THE DEPARTURE OF MYTHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS ON JOURNEYS IN FAIRY TALES

This work analyzes the function of mythological characters in Uzbek folk tales as initiators of the hero’s journey. Special attention is given to figures such as fairies (pari) and dragons, who send the hero on epic quests and contribute to the development of the hero’s character. The study examines the role of the journey motif in the structure of fairy tale plots and its compositional significance.