Երգիծանքի դերը և դրսևորումները հայ ժողովրդական կենդանապատում հեքիաթներում

<jats:p>This article examines the manifestations of satire in Armenian folk animal tales. Satire is considered as a form of artistic cognition through which human flaws and vices are revealed. It functions as a sharp rhetorical and artistic device and has consistently played an important role in the formation of social consciousness. In animal tales, satire is not merely a rhetorical device or a source of amusement but also serves as a moral and axiological guidepost. Methods and Materials: The study was conducted using textual, historical-comparative, and typological methods, drawing upon Armenian folk animal tales, ethnographic records, and fable collections. Comparative analysis of the material has made it possible to take into account parallels in the folklore of other nations, thereby revealing the common manifestations of satire in animal tales. Analysis: In Armenian animal tales, satire is expressed through the opposition of characters, where the cunning and the naïve appear respectively as the ridiculer and the ridiculed. The most frequently encountered figures are the fox and the wolf: the former is portrayed as clever and resourceful, while the latter embodies foolishness and shortsightedness. Satire is also employed through cumulative plot structures, where a trivial incident escalates into major commotion, creating humorous and grotesque situations. The combination of subtle humor and sharp ridicule not only entertains the reader but also highlights the erroneous and socially unacceptable aspects of certain behaviors. Results: The analysis demonstrates that satire in Armenian folk animal tales functions as a powerful pedagogical tool. It relentlessly mocks greed, laziness, cowardice, gullibility, and other shortcomings, while simultaneously pointing to exemplary models of ideal behavior.</jats:p>