This article seeks first to explain the defining features of the archetype of The Old Wise Man and then traces its instances in Urdu short stories. In Urdu, this archetype exists with surfeit of nomenclatures of the said archetypes, though its structural bearing remains unaltered. The sage archetype, another nomenclature, is a symbol of hope for the characters who are stuck in trouble. This paper concludes that though archetypal images sprout from the imagination, the seat of collective human experiences, they come to interpret, shine, and navigate our real experiences. Dozens of Urdu short stories have been quoted to unravel the manner of functioning of this archetype.

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