{"id":1427,"date":"2010-09-13T08:00:20","date_gmt":"2010-09-13T08:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=1427"},"modified":"2014-07-17T13:52:20","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T13:52:20","slug":"russian-fairy-tales-from-a-to-z-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/russian-fairy-tales-from-a-to-z-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Russian Fairy Tales From A to Z – Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the past couple of months we\u2019ve been concentrating heavily on just one book – Bulgakov\u2019s Master and Margarita. How about we switch gears for now and take a short break from the novel. I\u2019m inviting you \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0438 <\/strong>\u043a <\/strong>\u0441\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u043a\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [to visit fairy tale land].<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the beginning. Russian fairy tale land is located \u00ab<\/strong>\u0437\u0430 <\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u0432\u044f\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0437\u0435\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044c, <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0438\u0434\u0435\u0432\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u043c <\/strong>\u0446\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435, <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0438\u0434\u0435\u0441\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u043c <\/strong>\u0433\u043e\u0441\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [across thrice-nine lands, in a thrice-ninth kingdom, in a thrice-tenth country]. I understand, the translation doesn\u2019t make much sense, but just trust me on it – it\u2019s a standard opening of most of Russian fairy tales.<\/p>\n

If you feel tongue-tied pronouncing all those \u201cthrice\u201ds, then you might be happy to find out a shorter name for the Russian fairy-tale land – \u00ab<\/strong>\u041b\u0443\u043a\u043e\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044c\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [Lookomorie]. \u00ab<\/strong>\u041b\u0443\u043a\u043e\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044c\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> the way we know it – a fairy tale land – was immortalized by \u00ab<\/strong>\u0410\u043b\u0435\u043a\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0434\u0440 <\/strong>\u0421\u0435\u0440\u0433\u0435<\/span>\u0435\u0432\u0438\u0447 <\/strong>\u041f\u0443<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0438\u043d\u00bb<\/strong> [Alexandr Sergeevich Pushkin]:<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0423 \u041b\u0443\u043a\u043e\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044c\u044f \u0434\u0443\u0431 \u0437\u0435\u043b\u0451<\/span>\u043d\u044b\u0439,<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0437\u043b\u0430\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u044f \u0446\u0435\u043f\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0443<\/span>\u0431\u0435 \u0442\u043e\u043c,<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0438 \u0434\u043d\u0451<\/span>\u043c \u0438 \u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u044c\u044e \u043a\u043e\u0442 \u0443\u0447\u0451<\/span>\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0432\u0441\u0451 \u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0438\u0442 \u043f\u043e<\/span> \u0446\u0435\u043f\u0438 \u043a\u0440\u0443\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u043c…\u00bb<\/strong><\/p>\n

[The green oak grows in Lookomorie,<\/p>\n

With a gold chain around it,<\/p>\n

And day and night a learned cat<\/p>\n

Walks round and round on the chain\u2026]<\/p>\n

The poem goes on a bit longer, describing various inhabitants of the magic land. There are scores of children\u2019s stores, ice-cream shops, day cares, etc that are called Lookomorie. Interestingly, the real Lookomorie does exist. And \u00a0it\u2019s not particularly hard to find either. The clue lies in the name itself.<\/p>\n

The name of the land is actually a combination of two words – \u00ab<\/strong>\u043b\u0443\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> and \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044c\u0435\u00bb<\/strong>, a form of the word \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [sea] used to describe \u201cseashore\u201d in such words as \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u0437\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044c\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [sea shore] and \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044c\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [land by the sea].<\/p>\n

Now back to the word \u00ab<\/strong>\u043b\u0443\u043a\u00bb.<\/strong> Here it means \u201ca bow\u201d, the kind used by archers. (The other meaning of word \u00ab<\/strong>\u043b\u0443\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> is \u201conion\u201d). So the word \u00ab<\/strong>\u041b\u0443\u043a\u043e\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044c\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> is a descriptive name of a land that is a) by the sea and b) with a shoreline that\u2019s bow-shaped. Seems like any bow-shaped \u00ab<\/strong>\u0437\u0430\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u00bb<\/strong> [bay] with a forest and at least one ancient oak can be Lookomorie, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u041b\u0443\u043a\u043e\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044c\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> is inhabited by lots and lots of fairy tale creatures. In fact, so many of them that it\u2019d take an encyclopedia to even briefly mention them all. So, I\u2019m going to concentrate on the ones that are encountered most often and that I know the most about.<\/p>\n

So without further ado, here they are, A to Z or rather \u00ab<\/strong>\u043e\u0442 <\/strong>\u0410 <\/strong>\u0434\u043e <\/strong>\u042f\u00bb.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0410\u043b\u0451<\/span>\u043d\u0443\u0448\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [Alyonushka] – a young girl, usually an orphan or from a poor peasant family, usually has a brother – \u00ab<\/strong>\u0418\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0443\u0448\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [Ivanushka] (more on him – later). Alyonushka is always in peril and is quite helpless. As such, she relies on the kindness of strangers – \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u0431\u0440\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0434\u0446\u044b\u00bb <\/strong>[kindyoung men] (ok, to be fair – one per fairy tale), good-natured animals, even inanimate objects – \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [a brick oven] and \u00ab<\/strong>\u044f<\/span><\/strong>\u0431\u043b\u043e\u043d\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [apple tree] among others.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0411\u0430<\/span>\u0431\u0430 <\/strong>\u042f\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [Baba Yaga] is an old and very unpleasant witch who lives alone in the deepest and gloomiest part of the forest. In addition to her unpleasant personality, she is no looker and has \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044f\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u044f <\/strong>\u043d\u043e\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [bony leg] and \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u043e\u0441 <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0442\u043e\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u043a <\/strong>\u0432\u0440\u043e\u0441\u00bb<\/strong> [a nose that seems to have grown into the ceiling].<\/p>\n

She\u2019s usually pictured dressed in rags and in general living in squalor. At the same time, she lives in a custom voice-controlled mobile house: \u00ab<\/strong>\u0438\u0437\u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0430 <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u044c\u0438\u0445 <\/strong>\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043a\u0430\u0445\u00bb<\/strong> [a small hut on chicken legs]; flies in a high-tech self-propelled \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u043f\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [mortar]; and owns a variety of magical objects. She also seems to know where to find anything and everyone. I guess, the lady simply has a weird sense of style. She tends to decorate her front yard with skulls and bones.<\/p>\n

Generally, she is a dark force, hell-bent on kidnapping children and eating strangers. However, dashing young men seem to not have much of a problem dealing with her. The key, it seems, is to show \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u0435 <\/strong>\u0445\u043e\u0437\u044f<\/span>\u0438\u043d\u00bb<\/strong> [who\u2019s the master of the house] by first ordering the house itself \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0440\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f <\/strong>\u043a <\/strong>\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0443 <\/strong>\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u043e\u043c, <\/strong>\u0430 <\/strong>\u043a <\/strong>\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0434\u0446\u0443 – <\/strong>\u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043e\u043c\u00bb<\/strong> [to turn with its backside to the forest and its front door – to the young man] and then ordering the old witch herself \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u043f\u043e\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c, <\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u043a\u043e\u0440\u043c\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c, <\/strong>\u0441\u043f\u0430\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0443\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [to provide drink, food and warm bed] to her guest. Such brashness seems to be the most effective since only then does Baba Yaga make her guest comfortable, and come the next morning also gives him advice, a helpful tip and\/or a magic object before he leaves.<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0412\u043e\u0434\u044f\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [Vodyanoy] is a water-dwelling spirit that\u2019s up to no good. The history of the word is very interesting. In his \u00ab<\/strong>\u0418\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u044f <\/strong>\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [The History of Vodka] V. Pohlebkin notes that back in the days \u201cvodyanoy\u201d was used to describe religious dissenters who used water, instead of wine, for the communion. Such practice was viewed as heresy and those practicing it were considered \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0445\u0440\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [pagans, lit: Christ-less].<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0413\u043e\u0440\u044b<\/span>\u043d\u044b\u0447, <\/strong>\u0417\u043c\u0435\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [Zmey Gorinich] is a (usually) three-headed fire-breathing flying dragon of Russian fairy tales. For his residence he prefers either a cave \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u0433\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0445\u00bb<\/strong> [in the mountains] or the sea. He\u2019s not very intelligent and typically represents dumb brute force of evil. Gorinich\u2019s time is occupied by laying waste to villages, stealing domestic animals, kidnapping young and comely maidens, and fighting their handsome rescuers. Much of his dirty work is done on request from Baba Yaga and \u00ab<\/strong>\u041a\u0430\u0449\u0435<\/span>\u0439 <\/strong>\u0411\u0435\u0441\u0441\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [Koshey the Deathless].<\/p>\n

See, I told you this can go on and on. I\u2019ve only briefly described 4 \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u043e\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u0433\u0435\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [fairy tale characters] with quite a few more to go, including, but not limited to Ivan, Yemelya and Vasilisa (if you\u2019re interested, of course). Are there particular characters you\u2019d like me to mention? What are some of your favorite ones?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

For the past couple of months we\u2019ve been concentrating heavily on just one book – Bulgakov\u2019s Master and Margarita. How about we switch gears for now and take a short break from the novel. I\u2019m inviting you \u00ab\u0432 \u0433\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u043a \u0441\u043a\u0430\u0437\u043a\u0435\u00bb [to visit fairy tale land]. Let\u2019s start with the beginning. Russian fairy tale land…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":1432,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[11287,11286,11285,1198,11284,11289,11288],"class_list":["post-1427","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","tag-baba-yaga","tag-fairy-tale-heroes","tag-lookomorie","tag-pushkin","tag-russian-fairy-tales","tag-11289","tag-11288"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1427","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1427"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1427\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6209,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1427\/revisions\/6209"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1432"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}