Siddi-kür Frame-tale Collection: German Translations by B. Bergmann and B. Jülg

The Siddi-Kür is a popular tale collection widespread among the Mongolic peoples and based on Indian sources. Its diff erent Russian-language editions had been published by Konstsntin Golstunsky, Boris Vladimirtsov, Galsan Gomboev. The article examines some German translations authored by Benjamin Bergmann and Bernhard Jülg. The texts of Mongolian and Kalmyk tales from the Siddi-Kür included in volume one of B. Bergmann’s “Nomadische Streifereien unter den Kalmüken in den Jahren 1802 und 1803” were earliest European scholarly insights into Kalmyk folklore. The researcher translated thirteen tales, each in two versions (which makes a total of twenty six texts), and an introductory frame story. Bernhard Jülg under took his translation eff orts six decades there after and specifi cally dealt with Kalmyk (Oirat) manuscripts containing the fi rst thirteen tales. Despite some critical remarks from Konstantin Golstunsky and Bertold Laufer, his translations are still of certain interest. The German-language editions made it possible for Europeans to learn about the folklore heritage of Mongols and Kalmyks, which extended the then understandings of the Kalmyk tale tradition and Mongolic worldviews at large. That was facilitated by the translators’ deep knowledge of Kalmyk culture and customs. The paper focuses on some peculiarities and structural patterns of the German- language editions, particular attention is given to translation tools employed for culture-specifi c lexemes.