The Gender of the Heroes, Storytellers and Collectors of Estonian Fairy Tales

Abstract

The article concerns the gender of fairy-tale (ATU 300-749) tellers accord-ing to Estonian archival records (5550 units) and the different combinations of the genders of the recorders, the tellers and the main characters. The high and low tides of recording fairy-tales for the archive are analysed, as well as possible reasons for the tides. It appears there has been a change in the 1920s regarding fairy-tales – the earlier tales have been collected mostly from men, the later ones – from women. Another point of discussion is masculine and feminine plots. The tendency noted also by e.g. B. Holbek is significant, towards men preferring tales with male heroes while women tell tales with both male and female heroes. Based on the Estonian fairy tales corpus, there is an observable shift in the 20th century of masculine fairy tales having become more popular among women; some reasons for this tendency are elaborated.