Breaking of norms in Slavic and Baltic ballad songs with the metamorphosis motive

The article analyzes some Slavic and Baltic ballad songs subjects with the metamorphosis motivå (transformation of a human being into a tree or a bird). These subjects are based on the belief that only in a form of bird or a plant a protagonist can get into touch with the Otherworld. Only this transformation makes possible a contact between the dead and the living. One of the important conditions of ballad characters shape-shifting is some kind of breaking norms (somebody’s curse or breach of prohibition).