Transformation of the composition “köch gösnech” / “köch göstinech” of Komi (Zyryan) in the XX–XXI centuries

Introduction. The article deals with the concept of “köch gösnech / “köch göstinech” (“a gift from a hare”) of Komi (Zyryan). The purpose of the research is to trace the dynamics of the composition of the concept and determine the symbolism of a gift from the forest.
Materials and Methods. The article is based on the ethnographic materials collected by the author. Literary sources and folklore texts are used to reconstruct the symbolic content of the gift from the forest. The comparative-historical method makes it possible to identify changes in the composition of the “gift from a hare”.
Results and Discussion. The practice of returning home the remains of “road food” was perceived by children as gifts from forest animals (a hare, a squirrel, a fox), where the hare held the palm, which was fixed in the concept “köch gösnech” /“köch göstinech” (“a gift from a hare”). Initially, the composition of the treat included some bread, which was reflected in one of its names – “köch nyan” (“bread from a hare”). In the 1950s–1960s it was sprinkled with salt or sugar. In folk culture bread and salt acted as a talisman, and the shortage of sugar in those years made it possible to consider it as a delicacy. The composition of the gift from the forest additionally included berries, gum for chewing and pine nuts, which emphasized the location of the messenger of the treat. The improvement in the food supply of the rural population affected the contents of the treat, which began to include sweets. This practice continues to this day.
Conclusion. The composition of the “gift from a hare” changed in accordance with the changes in the food. Magical properties were attributed to food that had been outside the living space mastered by a human, capable of endowing children with health and happiness.