The Laughter in and around Treasure Tales

Abstract

Traditional treasure tales can be interpreted as stories of success and failure. Based on the texts in the Estonian Folklore Archives, the current article focuses on the role of laughter within treasure tales and in their audiences. When someone in a legend makes a mistake, misses an opportunity, or gets embarrassed when searching for treasure, the audience may respond with laughter. The laughter heard during storytelling is an ambiguous sign, as both the characters’ failure and success can evoke the same reaction. On the other hand, when treasure tales are told as belief legends it is the supernatural being that sometimes laughs, making its presence known by a peculiar laugh that serves as a warning to the human character.

Some treasure tales can be categorised as funny stories by genre. This means that the narratives tend to be taken as humorous based on genre conventions. Indeed, treasure legends can be told for entertainment, but at the same time laughter can conceal a listener’s mixed feelings about the content of the narrative.

Human characters in treasure tales laugh in the same situations in which they would in real life. In addition, the fear of being laughed at makes sense in treasure tales because people rather avoid doing certain things and hide their deeds and thoughts associated with treasure hunting.