Py'ly' Poughi

Py'ly' Poughi was born in Avetaranots village of Karabakh. He served as a jester in the court of Melik Shahnazar - the ruler of Varanda Principality. He created funny stories and fables, which, told from mouth to mouth, have been modified and supplemented, reaching modern days under his name. One of the elders of Karabakh Rev. Makar Barkhoudaryants wrote down 189 Py'ly' Poughi storis and fables and published them in 1883 in Tbilisi under the title "Py'ly' Poughi". Later, new records were published by other folklore specialists (S․ Israyelyan, M․ Grigoryan-Spandaryan). Translations, literary modifications and narratives of Py'ly' Poughi's stories have also been published, the most popular being Sero Khanzadyan's "Py'ly' Poughi".[1] His stories and fables, serving as fun and banter, have healthy preceptorial, moralistic tendencies, exposing the vicious aspects of everyday life and social relations of his time.

It is believed that Py'ly' Poughi's grave is located in a cave between Shosh and Mkhitarashen villages, where his statue was erected in 1976. Many materials about Py'ly' Poughi are preserved at the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, Yeghishe Charents Museum of Literature and Art and elsewhere.[2] Armenian Centre of PR development is planning to reanimate Py'ly' Poughi, along with Gyumri's Poloz Mukuch, in a new multi-language animated film series, taking the example of films about Nasreddin.[3]

• Poloz Mukuch