Elena Evgenievna Zyzina
Interactive game "Good and evil heroes of Russian folk tales"
Interactive game« Good and evil heroes of Russian folk tales»
Target: by examples fairy tales form an idea about good and evil, to uncover good and evil deeds. To make it clear that everyone is given freedom choice: create good or evil. Continue learning to make a coherent story develop communication skills.
One of the main topics Russian folk tales had a theme of good and evil. IN fairy tales meet good and evil characters. Heroes of Russian fairy tales are often magical powers, which in ancient times served as the subject of faith of people in mystical reality. Every fairy tale hero has its own unique type - one starts intrigues, the other brilliantly defeats the villain and lives happily ever after.
Appears in this game fairy tale hero and the guys have to answer is he good or evil. You can also specify what actions were performed hero. good heroes go to the kingdom Of good, evil - in the kingdom of Evil.
Related publications:
The role of fairy tales in the life of a child is very huge. A fairy tale for a child is not just a fantasy, but a special reality. It helps to understand the human world.
A fairy tale enters the life of a child from the very beginning. early age, accompanies him throughout preschool childhood and stays with him for life.
Photo report "Day of Russia and Russian folk tales" Today, June 13, in the younger and middle groups the holiday "Day of Russia and Russians.
Presentation "Interactive quiz on the knowledge of Russian fairy tales" THE QUIZ IS USED ACCORDING TO THE ANALOGUE OF THE TELE-GAME "OWN GAME". PURPOSE: Raising in children a love for Russian folk tales. OBJECTIVES: Educational:.
Quest game for senior preschool age "In the footsteps of Russian folk tales" Quest - a game for older children preschool age"In the footsteps of Russian folk tales" Educational area: speech development. Integration:.
It's about the main character's fiancee. Whether he is Ivan Tsarevich or Ivan the Fool, he will certainly find Vasilisa the Wise or Vasilisa the Beautiful. The girl is supposed to be saved first, and then to marry - all honor by honor. It's just that the girl is not easy. She can hide in the form of a frog, have some kind of witchcraft and abilities, be able to speak with animals, the sun, wind and moon ... In general, she is clearly a difficult girl. At the same time, it is also some kind of "secret". Judge for yourself: finding information about her is much more difficult than about any other fairy-tale character. In encyclopedias (both in classical, paper, and in new ones, online) you can easily find lengthy articles about Ilya Muromets and Dobryn Nikitich, about Koshchei the Immortal and Baba Yaga, about mermaids, goblin and mermen, but there is almost nothing about Vasilisa . On the surface lies only a short article in the Bolshoi Soviet encyclopedia which reads:
"Vasilisa the Wise - a character of Russian folk fairy tales. In most of them, Vasilisa the Wise is the daughter of the sea king, endowed with wisdom and the ability to transform. Same female image performs under the name of Marya the Princess, Marya Morevna, Elena the Beautiful. Maxim Gorky called Vasilisa the Wise one of the most perfect images created by folk fantasy. Another by nature is a destitute orphan - Vasilisa the Beautiful in Afanasiev's unique text.
Let's start, perhaps, with Vasilisa Sr., with the one that Gorky identified with Marya the Tsarevna, Marya Morevna and Elena the Beautiful. And there were good reasons for that. All these characters are very similar, for example, in that nothing is really said about them in fairy tales. Like, a red maiden, which the world has never seen - that's all. Neither detailed description appearance, or any character traits. Just a female function, without which a fairy tale would not work: after all, the hero must win the princess, and who she is there is a tenth matter. Let there be Vasilisa.
The name, by the way, hints at a high origin. The name "Vasilisa" can be translated from Greek as "royal". And this royal maiden (sometimes in fairy tales she is called the Tsar Maiden) begins to put the hero to the test. That is, sometimes it is not she who does this, but some fabulous villain like Koshchei the Immortal or the Serpent Gorynych, who kidnapped the princess and keeps her captive (at best) or is going to devour her (at worst).
Sometimes the father of a potential bride acts as a villain. In the tale where Vasilisa appears as the daughter of the water king, Vladyka sea waters puts up obstacles for the hero in order to destroy him, but loses, because the enemy suddenly turns out to be dear to the heart of his daughter, and no witchcraft can overcome him. But here everything is more or less clear: there is some kind of evil force (a dragon, a sorcerer or the girl's evil parents), and the hero must fight the enemy. In fact, that's how he becomes a hero. And the princess, princess or princess (it doesn’t matter) is a reward for the hero.
However, it also happens that Ivan Tsarevich or Ivan the Fool or some other central fairy tale character is forced to undergo trials not because of dragons or sorcerers - he is tormented by the bride herself. Either the hero needs to jump on horseback to the windows of her room and kiss the beauty on the lips of sugar, then recognize the girl among twelve friends who look exactly like her, then you need to catch the fugitive - or demonstrate enviable cunning to hide from the princess so that she did not find him. At worst, the hero is invited to solve riddles. But in one form or another, Vasilisa will check it.
It would seem that unusual in the tests? Testing a man is generally in the female character: is he good enough to connect his life with him or give birth to offspring, does he have the strength and intelligence to be a worthy spouse and father? From a biological point of view, everything is absolutely correct. However, there is one small detail. If the unfortunate Ivan does not complete the task, then death awaits him - and this is repeatedly emphasized in dozens of Russian fairy tales.
Asking why beautiful princess demonstrates bloodthirstiness, which is more likely to face the Serpent Gorynych? Because she doesn't really want to get married. Moreover, she is the enemy of the hero, the famous researcher of Russian folklore Vladimir Propp believes in his book " Historical roots fairy tale"
"The task is set as a test of the groom ... But these tasks are still interesting to others. They contain a moment of threat:" If he does not, cut off his head for a fault. "This threat gives another motivation. Tasks and threats reveal not only the desire to have the best groom for the princess , but also a secret, hidden hope that there will be no such groom at all.
The words "perhaps I agree, just complete the three tasks in advance" are full of deceit. The bridegroom is sent to his death... In some cases, this hostility is expressed quite clearly. It manifests itself outwardly when the task has already been completed and when more and more new and more and more dangerous tasks are being set.
Why is Vasilisa, she is Marya Morevna, she is Elena the Beautiful, against marriage? Perhaps in fairy tales, where she constantly intrigues the main character, she simply does not need this marriage. She either rules the country herself - and she does not need a husband as a competitor in power, or she is the daughter of a king who will be overthrown by her potential husband in order to seize the throne. Quite a logical version.
As the same Propp writes, the plot about the intrigues that the future father-in-law repairs to the hero along with his daughter or in defiance of her could well have real grounds. According to Propp, the struggle for the throne between the hero and the old king is a completely historical phenomenon. The tale here reflects the transfer of power from father-in-law to son-in-law through a woman, through a daughter. And this once again explains why fairy tales say so little about the appearance and character of the bride - this is a character-function: either a prize for the hero, or a means of achieving power. Sad story.
Meanwhile, in the Russian tradition there is a fairy tale that tells about the childhood, adolescence and youth of Vasilisa. Gorky just mentioned her, saying that she does not look like the usual image of a princess that the hero is trying to conquer. In this tale, Vasilisa is an orphan girl. Not sure if it's the same character. Nevertheless, this Vasilisa, unlike other fairy-tale namesakes, is an absolutely full-blooded heroine - with a biography, character, and so on.
I will sketch with a dotted line storyline. The merchant's wife dies, leaving him a little daughter. The father decides to marry again. The stepmother has her own daughters, and all this new company begins to tyrannize Vasilisa, loading her with overwork. In general, it is very similar to the fairy tale about Cinderella. It seems, but not really, because Cinderella was helped by a fairy godmother, and Vasilisa was helped by a creepy witch from the forest.
It turned out like this. The stepmother and her daughters said that there was no more fire in the house, and they sent Vasilisa to the forest to Baba Yaga, of course, hoping that she would not return. The girl obeyed. Her road through dark forest was terrible - and strange: she met three horsemen, one white, another red, and a third black, and they all rode towards Yaga.
When Vasilisa reached her dwelling, she was met by a high fence of stakes, seated with human skulls. Yagi's house turned out to be no less creepy: for example, instead of servants, the witch had three pairs of hands that appeared from nowhere and disappeared from nowhere. But the most terrible creature in this house was Baba Yaga.
The witch, however, accepted Vasilisa favorably and promised that she would give fire if Vasilisa completed all her tasks. Completing difficult tasks is an indispensable path of a hero. Unlike the fairy tales mentioned above, in this one, a woman passes by, and therefore her tasks are female, there are simply too many of them: to clean the yard, and sweep the hut, and wash the linen, and cook dinner, and sort out the grain, and that’s it. - for one day. Of course, if the tasks are performed poorly, Baba Yaga promised to eat Vasilisa.
Vasilisa washed Yaga's clothes, cleans her house, cooked her food, then learned to separate healthy grains from infected ones, and poppies from dirt. After Yaga allowed Vasilisa to ask her a few questions. Vasilisa asked about three mysterious horsemen - white, red and black. The witch replied that it was a clear day, a red sun and a black night, and all of them were her faithful servants. That is, Baba Yaga in this tale is an extremely powerful sorceress.
After that, she asked Vasilisa why she does not ask further, about dead hands, for example, and Vasilisa replies that, they say, if you know a lot, you will grow old soon. Yaga looked at her and, narrowing her eyes, said that the answer was correct: she does not like too curious and eats. And then she asked how Vasilisa manages to answer her questions without mistakes and how she managed to do all the work correctly.
Vasilisa replied that her mother's blessing helped her, and then the witch pushed her out of the door: "I don't need the blessed here." But in addition, she gave the girl fire - she removed the skull from the fence, whose eye sockets were blazing with flames. And when Vasilisa returned home, the skull burned her tormentors.
Creepy tale. And its essence is that Vasilisa the Beautiful, performing the tasks of Baba Yaga, learned a lot from her. For example, while washing Yaga's clothes, Vasilisa literally saw what the old woman was made of, writes the famous fairy tale researcher Clarissa Estes in her book "Running with the Wolves":
"In the symbolism of the archetype, clothes correspond to the person, the first impression that we make on others. The person is a kind of camouflage that allows us to show others only what we ourselves want, and no more. But ... the person is not only a mask behind which you can hide, but a presence that overshadows the familiar personality.
In this sense, a persona or mask is a sign of rank, dignity, character and power. This is an external pointer outward manifestation skill. When washing Yagi's clothes, the initiate will see firsthand how the seams of the person look, how the dress is tailored.
And so it is in everything. Vasilisa sees how and what Yaga eats, how he makes the world revolve around him, and the day, sun and night walk in his servants. And the terrible skull, blazing with fire, which the witch gives to the girl, in this case, is a symbol of the special witchcraft knowledge that she received while she was in Yaga's novices.
The sorceress, by the way, might have continued her studies if Vasilisa had not been a blessed daughter. But it didn't work out. And Vasilisa, armed with force and secret knowledge, went back to the world. In this case, it is clear where Vasilisa's magical skills come from, which are often mentioned in other fairy tales. It is also understandable why she can be both good and evil.
She is still a blessed child, but the school of Baba Yaga is also not going anywhere. Therefore, Vasilisa ceased to be a meek orphan: her enemies died, and she herself married the prince and sat on the throne ...
Son, spoiled prince and even Gray wolf. One of the most popular positive fabulous images is a hero who has a remarkable physical strength, perseverance, courage and kindness. Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich - heroes who were not afraid of the three-headed Serpent Gorynych, Nightingale - and combine a brilliant mind, ingenuity and cunning.
Often in Russian fairy tales there are also kind animals - a horse, a wolf or a dog, which symbolize intelligence, cunning, devotion and fidelity.
Another well-known fairy tale character is collective image simple Russian guy Ivan. Ivan Tsarevich is always noble, brave and kind. He shows unprecedented heroism and kingdom from evil forces. Ivanushka the Fool is another favorite of the positive Russian folk - most often this is the son in the family, but the most talented and unique. He knows how to understand animals, and they willingly help Ivanushka fight evil.
The kindest fairy tale hero
Answer yourself the question "which hero is the most?" possible only by concretizing the purpose of good deeds. So, undoubtedly, one can call the kindest Ivanushka, who bravely goes against the dark forces, not thinking about his own well-being. True good, first of all, is determined by selflessness, since the hero who commits noble deeds for the sake of profit, turns into a simple mercenary.
Traditionally good heroes in fairy tales, they help the world restore the natural balance of good and evil, preventing the antagonist from realizing his insidious plans.
Therefore, the present good deed can be done only when the hero is guided solely by the breadth of his soul. Such characters are Morozko, Santa Claus, Vasilisa the Beautiful, Cinderella's fairy godmother and other heroes who do good for the sake of good, without expecting any reward in return.
Thus, it is possible to award the title of the kindest fairy-tale hero to each of these characters, since in the fight against evil it is not so much the skill that is important, but the intention, and the intention of each of them is undoubtedly the most noble.
Ilya Muromets can be called without exaggeration the most famous of the Russian epic heroes. Even the Russian who has never read epics or their prose retellings knows about this Russian hero at least from cartoons.
Researchers of Russian folklore know 53 epic heroic stories, and in 15 of them Ilya Muromets is the main character. All these epics belong to Kyiv cycle associated with Vladimir the Red Sun - an idealized image of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich.
The deeds of the epic hero
The beginning of the epic "biography" of Ilya Muromets is associated with a very typical epic hero the motive of belated maturation: for 33 years the hero sits on the stove, being unable to move either his arms or legs, but one day, three elders come to him - “passing kaliks”. In the publications of Soviet times, a clarification was “cut out” of epics who these people were, but tradition hints that they are Jesus Christ and the two apostles. The elders ask Ilya to bring them water - and the paralyzed man gets to his feet. Thus, even the hero's healing turns out to be connected with the readiness to do a good deed, albeit an insignificant one.
Having found heroic strength, Ilya goes to perform feats. It is noteworthy that neither Ilya Muromets nor other Russian heroes ever perform feats just for the sake of personal glory, as heroes of Western chivalric novels sometimes do. The deeds of Russian knights are always socially significant. This is the most famous feat of Ilya Muromets - the victory over the Nightingale the Robber, who killed travelers with his robber whistle. “You are full of tears and fathers and mothers, you are full of widows and young wives,” says the hero, killing the villain.
Another feat of the hero is the victory over Idolishche, who seized power in Constantinople. Idolishche is a collective image of nomadic enemies - Pechenegs or Polovtsians. These were pagan peoples, and it is no coincidence that Idolishche threatens to "smoke God's churches". Defeating this enemy, Ilya Muromets acts as a defender of the Christian faith.
The hero always appears as a protector common people. In Ilya of Muromets and Kalin Tsar, Ilya refuses to fight, offended by the injustice of Prince Vladimir, and only when the prince's daughter asks the hero to do this for the sake of poor widows and small children, does he agree to fight.
Possible historical prototypes
No matter how fabulous the plots of epics about Ilya Muromets may seem, historians say: this is a real person. His relics rest in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, but originally the tomb was in the aisle of St. Sophia of Kyiv - the main temple Kievan Rus. Usually only princes were buried in this cathedral, even the boyars were not honored with such an honor, therefore, the merits of Ilya Muromets were exceptional. Researchers suggest that the hero died in 1203 during the raid of the Polovtsian troops on Kyiv.
Another version is offered by the historian A. Medyntseva, who tried to explain why epic tradition connected the image of Ilya Muromets with Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, who lived much earlier. Without denying connection epic hero with the real-life Ilya Muromets, she points out that another source of the image could be the same person who served as the prototype for Dobrynya Nikitich. It was the uncle of Prince Vladimir
Fairy tales form the thinking, fantasy and worldview of many generations. Fairy tales not only entertained us in childhood, but the actions of the heroes of Russian fairy tales taught us to distinguish between good and evil, to be brave and to do justice.
At the same time, in fairy tales, beliefs, views and ideas of the people are displayed at different times. In the course of its development, the tale has changed significantly, and its functions have also changed. If initially it was used for a magical incantatory purpose (to call for good luck on a hunt, to protect oneself from enemies or to ensure victory in battle), then over time, having lost its ritual significance, the tale acquired an aesthetic, educational or entertaining character.
Remained conditional fairy tale characters. They are types, not individuals, which means they are described in in general terms, are often idealized, exalted, exaggerated. The main images here are always antagonistic: one embodies the good, the beautiful; the other is evil forces. Hence - their characteristics - actions, deeds, intentions, language. According to their functions, the heroes of Russian fairy tales are conventionally divided into benefactors, evil-doers and the destitute.
most large group fabulous folk epic make magic, fantasy tales. The explanation of many motives and features of fairy-tale characters can only be found in comparison with ancient rituals, elements of the socio-religious way of life of the Proto-Slavs and ancient Eurasians. Let's try to analyze some of the most famous characters Russian fairy tales.
Heroes of Russian fairy tales. baba yaga
Baba Yaga is a character in Slavic mythology and folklore. Usually an ugly old woman, endowed with magic power And magic items. Often a witch, a sorceress. More often - negative character(lures children and good fellows to her hut on chicken legs to eat), but sometimes acts as an assistant to the hero. According to folklore specialist Vladimir Propp, three types of Baba Yaga can be distinguished in fairy tales: the giver (gives the main character a fairy-tale horse), the kidnapper of children and the warrior (fights with the main character "not for life, but for death").
IN contemporary ideas Baba Yaga - mistress of the forest and guardian of the borders of the "other world" ( Far Far Away kingdom). Therefore she has bone leg- to stand in the world of the dead. In many fairy tales, Baba Yaga drowns the bathhouse and evaporates the hero, performing the rite of ablution. Then he feeds him, that is, performs, as it were, a feast with him. And the female image of Baba Yaga itself is associated, according to researchers, with matriarchal ideas about the structure of the social world.
Heroes of Russian fairy tales. Water
IN Slavic mythology- the spirit that lives in the water, the master of the waters, the embodiment of the element of water as a negative and dangerous principle. Appears before us in the form of a flabby old man, goggle-eyed, with a fish tail. He has a huge beard and mustache, sometimes - fish features, webbed paws and a horn on his head. Lives in whirlpools, whirlpools, but especially loves water mills. Therefore, the millers coaxed them in every possible way, and also buried a live black rooster or other security attributes under a log, where there would be a door to the mill. Often the Vodyanoy is associated with the sea king.
Heroes of Russian fairy tales. Firebird
A fairy bird is usually the goal of finding a fairy tale hero. The feathers of the firebird glow and amaze with their beauty. Lives in garden of paradise, in a golden cage. He feeds on golden apples, heals the sick with his singing and restores sight to the blind. At a deep mythological level, it is the personification of fire, light and the sun. Therefore, every year in the autumn the Firebird dies, and in the spring it is reborn. At the intercultural level, it has an analogue - the Phoenix bird, reborn from the ashes.
Heroes of Russian fairy tales. Dragon
A fire-breathing dragon with several heads, the personification of the evil inclination in fairy tales and epics. He usually lives in the mountains, near the fiery river and guards the Kalinov Bridge, through which they enter the kingdom of the dead. The number of heads of the Serpent-Gorynych is usually three (3, 6, 9 or 12). In fairy tales, the fire element is usually associated with the snake. The Serpent-Gorynych kidnaps girls (often princesses) to feast on. After that main characters comes to him for a duel, before killing his baby vipers.
Heroes of Russian fairy tales. Ivan the Fool
A very popular image in mythology, which, when solving problems, is guided by its own, non-standard solutions, often contradictory common sense but bringing success. The designation "fool" is interpreted in different ways. Some of the researchers consider this a talisman against the evil eye. According to another version, Ivan is called a fool, because usually in fairy tales he is the third son who is not entitled to a share of the parental inheritance (hence the ability to think outside the box, find a way out of difficult situations). Etymologically, the image of Ivan the Fool is associated with the image of a priest, because he can sing and play different instruments and also speaks in riddles. At the end of the tales, Ivan the Fool receives wealth and the princess as his wife.
Heroes of Russian fairy tales. Cat Baiyun
A huge man-eating cat with magical voice. On the one hand, he speaks and lulls travelers with his tales, on the other hand, his tales can heal. The very word "bayun" means "talker, narrator". In fairy tales, Kot Bayun sits on a high pillar at the distant lands in the distant kingdom or in a lifeless forest where there are no animals. In one of the tales, he lives with Baba Yaga.
Catching Bayun the Cat is usually a test for the protagonist, who catches him wearing an iron cap and iron gauntlets. But the caught Cat Bayun then serves at the royal court, heals the sick with his stories.
Heroes of Russian fairy tales. Kolobok
A fairy-tale character in the form of a spherical wheat bread that escapes from grandparents, from various animals, but is eventually eaten by a fox. This character clearly embodies a reverent attitude Slavic people to bread, and its sacred meaning. Namely, the round shape of Kolobok, which also rolls, which refers us to the cult of the sun.
Heroes of Russian fairy tales. Koschey (Kashchey) the Immortal
An evil sorcerer whose death is hidden in several nested magical animals and objects. “There is an island on the sea, on the ocean, on that island there is an oak, a chest is buried under an oak, a hare is in the chest, a duck is in the hare, an egg is in the duck, Koshchei’s death is in the egg.” Often kidnaps the bride of the protagonist. In appearance - a thin (Koschey - from the word "bone") a tall old man or a living skeleton. Sometimes on a talking and flying horse. A powerful sorcerer, which also allows priests to be called his prototypes.
Heroes of Russian fairy tales. Goblin
The master spirit of the forest in the mythology of the Slavs. Its appearance is different, the breeds are even opposite in different fairy tales- either he is small in stature, then a giant, then an anthropomorphic creature, then he has an animal appearance. In any case, its otherworldly nature. The attitude of people towards him is also ambivalent. On the one hand, they are afraid of him, he can make a person go astray, sometimes plays pranks, can punish for inappropriate behavior in his domain. At the same time, it is Leshy who guards the forest, on which human life largely depends.
Heroes of Russian fairy tales. Miracle Yudo
The character of folk tales and epics, and even Proto-Slavic mythology. The positive or negative nature of the character is not clearly indicated, as well as his gender - in different eras he was both feminine and masculine and average. Miracle Yudo is a character so ancient that researchers find it difficult to tie him to any phenomenon.
It can be a sea animal, a mythical serpent, a dragon. And in author's fairy tale Pyotr Ershov's "Humpbacked Horse" (1834) there is a Miracle Yudo Whale fish - an island fish.
Fairy tale plays a significant role in human life. This is what he hears one of the first after birth; she also accompanies him in the next stages of growing up. Fairy tales are loved not only by children, but also by adults. Their deep philosophical meaning makes it possible to take a different look at ordinary things; understand the principles of good and evil; learn to believe in a miracle and not forget about your own role.
Moral values are transmitted through characteristic characters, each of which has its own folk prototype.
Hare
Runaway bunny, gray bunny, oblique - as soon as they don’t call the animal in Russian folk tales. He is endowed with a cowardly, but at the same time friendly character. Fairy hare has cunning, dexterity and resourcefulness. A striking example- the fairy tale "The Fox and the Hare", where a small animal turns from a cowardly animal into a savvy hero who managed to deceive even an evil wolf and help his friends.
In nature, hares do have cautious habits that help them avoid the teeth of predators. Our ancestors also knew this feature of the animal.
Fox
Cunning, dodgy, smart, insidious, vindictive ... What features are not given to the fox in fairy tales. She deceives animals, looks for profit everywhere, is not afraid of people. The fox is friends with the strong, but only for his own benefit.
Cunning is embodied in the image of an animal. Folk prototype can be considered dishonest, thieving, but at the same time smart person. The fox is feared, despised and respected at the same time. This is evidenced by the appeal to her in fairy tales as Lisa Patrikeevna, Chanterelle-Sister.
Wolf
The wolf in Russian fairy tales embodies anger. He preys on weaker animals; is not always smart. The shortsightedness of the wolf is used by other characters. In the fairy tale "The Chanterelle Sister and the Gray Wolf" a formidable predator was deceived by a red cheat, and in "The Three Little Pigs"
harmless pigs could wrap him around their fingers.
Our ancestors also associated the wolf with death. Indeed, in nature, this predator is considered a kind of forest orderly who hunts weak and sick animals. And the human prototype of the wolf can be considered the one who is too evil, greedy and vindictive.
Bear
Fairy bear is the owner of the forest. He is strong, rude, clumsy and not exactly smart. It is believed that in the form of a bear, ordinary people wanted to show the landowners. Therefore, in fairy tales, this animal is often deceived by weaker animals, with which ordinary people are associated.
At the same time, in fairy tales you can also find another image of a bear: kind, calm, honest and freedom-loving. Suffice it to recall how the bear helped the lost girl Masha in the work of the same name.
Man (peasant)
The image of a man in fairy tales has different meaning. In some works, he acts as the personification of the working people: he is somewhat rustic, he works all the time, does not put up with the injustice of rich owners. On the other hand, such traits as wisdom and cunning were embodied in the peasant. He is hardworking, not rich, but much more cunning and resourceful than the landlords and generals.
Baba Yaga
A hut on chicken legs, a black cat, a mortar and a broom are the main attributes of any fabulous Baba Yaga. This old woman is both evil (what her threats are worth) and kind (helps in difficult situations). She is wise, strong-willed, purposeful. It can be an adviser, or it can be a threat.
The image of Baba Yaga in Russian fairy tales is one of the most controversial and controversial. She personifies matriarchal traits. Our ancestors Baba Yaga was closely associated with the clan.
Koschei the Deathless
In fairy tales, his image can be seen in three guises: a sorcerer with special power, a king underworld and an old man who may be the husband of the Serpent or a friend of Baba Yaga. Possesses unusual abilities: Transforms heroes into animals and birds. It can be defeated only thanks to certain rituals (with the help of a magic horse, club, burning). Despite his name, he is not immortal at all, because his death is on the tip of a needle (or, alternatively, in an egg), which are securely hidden.
The folk prototype of Koshchei is an imperious, evil, cunning and vile person, endowed with magical properties.
Ivan the Fool
Contrary to the ambiguous name, Ivan is not at all the personification of stupidity, even if he is called a fool in the work. In fairy tales, he is the youngest of the sons, who often does nothing, is lazy, but achieves a lot in life thanks to cunning and luck. This positive hero, embodying the features of what people would like to have. Some kind of dream where without special efforts, by chance, everything works out: to become rich, and to take a princess as a wife. Our ancestors in the image of Ivan the Fool wanted to show a lucky person.
Ivan Tsarevich
Unlike Ivan the Fool, who gets everything simply and effortlessly, Ivan Tsarevich must overcome many obstacles to achieve his goal, showing his strength, intelligence and skills. He becomes a prince not only by the fact of birth, which he does not even know about, but by merit. Like Ivan the Fool, he is most often the youngest of the brothers, only of royal blood.
kikimora
Kikimora in fairy tales can act as an ugly creature of indeterminate age (this is a girl, an old woman, and even a man). Is the personification evil spirits. She tries to hide from people, but lives near residential buildings or in a swamp. Her job is to frighten and frighten.
The mythological meaning of kikimora among our ancestors is a person who passed away in an unrighteous way. Therefore, his soul does not find rest.
Water
The merman is the master of water. This is a half old man half a fish. Lives near mills, in a whirlpool and a polynya. Scares people and drags them to the bottom; breaks mills and drowns cattle. But the merman can be deceived, defeated by cunning.
