ opinion’s of whether “Reygoch” should be required reading in schools.

Sl. 5. Učenički stavovi o tome bi li bajka „Regoč“ trebala biti uključena u školsku lektiru.

The same attitude was shared with respect to whether “Reygoch” should be obligatory reading in school (M=3.70) and whether they would recommend the fairy tale to their friends (M=3.77). In other words, students were undecided about whether “Reygoch” should be obligatory reading in school and whether to recommend the fairy tale to their friends. The breakdown of students’ answers regarding the variable “Reygoch” should be obligatory reading in school is presented in Fig. 5.

For the following variable, “I would recommend ‘Reygoch’ to my friends”, the mean value was measured at M=3.77, indicating the students’ indifferent attitude. The distribution of students’ answers is shown in Fig. 6.

In similar research conducted on a sample of 100 fourth-grade students in primary schools in Croatia regarding their reception of the fairy tales “Reygoch” and “Stribor’s Forest” (Turza-Bogdan and Kovač 2015), almost 73% of the students would assign these fairy tales as required reading and 67% would highly recommend them to their friends. Compared to the sample in our research, it is evident that there is a degree of uncertainty with respect to whether “Reygoch” should be obligatory reading and whether students would recommend this fairy tale to their friends. The difference could be explained by the size of the sample in this research. However, we could also say that Croatian heritage language learners are indecisive as they

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I would recommend “Reygoch” to my friends.

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Fig. 6. Students’ opinions on recommending “Reygoch” to their friends.Sl. 6. Učenički stavovi o preporučivanju bajke „Regoč“ prijateljima.

lack continuity or authenticity in their exposure to Croatian fairy tales. This could be attributed to their learning environment which is not Croatian and therefore does not provide a natural context for reading Croatian fairy tales. Still, they sense that this is an area they should be familiar with. The second difference is that the participants in our sample were somewhat older than the participants in the research by Turza-Bogdan and Kovač (2015) which leads us to the question “What grade would you recommend ‘Reygoch’ to be read in?”.

According to the results presented in Fig. 7, students generally recommend “Reygoch” for reading in the lower grades of primary school (grades 3, 4, and 5). In the research conducted by Turza-Bogdan and Kovač (2015), the results show that grade 4 students find “Reygoch” and “Stribor’s Forest” as acceptable reading at the level of reception and they have a positive attitude towards the two fairy tales. Furthermore, as required reading in Croatian schools, “Stribor’s Forest” and “Reygoch” are set to be read in grade four. The rest of the collection of Tales of Long Ago is intended for reading and interpretation in the sixth grade in the Croatian National Educational Standard (Nastavni plan i program... 2006). Based on the opinions of students in our sample, it seems that they generally agree in recommending “Reygoch” for reading in grades 3–5, i.e. in the upper primary grades or lower middle schools grades.

I. Cindrić and V. Blagus: Young Croatian Heritage Language Learners’ Reception…

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Fig. 7. Students’ recommendations for grade level in which “Reygoch” should be read.

Sl. 7. Učeničke preporuke o tome u kojemu bi se razredu trebala čitati bajka „Regoč“.

This only confirms the authors’ observation that creating an appropriate classroom environment for introducing the fairy tale, introducing the fairy tale during a season that matches the fairy tale most appropriately, or during the particular phase of the school year (avoiding mid-term, half-term, school-break periods which can be rather stressful or distracting for students), and taking into consideration the students’ backgrounds and language proficiency may actually contribute to a better reception of the fairy tale “Reygoch” in grade four or five.

The final part of the research was an assessment of the students’ comprehension of the text presented in the form of a c-test. The results of the first c-test, i.e. the first paragraph of “Reygoch”, showed that the students were able to solve this test with a very high degree of accuracy. Therefore, the students’ opinions of the statements “Reygoch can be understood regardless of the unknown vocabulary” and “Reygoch can be understood regardless of the unusual word order”, presented in Fig. 8, do not seem to deviate much from their performance on the assessment part.

The maximum number of points for the first assessment task was 21 and the calculated mean value was M=18.13 (min. 4 and max. 21). An analysis of the students’ errors shows that the students understand the text and sentence context, as they were able to produce appropriate and correct words. The majority of errors were of an orthographic nature. For example, there were two occurrences of the error “*noči” (instead of “noći”) and four instances of “*noci” which show insecurity in applying diacritics. There were also some spelling mistakes such as “*najživnjeg” or “*najživjeg” when the correct answer was “najživljeg”. Another error that was

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Vocabulary and word order10

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“Reygoch” can be understood regardless of the unknown vocabulary

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Completely agree Mostly agree Can’t decide Mostly disagree Entirely disagree

Fig. 8. Students’ opinions of the influence of vocabulary and word order on text comprehension.

Sl. 8. Učenički stavovi o utjecaju rječnika i reda riječi u rečenici na razumijevanje teksta.

observed, although not frequently, was the use of the very common phrase (simile) “ljut kao vrag” (‘angry as a devil’) instead of “ljut kao vatra” (‘angry as fire’, as used in the original fairy tale).

The results of the second c-test were somewhat lower, i.e. the mean value was M=14.48 (min. 0, max. 20). Lower scores on the second c-test could possibly be attributed to a lack of time, the lack of challenge or “saturation” with a very similar task done twice, or perhaps the fact that the first c-test “mutilated” the first paragraph of the fairy tale which students generally read with more attention and focus.

Whether the scores differed with respect to grade level, i.e. middle school students and high school students, was calculated by applying the Mann-Whitney U test. The test showed that the result from the second c-test was statistically significantly higher for high school students (M=21) than for middle school students (M=12.30) (U=36.000, p=0.009). The difference between the results of high school students and the results of middle school students in the first c-test was not significant. What does this result tell us?


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Because of the relatively marginal difference in scores in the first c-test between the two groups (middle and high school), we can assume that the difference which occurred in the second c-test can be ascribed to the middle school students’ requiring more time to complete the second task. Alternatively, it might be assumed that all the students were simply more confident in solving the first task as they remembered more information coming from the first paragraph of the fairy tale.

In order to find out whether there was a difference in the students’ background, i.e. number of years at school and students’ achievement in the c-test, we conducted another Mann-Whitney U test for independent samples. Students were grouped according to the number of years they had been educated out of the Croatian school system as follows: those who had been out of the system from 1–4 years and those out of it for 5 and more years. The assumption was that students who had been out of the Croatian school system for longer than 4 years would have lower scores on the c-tests. The results showed no difference between the students who had been in the school system for fewer than four years and those with more years away from the Croatian school system. Another test was conducted to see whether there was a difference between students with different backgrounds, i.e. mother tongues spoken at home. We assumed that students who speak Croatian, or Croatian +1 or more languages˝at home would perform better on the c-tests than students whose mother tongue is not Croatian. The Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test was conducted and it established that there was no statistically significant difference in the score on the first assessment task and languages spoken at home χ2(2)=0.834, p=0.659, and scores on the second assessment task and languages spoken at home χ2(2)=1.289, p=0.525.

Summary and conclusion

Due to English being their language of instruction, young Croatian heritage language learners in this research show a tendency to read more in the English language. In terms of genre, they show a rather indifferent attitude towards fairy tales, but also seem to like fairy tales in English more than fairy tales in Croatian, more specifically fairy tales by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić. Although students are familiar with these fairy tales (almost half of the students in the sample), the majority express a cautious indifference towards reading them. This can be ascribed to the rich stylistic and linguistic aspects of the fairy tales, which, if not approached carefully, may cause anxiety and indifference in CHLLs.

In terms of literary elements which they find intriguing for engaging in reading fairy tales, CHLLs mention an interesting plot, dialogues and unpredictable endings. CHLLs find descriptions of setting, characters, even rich illustrations as stumbling blocks or simply overwhelming. Reading the first pages of the fairy tale “Reygoch”

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showed that CHLLs are mostly undecided in terms of making a decision to read on, and students are almost unanimous in recommending “Reygoch” for reading in upper primary and lower middle school grades. Differences were not established between CHLLs’ reception of the fairy tale “Reygoch” with respect to the students’ grade level, number of years out of the Croatian school system or mother tongue(s). Surprisingly for the authors, the students’ comprehension of the initial pages of the fairy tale was not hindered by unknown words or unfamiliar sentence structures, and their comprehension of the text did not depend on their grade level, years of being out of the Croatian school system, or language(s) spoken at home.

The above findings suggest the need for an instructional agenda for teaching HLLs demanding literary texts. Their indifference towards fairy tales and fairy tale features across the board is a clear indicator to the teacher that it is indispensable to implement activities for HLLs which foster inquiry into aspects of vocabulary, syntax and contextualisation.

Due to the infancy of the field of heritage language acquisition in relation to Croatian learners, and, analogously, the embryo phase of research on young CHLLs, there are no significant research findings with which we could compare the findings of our research. Preliminary research of this kind, on a population of young Croatian heritage language learners, particularly with respect to their reception of Croatian fairy tales, has not been carried out. Considering that the sample size was relatively small and heterogeneous, exploring other research methodologies, mostly qualitative ones, a deeper text-level analysis, and using different techniques for testing reading comprehension in further research might lead to clearer explanations, stronger argumentations and consequently more precise recommendations for teaching. In addition, extending research to another school with a similar student body could potentially yield further results to identify commonalities among young CHLLs.

As the learning of a heritage language is a multifaceted endeavour, the methodological principles for both teaching and researching such a dynamic system should always consider what is comprehended and what is not, as well as the familiar and unfamiliar contexts in which that comprehension or lack of comprehension takes place (cf. Gass and Selinker, 2008). This specific group of young heritage language learners in Croatia has shed light on the need, perhaps even urgency, for a closer interdisciplinary approach to the methodology of literary scholarship and second language acquisition. With the goal of providing more beneficial instruction to HLLs, the two areas mentioned should simultaneously be considered: fostering understanding of the concept of fairy tales, and fostering interest in and appreciation for the Croatian language and culture.


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3 (1): 130–134.Brlić-Mažuranić, Ivana. 2006. “Regoč” = “Reygoch”. Transl. by Fanny S. Copeland. In

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Grgić, Ana, Ranka Đurđević and Tanja Salak. 2015. Šegrt Hlapić za razinu B1: prilagodba romana Čudnovate zgode šegrta Hlapića Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić. Zagreb: Filozofski fakultet.

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Turza-Bogdan, Tamara and Nina Kovač. 2015. “Recepcijske posebnosti i individualan doživljaj Šume Striborove i Regoča Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić u izvannastavnome čitanju”. In “Šegrt Hlapić” od čudnovatog do čudesnog: zbornik radova, edited by Berislav Majhut, Smiljana Narančić Kovač and Sanja Lovrić Kralj, 733–747. Zagreb and Slavonski Brod: Hrvatska udruga istraživača dječje književnosti, Ogranak Matice hrvatske Slavonski Brod.

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Ivana CindrićSveučilište u Zagrebu, Učiteljski fakultet, Zagreb, CroatiaFakultät für Lehrerausbildung der Universität Zagreb, Zagreb, Kroatien

Vlatka BlagusAmerička međunarodna škola, Zagreb, HrvatskaAmerikanische Internationale Schule Zagreb, Zagreb, Kroatien

Recepcija bajke „Regoč“ u nasljednih učenika hrvatskoga jezika Globalno povezano društvo koje karakterizira gotovo nomadski život nametnulo je potrebu za školovanjem djece u sustavima koji omogućuju međunarodno priznato obrazovanje, neovisno o državi u kojoj se učenici školuju. Tako primjerice Američku međunarodnu školu u Zagrebu (AISZ) pohađaju djeca različitih nacionalnosti, uključujući djecu hrvatske nacionalnosti ili hrvatskoga podrijetla. Iako ti nasljedni učenici hrvatskoga prate nastavu na engleskome jeziku, oni imaju i predmet Hrvatski jezik. Prema predmetnome kurikulu oblikovanome u skladu s potrebama učenika AISZ-a, u četvrtome i petome razredu obrađuju se i Priče iz davnine Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić. Ovaj rad prikazuje recepciju bajke „Regoč“ na primjeru heterogenih skupina učenika od šestoga do desetoga razreda. Za provjeru razumijevanja pretpostavljeno nepoznatih ili kontekstualno teže razumljivih riječi upotrijebljen je c-test. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da se djelo Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić može ponuditi na čitanje i inojezičnim učenicima hrvatskoga jezika uvažavajući osobitosti njihove recepcije. Analizom učeničkih odgovora stječe se uvid i u njihovu razinu književnoga čitanja te se opisuju individualne razlike među učenicima. Objašnjavaju se poteškoće na koje učenici nailaze dok čitaju izvorni književni tekst koji je zahtjevan na svim razinama književnoga čitanja. Također se predlažu strategije poučavanja kojima se takve poteškoće mogu izbjeći ili umanjiti.Ključne riječi: bajka, c-test, nasljedni učenici hrvatskoga jezika, recepcija, „Regoč“

Die Rezeption des Märchens Regoč unter Schülern mit Kroatisch als Herkunftssprache Die global vernetzte Gesellschaft, der beinah ein Nomadenleben eigen ist, erfordert eine Ausbildung von Kindern im Rahmen solcher Systeme, die einen international anerkannten und vom Standort unabhängigen Schulabschluss ermöglichen. Dementsprechend besuchen die Amerikanische Internationale Schule in Zagreb (AISZ) neben Kindern kroatischer Nationalität oder Abstammung auch jene unterschiedlicher nationaler Herkunft. Obwohl diese Kinder auf Englisch unterrichtet werden, belegen sie auch das Fach Kroatische Sprache und Literatur. Nach der Maßgabe des an die Bedürfnisse der AISZ-Schüler angepassten Lehrplanes wird in der vierten und fünften Klasse auch Ivana Brlić-Mažuranićs Werk Priče iz davnine bearbeitet. Im Beitrag wird die Rezeption des Märchens Regoč von Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić in gemischten Schülergruppen von der sechsten bis zur zehnten Klasse vorgestellt. Bei der Überprüfung des Verständnisses des Vokabulars, von dem anzunehmen war, es sei unverständlich oder schwer verständlich, wurde der C-Test angewandt. Die Forschungsergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass das Werk von Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić


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auch fremdsprachlichen Teilnehmern am Kroatischunterricht unter Berücksichtigung der Besonderheiten der Rezeption dieses Textes zum Lesen anzubieten ist. Im Beitrag wird auch die durch die Analyse der Schülerantworten erworbene Einsicht ins Niveau, auf dem die Schüler literarische Texte zu lesen im Stande sind, vermittelt, wobei auf individuelle Unterschiede zwischen den Schülern eingegangen wird. Ferner werden im Beitrag Schwierigkeiten erklärt, mit denen Schüler beim Lesen dieses anspruchsvollen literarischen Textes konfrontiert waren, sowie Lehrstrategien vorgeschlagen, mit deren Hilfe man diese Schwierigkeiten ausklammern oder zumindest vermindern kann. Schlüsselwörter: C-Test, Märchen, Regoč, Rezeption, Schüler mit Kroatisch als Herkunftssprache

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The title page of the first edition of Priče iz davnine [Tales of Long Ago] by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić (1916).

Naslovnica prvoga izdanja Priča iz davnine Ivane Brlić-Mažuranić (1916).

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