Famous fairytale characters list. The most famous heroes of fairy tales and cartoons in the world

Reflexion

Grandma's tales. Fragment. Artist V.M. Maximov. 1867.

UDC 293.21: 821.16

Shtemberg A.S.

Heroes of Russian folk tales: who are they and why do they behave this way and not otherwise?

Shtemberg Andrey Sergeevich, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Head of the Department of Experimental Biology and Medicine of the State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation - Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Email: [email protected]

The article is devoted to the mythological and ritual roots of the images of the heroes of traditional Russian fairy tales (Ivan Tsarevich, Baba Yaga, Koschey the Immortal, the Serpent Gorynych).

Key words: Russian folk tales, fairy tale heroes, Ivan Tsarevich, Baba Yaga, Koschey the Immortal, Serpent Gorynych, magic assistant, clan structure, matriarchy, totem, magic, the kingdom of the living and the kingdom of the dead.

Russian folk tales ... From early childhood we all plunged into their amazing, unlike anything and often very mysterious world. From that very early childhood, we learned that a fairy tale is a fiction, that good always triumphs in it, and evil is always punished, and nevertheless we followed with excitement the adventures of fairy-tale heroes. The most attentive of those who, having become older, did not stop reading and rereading fairy tales, probably noticed that they are all built according to strictly defined rules. With all the seemingly enormous diversity of them, the plots of fairy tales are repeated all the time, and the fairy-tale heroes constantly wander from one fairy tale to another, however, sometimes under different names.

Perhaps you have also noticed some oddities in the behavior of fairy tale characters, often contrary to logic and common sense. So, for example, for some reason, parents send or take their children to the dense forest to be eaten by some fabulous evil spirits, Baba Yaga, this evil and cannibal, for no reason at all helps Ivan Tsarevich, whom he sees for the first time in his life, a gray wolf having devoured Ivan Tsarevich's horse, instead of eating it himself, he suddenly begins to serve him faithfully and resignedly cleans up all the troubles caused by his disobedience ... This list of fabulous absurdities (from our modern point of view) could be continued and continued. Many collectors of folk tales have noticed that the narrator himself is often perplexed by the

the water of the motives of the actions of his heroes, sometimes he even tries to somehow explain them from the point of view of our modern logic, but, as a rule, this cannot be done without violating the main scheme of the fairy tale narration. After all, the main feature of a fairy tale and its difference from other, author's, literary genres is that it reflects not the personal perception of the world by the storyteller, but what is common that unites him with all people. It is this feature that allowed the fairy tale to preserve the echoes of ancient beliefs, customs and rituals. After all, fairy tales, especially magical ones, are terribly ancient, they are rooted in primitive society, when people lived in a primitive tribal system. And then the ideas of people about the world around them, and the rules of their behavior were completely different. It is with this that the strange, as it seems to us, features of the behavior of fairy-tale heroes are connected. And despite the fact that kings and kings, soldiers and generals act in these tales (after all, the storytellers, retelling tales for centuries, of course, outwardly modernized the heroes), they are imbued with the worldview of primitive man, for whom the nature around him was incomprehensible, mysterious and complete unexpected dangers: the royal daughter was walking in the garden, suddenly a three-headed Serpent (a whirlwind of unidentified nature, Koschey the Immortal) flew in and carried the princess to the thirtieth kingdom ... to speak and how to behave in the most incredible fairy-tale situations. Where? What is it all about - the thirtieth kingdom? Who are its permanent inhabitants - Baba Yaga, Koschey the Immortal, Serpent G rynych? Where did they come from? Why do they behave in all fairy tales this way and not otherwise? Surely all these questions arose when reading fairy tales. We will try to answer them in our essay. The fact is that all these heroes come from there, from the world of primitive man, and their behavior is determined by his ideas, beliefs and customs. Indeed, after all, fairy-tale heroes are unique, they are not found anywhere else - neither in myths, nor in heroic epics, nor in legends. Characters of Russian myths and legends are not found in fairy tales at all - all these brownies, gobies, mermaids, barnacles, kikimors and others - ideas about them were formed much later. They are spoken of in bylichkas - a special variety of Russian folklore that does not look like fairy tales. And fairy-tale heroes are much older - let's try to trace their ancestry, understand their behavior and actions.

Ivan Tsarevich

Ivan Tsarevich is the main positive hero of most fairy tales. Occasionally, however, he appears under different names - Vasily Tsarevich or Dmitry Tsarevich, - sometimes replaced by characters of lower origin - Ivan the merchant's or peasant's son, or even Ivan Bykovich

Illegitimate offspring of a cow, but its essence, fabulous role and nature of actions do not change from this. Therefore, let us, without taking into account social origin, call him by the most common name - Ivan Tsarevich, meaning the main fairytale hero who overcomes all obstacles and in the finale of the tale marries the princess.

So, who is Ivan Tsarevich? Let's start from the very beginning - with the birth of the hero. First of all, he is usually the youngest son in the family. Why? Apparently, the fact is that in the ancestral primitive society, it was the youngest son who was the keeper and heir of family property, orders and traditions, because he remained in the family the longest. Older brothers, as a rule, went to the family of the mother's brother. Over time, with the disintegration of primitive communal relations and the emergence of paternal (patriarchal) law and a large patriarchal family, the situation changed. They began to look at the separation of older brothers as the fragmentation and weakening of the family, the destruction of the common cause and the squandering of family property. Therefore, the right of inheritance was revised in favor of the eldest sons. So the youngest son turned out to be offended and disadvantaged - after all, it is not for nothing that many tales about the three brothers begin with the death of his father and the division of property, in which the youngest gets almost nothing or nothing at all. Naturally, in fairy tales that preserve the most ancient ideas, all sympathies are on his side - he acts as the keeper and protector of the original ancestral principles, while his brothers are their destroyers. Therefore, our hero embodies the ideal of ideas about the virtues of a person of primitive communism - he is disinterested, trusting, respectful to his elders, while brothers are the focus of the qualities that destroyed this society: commitment to profit, greed, treachery. Probably, as the keeper of the family hearth and ancestral traditions, he also provides himself with the protection of mythical forces - the spirits of the maternal clan, which help him in further adventures. This is also related to his close relationship with animals, which also willingly help him. The fact is that the matriarchal clan system was associated with the idea of ​​animal totems - the ancestors and patrons of the tribe. Let's pay attention to one more feature of the birth of our hero: in some fairy tales this is a magical birth. So, in the fairy tale "Ivan Bykovich" the queen, the cook and the cow give birth to three boys-heroes, having eaten the magic fish - the golden-feather ruff. Fish in the minds of primitive man was associated with getting rid of infertility because of its incredible fertility and life in water, fertilizing the surrounding nature. So already some circumstances of the birth of Ivan Tsarevich indicate that he is not an entirely simple person. Let's notice this and move on.

The next stage in the biography of our hero (childhood and adolescence are skipped, and what to stop at them

After all, it grows by leaps and bounds) - getting a magic assistant. This is the most important stage, after which

Ivan Tsarevich on the gray wolf. Artist V.M. Vasnetsov. 1889.

Ivan Tsarevich at a crossroads. Artist I. Ya. Bilibin. 1899.

Then he is no longer an ordinary person, then his business goes like clockwork, and the success of the enterprise is guaranteed.

Here is the most interesting part of the tale and the greatest variety of situations. Let's try to make out the most typical ones. How does it all start? Sometimes the brothers decide to marry and shoot arrows - where the arrow falls, there is the bride ("The Frog Princess"). Quite a strange, in our opinion, way of choosing a wife, isn't it? We can assume two reasons for the emergence of this incomprehensible action: one - fortune-telling, the belief of a primitive man in fate; the second is connected with the fact that the arrow (the symbol of lightning) was associated with fertilizing rain and was used by the ancient Slavs in the wedding ceremony as a sign of fertility and an instrument sanctifying the marriage union. Here the brothers marry ordinary (and rather clumsy) women, and Ivan Tsarevich gets a magical helper in the face of the frog princess.

In other cases, the brothers' father dies and tells his sons to be on duty at his grave for three nights (also a strange wish from our modern point of view), as, for example, in the tale of Sivka-burka. What is the matter here? With the withering away of the cult of totemic ancestors along the female line in primitive society, they were replaced by male ones. Therefore, being on duty at the father's grave meant performing the prescribed rituals and sacrifices necessary for the dead to find peace and not return. Brothers here, as usual, get lost, dumping their duties on Ivan, and he honestly fulfills his duty and receives a magic assistant from his father, this time in the form of a Sivki-burka. The image of the deceased donor father comes from the primitive ideas about the power of the dead - after all, they are in another world, where everything is known, where everything begins and where everything ends. The story of the trash of a reserved field or garden is very close to this plot (as in the tales of the Firebird and the Humpbacked Horse), when the hero conscientiously guards the territory entrusted to him, discovers or catches a thief and also receives a magical assistant as a reward. Here are reflected the rituals associated with the existence of special reserved fields of the dead-ancestors among the ancient Slavs, which were supposed to divert their attention from the living.

We have analyzed the situations when the hero receives magic assistants, without going on a journey, so to speak, with home delivery. True, even in these cases, he cannot avoid traveling: he must either lose these assistants (for example, by burning the skin of the Frog Princess), or various misadventures fall upon him, and, whatever one may say, he, my heart, has to stomp into the thirtieth kingdom - rescue a stolen wife or fiancée, carry out tasks of the authorities (the old king), get rejuvenating apples for the old father, or something else. In other situations, Ivan Tsarevich receives magic assistants directly in the thirtieth kingdom - as a gift or steals a magic horse from Koshchei the Immortal or Baba Yaga, meets a gray wolf, fraudulently takes possession of a self-assembled tablecloth, an invisible hat, a magic club and other wonderful items.

So, running a little ahead, we came to sending our hero on a long journey - to the notorious thirtieth kingdom. Here is the time to talk about how he is going there and what is this most thirtieth kingdom. Remember what the princess says when she goes there? “Look for me in the distant lands, in the thirtieth kingdom! Before you trample three pairs of iron shoes, break three iron staffs, erase three stone prowers, than find me! " Shoes, staff, breads (bread) - these are exactly the items that the ancients supplied the dead, preparing them for a journey to another world. The fact that there are three of them (the method of tripling is generally characteristic of fairy tales), and the fact that they are made of iron and stone, apparently, should have meant the length of the journey. Everything that we know about the thirtieth kingdom (and this is the kingdom in which everything is wrong, the dwelling place of magical creatures and the residence of magical objects) suggests that the thirtieth kingdom is the otherworldly kingdom, the kingdom of the dead. We will talk about this in more detail when we find ourselves there with our hero, but for now let's see how he gets into the thirtieth kingdom.

First of all, we note that the hero does not always go to this kingdom in search of stolen relatives or on the instructions of the leadership. They come across situations in fairy tales (the same Ivan Bykovich), when the heroes themselves, for no apparent reason, are called “to go to alien lands, to look at people themselves, to show themselves in people”. Another common fairytale collision is the motive for selling a newly born child to some mysterious creature: “give what you don’t know at home” (this plot, among other things, may have reflected primitive ideas about atoning sacrifices for violating the prohibition) or giving the son to training the sorcerer (as in the tales of the sea king or cunning science). Let's pay attention to the fact that in both cases the son comes at the disposal of a fabulous miracle-yuda upon reaching a certain age.

So how does our hero get into this other kingdom and why should he definitely visit it? The ways of crossing to the thirtieth kingdom are varied: Ivan Tsarevich can go there on a magic

Three princesses of the underworld. Artist V.M. Vasnetsov. 1881.

Three brothers. Illustration for the fairy tale "The Frog Princess". Artist I. Ya. Bilibin. 1899.

horse, on birds (for example, Nogai the bird takes him to a high mountain), descend underground (as in the tale of the three kingdoms - copper, silver and gold) or follow a counselor (for example, for a magic ball), but they all reflect representations of primitive man about the wandering of the deceased to the afterlife.

Now let us note one more very significant point: in most fairy tales, the hero's path certainly lies through a dense forest. Here it is time to compare this circumstance with what we talked about a little earlier - about the sudden departure of matured heroes or sending them to some fabulous undead (that is, again, to the same other world - the thirtieth kingdom). Having done this, we arrive at a second extremely important performance and the associated ritual of primitive man, the memory of which is reflected in the motives of most fairy tales. This is a rite of initiation, or initiation, through which young men of all primitive tribes, without exception, who have reached a certain age, must pass. This rite consists in the fact that young men are taken away or sent to some special sacred place, almost always located in the forest; uninitiated members of the tribe (especially women) are strictly forbidden even to approach him. There they are subjected to ritual tests, often cruel - it was believed that in the course of these tests the boy should, as it were, die, and after passing them, he would be reborn as a new person - a man, a hunter, a full-fledged member of the tribe. Often, after initiation, the boy even received a new name. It is the memory of this rite, which played an exceptionally important role in the life of a primitive man, that underlies such fabulous motives as the sudden departure of heroes to the thirtieth kingdom, sending them into service or training for fabulous evil spirits; hence the plots of the expulsion or withdrawal of children by the parents to the dense forest - nothing can be done, the time has come.

It is important for us that this ceremony was accompanied by magical rituals - after all, the memory of primitive magic forms the basis of the magic that we constantly encounter in fairy tales. In the view of primitive man, the art of the hunter consists primarily in getting the beast into his hands, and this, in his opinion, can be achieved only with the help of magic. Therefore, teaching magical techniques, introducing the boy into magical performances, rituals and ceremonies of the tribe constituted an important part of the initiation rite (hence, sending him to study with a fabulous sorcerer). In close connection with this, the receipt by the hero of a magic gift (invisibility hats, running boots and other accessories of the fairytale hero) or a magic assistant - the rite of initiation involved the acquisition of a guardian spirit associated with the tribal totem.

What is this magical assistant, exclusively with the help of which Ivan Tsarevich successfully solves the tasks assigned to him?

These can be magic items: a flying carpet, an invisible hat, a self-assembled tablecloth, running boots, magic clubs, knapsacks, balls, boxes, etc. There are different opinions about the origin of these magical objects, but they are all somehow connected with the thirty otherworldly kingdom and reflect certain properties of its inhabitants. So, in the minds of ancient people, the inhabitants of the kingdom of the dead could fly (flying carpet), become invisible to the living (invisible hat), and instantly move in space (running boots). In addition, the other world, in their opinion, was distinguished by incredible abundance - it is not for nothing that rivers of milk with jelly banks flow in the thirtieth kingdom; so the self-assembled tablecloth, obviously, seemed like a piece of this abundance, which in a portable version could be carried away with you.

These can be magical animals: a horse, a gray wolf, an eagle, a raven or a falcon. In this company, the main role undoubtedly belongs to the horse, so we will dwell on it in a little more detail.

First of all, how does the hero acquire a horse? He is completely dissatisfied with the usual earthly horse from the nearby royal stables: “whatever horse he approaches, he puts his hand, it falls off his feet.” The hero either finds a horse in the thirtieth kingdom in some dungeon, or receives as a gift, earns or steals from one of the inhabitants of this kingdom (Baba Yaga, Koshchei, some local king), or personally feeds it from a lousy foal in protected (magic) meadows.

We will talk about receiving a horse as a gift a little later (in the chapter on Baba Yaga), but for now, note that the plot of feeding a horse most likely originates from the rite of feeding sacrificial animals, which gave them magical (magical) power.

As for other (wild) animals, their willingness to serve the hero is most likely determined by their belonging to the totem of his tribe, that is, they are the patron spirits of the mother's kind. No wonder in some fairy tales (as in the tale of the three kingdoms) the eagle, the falcon and the raven are the hero's sons-in-law, that is, relatives in the female line. Therefore, the gray wolf, having devoured the generally unnecessary ordinary horse of Ivan Tsarevich, departed at his full disposal. The main role of magical animal helpers, among other magical services, is that they are intermediaries between the two kingdoms, and they transfer the hero from one to another.

Finally, the third type of magical helpers is the artisan helpers. Ivan Tsarevich picks them up on the way to their destination, going to woo some cunning and malicious princess. These are all kinds of eaters, opials, freezers, magic runners, arrows, and so on. These are also patron spirits, but they are either personified (humanized) incarnations of any one, but unlimited ability, or

Carpet plane. Artist V.M. Vasnetsov. 1880.

spirits-masters of the elements (frost, wind and others). True, there are also such universal magical assistants that combine the properties of all three varieties - for example, Shmat-mind (“Go there, I don’t know where, bring that, I don’t know what”) or a magic ring.

So, obtaining (in one way or another is also important, but we will talk about this later) a magical assistant is a decisive stage in the fabulous career of our hero. Now he is magically armed, initiated and elected, he is not just some ordinary prince or hero, but a powerful magician, the only one capable of measuring strength with the inhabitants of the thirty otherworldly kingdom. After receiving the magic assistant, the hero is already firmly on his way to the intended goal and knows exactly how he will achieve it. Probably, many even had the impression that further the hero plays a passive role: the assistant does everything for him, and he, at best, comes to the ready-made, and at worst - only gets underfoot and interferes, complicating the life of the assistant. This, in general, is not true: the magic assistant is not an independent character, he is just personified magical abilities of the hero. Functionally (that is, according to the role played in the fairy tale), the hero and the assistant are one person. Confidence in the behavior of the hero is determined by his magical weapons, and, in fact, his very heroism lies in his magical knowledge and power. But as for the disagreements that sometimes arise between the assistant and the hero, it seems to me personally that this is a manifestation of the contradictions between the magical and human essences of the hero.

So, now, magically armed and ready for all the upcoming troubles, Ivan Tsarevich arrived in the thirtieth kingdom. Let's stop with him for a minute and look around. What do we know about this kingdom? In different fairy tales, it may just be somewhere very far away, on a high mountain or even inside a mountain, underground or under water, but, as a rule, there are no specific underground or underwater features in it. Often the hero, having got there, is even surprised: "And there the light is the same as ours." The ancient (yes, probably, and not only the ancient) people had a tendency to transfer the features of the world in which they live, and to the other world. It is interesting that, as the external forms of life of the storytellers changed, modernizing the entourage of fairy tales (kings, generals settled in them, palaces and bins appeared), all these attributes were automatically transferred to another kingdom.

The main distinguishing feature of this kingdom, its seal is the golden color of everything that belongs to it. There are golden palaces, golden animals are found - a deer - golden horns, a golden goat, a pig - golden bristles and others, all objects are also made exclusively of gold - golden rings, eggs, boxes and so on. And this kingdom itself is often golden - most likely, copper, silver and golden kingdoms - just an ordinary fabulous trebling. The golden color is, apparently, an expression of sunshine - after all, almost all the beliefs of the ancient Slavs were very closely associated with the Sun. Perhaps, the idea of ​​the inexhaustible abundance that reigns in the thirty kingdom is also associated with it. We have already mentioned rivers of milk with jelly banks and a self-assembled tablecloth (the idea that if you bring food from there, it will never end on earth either). Now we can also recall the quite fabulous wealth of the inhabitants of the thirtieth kingdom and the inexhaustible abundance of their reserves.

About what and why the hero does in the thirtieth kingdom - communicates with Baba Yaga, defeats Koshchei the Immortal or the Serpent, solves tricky tasks and brilliantly withstands the tests of the local king or princess,

finally, after long twists and turns, he marries a princess and becomes a king himself - we will talk in the following sections (about Baba Yaga, Koschey, the Serpent, the king and princesses), where we will consider in detail his relationship with these characters. And here, finally, let us dwell on one more feature of the behavior of Ivan Tsarevich - the plot of his flight from the thirtieth kingdom, which is very often found in fairy tales.

Sometimes this flight is caused by the abduction of the bride, but sometimes, it would seem, it is not motivated at all (as, for example, in the tale of the sea king and Vasilisa the Wise): everything ended well, the hero passed all the trials, married the princess - it seems it is time to calm down ... But no - he wanted, you see, to go home. Well, I wanted to - go, it seems, why should the sea king interfere with him? But for some reason this cannot be done, and when they run away, the sea king for some reason falls into a terrible rage and sets off in pursuit. This chase is magical: it is repeated in many fairy tales (only the pursuers change - Baba Yaga, Koschey, or someone else) and is accompanied by the transformation of heroes or the throwing of various magical objects: the brush turns into a dense forest, a mirror into a lake, a comb or flint, into inaccessible mountains, etc.

Most likely, escape with transformations is a later plot structure, although it can be noted that the ability to transform into animals is a property that is often attributed to the inhabitants of the other world in ancient Slavic beliefs. But throwing household items is in its purest form the so-called imitative (based on external similarity) magic: an impenetrable forest emerges from a thick brush, a lake or a river appears from a mirror similar to the surface of water, and so on. Here

Vasilisa the Beautiful runs out of Baba Yaga's hut. Artist I. Ya. Bilibin. 1899.

The Red Horseman (Noon or Sun). Illustration for the fairy tale "Vasilisa the Beautiful". Artist I. Ya. Bilibin. 1899.

Baba Yaga. Headpiece to the fairy tale "Vasilisa the Beautiful". Artist I. Ya. Bilibin. 1900.

there are echoes of another type of magic - partial, based on the idea that a part causes the appearance of a whole: flint (part of a mountain) - inaccessible rocks, flint - a river of fire. During the chase, the pursuer overcomes two obstacles, and the third stops him. It is curious that the third obstacle is most often the river (sometimes fiery). Apparently, this is the border of the otherworldly kingdom, and the persecutor cannot cross it, because his power does not extend to the kingdom of the living (in the ideas of many ancient peoples, the river serves as the border of the kingdom of the dead).

But what caused such anger among the inhabitants of this kingdom? Most likely, the flight is a consequence of the theft of magical items. This is a very interesting moment, because it reflects the very ancient ideas of primitive man, when he still did not produce anything, but only took forcibly, abducted from nature. It is not for nothing that the first things leading to culture seemed to the ancient people not made, but stolen (the fire stolen by Prometheus, the first arrows and seeds from the South American Indians). After all, the later rite of passage, which we talked about, assumed a completely peaceful and voluntary transfer of a magical object (which is also often found in fairy tales). So we see that in some cases our positive hero breaks into the realm of the dead as if he were alive - a troublemaker, destroyer and kidnapper, thereby causing quite natural discontent among the country's masters. This is one of the motives that determine his relationship with the inhabitants of the otherworldly kingdom, but, as we will see later, they do not always develop this way.

Who, you might say, does not know who Baba Yaga is? A malicious, unsympathetic old woman, lives in a forest in a hut on chicken legs, flies in a mortar with a broomstick, eats children (or rather, tries to eat, because the children are constantly deceiving her) ... In general, a frivolous character. However, sometimes she helps Ivan Tsarevich with advice or gives him something - a horse, a magic ball ... Let's start with this.

If you look more closely, you will find that there are three varieties of Baba Yaga in fairy tales: the Yaga counselor and the giver, the Yaga the kidnapper and the devourer (the one who strives to eat children) and another less common type - the Yaga warrior (for example, in for the last thirty years he fought with Baba Yaga - the golden leg). Let's start with the first variety, especially since it is the main, original and most closely related to the most ancient ideas, beliefs and rituals. And this makes Babu Yaga one of the most complex and interesting characters in Russian fairy tales.

As promised, let us return to the hero of the previous section - Ivan Tsarevich - at the moment when he (or a character that is functionally close to him, say, a merchant's daughter from the fairy tale about the feather of Finist Yasn-Sokol), making his way through the dense forest, approaches Baba's hut Yagi. How is this hut described in a fairy tale? "There is a hut on chicken legs, without windows, without doors, in front of the forest, back to it." Well, it would seem that you approached the hut from behind - go around it and enter. But for some reason this cannot be done. And Ivan Tsarevich pronounces the well-known formula: "Hut, hut, stand with your back to the forest, in front of me." At the same time, he knows exactly what needs to be said, because the hut obediently turns. What does he see? "Baba Yaga is lying on the stove - a bone leg, from corner to corner, his nose has grown into the ceiling."

Also strange, isn't it?

After all, Baba Yaga, it seems, in Russian fairy tales never seemed to be a special giantess. So, this is not Baba Yaga that big, but the hut is very small? What explains all these oddities? And they are explained by the fact that Baba Yaga is a dead man. And she lies in a cramped hut, as in a coffin, and the fact that this hut is raised above the ground on its chicken legs suggests the air burials of the ancient Slavs - they buried their dead in the forest on trees or special platforms. And the bone leg - the leg of the skeleton - is also a sign of the dead.

There are also some indirect signs that speak in favor of this assumption. For example, practically nowhere in fairy tales does it say that Baba Yaga walks - she either lies or flies, and these are also signs of the inhabitants of the other world. And the fact that she rarely sees the hero, but mostly smells it, says the same thing. And her hut, which stands somewhere at the end of the world, in the deepest forest and which cannot be bypassed in any way - this is a "border post", a guard post on the border of two kingdoms - the kingdom of the living and the kingdom of the dead.

Baba Yaga's hut. Fragment of the cover of the "Fairy Tales" series. Artist I. Ya. Bilibin. 1899.

Devils in the forest. Illustration for the fairy tale "The Feather of Finist Jasna-Sokol". IL artist. Bilibin. 1900.

Hut of death. Fragment. Artist N.K. Roerich. 1905.

Baba Yaga is a very ancient character, rooted in the days of matriarchy. She is in many ways inherent in the features of the ancient totemic female ancestor, the worship of which was associated with the animal progenitors and patrons of the tribe and with the cult of nature. After all, it is not for nothing that in fairy tales, animals often obey her and serve (by the way, the chicken legs of her hut remind of her connection with them), and she herself, perhaps, has retained the features of animal ancestors. Of course, this is a controversial issue, but some researchers trace the lineage of Baba Yaga from the ancient Slavic goddess of death, who was closely related to the snake - a symbol of death among some tribes. Perhaps the bone leg comes from there - it is assumed that Yaga was originally one-legged, and then transformed into a bone-leg. And even her name is derived from the common Aryan roots of the ancient Slavs - from the ancient Indian Sanskrit Ahi - snakes. Well, it may very well be, because our fabulous Baba Yaga is in very friendly and even kinship relations with her colleague - Serpent Gorynych. But the traits of a female ancestor - the patron spirit of the tribe, are manifested in her in the fact that she is prophetic - she knows everything and guides the hero along the right path, a powerful sorceress, adviser and assistant. As a family patron spirit associated with the cult of the hearth, she has kitchen attributes - a stove, a mortar, a pestle (the ancient Slavs did not grind, but pounded grain) and a pomelo.

However, let's return to the friendly communication of our heroes. We have established that Baba Yaga's hut is a "checkpoint" to the kingdom of death. That is why it cannot be bypassed in any way, but it is imperative to go through it, and in order to get into this kingdom, it is necessary to pass certain tests, demonstrating sufficient magical knowledge. Ivan Tsarevich had already pronounced the first part of the password, turning the hut. What happens next? And then Baba Yaga also utters the traditional, well-known to all: "Fu-fu-fu, something smells of the Russian spirit!" What kind of Russian spirit is this, so unpleasant for her? Apparently, this is the smell of a living person. Apparently, the ancient people believed that for the dead, the smell of a living person is as disgusting as for the living - the smell of a dead person.

Then the interrogation begins: “Where are you, good fellow, going? Are you trying to do it, or are you getting away with it? " The hero reacts to these seemingly completely innocent and natural questions very unexpectedly and aggressively - instead of answering, he goes on the offensive: “Oh, you old hag! First, give a drink, feed the good fellow, and then ask around! " And then the behavior of Baba Yaga suddenly changes dramatically: she begins to fuss, invites Tsarevich Ivan into the house, puts him at the table, and so on. In some fairy tales she even indulges in self-criticism: “Oh, I'm an old fool! Not having fed the good fellow, but I ask! ". It is interesting that this feeding motive is an indispensable element of the hero's meeting with Baba Yaga, which is present in all fairy tales without exception. What is the matter here? Why should he certainly eat with Baba Yaga? Was it impossible to eat elsewhere? Of course, one could assume the simplest one - the usual manifestation of hospitality in relation to the traveler, but the obligatory nature of this procedure and what we already know suggest that this food is of some kind of ritual nature. Indeed, in the mythological representations of many peoples (including the ancient Slavs), in order to get into the kingdom of the dead, a person must certainly taste the special food of the dead. After that, he is considered to have already fully joined the other world. Therefore, Ivan Tsarevich, demanding food from Baba Yaga, thereby shows that he is not afraid of this initiation, is ready for it - and Baba Yaga humbles himself, finally taking him for his own.

Then, as you know, questions begin - Baba Yaga takes a detailed interview with the hero about the goals of his journey. As a result, it turns out that she is in the know (“I know, I know where your beautiful Vasilisa is”) and gives Ivan Tsarevich precise and detailed instructions on where to go, what to do and how to achieve the intended goal. Sometimes, however, she resorts to the help of animals: she convenes her "network of informants" - beasts of a trot, flying birds, creeping reptiles, and so on, demonstrating her totemic roots.

In some cases, Baba Yaga's help is limited to instructions, in others a magic gift follows - most often a horse, sometimes a magic ball, an invisible hat or something else; but even if the gift is not presented immediately, then as a result of the execution of the instructions received, the hero still receives it. Why does Baba Yaga render such an invaluable service to the newcomer prince in the form of advisory and magical (magical) assistance? Because he passed the test and demonstrated his magical competence and strength: he knew the spell that turned the hut, and was not afraid of Baba Yaga's food, having introduced himself to the inhabitants of the otherworldly kingdom.

As we can see, in this situation, Baba Yaga acts as a purely positive character who helps the main character achieve his noble goals. And this role of her is explained by what we have already spoken about - the origin from the most ancient totemic female ancestor, the patron spirit of the clan, omniscient and omnipotent. Hence the gift of magic assistants - magical protection of the hero and his protection from evil spirits. So how did she manage to turn into such a sinister ogre, which is found in many other fairy tales? To understand this, let's move on to the second type of Baba Yaga - the Yaga-abductor and devourer - and try to trace the connection between these two hypostases of our character.

To do this, we will have to turn again to the ideas of primitive people about the rite of passage, which we described in the previous section. It is easy to see that the gastronomic inclinations of Baba Yaga of this variety are mainly aimed at children and are associated with the getting of these children in one way or another (leaving, taking away or abducting) into the dense forest in the notorious hut on chicken legs: that is, here we see

"Here he said goodbye to Yagoya with a cheerful soul." Illustration for "The Tale of the Three Tsar Divas and Ivashka, the Priest's Son" by AS Roslavlev. Artist I. Ya. Bilibin. 1911.

all the features of the setting surrounding the rite of passage. The image of Baba Yaga the devourer is closely related to this rite - after all, we have already mentioned that the essence of initiation was the symbolic death and subsequent revival of the boy passing through it. By the way, here you should pay attention to the fact that it is boys who invariably come to lunch at Baba Yaga - after all, only they are the only ones who undergo the initiation rite. So in the tales about this Yaga, the memory of this rite, preserved from primitive times, is very vividly reflected: a dense forest, from where some mysterious and inevitable danger emanates, a hut - the abode of a mysterious mythical creature, fear of the upcoming ceremony ...

Well, well, you say, but what does the eating of children have to do with it? The fact is that very often the imaginary death of the initiate was presented as being devoured by some mythical monstrous animal, and the subsequent rebirth to life - as an eruption from his womb. Baba Yaga also owes such official duties in this category of fairy tales to an ancient totemic animal ancestor. We will also meet these ideas in the section on the Serpent Gorynych, which in some situations can act as a deputy or understudy of Baba Yaga. Memories of the rite of passage, apparently, were reflected in the fact that in fairy tales, getting to Baba Yaga is always followed by a happy ending: the hero avoids the danger that threatens him and gains all kinds of blessings - the entry of a person who has passed initiation into full members of the tribe and granting him the privileges with which he never possessed before.

The positive role of patroness and helper lost by Baba Yaga in these tales, oddly enough, may have been reflected in the detail that she prefers to use the children who come to her exclusively in fried form.

Until relatively late, the Slavic tribes retained the custom of the so-called "palanya" of children, associated with ideas about the healing power of fire - the child was slightly "baked" in the oven, which supposedly made him stronger and more resistant to disease. So here, too, it seems that Baba Yaga was originally an assistant and healer, and not at all evil.

Thus, the connection between the ideas about the Yaga the assistant, the counselor and the giver, the guard of the border of the kingdom of the dead, and the Yaga the devourer, the performer of the initiation rite, begins to become clear. This connection is in the kinship of the ideas of primitive man about true death with the subsequent journey to the other world and the temporary death, imaginary, to which he was subjected in the rite of initiation. By the way, the acquisition of magical knowledge and magical weapons (obtaining a magical assistant) after crossing the border of the otherworldly kingdom and passing the rite of passage (in both cases, after communicating with Baba Yaga) brings these ideas together.

But again we see that initially in all these situations Baba Yaga played a positive role. What happened after all? And what happened, most likely, is what. The collapse of the authority of Baba Yaga as the most ancient totemic ancestor is a reflection in the minds of people, and after that - in the myths and tales of the collapse of matriarchy and the emergence of agriculture and agricultural religion. For the ancient man, the forest ceased to be a home and source of livelihood, dear and understandable, and therefore all the characters of the former forest religion turned into a continuous evil: the great magician and shaman of the tribe - into an evil sorcerer, the patroness mother and mistress of animals - into a malicious witch, dragging into his lair of children with the aim of no longer symbolic eating.

So, perhaps, we managed to partially rehabilitate Baba Yaga in your eyes: the most ancient, original historical roots of this fairy-tale character come from the benevolent, positive role that she played in the beliefs of our ancestors. And the idea of ​​her as a man-eating witch, which then got an ironic connotation (in later everyday tales Baba Yaga does not shine with her mind - her children constantly leave her in the fool, and only a stupa and a broomstick remained of her magic power), developed in much later times.

And in conclusion, a few words about the third type of Baba Yaga - about the Yaga warrior. Most likely, this character, rarely found in fairy tales, has no independent meaning and acts simply as someone's deputy: according to the role he plays in a fairy tale, in his place could be anyone - Serpent Gorynych, Koschey the Immortal, some fairy tale king or king. It is not for nothing that in the fairy tale about White Polyanina this variety can be mistaken for a representative of a certain woman-yagy aristocracy and a full-fledged citizen of the thirtieth kingdom: there she is - Baba Yaga - a golden leg.

Koschey (Kaschey) Immortal

This great fairytale villain is another character familiar to all of us from early childhood. And, however, let's try to summarize, what do we know about him from the fairy tales we read? Although practically nowhere in these tales is there a description of Koshchei's appearance, we are used to imagining him as a tall, bony, incredibly thin old man - not without reason they say: "As skinny as a bone" - with sunken burning eyes, sometimes with a thin goat beard.

The main occupation of Koshchei the Immortal is the abduction of women. Isn't it true that at the mention of this fairytale hero, gloomy castles with dungeons full of captives appear in our imagination, and chests with countless riches, with which he unsuccessfully tries to seduce these captives? And, of course, the indispensable attributes of his immortality are the standard fairy nesting doll: death hidden in an egg, an egg in a duck, a duck in a hare and

Baba Yaga. Illustration for the fairy tale "Sonko Filipko". Artist E. D. Polenov. 1905.

Baba Yaga. Illustration for the fairy tale "Vasilisa the Beautiful". Artist I. Ya. Bilibin. 1900.

Koschey. Fragment. Artist S.V. Malyutin. 1904.

Koschei the Deathless. Artist V.M. Vasnetsov. 1917-1926.

Let's try to understand the origin of our negative character. First of all, where did his name itself come from - Koschey? It turns out that in the Old Russian language the word koschei meant a slave, a prisoner, a servant. It is in this sense that it is used in the famous "Lay of Igor's Campaign", when Svyatoslav reproaches Prince Vsevolod for his indifference to the fate of the Russian principalities - if Vsevolod had acted differently, other, better times would have come: a leg, but a bone for a cut. " In other words, there would come a time of fantastic cheapness in the slave market (nogata and rezana are small monetary units in ancient Russia, chaga is a slave, meadow woman, and koshchey, respectively, is a slave, a slave). And in another place: "Shoot, sir, Konchak, the filthy koshchei, for the Russian land, for the wounds of Igor, the buoy Svyatoslavich!" Konchak is called here a slave, and Galician Yaroslav is called a master. And again: “Prince Igor has gone out of the saddle of gold into the saddle of koshcheevo,” that is, he moved from the golden, master's saddle to the slave's saddle.

On the other hand, the word koshchei could be derived from the name of Kosh: koshchei - belonging to a certain Kosh (Kosh is the lord of the slave Koshchei). This Kosh is the most ancient, original name of Koshchei. It is still sometimes found in some fairy tales (for example, in the fairy tale about Koschei from the collection of A.N. Afanasyev, he is called Kosh the Immortal). What is this Kosh? It turns out that in the period of the collapse of the primitive communal society, the first masters who seized power and established the institution of slavery were called koshas. This word comes from the common Slavic root bone (Old Slavonic kosch, kosht) - the backbone, basis, root of the clan - the clan elder, the eldest in the family, who became the master. He is the founder of the family, everything rests on him, all subsequent generations are his "bone". In the Ukrainian language, this meaning was preserved until later times: kosh - stan, settlement, koshevoy - elder, chief of kosh. Perhaps, it is with these etymological roots of the name of Koshchei that associations with his incredible thinness (bony) and deep old age are also associated.

This is where the negative role of our character begins to become clear. In the eyes of primitive people, committed to the primitive justice of the tribal maternal society, Koschey was the embodiment of a force that violated the ancient orders of tribal equality and took away from a woman her social power. Hence comes the ineradicable tendency of Koshchei the Immortal to abduct and enslave women, and his power - after all, Koshchey in fairy tales, as a rule, is represented as the lord, the king of his dark kingdom, and the possession of untold riches, and greed, and cruelty are associated with him. Koschey was the personification of social injustice and untruth, the paternal right of violence and money-grubbing, a symbol of the collapse of a tribal, just society and its replacement by a class one. Perhaps his immortality also embodied the immortality of injustice, violence and profit in human society, and the death of this "immortal" hero is the age-old dream of mankind that someday these orders will nevertheless collapse, as the dark kingdom of Koshchei collapses after his death. The fact that the idea of ​​the immortality of this character is associated with some deep, eternal concepts is also evidenced by the fact that Koshchei's death is hidden in an egg. After all, the egg is the beginning of life, its indispensable link, which makes it possible for continuous reproduction, and only by crushing it, destroying it, can we put an end to this life.

Probably later, during the period of continuous wars of the Slavs with the nomadic tribes, these ideas about Koschey were superimposed on the perception of him as an enemy, an adversary, who were already associated with the later meaning of this word - slave, captive. Indeed, in some fairy tales (for example, in the tale of Marya Morevna), Koschey appears as a prisoner who, contrary to the ban, is freed by our unlucky Ivan Tsarevich.

A peculiar look at Koschei from the outstanding collector and connoisseur of Russian folk tales, Alexander Nikolaevich Afanasyev. He sees in Koschey a demon - a wither of rain moisture (hence his dryness, thinness), the personification of winter, dark clouds, shackled by cold. And the meaning of his name comes from the same place - after all, it is not for nothing that they say: "Ossified from the cold." And the story of the death of Koshchei Afanasyev connects with the Slavs' ideas about the oak - the tree of the thunder god Perun, and in the egg he sees the metaphor of the sun killing winter, and in its immortality - the continuous revival of winter in nature. In support of this point of view, Alexander Nikolaevich turns to the same Marya Morevna. Indeed, there the prisoner-Koschey hangs in iron chains

Koschei the Immortal. Illustration for the fairy tale "Marya Morevna, the overseas princess".

Artist I. Ya. Bilibin. 1901.

pyah (a cloud chained by frost) and breaks down from them, only after drinking water (saturated with rain moisture in the spring). The magic assistants to Ivan Tsarevich in this tale are the eagle, the falcon and the raven, who personify the forces of wind, thunder and rain, and in the end, Ivan Tsarevich (the thunder god) kills Koshchei with a horse's hoof (lightning strike) (destroys the cloud, forcing her pouring spring rain).

In his fabulous role, Koschey the Immortal is in many ways a close relative and often an understudy of the Serpent of the Mountain-nycha (they often replace each other in different fairy tales). This refers to the abduction of princesses and all sorts of intrigues perpetrated by positive fairy-tale heroes. Many features of Koshchei characterize him as a typical representative of the thirtieth otherworldly kingdom: he smells the Russian spirit, flies, is immensely rich and has magical powers. The originality of this character is primarily associated with the idea of ​​his "immortality": the hero does not enter into a direct battle with him, due to the futility of this occupation, but must defeat him by completing one of the difficult tasks - to find and get the death of Koshchei, which he and does it with the help of magical assistants, one of whom is always the princess who is abducted and living with Koshchei. It is she who, as a rule, cheats Koshchei, finding out from him where his death is hidden and how to get it. But we will also mention this in the section on the princess.

Dragon

Probably, there is no other creature that would play such a colossal role in the mythological representations of all, without exception, the peoples of the Earth, as the Serpent.

Therefore, we will resist the temptation to draw any parallels with mythology and turn exclusively to our native Serpent G rynych of Russian folk tales. First of all, we find that this character is not properly described anywhere in fairy tales.

Although there are some signs of a criminal. He is multi-headed: as a rule, there are three, six, nine, twelve heads, although occasionally there are five- and seven-headed specimens. Perhaps this is its main distinguishing feature.

The rest are only sometimes mentioned: he is flying, fire-breathing (fires down with fire) and, apparently, is somehow connected with the mountains, as evidenced by his surname (or patronymic?) - Go-rynych - living in the mountains, the son of a mountain. Here, however, it must be borne in mind that in ancient times the common Slavic word mountain meant not only the mountain itself, but also the top in general, and could also be used in the sense of a forest. So the nickname Gorynych could mean both "living above" and "forest". It may very well be that this very Serpent of the Mountain-nych in the minds of the Slavic tribes living in the forests was associated with forest fires caused by a lightning strike. This is evidenced by his constant connection with fire, and the description of his flights is the personification of an evil natural element: a storm rises, thunder thunders, the earth trembles, a dense forest slopes downward - the three-headed Serpent flies. According to A.N. Afanasyev, the flying fire Serpent was associated with a snake-like wriggling lightning. In general, various associations with fire arise in almost all appearances of this character in fairy tales. The properties of fire resemble both the indestructible tendency of the Snake to swallow everything, and its many-headedness, and the ability to grow new heads all the time instead of the severed ones (as new tongues appear in the flame), and the fiery finger, with the help of which the heads are grown (cut the fiery finger - the Snake won ). Fire crawls like a snake and bites like a snake too. In the fairy tale "Ivan Bzhovich" the main character categorically forbids his brothers to sleep before meeting the Snake.

Perhaps this is the memory of a real danger that lay in wait for the primitive hunter, who fell asleep in the forest by the fire, and violated the ban on sleeping before the fire?

It is also possible that the Snake's peculiar relationship with women is partly connected with fire. On the one hand, he acts as a kidnapper and rapist (duplicating in many of Koshchei's tales), on the other, as a seducer: certain irresponsible heroines of fairy tales willingly come into contact with the Serpent, uniting with him in developing intrigues against the positive hero. The connection of a woman with the Serpent-Fire is probably an echo of the role that a woman as a keeper of fire played in primitive society. Although, who knows, perhaps, in this hypostasis of the Serpent, the later, already inspired by Christian mythology, ideas about the Tempter Serpent were reflected? After all, he performs his insidious Don Juan functions in fairy tales in the respectable guise of a fine good fellow, and not a fire-breathing thug-dragon. But we got distracted. The notions of fertility were also associated with fire among primitive tribes. Among the Slavs, a rite is known, which consisted in the fact that barren women were given water to drink, into which sparks fell from the smut from the hearth.

The memory of the primitive rituals of sacrifices to the gods of fertility, performed with the aim of influencing the future harvest, was probably reflected in the fabulous stories about the levies of the Serpent, when he demands girls as an annual tribute. With the withering away of this rite, when new forms of agriculture and new family and social relations developed, their sympathy was transferred from the spirit-absorber to the victim. It was then that the hero-liberator appeared, killing the Snake and saving the fairytale beauty. The motive of kite fighting, just like transformation

Zmievna. Artist N. Roerich. 1906.

Dragon. Opened - Fragment of the cover of the series

ka. Artist I. Ya. Bili- "Russian folk tales".

bit. 1912. Artist I. Ya. Bilibin. 1899.

Fight of Dobrynya Nikitich with the seven-headed Serpent Goryny-than. Artist V.M. Vasnetsov. 1913-1918.

Dobrynya Nikitich frees Zmeya Gorynych Zabava Putyatichna from the Snake Gorynych. Artist I. Ya. Bilibin. 1941.

ideas about Baba Yaga, apparently, appeared with the collapse of matriarchal relations and the emergence of a patriarchal family. It reflected the denial of generic relations, in which a woman did not belong to an individual, but to the entire family. There was a desire to take the woman away, to win the right to her. The serpent fighter defeated the ancient lord of fire in order to take a woman from him.

However, what is the role of this fairytale character? He, like Baba Yaga and Koschey the Immortal, is a full-fledged inhabitant of the thirtieth kingdom. Let's try to trace the development of his relationship with the main positive hero according to the same fairy tale "Ivan Bykovich", in which they are described in more detail.

Here the heroes come to the river Smorodina, Kalinovy ​​bridge. For some reason, this bridge cannot be crossed in any way ("human bones lie along the entire bank, knee-deep will be piled up"). Therefore, the heroes are located in the hut that has turned up and begin to go on patrol - to guard the Snake. It can be assumed that this viburnum bridge, like the hut of Baba Yaga, is a border outpost, and the Smorodina River is a kind of border that can be crossed only by killing the Serpent. So the Serpent, among other things, like Baba Yaga, carries out a guard service, only Baba Yaga protects the periphery, and the Serpent is the very heart of the thirtieth kingdom.

But now our heroes finally meet. And here an interesting detail becomes clear - the Serpent knows in advance both who his opponent is and about the predetermined death from him: “What are you, dog meat, stumbling, that you, a crow's feather, flutter, that you, a dog's wool, are bristling? Ali, do you think that Ivan Bykovich is here? " Then Ivan Bykovich appears, and a boastful squabble occurs between the opponents; then the fight itself begins. In it, the tactics of conducting combat operations by our heroes are curious: the hero tries to cut off the Serpent's head, the Serpent does not use any weapon, but strives to drive the foe into the ground. In third,

In the most terrible battle, the hero comes to the aid of his magic assistant - a heroic horse. With his assistance, Bykovich manages to chop off the fiery finger of the Serpent, after which cutting off the heads left without a regeneration mechanism becomes a matter of technique.

What is the origin of this peculiar ritual, which is repeated in almost all fairy tales? How does the Serpent know the name of the enemy? To understand this, we will have to turn again to the primitive rite of initiation, which simulates the swallowing of the initiate by some monstrous animal, which, by the way, often resembles a snake. "Swallowed" and "thrown back" a person acquires magical power and power over the animal that once swallowed him. In the myths of many primitive peoples, a great hunter and a great shaman emerges from the Serpent. At the same time, as we have already said, in the rite of initiation, the exit from the womb of the Serpent was represented by the second birth of a person. "Born of the Serpent", who passed through him, the initiate himself becomes to some extent a Serpent and acquires a magical connection with him. That is why the Serpent knows in advance the future adversary and destroyer - born of him and the only one who can kill him. Perhaps that is why the Serpent drives the hero into the ground - trying to return him to the "dust" from which he came out, therefore the decisive role in the victory over the Serpent is played by the hero's magic assistant - the victory is magical in nature. With the disappearance of the rite, its meaning was lost and forgotten, but the memory of the rite itself remained. However, the absorption by the Serpent was already considered not as a blessing, but as a very unpleasant threat - the motive of snake fighting arose, which we already talked about.

In general, the Serpent, like many other mythical and fabulous creatures, is a mechanical combination of several animals, the main ones of which are a bird and a snake. In the minds of ancient people, the bird was associated with a distant kingdom, and the snake with the underground. These are the two main animals associated with

Fight of Ivan Tsarevich with the three-headed Serpent. Artist V.M. Vasnetsov. 1918.

Mortal combat with a three-headed snake. Postcard. Artist B.V. Zvorykin. 1916.

ideas about the human soul. Therefore, the Serpent is associated with the image of death - the concept of death as the abduction of the soul. Therefore, in fairy tales, he constantly plays the role of a kidnapper, hence his function as a symbolic devourer in the rite of passage. Perhaps his many-headedness - many mouths - is an exaggeration -

a new image of devouring (a technique of enhancing quality through the multitude).

To be continued

LITERATURE

1. Anikin V.P. Russian folktale. M., 1977.

2. Afanasyev A.N. Living water and a prophetic word. M., 1988.

3. Afanasyev A.N. The tree of life. M., 1983.

4. Vinogradova L.N. Folk demonology and mytho-ritual tradition of the Slavs. M., 2000.

5. Gavrilov D.A., Ermakov S.E. Gods of Slavic and Russian paganism. M., 2009.

6. Gura A.V. Animal symbolism in the Slavic folk tradition. M., 1997.

7. Krinichnaya N.A. Russian mythology: The world of folklore images. M., 2004.

8. Nikolsky N.M. Pre-Christian beliefs and cults of the Dnieper Slavs. M., 1929.

9. Pomerantseva E.V. Mythological characters in Russian folklore. M., 1975.

10. Potebnya A.A. On some symbols in Slavic folk poetry. Kharkov, 1914.

11. Propp V.Ya. The historical roots of the fairy tale. L., 1986.

12. Russian mythology: Encyclopedia / Comp. E.L. Madlevskaya. M. - SPb., 2005.

13. Rybakov B.A. Paganism of the ancient Slavs. M., 1981.

14. Slavic mythology: Encyclopedic dictionary. 2nd ed. / Resp. ed. CM. Thick. M., 2002.

15. Word about Igor's regiment / Old Russian text, explanatory translation by D. Likhachev, poetic arrangements by L. Dmitriev, V. Zhukovsky, N. Zabolotsky, comments. M., 1987.

16. Sobolev A.N. The underworld according to ancient Russian ideas. Sergiev Posad, 1913. Reprint / Mythology of the Slavs. SPb., 1999.

17. Sumarukov G. Who is who in "The Lay of Igor's Host." M., 1983.

18. Tolstoy N.I. Essays on Slavic paganism. M., 2003.

19. Famintsyn A.S. Deities of the ancient Slavs. SPb., 1884 / Reprint. SPb., 1995.

20. Shaping DO Myths of Slavic paganism. M., 1997.

Illustration for the fairy tale "Ivan Tsarevich and the Firebird".

Artist I. Ya. Bilibin. 1899.

A folk tale is a message from our ancestors, transmitted from time immemorial. Through magic stories, sacred information about morality and spirituality, traditions and culture is conveyed to us. The heroes of Russian folk tales are very colorful. They live in a world full of wonders and dangers. A battle of light and dark forces is going on in it, as a result of which good and justice always triumphs.

Ivan the Fool

The main character of Russian fairy tales is a seeker. He sets off on a difficult journey to get a magic item or a bride, to deal with a monster. At the same time, initially the character may occupy a low social position. As a rule, this is a peasant son, the youngest child in the family.

By the way, the word "fool" in ancient times had no negative meaning. Since the 14th century, it served as a name-amulet, which was often given to the youngest son. He did not get an inheritance from his parents. Older brothers in fairy tales are successful and practical. Ivan, on the other hand, spends time on the stove, since he is not interested in living conditions. He is not looking for money or fame, he patiently endures the ridicule of others.

However, it is Ivan the Fool who is ultimately lucky. He is unpredictable, able to solve non-standard riddles, cunningly defeats the enemy. The hero is characterized by mercy and kindness. He helps those in trouble, lets go of the pike, for which he is awarded magical help. Having overcome all obstacles, Ivan the Fool marries the Tsar's daughter, becomes rich. Behind the unprepossessing clothes is the image of a sage who serves good and is wary of falsehood.

Bogatyr

This hero was borrowed from epics. He is handsome, courageous, noble. It often grows "by leaps and bounds." Possesses great strength, is able to saddle a heroic horse. There are many plots where a character enters into a fight with a monster, dies, and then resurrects.

The names of the heroes of Russian fairy tales can be different. We meet Ilya Muromets, Bova Korolevich, Alyosha Popovich, Nikita Kozhemyaka and other characters. Ivan Tsarevich can also be attributed to this category. He enters into battle with the Serpent Gorynych or Koshchey, saddles Sivka-Burka, protects the weak, rescues the princess.

It is indicative that the hero sometimes makes mistakes (rudely replies to the oncoming grandmother, burns the frog's skin). Subsequently, he has to repent of this, ask for forgiveness, correct the situation. By the end of the tale, he gains wisdom, finds a princess and receives half a kingdom as a reward for his exploits.

Wonder bride

An intelligent and beautiful girl by the end of the story becomes the wife of a fairytale hero. In Russian folk tales, we meet Vasilisa the Wise, Marya Morevna, Elena the Beautiful. They embody the popular idea of ​​a woman who is the guardian of her kind.

The heroines are distinguished by resourcefulness and intelligence. Thanks to their help, the hero solves ingenious riddles, defeats the enemy. Often, a beautiful princess is subject to the forces of nature, she is able to turn into an animal (swan, frog), to create real miracles. The heroine uses powerful forces for the benefit of her beloved.

The image of a meek stepdaughter who achieves success thanks to her hard work and kindness is also present in fairy tales. The common qualities for all positive female images are loyalty, purity of aspirations and willingness to help.

Which hero of Russian fairy tales is the most beloved and popular among children and adults? The first place rightfully belongs to Baba Yaga. This is a very controversial character with a frightening appearance, a hooked nose and a bone leg. "Baba" in ancient times was called the mother, the oldest woman in the family. "Yaga" can be associated with the Old Russian words "yagat" ("shout loudly, swear") or "yagaya" ("sick, angry").

An old witch lives in the forest, on the border of our world and the other world. Her hut on chicken legs is fenced in with a fence made of human bones. The grandmother flies on a mortar, makes friends with evil spirits, kidnaps children and keeps many magic items from intruders. According to scientists, it is associated with the kingdom of the dead. This is indicated by the loosened hair that women unraveled before burial, the bone leg, and also the house. The Slavs made wooden huts for the dead, which they put on stumps in the forest.

In Russia, ancestors were always respected and they turned to them for advice. Therefore, good fellows come to Baba Yaga, and she tests them. To those who pass the test, the witch gives a hint, shows the way to Koschei, grants a magic ball, as well as a towel, a comb and other curiosities. Baba Yaga does not eat children either, but he puts them in the oven and conducts the ancient rite of "baking". In Russia, it was believed that in this way it was possible to heal a child from an illness.

Koschey

The name of this fabulous hero of Russian fairy tales could come from the Turkic "koshchey", which translates as "slave". The character for three hundred years was chained and held in captivity. He himself also loves to kidnap beautiful girls and hide them in a dungeon. According to another version, the name comes from the Slavic "kostit" (to scold, harm) or "bone". Koschey is often depicted as a skinny old man, more like a skeleton.

He is a very powerful sorcerer, lives far from other people and owns untold treasures. The death of the hero is in the needle, which is reliably hidden in objects and animals, nested in each other like a nesting doll. The prototype of Koshchei may be the winter deity Karachun, who was born from a golden egg. It froze the earth and brought death with it, forcing our ancestors to move to warmer areas. In other myths, Koshchei was the name of the son of Chernobog. The latter could control time and commanded the army of the underworld.

This is one of the most ancient images. The hero of Russian fairy tales differs from foreign dragons by the presence of several heads. Usually their number is a multiple of three. The creature can fly, spews fire and kidnaps people. It dwells in caves, where it hides captives and treasures. Often appears in front of a positive hero, coming out of the water. The nickname "Gorynych" is associated either with the character's habitat (mountains), or with the verb "to burn".

The image of the terrible Serpent is borrowed from the ancient myths about the dragon that guards the entrance to the underworld. To become a man, a teenager had to defeat him, i.e. perform a feat, and then enter the world of the dead and return back as an adult. According to another version, the Serpent Gorynych is a collective image of the steppe nomads who attacked Russia in huge hordes. At the same time, they used shells of fire that burned wooden cities.

Forces of nature

In ancient times, people personified the Sun, Wind, Month, Thunder, Rain and other phenomena on which their lives depended. They often became heroes of Russian fairy tales, married princesses, and helped goodies. There are also anthropomorphic rulers of certain elements: Moroz Ivanovich, goblin, water. They can play the role of both positive and negative characters.

Nature is portrayed as spiritualized. The well-being of people largely depends on her actions. So, Morozko awards gold and a fur coat to the old man's meek, hardworking daughter, whom her stepmother ordered to be abandoned in the forest. At the same time, her self-serving half-sister is killed by his spell. The Slavs worshiped the forces of nature and at the same time were wary of them, tried to appease with the help of victims, made requests.

Grateful animals

In fairy tales we meet a talking wolf, a magic horse and a cow, a goldfish, a wish-fulfilling pike. And also a bear, a hare, a hedgehog, a crow, an eagle, etc. They all understand human speech and have unusual abilities. The hero rescues them from trouble, bestows life, and in return they help to defeat the enemy.

Traces of totemism are clearly visible here. The Slavs believed that each genus descended from a specific animal. After death, the soul of a person is transferred to the beast and vice versa. For example, in the fairy tale "Burenushka" the soul of a deceased mother is reborn in the form of a cow to help an orphaned daughter. Such an animal could not be killed, because it became a relative and protected from harm. Sometimes the heroes of a fairy tale themselves can turn into an animal or a bird.

Firebird

Many positive heroes of fairy tales are trying to take possession of it. A wonderful bird blinds the eyes, like a golden sun, and lives behind a stone wall in rich lands. Freely floating in the sky, it is a symbol of the heavenly body, which bestows good luck, abundance, and creative power. This is a representative of the other world, who often turns into a kidnapper. The firebird steals rejuvenating apples, bestowing beauty and immortality.

Only those who are pure in soul, believe in a dream and are closely connected with deceased ancestors can catch it. Usually this is the youngest son who had to look after old parents and spent a lot of time near the birthplace.

Thus, the heroes of Russian fairy tales teach us to respect our ancestors, listen to our hearts, overcome fear, go towards a dream, despite mistakes, always help those who ask for help. And then the divine radiance of the magic firebird will fall on a person, transforming him and bestowing happiness.

Boyan is an epic poet and singer in East Slavic mythology.

Brownie

They say that the brownie still lives in every village hut, but not everyone knows about it. They call him grandfather, master, neighbor, home-lived, demon-monstrous man, but all this he is - the keeper of the hearth, the invisible helper of the owners.
The brownie sees every little thing, tirelessly cares and takes care to keep everything in order and ready: to help the hard worker, to correct his mistake; he is pleased with the offspring of domestic animals and birds; he does not tolerate unnecessary expenses and is angry with them - in a word, the brownie is inclined to work, thrifty and calculating. If he likes housing, then he serves this family, as if he went into bondage to her.
For this loyalty, in other places he is called so: he lived home.
On the other hand, he willingly helps the lazy and careless to start the farm, tortures people to the point that he crushes almost to death at night or throws them out of bed. However, making peace with an angry brownie is not difficult: you just have to put snuff under the stove, to which he is a great hunter, or make any present: a colorful rag, a piece of bread ... If the owners of their neighbor love, if they live in harmony with him, then they will never want to part with him, even moving to a new house: they will scrape under the threshold, collect garbage in a scoop - and sprinkle it in a new hut, without noticing how the “owner” is moving with this garbage to a new place of residence. Just remember to bring him a pot of porridge for housewarming and say with all possible respect: “Grandpa brownie, go home. Come live with us! "

A rare person can boast that he has seen a brownie. To do this, you need to put on a horse collar on yourself on Easter night, cover yourself with a harrow, teeth on yourself, and sit between the horses all night. If you're lucky, you will see an old man - small, like stumps, all covered with gray hair (even his palms are hairy), gray with antiquity and dust. Sometimes, in order to divert a curious gaze from himself, he will take on the appearance of the owner of the house - well, like a spitting image! In general, the brownie loves to wear the master's clothes, but always manages to put them in place as soon as a person needs things.

Before the plague, fire and war, brownies leave the village and howl in the pastures. If there is a big unexpected disaster, grandfather notifies of its approach, ordering the dogs to dig holes in the yard and howl throughout the village ...

Kikimora

Kikimora, shishimora - in East Slavic mythology, an evil spirit at home, a small woman - invisible (sometimes considered the wife of a brownie). At night he worries small children, confuses yarn (she herself loves to spin or weave lace - the sounds of K.'s spinning in the house portend trouble): the owners may survive from the house; hostile to men. May harm pets, particularly chickens. The main attributes (connection with yarn, damp places, darkness) Kikimora is similar to Mokusha, an evil spirit that continues the image of the Slavic goddess Mokosha. The name "Kikimora" is a complicated word. the second part of which is the ancient name of the female character mara, mora.

Kikimora is a character best known mainly in the Russian North. Appears in the form of a small hunched ugly old woman, dressed in rags, sloppy and eccentric. Her appearance in a house or in outbuildings (in a threshing floor, in a barn or a bathhouse) was considered an unkind omen. It was believed that she settled in houses. built on an “unclean” place (on the border or where the suicide was buried). There is a story that Kikimora started up in the newly built house, which none of the tenants saw, but a voice was constantly heard demanding that the household members who had sat down to dinner should be removed from the table: she threw pillows at the naughty ones and frightened them at night until then. until the whole family survived from home (Vyatka province).

Bannik

Bannik, bajnik, baennik, baenushko, etc., Belarusian. laznik - Russians and Belarusians have a spirit - an inhabitant of a bath. Lives behind a heater or under a shelf. It happens to be invisible (according to some beliefs, has an invisible hat) or is shown as a man with long hair, a naked old man covered with mud and leaves from brooms, a dog, a cat, a white hare, etc. There is a belief that BANNIK first appears in a bathhouse after the woman in labor has been there. It is believed that BANNIK washes in a bathhouse and he should leave water, soap and a broom, otherwise he will splash boiling water, throw hot stones, let out a frenzy. Entering the bathhouse, it was customary to say: "Baptized on the shelf, unbaptized from the shelf" (Smolensk province).

Anchutka

Anchutka is one of the most ancient names for a devil, a demon. Anchutkas are bath and field. Like any evil spirits, they instantly respond to the mention of their name. Better to keep quiet about them, otherwise this deafened, unpolished will be right there. The unpuffed is anchutka because once a wolf chased after him and bit off his heel.

Bath anchuts are shaggy, bald, scare people with groans, darken their minds. But they are very good at changing their appearance - as, indeed, the rest of the undead. Field sprouts are very tiny and more peaceful. They live in every plant and are called according to their habitat: potatoes, hemp, hemp, fescue, wheaten, hornbills, etc.

However, they say that the water also has its own anchutka - the assistant to the water or bog. He is unusually ferocious and disgusting. If a swimmer suddenly has a spasm, he should know that it was a water anchut who grabbed him by the leg and wants to drag him to the bottom. That is why, since ancient times, every swimmer has been advised to have a pin with him: after all, evil spirits are afraid of iron to death.

Goblin

Leshy, lesovik, leshak, forest, lumberjack, forester - the spirit of the forest in Slavic mythology. The goblin dwells in every forest, he especially loves spruce trees. Dressed like a man - a red sash, the left side of the caftan is usually wrapped around the right, and not vice versa, as everyone wears. The shoes are mixed up: the right bast is worn on the left foot, the left on the right. The eyes of the goblin are green and burn like coals.
No matter how carefully he conceals his unclean origin, he fails to do this: if you look at him through the right ear of a horse, the goblin casts a bluish color, because his blood is blue. His eyebrows and eyelashes are not visible, he is corn-eared (no right ear), the hair on his head is combed to the left.

The goblin can become a stump and a hummock, turn into an animal and a bird, he turns into a bear and a black grouse, a hare, or anyone, even a plant, because he is not only the spirit of the forest, but also his essence: he is overgrown with moss, sniffs like the forest is making noise, it is not only shown with spruce, but also spreads like moss-grass. Goblin differs from other spirits by special properties inherent in him alone: ​​if he walks through the forest, then his growth is equal to the tallest trees. But at the same time, going out for walks, fun and jokes on the forest edges, he walks there with a small blade of grass, below the grass, freely hiding under any berry leaf. But, in fact, he rarely goes out to the meadows, strictly observing the rights of a neighbor, called a field worker, or field. The goblin does not go into villages, so as not to quarrel with brownies and bpenniks - especially in those villages where very black roosters sing, "two-eyed" dogs (with spots above the eyes in the form of second eyes) and three-haired cats live near the huts.

But in the forest, the goblin is a full and unlimited owner: all animals and birds are in his jurisdiction and obey him unrequitedly. Hares are especially subservient to him. He has them on full serfdom, at least, he even has the power to play them at cards to a neighboring devil. Squirrel herds are not exempt from the same dependence, and if they, moving in countless hordes and forgetting any fear of man, run into big cities, and jump on roofs, break off into chimneys and even jump through windows, then the matter is clear: it means , the devils with a whole artel were gambling and the defeated side drove the loss into the possession of a happy opponent.

Kikimora swamp

Kikimora - Evil, swamp spirit in Slavic mythology. A close friend of the goblin is the swamp kikimora. Lives in a swamp. Likes to dress up in moss furs and weaves forest and marsh plants into her hair. But he rarely shows himself to people, for he prefers to be invisible and only shouts from the swamp in a loud voice. A little woman roars small children, drags gape travelers into a quagmire, where she can torture them to death.

Mermaid

In Slavic mythology, mermaids are a kind of mischievous evil spirits. They were drowned women, girls who died near a reservoir, or people bathing at an inopportune time. Mermaids were sometimes identified with "Mavki" - from the Old Slavonic "nav", dead) - children who died without baptism or strangled by their mothers.

The eyes of such mermaids burn with green fire. By their nature, they are nasty and evil creatures, they grab the swimmers by the legs, pull them under the water, or lure them from the shore, wrap their arms around them and drown them. It was believed that the laughter of a mermaid can cause death (this makes them look like Irish banshees).

Some beliefs called mermaids the lowest spirits of nature (for example, kind "beregini"), having nothing to do with drowned people and willingly rescuing drowning people.

Marshes

Swamp (swamp, shovel) is a drowned maiden living in a swamp. Her black hair is spread over her naked shoulders and tucked away with sedge and forget-me-nots. Disheveled and unclean, pale-faced with green eyes, always naked and ready to lure people to her only in order to tickle to death without any special guilt and drown them in a quagmire. Swamps can send devastating storms, torrential rains, destructive hail to the fields; to steal threads, canvases and canvases from women who have fallen asleep without prayer.

Brodnitsa

Maidens - Beauties with long hair, guardians of the fords. They live with beavers in quiet backwaters, fix and guard fords, paved with brushwood. Before the enemy's offensive, the roaming women imperceptibly destroy the ford, directing the enemy into a swamp or whirlpool.

Famously one-eyed

The spirit of evil, failure, a symbol of grief. There is no certainty about Likh's appearance - this is either a one-eyed giant, or a tall, thin woman with one eye in the middle of her forehead. Famously often compared to cyclops, although apart from one eye and tall stature, they have nothing in common.

A saying has come down to our time: "Do not wake Dashing while it is quiet." In the literal and allegorical sense, Likho meant trouble - it became attached to a person, sat on his neck (in some legends, the unfortunate man tried to drown Likho, throwing himself into the water, and drowning himself) and prevented him from living.

However, it was possible to get rid of Likh - to deceive, drive away by willpower, or, as it is occasionally mentioned, to transfer it to another person along with some gift. According to very dark prejudices, Dashing could come and devour you.

Ghoul

Ghouls are lower spirits, demonological creatures. The "Word about Idols" speaks of the ancient worship of ghouls by the Slavs. In popular beliefs, these are evil, harmful spirits. Ghouls (like vampires) suck blood from humans and animals. They were identified with the dead, emerging from the graves at night, watching over and killing people and livestock. author of the encyclopedia Alexandrova Anastasia
According to popular beliefs, ghouls were people who died "an unnatural death" - forcibly murdered, drunken drunkards, suicides, etc., as well as sorcerers. It was believed that the earth does not accept such dead people and therefore they are forced to wander around the world and harm the living. Such deceased were buried outside the cemetery and away from their homes. Such a grave was considered a dangerous and unclean place, it should be bypassed, and if you had to pass by, you should throw some object at it: a chip, a stick, a stone or just a handful of earth. In order for the ghoul not to leave the grave, he had to be "pacified" - to dig up the corpse from the grave and pierce it with an aspen stake.
And so that the deceased, who did not live out "his age", did not turn into a ghoul, his knee tendons were cut off so that he could not walk. Sometimes coals were sprinkled on the grave of the alleged ghoul or a pot of burning coals was placed.
Semik was considered a special day of obedience of the dead among the Eastern Slavs. On this day, all untimely deceased relatives were necessarily remembered: unbaptized children, girls who died before marriage. In addition, in Semik, special measures were taken against the buried dead, who, according to legend, could harm a person. Aspen stakes or sharp metal objects were driven into their graves.
In Semik, burials were arranged for those who, for one reason or another, remained unburied. A common grave was dug for them and buried with a prayer service and a funeral service. It was believed that otherwise pledged dead people could take revenge on the living by sending various calamities to them: drought, storm, thunderstorm or crop failure.

Baba - Yaga

Baba Yaga (Yaga-Yaginishna, Yagibikha, Yagishna) is the oldest character in Slavic mythology.

Baba Yaga is a more dangerous creature, possessing much more power than some kind of witch. Most often, she lives in a dense forest, which has long instilled fear in people, since it was perceived as a border between the world of the dead and the living. It is not for nothing that her hut is surrounded by a palisade of human bones and skulls, and in many fairy tales Baba Yaga feeds on human flesh, and she herself is called a “leg of bone”.
Just like Koschey the Immortal (bone - bone), she belongs to two worlds at once: the world of the living and the world of the dead. Hence its almost limitless possibilities.
In fairy tales, she acts in three incarnations. The yaga-bogatyrsha possesses a sword-kladenets and fights on equal terms with the heroes. The kidnapper yaga steals children, sometimes throwing them, already dead, on the roof of their home, but more often taking them to their hut on chicken legs, or into an open field, or underground. From this outlandish hut, children, and adults as well, are saved by outwitting Yagibishnu. And, finally, the Yaga-donor warmly greets the hero or heroine, treats deliciously, soars in the bathhouse, gives useful advice, presents a horse or rich gifts, for example, a magic ball leading to a wonderful goal, etc.
This old sorceress does not walk on foot, but drives around the world in an iron mortar (that is, a scooter chariot), and when she walks, she forces the mortar to run faster, hitting it with an iron club or pestle. And so that, for reasons known to her, no traces could be seen, they swept after her special, attached to the mortar with a broom and a broom. Frogs, black cats serve her, including the Cat Bayun, crows and snakes: all creatures in which both threat and wisdom coexist

Koschey the Immortal (Kaschey)

One of the well-known to us Old Slavonic negative characters, usually represented as a thin, skeletal old man with a repulsive appearance. Aggressive, vindictive, greedy and stingy. It is difficult to say whether he was a personification of the external enemies of the Slavs, an evil spirit, a powerful wizard, or a unique kind of undead.

It is indisputable that Koschey possessed very strong magic, avoided people and was often engaged in a favorite affair for all the villains in the world - he abducted girls.

Dragon

Serpent Gorynych - in Russian epics and fairy tales, a representative of the evil principle, a dragon with 3, 6, 9 or 12 heads. Connected with fire and water, flies across the sky, but at the same time correlates with the bottom - with a river, a hole, a cave, where he has hidden wealth, a kidnapped princess

Indrik is a beast

Indrik the beast - in Russian legends “the father of all animals”, the character of the Pigeon Book. Indrik is a distorted name of the god Indra (the variants “inorog”, “inrok” may cause an association with a unicorn, but at the same time INDRIK is described with two rather than one horn). The properties of other fantastic images of the medieval book tradition were attributed to INDRIK - the king of waters, opponents of the snake and the crocodile - “onudra” (otter) and ichneumon, the fabulous fish “endrop”.

According to Russian folklore, Indrik is an underground beast, “walks through the dungeon, like the sun across the skies”; he is endowed with the features of the master of the water element, sources and wells. I. acts as the enemy of the serpent.

Alkonost

Alkonost is a wonderful bird, an inhabitant of Iria, a Slavic paradise.

Her face is feminine, her body is that of a bird, and her voice is sweet, like love itself. Having heard the singing of Alkonost with delight, he can forget everything in the world, but there is no evil from her to people, unlike her friend the bird Sirin. Alkonost lays eggs "at the edge of the sea", but does not incubate them, but plunges them into the depths of the sea. At this time, the weather is calm for seven days - until the chicks hatch.

Iriy, irie, vyri, vyre is a mythical country located on a warm sea in the west or southwest of the earth, where birds and snakes winter.

Gamayun

The bird Gamayun is the messenger of the Slavic gods, their herald. She sings divine hymns to people and proclaims the future to those who agree to listen to the secret.

In the old "Book, Verb Kozmographia", the map depicts a round plain of the earth, washed from all sides by a river-ocean. On the eastern side is marked “Makariysky Island, the first under the very east of the sun, near the blessed paradise; because it is so denounced that the birds of paradise Gamayun and Phoenix fly into this island and wear out a wonderful fragrance. " When Gamayun flies, a deadly storm emanates from the east of the sun.

Gamayun knows everything about the origin of earth and sky, gods and heroes, people and monsters, animals and birds. According to ancient belief, the cry of the bird Gamayun portends happiness.

A. Remizov. Gamayun
One hunter tracked down an outlandish bird with the head of a beautiful maiden on the shore of the lake. She sat on a branch and held in her claws a scroll with inscriptions. It read: "You will go through the whole world with untruth, but you will not go back!"

The hunter crept closer and had already pulled the bowstring, when the bird-maiden turned her head and said:

How dare you, miserable mortal, raise weapons at me, the prophetic bird Gamayun!

She looked into the eyes of the hunter, and he immediately fell asleep. And he dreamed in a dream that he had saved two sisters - Truth and Truth - from an angry boar. When asked what he wants as a reward, the hunter replied:

I want to see the whole world. Edge to edge.

It's impossible, said Truth. - The light is immense. In foreign lands you will sooner or later be killed or enslaved. Your wish is unfulfillable.

It's possible, ”her sister objected. - But for this you must become my slave. And continue to live a lie: lie, deceive, bend the soul.

The hunter agreed. Many years later. Having seen the whole world, he returned to his native land. But no one recognized him or recognized him: it turns out that his entire village fell into the open earth, and a deep lake appeared in this place.

The hunter walked along the shores of this lake for a long time, grieving over his losses. And suddenly I noticed on a branch the very same scroll with ancient letters. It read: "You will go through the whole world with untruth, but you will not go back!"

This is how the prophecy of the things of the bird Gamayun came true.

Sirin

Sirin is one of the birds of paradise, even its very name is consonant with the name of paradise: Iriy.
However, these are by no means bright Alkonost and Gamayun.

Sirin is a dark bird, a dark force, a messenger of the ruler of the underworld. From the head to the waist, Sirin is a woman of incomparable beauty, from the waist - a bird. Whoever listens to her voice forgets about everything in the world, but soon is doomed to troubles and misfortunes, or even dies, and there is no strength to force him not to listen to Sirin's voice. And this voice is true bliss!

Firebird

Firebird - in Slavic mythology, a fiery bird the size of a peacock. Her feathers shine with blue light, and her armpits are crimson. author of the encyclopedia Alexandrova Anastasia
You can easily get burned on its plumage. The dropped feather retains the plumage properties of the bird's fever for a long time. It glows and gives warmth. And when the feather goes out, it turns into gold. The Firebird guards the fern flower.

Russian folk tales- This is a significant element of national history, through the prism of which it is possible to consider not only the people as an integral entity, but also its individual aspects. Belief in good and evil, justice, family foundations, religious views, awareness of their own place in the world around them. Russian folktale always carries a teaching component, hiding it under the shell of an easy, unpretentious story.

Heroes of Russian folk tales Are collective images of the most typical folk traits. The breadth of the Russian soul, glorified by proverbs, perhaps, or a fool getting rich in thoughts - everything is reflected in folklore narratives. Whatever fairy tale we take, the deep meaning is hidden around. Often, under the guise of a clumsy club-footed bear, a gullible hare or a sly fox, one can see the vices of a human character, much more clearly than it would be noticeable in "adult" narratives.

It's not for nothing that they say- a fairy tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it ...

Animal heroes in Russian folk tales closely related to the ideas of the world of the ancient Slavs. Close proximity to the natural environment, vast forests and valleys of deep rivers, settled in fairy tales typical representatives of the surrounding landscape - foxes, bears, wolves, hares. Cattle and small cattle also often act as fairy-tale characters. Especially in cases where the cult of the hearth, prosperity, family is emphasized ( for example, in the fairy tale Tiny-Khavroshechka). Poultry is also revered ( Ryaba chicken), and small rodents ( Mouse Norushka).

It is important to remember that the ability not only to listen, but to hear and understand what is hidden in Russian folk tales, as valuable as, for example, understanding a foreign language. By themselves, symbol words do not matter. It is much more important what depth they keep in themselves. And, since fabulous legends have survived the troubled and well-fed times, since they have survived, it means that they are indeed a storehouse of folk knowledge.

List of heroes of Russian folk tales

1. Baba YAGA

An evil woman in the mythology of the Slavic peoples. Acts as a negative hero. Endowed with magical powers. Its main attributes are: a black cat, a hut on chicken legs, a mortar with a broomstick.

In various fairy tales, the image of Baba Yaga has a different emotional color. Sometimes she confronts the main character; in some cases supports, instructs him; less often - she herself opposes evil.

Baba Yaga is a very ancient mythological image. It allows you to look differently at the life and philosophy of our ancestors.

Tales about Baba Yaga:

2.Vasilisa the Beautiful

The collective idealized image of the feminine principle in fairy tales. Combines the mind - worldly wisdom and beauty. Considered a daughter Sea King, and goes to the main character as a reward for defeating evil. Other names: Elena the Wise, Vasilisa the Wise, Marya the Artisan, Marya Morevna. Often changes images, transforming into animals.

Vasilisa is a very ancient Slavic image that idealizes the feminine principle. By carefully reading fairy tales, you can learn a lot about ancient social institutions, relationships between men and women.

Tales about Vasilisa the Beautiful (Wise):

3. Water

The lord of the water element in the view of the Slavic peoples. Moreover, in contrast Sea King, reigns over stagnant, musty waters: pools, swamps, polynyas. Usually depicted as an old man with fish features, a long shaggy beard, dressed in mud.

Legends about Vodyanoy are very diverse. He is powerful and, despite his bad temper, favors beekeepers. He does not touch the fishermen who are ready to share their catch with him. But he does not regret the unbaptized or those who forgot to sign the sign of the cross before bathing.

The Tale of the Water One:

4. Firebird

A fire bird; usually a search object the main character of the fairy tale... You cannot take it with your bare hands. Singing the Firebird heals the sick, restores youth, drives away sorrows. It is able to give its owner untold wealth.

5. Serpent Gorynych

The mythical dragon in Slavic mythology. Possesses multiple heads. Capable of spewing flames. Dwells in the area The fiery river and guards the passage to Kingdom of the dead... In fairy tales, he acts as a negative character, an integral link in the balance of the forces of good and evil.

6. Ivan the Fool

A comic character in Russian folk tales. This is a collective image of the poorest peasant class - illiterate, artless and outrageously simple in everyday affairs. It is for these qualities that Ivan the Fool is rewarded what he deserves. The late Christian cultural layer also plays an important role in this image.

Truly I say to you, if you do not turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven ”(Matthew 18: 3)

7. Ivan Tsarevich

Hero of Russian folk tales. In most plots - a positive character. Name "Tsarevich" indicates rather the royalty of intentions and deeds, rather than a real title. Usually, according to the plot, he performs a difficult task for which he receives a reward.

8. Gingerbread man

The protagonist of the eponymous Russian folk tale; rolled dough ball, a symbol of the contentment and satiety of the Russian people... A limited number of ingredients are used for its preparation, but despite this, the Kolobok turns out to be ruddy and appetizing. This is hidden the main moral of the tale... True, in the end, for his arrogance, Kolobok faces reckoning.

But, all the same, it is emphasized - Bread is the head of everything.

9. Cat Bayun

A mythical creature endowed with magical powers. Usually, bad guy... It has enormous size and the ability to speak in a human voice. "Bayun" means a talker. With his stories - fairy tales, the cat can chatter to death the interlocutor. However, for the one who knows how to tame it or get it as a trophy, the cat will give eternal health, youth and strength.

10. Koschey (Kaschey) Immortal

Skinny, wrinkled old man... Always a negative character in fairy tales. Possesses magical powers. Immortal. His life is enclosed in several objects, placed one in another. For example, an oak tree, under it is a cave, there is a chest, in a chest - a box, in a box - an egg, in an egg - a needle... In the mythology of the Slavs, it guards the passage to the Kingdom of the Dead. Enters into an alliance with the Serpent Gorynych.
According to the plot of a fairy tale, he often kidnaps the bride of the protagonist.

11. Chicken Ryaba

Magic chicken from the fairy tale of the same name. Carries golden eggs... It personifies the special role of domestic animals in the peasant economy. Reasonable and wise. Shows that not always gold can be more important than an ordinary egg that is used for food.

12. Goblin

Owner of the forest, incorporeal or corporeal being... Able to change appearance. It transforms into animals, trees, dwarfs, giants, and even takes the form of familiar people. Goblin neutral... And depending on his attitude towards the hero, he becomes either a good or an evil character. Knows how to emit all the sounds of the forest. Often the approach of Leshy is guessed in the rustle of foliage in calm weather.

13. Dashing

Living incarnation hard human life, fate. Usually appears as one-eyed ugly monster with slobbery toothy mouth. The prototype of Likh in Slavic mythology is the Greek myths about the one-eyed Cyclops.

14. Frost

Morozko, Santa Claus. This is gray-bearded old man in a long fur coat with a staff in his hands. Is an patron saint of cold... Snowfalls, blizzards and blizzards obey him. Usually fair. Gives gifts to those he likes. Helps in difficult situations and punishes those who deserve it. Rides a large sleigh drawn by three horses.

(In the western tradition - Santa Claus, rides a sleigh with reindeer).

15. Sea King

Lord of all earthly waters. Possesses untold riches, remaining after the ships sunk in different historical epochs. The Tsar lives in a huge palace in the very depths of the sea. He is surrounded sea ​​maidens, which are capable of capturing sailors and men just by chance walking along the shore. The king is subject to storms. He sinks ships of his own free will.

16. Snow Maiden

Granddaughter of Santa Claus. In Slavic mythology, it is referred to as a girl made out of the snow... In winter, the Snow Maiden has fun and behaves like an ordinary child. And as soon as the sun warms up, it melts, turning into a cloud until next Winter.

Winter scares summer, but it still melts.

17. Soldier

The hero of Russian fairy tales, devoid of any supernatural power. Is the impersonation common Russian people... As a rule, after the end of the service, he finds himself in difficult situations, from which he is helped to get out magical creatures and objects.

The fire heats the soldier, the rain washes, the wind blows, the frost burns through, but it still happens the same.

18. Princess Nesmeyana

Tsar's daughter who never smiled. According to the concept of fairy tales, the main character comes up with how to make the princess laugh and for this he gets her as a wife, along with half of the kingdom.

Laughter is not a sin, since it is pleasant for everyone.

19. The Frog Princess

Usually, under the guise of the Frog Princess hides Vasilisa the Wise... She is forced to be in the body of an amphibian until the main character frees her. Possesses magical abilities and worldly wisdom.

20. Miracle Yudo

An extraordinary fairytale character, sea ​​dweller and oceans... Does not bear a pronounced emotional coloring ( not good and not evil). Usually perceived as a wonderful fish.

Fairy tales have their own special structure - stable plots and motives are constantly used in its composition, heroes of fairy tales meet with their invariable functions and abilities. We all remember popular folk tales with their threefold repetitions, with repeating formulas "Once upon a time ...", "In a certain kingdom, in a certain state ...", "A fairy tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it ...". The space in a fairy tale is conditional and distant from reality.

The heroes of fairy tales are distinguished by such bright human qualities as nobility, kind-heartedness, courage, resourcefulness, and good forces in fairy tales always prevail. Among the positive heroes of Russian folk tales, there are brave princes, epic heroes, and simple peasants, and a number of female images.

Bogatyrs are originally heroes of Russian epics, but over time they penetrated into folk tales. The most famous hero of fairy tales is Ilya Muromets. He embodies the ideal of a warrior hero, who is famous not only for his remarkable physical strength, but also for the special moral qualities inherent in a real hero: calmness, perseverance, good nature. In epics and fairy tales, this hero is the people's defender. Let us recall, for example, such a work as "Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber." Also worthy of mention is the noble but little-known old hero of Russian fairy tales Ruslan Lazarevich. The plots and adventures in which he appears are close to the well-known plots with Ilya Muromets.

Dobrynya Nikitich, like the hero of fairy tales, acts as a reliable assistant to the prince, whom he has probably served for many years. He carries out personal assignments of the prince, for example, to save his daughter or niece. Dobrynya is distinguished by particular courage - he himself decides to carry out tasks that the rest of the heroes refuse. Often this is the hero of the fairy tale about snake fighting, as well as Alyosha Popovich. Their adventures and the stories in which they appear are extremely similar to each other. Let us recall, for example, such stories as "Dobrynya Nikitich and the Serpent Gorynych" and "Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin the Serpent".

All these three epic heroes are in close interaction with each other, and in different fairy tales they show their strong and noble qualities in different ways. Everyone knows these names of the heroes of folk tales. Alyosha Popovich is a collective image of a hero in Russian folklore. In the character of this hero of the tale, we see a mixture of the most varied features. First of all, Alyosha is distinguished by his courage, but he is also very fervent and cunning. His image reflected the whole breadth of the soul of the Russian person, all its versatility.

Favorite hero of folk tales - Ivan Tsarevich. This is a well-known positive character who fights against evil, helps the weak and offended. This is often the youngest of the king's three sons. In some plots, Ivan does not even know about his royal origin, but, nevertheless, personifies the nobility and good qualities of the soul. For example, he fights with Koschei, overcomes him, saves his wife or a beautiful princess. And for his heroic behavior and good deeds, this hero of folk tales receives the kingdom due to him or other people's half of the kingdom, and the royal daughter, and other magical skills.

Ivanushka the Fool is also a very important hero of fairy tales, who stands on the side of good and light forces. Ivan the Fool is just a peasant's son and he does not at all resemble a noble fairytale hero. Its peculiarity is that outwardly he is not at all like other positive heroes of Russian fairy tales. He does not shine with intelligence, but it is thanks to his irrational behavior and non-standard thinking that he passes all the fabulous tests, defeats his opponent and gets wealth.

It is important to note that Ivan the Fool has a special creative ability - he plays musical instruments (gusli or pipe), and in fairy tales, great importance is often attached to his wonderful singing. This is its peculiarity, because the positive heroes of fairy tales are not always able to create something beautiful on their own, without resorting to the help of magical animals or objects.

Among the female fairy-tale images, the type of the Wonderful Bride is especially outstanding. This extraordinary hero of fairy tales is distinguished by intelligence and special feminine cunning. Often she owns some kind of magical items or knows how to use miraculous powers. We all know the heroines corresponding to this type: Vasilisa the Beautiful, Vasilisa the Wise and the Frog Princess. This is the feminine version of the strong hero of folk tales.

This kind heroine is a reflection of the bright side, the personification of good and peace, but at the same time in many plots the wonderful bride is the daughter of the enemy of the protagonist of the fairy tale. A kind hero of folk tales goes through severe trials and solves difficult riddles, and a wonderful bride helps him with these tasks. Thus, sometimes in one fairy tale we meet not one, but two, or even three characters who help each other in the fight against evil.

As we can see, the goodies of folk tales are very diverse. They reveal different sides of the national character: here there is nobility, and selflessness, and ingenuity, and cunning, and special heroism, straightforwardness, and female wisdom. The heroes of fairy tales overcome all obstacles on their way thanks to these positive qualities. Indeed, in Russian folklore, fairytale heroes strive for light, and good forces always prevail.