A Glance at the Kurdish Tale of Kadou (the Gourd)

Tales, as part of folk literature include desires that are frequently unattainable outside themselves; therefore, investigating folk tales increases our understanding of the inner world of people of the past. This study investigates a Kurdish tale called “Kadou” and shows that there are structural similarities between this tale and others of its kind; it is also stated that there are differences regarding content and creation. Although the tale was written down much later and led to introducing some fictional elements, its folkloric essence is apparent in its content. Regarding the relation of the story with the Kurdish people it should be stated that there are instances from their lives mentioned in the tale that approve of its Kurdish origin. The present study is a step toward recognizing the theme of an old Kurdish tale and others of its kind around the world and to concentrate on analyzing this literary genre – tales in Kurdish oral literature – to shed more light on the capabilities of folk literature.