Elements that transform space in folk tales

Folk tales are products through which societies convey their historical and cultural accumulations via oral narrative forms. Emerging after the epic genre, folk tales can be regarded as a rite of passage that allows the individual to be recognized as an entity in relation to society. While the protagonist's internal and external conflicts form the main theme of the narrative, these tales also reflect numerous aspects of the society being portrayed, such as traditional codes, daily life, interpersonal relationships, governance, and economic conditions. In the narratives, the heroes, events, and spaces form parts of an integrated whole. The concepts of private property and spatial belonging, assigned by the settled order, elevate space beyond being merely a geographical setting of the narrative, turning it into a meaningful element in the transformation of the protagonist. In folk tales, space attains a symbolic dimension that reflects the journeys, trials, and transformations of the heroes; and at times, it is interpreted as a threat or a mystical transition zone. In this study, how space is transformed in folk tales and which elements contribute to this transformation are examined. Spaces such as palaces, mountains, deserts, and houses, featured in the tales, are considered "environmental spaces" that contribute to the development of events, while concepts such as gender, urbanization, and thresholds are evaluated as "perceptual spaces" that psychologically affect and transform the protagonist. The study analyzes the non-static, constantly evolving, and multi-layered structure of space that guides the narrative in folk tales. Keywords: folk tale, space, transformation of the hero, transformation of space