Circular tale
A circular tale or a circular song is a tale or song that can be repeated endlessly, because the last element of the narrative introduces the repetition of the first one.[1]
An example, called "Circular Tale", from The Borzoi Book of French Folk Tales goes as follows: Three brigands are sitting on a stone. The oldest one says to the youngest: "Tell us a story, Edward". And Edward begins: "Four brigands are sitting on a stone. The oldest one says to the youngest: 'Tell us a story, Edward'. And Edward begins: 'Five brigands are sitting on a stone...' "[2]
Russian annoying tales
In Russian folkloristics, circular tales are known as "annoying skazka" (Докучная сказка), named so because it is supposed to annoy the listeners.[3] The best known ones are the song "У попа была собака" ("A pope had a dog") and "Сказка про белого бычка" ("A Tale about the White Calf"). The first one goes as follows: "A pope had a dog. He liked her. She ate a piece of meat, and he killed her. He buried her and put a note 'A pope had a dog. etc...'" The second one is actually is a verbal game with the intention to annoy the listener and is recorded by Russian folklorist Alexander Afanasyev in his Russian Fairy Tales:
Do you want me to tell you a story about a white calf?" - "Tell me." - "You tell me, and I'll tell you, should I tell you a story about a white calf?" - "Tell me." - "You tell me, and I'll tell you, what will happen to us, and how long will it be! Should I tell you a story about a white calf?"
This continues until one of the two gets bored.[4] The story gave rise to the Russian idiomatic expression "a tale about the white calf" in reference to endless excuses or endless pointless repetitive discourse.[5][6]
Circular plot device
In a story with circular plot, the ending of the story is closely connected to its beginning, i.e., the story makes a full circle.
Notable examples
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
- "There's a Hole in My Bucket"
- "The Song That Doesn't End"
- "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"
See also
- Repetitive song, a more general type of songs
- "99 Bottles of Beer", a "reverse counting" son
- Repetition (rhetorical device)
- Groundhog Day
References
- ^ circular tale
- ^ "Circular Tale", In: The Borzoi Book of French Folk Tales p.354
- ^ Andrei Sinyavsky, "Иван-дурак. Очерки русской народной веры" [ Ivan the Fool: An Essay on Russian Folk Faith], Agraf, Moscow, 2001
- ^ s:ru:Народные русские сказки (Афанасьев)/Докучные сказки
- ^ Сказка про белого бычка In: Фразеологический словарь русского литературного языка. — М.: Астрель, АСТ. А. И. Фёдоров. 2008.
- ^ Сказка про белого бычка
Further reading
- Juan Luis Toribio Vazquez, Circular Narratives in Modern European Literature