On the genre kep-chookh in Khakas folklore

This paper discusses the genre features of Khakas non-fairy-tale prose that have been little studied until recently. In the folk tradition, the term kep-chookh is used for all non-fairy-tale oral stories. Non-fairy-tale prose is one of the most substantial components of the Khakas folklore heritage. Myths and legends are one of the most important sources for studying the material and spiritual culture of an ethnos. Based on archival materials, an attempt is made at making a genre differentiation of non-fairy-tale prose. Until recently, there have been no studies considering the issues of terminology of non-fairy-tale prose.