The ethical norms in Macedonian folk ballads about Haiduks

In this contribution we will take a close look at the ethical norms in the ballads of the haiduk cycle, still alive in the field. We will examine the most popular ballads’ motives, looking at them at the different levels: the enemy’s respect of courage, the mother’s behaviour in the different situations, the respect of his mother and respect of the milk that she breastfed him etc. On the basis of the ballad motive of the sinful haiduk conscious sin and the moral codex oblige even the mother to put an especially hard curse, on her child, including the maledictas. The departure from the moral norms is so great that even her love could not find any excuse for the sinful haiduk (’aramija’), especially when the sin is incest. The next motive is the motive of treason and the moral norms