Abstract
Fortune-telling in the Turkish Culture and A Sample of Person Names Fortune Book in Verse Form
Curiosity of the unknown and hearing about future is
among the common characteristics of human beings.
Thus, fortune-telling considered as guesswork of the
unknown through some signs by several methods is a
common application in almost all societies dating back to
old ages. Fortune-telling is among the common traditions
in Turkish society as well; and a variety of literary works
focusing on different ways of fortune telling and known
as “Falname” in general have been written in Turkish
Classic Literature.
In this paper, after giving general information on the
place of fortune-telling in the Turkish culture, a sample of
fortune book in verse form is shared with the readers of
scientific, cultural and literary Works. This sample of
verse fortune book takes place in a manuscript and the
two other parts of this verse are thought to have been
recorded in the first half of 18th century. It’s unclear that
by whom and when the verse is told and it has no title.
The verse is done by wishing on the various person names
- like a raffle fortune. It is told within the framework of
classical poetry forms – in two couplets with the form of
“failatün failatün failün”. It has a fortune-telling application
schema under the rhythmic numbers 1-2-4-8-16 with
16x5 head sections and it consists of a total of 33 verses.
Keywords
Fortune-telling, fortune book, person names, classical literature.