Rahvajutud peidetud varandustest: tegude saamine lugudeks

The author of the dissertation aims to give an overview of Estonian hidden treasure traditions. The topical folklore corpus of the Estonian Folklore Archives is characterised in detail. There are both fragmentary summaries and perfectly enjoyable narratives about hidden treasures in the archives. The thesis analyses also the genres of treasure lore. Despite its diffuse nature, legend is the traditional genre best suited to telling about hidden treasures. The actual single texts could be categorised also as personal experience narratives, memorates, factual accounts, anecdotes, situational narratives, and even fairy tales. It appeared that treasure tales as belief narratives presented diverse results of treasure hunting and ambivalent attitudes towards getting rich. At the same time great number of stories did provide examples of fortunate findings. The thesis focused on the nature of the deeds performed in treasure tales. Treasure tales are, essentially, a recounting of specific activities performed by human characters who thereby sometimes encounter the supernatural.