Document Type : Research Paper

Author

• Abolfazl Horri

Associate Prof in Persian Language and Literature , Arak University, Arak, Iran

Abstract

This article aims to provide a morphological analysis of the “three-counsel test” pattern in Iranian folktales. The central problem of the study is to explain the narrative structure and thematic functions of tales in which the protagonist receives three pieces of advice and his fate is determined by observing or neglecting them. The corpus consists of ten selected Iranian folktales that exhibit the three-counsel structure. The research adopts a qualitative approach based on morphological analysis, drawing on Propp’s functional model. The findings indicate that the “three-counsel test” operates as a recurrent narrative function that plays a decisive role in plot development and is commonly associated with patterns of trial, acquisition of a valuable object, and transformation of the hero’s condition. Thematically, these tales emphasize modes of livelihood, economic legitimacy, transformation motifs, and the transmission of wisdom by a mentor figure. The number three functions not merely as a quantitative element but as a narrative mechanism for suspense, emphasis, and reinforcement of the moral message. The results suggest that three-counsel tales, beyond their didactic dimension, contribute to the articulation of social and economic values and represent a relatively stable pattern of wisdom transmission.

Keywords

• three-counsel test
• morphological analysis
• Iranian folktales
• narrative function
• mentor figure

Main Subjects

• children's Literature Studies