One of the most famous epic heroes of Bosnian literature, and perhaps the most popular one, is Budalina (Fool) Tale or Tale Ličanin. These are the two most common names for him, but there are also names Orasca Tale, Tale of Trnovac, Ibrahim Tale, Tale Susnjar, Talosina etc.
The only oral story of the historical figure of Tale Ličanin, which have greatly influenced the creation of the character of Budalina Tale, is that Tale was son of Ibrahim from Vrnograc, place near Velika Kladusa, and that he was killed in the battle near Banja Luka back in 1637. However, many epic heroic songs that sung Tale Ličanin through which he remained remembered to this day. The reason for this is its distinctive personality which has features of a hero, as well as those characteristics opposite to epic heroes.
Budalina (Fool) Tale and Tale Ličanin indicate two men, or two distinct characteristics in one character. Surname Budalina (Fool) tells us that Tale liked good laugh and jokes. Humor was his strongest weapon. He used every opportunity to laugh, and he almost always used himself as the subject of joke.
Budalina Tale in epic poems was a shepherd of unknown origin, while the other epic heroes have always been nobility, which gave mythological aspects to his birth as well.
Budalina was never bothered by his origin. For him, the most important were his own rules of life. “I’m not from here, I’m from far away, from far away, from Orašac town.”
However, there is no epic poem that could describe Budalina as silly or naive person. On the contrary, his inner personality is manifested through the other name Tale Ličanin. This name marks Tale as hero, the one who is brave and wise, whose actions are admired and whose word is respected. He uses his appearance of poor little peasant as a ploy when he enters the battle with other heroes, because his heroism is in his courage. He does not want to please anyone, because he believes that the human courage is above characteristics that other epic heroes promote, such as the origin, name and position. Tale Ličanin wins in his battles because of his bold and fearless fight.
Budalina Tale Ličanin was fair and modest, he did not like the war booty nor material rewards, because he knew it would challenge his most valuable characteristic – his freedom.
Budalina Tale, as a typical Bosnian from Krajina, is ingenious invention of Krajina poets and warriors, because his humor is human, he always hits a “center of the problem”, he is a hope of Krajina and Lika, and he himself would not be from Lika is he would not prepare surprise even his comrades, in the most difficult situations, and on those contrasts is created the unforgettable epic hero Budalina Tale.
Let’s recall what famous writer Branko Copic said about Budalina Tale: “He is the only character who is not in silk and velvet, he is a true representative of His Majesty the common people; at the same time he is the only warrior who is also a national joker. He is our Don Quixote, with a difference that the real one lived in the clouds, and our Tale was always firm on the ground…”
(Source: faktor.ba)
