Published Paper Details:

This paper has been carried out in the framework of Vladimir Propp's 'Theory of Folktales'. Vladimir Propp's theory has been used to find if the tales of Burhi Aair Sadhu by Laxminath Bezbarua have any narrative and cultural similarities with universal folktales as stipulated by Propp. This research investigates thematic similarities in the tales from a universal point of view; whether the tales' morphological functions are in the same manner as Propp presented or they have variations in narrative structure. The paper undertakes a case study of the text and examines three tales to show how the functions of folktales do not follow the exact morphological sequence and this variation takes place due to different cultural values. The author's choice of sequence is another reason for the variation. The case study demonstrates how Assamese folktales can be of value in understanding peripheral regional literature narrative structure from a cultural perspective. The intention of this research is not to establish a different set of functions for folktales or to segregate the text from mainstream folktale texts. This study shows how the author built a cultural utopia for children and how the translator transmitted it to another language.