Russian heroes folk tales create a mythical, and sometimes even mystical reality Russian folk tales, because these heroes are separate part the lives of our ancestors. All those magical powers that they owned and in which the ancient inhabitants believed have come down to us, although they are described more modern language, but at the same time not losing each of its uniqueness and type.
They are familiar to all of us, as well as their heroes, characters, destinies. Let's see if you know all the characters and if all of them are familiar to your children. Here are pictures of the heroes of Russian folk tales to make it easier for you to remember and imagine them. Maybe you can even decide who your favorite hero of Russian folk tales is.
Ivan Tsarevich, who is also Ivan the fool and Ivan the peasant's son. His main qualities are always described as kindness and nobility. In all fairy tales, Ivan Tsarevich helps other people and, in the end, lives happily. The character of Russian folk tales, Ivan the Fool, teaches us to listen to our heart and listen to intuition, to go through all the difficulties with honor and not lose heart. Often we meet in such tales a gray wolf or a horse loyal to Ivan. The wolf usually symbolizes intelligence and cunning, and the horse, for example, Sivka-Burka, symbolizes devotion and fidelity, helping the hero in all his adventures.
The next familiar character in Russian folk tales is 
Snow Maiden. This heroine is a symbol of female tenderness and vulnerability, bright soul and purity. Tales about her show that a person can create whatever he wants, that his potential is unlimited, but what he created has no heart and therefore disappears sooner or later, goes into oblivion.
One of the most beautiful options you can find fairy tales with the Snow Maiden in the section. And the Snow Maiden is like a white snowflake, her eyes are like blue beads, a blond braid to the waist ...
Not only kind and positive heroes occupy our children. They also like the negative characters of fairy tales, for example, Baba Yaga or sometimes Yaga Yaginishna. This character of Russian folk tales is the most ancient and most multifaceted. She lives in a big scary forest that needs to be bypassed and God forbid to get into her hut on chicken legs. Baba Yaga - Russian mythical creature, she knows how to conjure and tell fortunes, and the heroes of fairy tales often harm than help. Baba Yaga is depicted most often with a big nose, in a mortar and with a broom. This is how we all remember her.
They create the mythical reality of folklore: these heroes are an important part of the life of our ancestors. Description magic power, which each of the heroes owned and believed in in antiquity, has come down to our time practically unchanged, although now it is not entirely clear to us. Children's fairy tale characters are familiar to us from the very early age, but gradually their images fade from memory. Let's recall some of them.
Male fairy tale characters
Ivan Tsarevich, he is also Ivan the Fool, he is also Ivan the peasant son. The main qualities of this character are nobility and kindness. In any of the tales, Ivan helps and saves, which ultimately leads to a successful resolution of the situation, and to his own happiness. teaches the reader to listen to his heart, to intuition, to maintain honor in any situation and not to lose his presence of mind. Ivan is often accompanied by a faithful horse or Gray wolf. The horse is a symbol of devotion and fidelity, but the Wolf is a symbol of cunning: they help Ivan in all his endeavors. The antipode of Ivan is often Koschey the Immortal - negative character Russian folk tales, evil sorcerer. His death is hidden in several nested objects and animals. In fairy tales, Koschey kidnaps the heroine and hides her at the end of the world in his castle, and Ivan usually saves her. Less commonly, Koschey acts as a symbol of wisdom and the keeper of knowledge.
Female fairy tale characters
Vasilisa the Beautiful, she is Vasilisa the Wise. The main qualities of the character are wisdom, beauty, fidelity. She is not just a heroine, she is a faithful assistant to Ivan, who must free her from imprisonment with Koshchei, or a harsh father, or the Serpent Gorynych, or any other villain. Vasilisa does not helplessly wait to be rescued, but helps the hero in every possible way, gives him advice, turns to her friends among people and animals. Vasilisa is a symbol of wisdom and virtue; the reader learns from her to be responsive and patient. Another female character found in Russian fairy tales is Baba Yaga, she is also Yaga-Yaginishna. This is perhaps the most ancient character and the most versatile. Yaga usually lives in and is famous for her bad temper - it is better to bypass her hut on chicken legs. She tells fortunes and conjures, but nevertheless more often helps than harms the heroes. Baba Yaga sometimes acts as a symbol of wisdom and the keeper of ancient knowledge.
Animals - fairy tale characters
Serpent Gorynych - a symbol of the evil inclination, representing a dragon with three, six, nine or twelve heads. Often the Serpent kidnaps the heroine and keeps her imprisoned, from where Ivan must release her. Gorynych also often acts as a guard of the gates to the underworld or Koshchei's house. Kot-Bayun is an insidious character, lulling with his voice. He knows many songs and legends, but often acts on the side of evil. It is often the pet of Yaga or Koshchei. Of the most neutral characters of the animal world of Russian fairy tales, one can name the Firebird. She possesses great power healing. Often becomes the object of desire of kings, kings and Koshchei himself, so the hero often goes in search of her. Catching the Firebird is not so easy, because it blinds with its light and burns.
The characters of Russian fairy tales are diverse, and the fairy tales themselves are fraught with great wisdom...
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Russian folk tales with their amazing heroes familiar to all of us from an early age.
Russian folk tales are the most loved and popular genre Russian folklore and acquaint readers with the history and culture of their ancestors. Russian folk tales- it's a treasure trove folk wisdom. In their entertaining, fascinating form, they contain a deep instructive meaning. Thanks to Russian folk tale, children open the world, get acquainted with the concepts of honor and conscience, on the example of relationships fairytale heroes learn goodness and justice.
Russian nationalFairy tales can be divided into three types: magical, about animals, and everyday, satirical. All of them came to us from those distant times when everyone natural phenomena and things were given a magical, sacred explanation. Therefore, many mythological heroes, such as Vodyanoy, Kikimora Bolotnaya, Leshy, mermaids and brownies are associated with the elemental forces of nature and pagan beliefs.
Main hero in Russian folk fairy tale usually combined noble human qualities: such as courage, honesty, fearlessness, mercy and integrity. Ivan Tsarevich, the heroes, the peasant son Ivan the Fool, Emelya, they all went through trials and tribulations, and in the end Russian folkfairy tales evil forces were victorious. Often, the positive hero was accompanied by assistants, a gray wolf, symbolizing intelligence and cunning, or a horse, personifying devotion and loyalty.
Women's images that meet in fairy tales also possessed kindness, a bright mind, wisdom and tenderness. Vasilisa the Wise, Elena the Beautiful, Marya the Tsarevna, the Snow Maiden were endowed not only with very beautiful appearance but with a pure soul.
positive heroesRussian folk tales, usually opposed dark forces, mysterious and insidious characters. Baba Yaga, Koschey the Immortal, the Serpent Gorynych, the Nightingale the Robber are the most popular fairy-tale villains who harmed people, knew how to conjure and expressed the people's idea of cruelty and greed.
Heroes of Russian folk tales often there were animals and birds that lived and acted like people. In each fairy tale with animals, human types are allegorically described, with their different characters and vices. These fairy-tale characters are numerous - a bear, a wolf, a hare, a goat, a rooster, a chicken, a cat, a pig, a crane and a heron, and, of course, a cunning fox who met in Russian fairy tales more often than anyone else.
Russian folk tales are so unique in their poetry and content, so vividly convey the spirit of the Russian people, that over time, interest in them does not decrease. Although in a more modern language, fairy tales continue to be told in families and filmed by cartoonists, making children and adults laugh and empathize with their heroes.
Ivan the Fool
Ivan the Fool, or Ivanushka the Fool - one of the main characters Russian folk tales. According to some versions, the name with the epithet fool is a name-amulet that prevents the evil eye. Embodies a special fairy-tale strategy that does not proceed from the standard postulates of practical reason, but is based on the search own decisions, often contradictory common sense, but, ultimately, bringing success.
According to other versions, "fool" is his property status. Since he is the third son, he is not entitled to a share in the inheritance (remains in the cold). As a rule, his social status low - a peasant son or the son of an old man with an old woman. In the family, he was often the third, youngest son. Not married.
With the help of magical means, and especially thanks to his "not mind", Ivan the Fool successfully passes all the tests and reaches higher values: he defeats the enemy, marries the royal daughter, receives both wealth and fame ... Perhaps Ivan the Fool achieves all this due to the fact that he embodies the first (according to J. Dumézil) magical-legal function, connected not so much with the case as with the word, with priestly duties.
Ivan the Fool is the only one of the brothers who speaks in a fairy tale. Ivan the Fool makes and guesses riddles, that is, he does what a priest does in many traditions during a ritual dedicated to the main annual holiday.
Emelya
Emelya is a character in the Russian folk tale "After pike command". Emelya's family is not allowed to take on serious matters. He is extremely lazy: daughters-in-law have to beg him for a long time to fulfill any, even 
an easy job. The only thing that can spur him to action is the promise of gifts, for which he is greedy. This is the hidden, at first glance imperceptible irony, the name Emelyan, according to one version, in Latin means "hardworking". However, this seemingly unattractive character has qualities that make him a real hero: he is dexterous and lucky, he managed to catch a magic pike in an ice-hole with his bare hands and get magical power(the pike becomes the "magic helper" of the village fool).
First, Emelya uses the acquired gift for domestic purposes - she makes buckets go for water, an ax - to chop wood, a club - to beat enemies. In addition, he moves on a self-propelled sleigh without a horse, and later manages the stove (because he does not want to leave his favorite couch). Riding on the stove is one of bright episodes fairy tales. Interestingly, by managing vehicles, Emelya mercilessly crushes people (“Why did they climb under the sled?”). There is an opinion among folklorists that this detail indicates the royal nature of Emelya, who for the time being remains a “dark horse”, and subsequently reveals his heroic, extraordinary essence.
Baba Yaga
Baba Yaga - character Slavic mythology and folklore (especially fairy tales) Slavic peoples, an old sorceress, endowed with magical powers, a witch, a werewolf. By its properties, it is closest to a witch. Most often - a negative character.
Baba Yaga has several stable attributes: she knows how to conjure, fly in a mortar, lives in the forest, in a hut on chicken legs, surrounded by a fence of human bones with skulls. Baba Yaga has the ability to decrease in size - thus, she moves in a mortar. She lures good fellows and small children to her and roasts them in the oven. She pursues her victims in a mortar, driving her with a pestle and sweeping the trail with a broom (broom). There are three types of Baba Yaga: a donor (she gives the hero a fairy-tale horse or a magical item); kidnapper of children; Baba Yaga is a warrior, fighting with whom "not for life, but for death", the hero of the fairy tale moves to a different level of maturity.
Koschey (Kashchey)
Koschei is associated with the element of water: water gives Koschei supernatural power. After drinking three buckets of water brought to him by Ivan Tsarevich, Koschey breaks 12 chains and is freed from Marya Morevna's dungeon.
Koshchei the Immortal was represented as a skeleton crowned with a sword, sitting on a skeleton horse, and they called Koshchei Kostya the Soulless. He, according to legend, sowed quarrels and anger, and his horse personified the death of all livestock. She spread a variety of diseases that killed domestic animals.
In tex Russian folk tales Koshchei's enemy is Baba Yaga, who tells the protagonist information on how to kill him, but sometimes they are at the same time. Koshchei has many enemies, but few of them survived the meeting with him.
The word "koshchei" in the XII century meant a slave, a captive.
Dragon
Serpent Gorynych - a multi-headed fire-breathing dragon, a representative of the evil inclination in Russian folk tales and epics.
The many-headed snake is its indispensable feature. IN different fairy tales the number of heads of the serpent varies: there are 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12. Most often, the serpent appears as three-headed. In most cases, the snake has the ability to fly, but, as a rule, nothing is said about its wings. The body of a snake is not described in fairy tales, however, on popular prints depicting a snake, the favorite details are a long tail - an arrow and clawed paws. One more important feature the snake is its fiery nature, but how exactly the fire is erupted, fairy tales do not describe. Serpent fire carries within itself and spews it out in the event of an attack. In addition to the fire element, the serpent is also associated with the water element, and these two elements do not exclude each other. In some fairy tales, he lives in the water, sleeps on a stone in the sea. At the same time, the snake is also the Serpent Gorynych and lives in the mountains. However, such a location does not prevent him from being sea monster. In some tales, he lives in the mountains, but when the hero approaches him, he comes out of the water.
Firebird
Firebird - fairy bird, a character in Russian fairy tales, is usually the goal of finding the hero of a fairy tale. The feathers of the firebird have the ability to shine and with their brilliance amaze the human eye. The Firebird is a fiery bird, its feathers shine with silver and gold, its wings are like flames, and its eyes glow like crystal. It is about the size of a peacock.
The Firebird lives in garden of paradise Iria, in a golden cage. At night, it flies out of it and illuminates the garden with itself as brightly as thousands of lit fires: heat is a bird as the personification of fire, light, sun. She feeds on golden apples, which give youth, beauty and immortality; when she sings, pearls fall from her beak.
The singing of the firebird heals the sick and restores sight to the blind. Leaving aside arbitrary mythological explanations, one can compare the firebird with the medieval ones, very popular both in Russian and in Western European literature stories of the phoenix rising from the ashes. The prototype of the Firebird is a peacock. Rejuvenating apples, in turn, can be compared with the fruits of the pomegranate tree, a favorite delicacy of Phoenixes.
Every year, in the fall, the Firebird dies and is reborn in the spring. Sometimes you can find a dropped feather from the tail of the Firebird, brought into a dark room, it will replace the richest lighting. Over time, such a pen turns into gold. To catch the Firebird, they use a golden cage with apples inside as a trap. You can’t catch it with your bare hands, as you can get burned on its plumage.
Father Frost
Santa Claus (Dedko Morozko) is a character in Russian legends, in Slavic mythology - the personification winter frosts, a blacksmith who binds water; in modern times - the main fairy tale character on New Year's Eve, a local variant of the Christmas presenter.
Frost (Morozko, Treskun, Studenets) - Slavic mythological character, master of winter cold. The ancient Slavs represented him as a short old man with a long gray beard. His breath is a strong chill. His tears are icicles. Hoarfrost - frozen words. Hair is snow clouds. Frost's wife is Winter itself. In winter, Frost runs through the fields, forests, streets and knocks with his staff. From this knock, crackling frosts fetter rivers, streams, puddles with ice.
Often depicted in a blue or red coat with a long white beard and a staff in his hand, in felt boots. He rides on three horses. Inseparable from his granddaughter, the Snow Maiden.
Initially, he had only blue (mostly) and white fur coats in his wardrobe, but in the middle of the 20th century he was dressed in a red fur coat. The change in the color of the costume played two roles: on the one hand, the red color was the national color of the USSR, on the other hand, the red color echoed the color of Santa Claus's coat, which was popular in Europe.
Snow Maiden
Snow Maiden - new year character Russian legends, granddaughter of Santa Claus. However, among the Slavs, the Snow Maiden was considered the daughter of Frost and Spring.
The image of the Snow Maiden is unique for Russian culture. In the New Year and Christmas mythology of the rest of the peoples of the world there are no female characters. In Russian folklore, she appears as a character in a folk tale about a girl made of snow who came to life.
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 vengeful.
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 is a 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.
baba yaga- a character of Slavic mythology and folklore (especially fairy tales) of the Slavic peoples. An old sorceress, endowed with magical powers. Witch, werewolf. By its properties, it is closest to a witch. Most often - a negative character. In addition to Russian, it is found in Slovak and Czech fairy tales.
- Koschei the Deathless
Koschey (Kashchey) the Immortal- an antagonist in Russian fairy tales and folklore. A king, a sorcerer, sometimes a rider on a magical talking horse. Often acts as the kidnapper of the protagonist's bride. In Slavic paganism - the keeper underworld(analogous to Hades). Depicted as a thin, tall old man or a living skeleton, he often appears stingy and stingy (“there Tsar Kashchei languishes over gold” by A. S. Pushkin). In addition to the name of the hero of fairy tales, the word has two more obsolete values: "a thin (or stingy) person" and, in Old Russian texts, "a prisoner".
- Ivan the Fool
Ivan the Fool, or Ivan the Fool- one of the main prototypical characters of Russian fairy tales. According to some versions, the name with the epithet fool is a name-amulet that prevents the evil eye. It embodies a special fabulous strategy that does not proceed from the standard postulates of practical reason, but is based on the search for one's own solutions, often contrary to common sense, but, ultimately, bringing success.
According to other versions, "fool" is his property status. Since he is the third son, he is not entitled to a share in the inheritance (remains in the cold).
As a rule, his social status is low - a peasant's son or the son of an old man with an old woman. In the family, he was often the third, youngest son. Not married.
With the help of magical means, and especially thanks to his "not mind", Ivan the Fool successfully passes all the tests and achieves the highest values: he defeats the enemy, marries the king's daughter, receives both wealth and fame ... Perhaps Ivan the Fool achieves all this thanks to that he embodies the first (according to Georges Dumézil) magical-legal function, connected not so much with the deed as with the word, with priestly duties.
Ivan the Fool is the only one of the brothers who speaks in a fairy tale. Ivan the Fool guesses and guesses riddles, that is, he does what a priest does in many traditions during a ritual dedicated to the main annual holiday.
Ivan the Fool - poet and musician; in fairy tales, his singing, his ability to play the wonderful pipe or the gusli-samoguds, which make the herd dance, are emphasized. Ivan the Fool is the bearer of a special speech, in which, in addition to riddles, jokes, and jokes, fragments are noted where either the phonetic or semantic principles of ordinary speech are violated, or even something resembling absurdity; compare “nonsense”, “absurdities”, linguistic paradoxes based, in particular, on the game of homonymy and synonymy, polysemy and multi-reference of the word, etc. (for example, Ivan the Fool describes killing a snake with a spear as a meeting with evil, which he is evil and struck, "evil died of evil"). Ivan the Fool is connected in the plot with a certain critical situation ending with a holiday (victory over the enemy and marriage), in which he is the main participant.
Others have similar stories. European nations. For example, the German fairy tale “Hans the Fool” (“Hans Dumm” Brüder Grimm. Kinder- und Hausmärchen. Nr.54), the Italian “Pietro the Fool” (“Pietro pazzo” Straparola G.F. Le piacevoli notti. 1927. Notte terza, favola I.) , french fairy tale The Marriage of Jean the Idiot
- Ivan Tsarevich
Ivan Tsarevich- one of the main characters of Russian folklore. Like a fairy tale character, he appeared at the end XVIII-early XIX century.
Ivan Tsarevich appears in fairy tales in two different images:
- positive character fighting evil, helping the offended or the weak. Very often at the beginning of the tale, Ivan Tsarevich is poor, lost by his parents, persecuted by enemies, unaware of his royal origin. In such tales as a reward for heroic behavior and good deeds, Ivan Tsarevich receives back his kingdom, throne, or finds his royal parents. But even if he was originally a prince, then at the end of the tale he usually receives a kind of prize in the form of someone else's half of the kingdom, a royal or royal daughter, a magical or expensive horse, precious or magic items or even extra intelligence or magical skills.
- a negative character who is opposed to other princes, but more often to characters of simple origin, for example, Ivan the fisherman's son. In this case, Ivan Tsarevich is angry, cunning and different ways trying to ruin goodies and deprive them of their well-deserved reward. In the end, he is shamed and punished, but almost never killed.
As a fairy-tale character, Ivan Tsarevich is most often associated with only a few specific plots. Each such plot almost does not change from fairy tale to fairy tale, only the descriptions change. actors and their names.
Usually Ivan Tsarevich (like Ivan the Fool) is the youngest of the three sons of the king.
- Emelya
Emelya ("Karmushkin")- the character of the Russian folk tale "By the command of the pike."
Emelya's family is not allowed to take on serious matters. He is extremely lazy: daughters-in-law have to beg him to do any, even simple, work for a long time. The only thing that can spur him to action is the promise of gifts, for which he is greedy. This is a hidden, at first glance imperceptible irony, the name Emelyan, according to one version, translated from Latin means "hardworking." However, this seemingly unattractive character has qualities that make him a real hero: he is dexterous and lucky, he managed to catch a magic pike in an ice hole with his bare hands and get magical power from it (in the terminology of V. Ya. Propp, a pike becomes a “magic helper” village fool).
First, Emelya uses the acquired gift for domestic purposes - she makes buckets go for water, an ax - to chop wood, a club - to beat enemies. In addition, he moves on a self-propelled sleigh without a horse, and later manages the stove (because he does not want to leave his favorite couch). Riding on the stove is one of the brightest episodes of the fairy tale. It is interesting that, while driving his vehicles, Emelya ruthlessly crushes people (“Why did they climb under the sled?”). There is an opinion among folklorists that this detail indicates the royal nature of Emelya, who for the time being remains a “dark horse”, and subsequently reveals his heroic, extraordinary essence.
Indeed, it is the rumors about the lordly way of driving and the complaints of the victims that make the king pay attention to the most insignificant of his subjects. Emelya is lured to the palace with gifts, and the tsar makes a claim to him, which, in essence, is limited to a verbal reprimand. Emelya, at this time, manages to bewitch the king's daughter, so that when he goes home, she begins to yearn and demands to return peasant son. The tsar agrees, but when Emelya arrives a second time, he immures him together with Princess Marya in a barrel and throws him into the sea. However, a magical gift helps the hero here too: the spell “At the command of the pike, at my will” throws the barrel ashore, builds a palace and turns Emelya into a handsome man (at the request of the girl). The king, seeing a new castle on his land, gets angry and comes to look at the impudent one. He does not recognize the changed Emelya, and only during the meal the hero opens his face and reminds the king of the villainous act. The king is frightened, recognizes the power of Emelya and the fact that he is worthy to become his son-in-law. Like many Russian fairy tales, the story ends with a wedding.
- Vasilisa the Beautiful
The king wanted to marry his three sons. They went to the open field, pulled their bows and fired at the arrow: where whose arrow falls, there is his bride. The arrow of the younger son of Ivan Tsarevich fell into the swamp, and he married the Frog Princess. At night, she threw off her frog skin and became Vasilisa the Beautiful, a beauty and a needlewoman. Only three days remained for Ivan Tsarevich to endure, and she would become his forever. But he hurried, burned the skin of a frog, and Vasilisa the Beautiful, turning into a bird, flies away to distant lands, to the kingdom of Kashcheev. Ivan Tsarevich goes after her, and along the way he finds good helpers for himself - forest animals, Baba Yaga. Having defeated Koshchei and destroyed his kingdom, Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Beautiful return home.
- Princess Frog
"Princess Frog"- Russian folk fairy tale. Fairy tales with a similar plot are also known in some European countries- for example, in Italy and in Greece. The character of this tale is a beautiful girl, usually possessing knowledge in witchcraft (Vasilisa the Wise) and forced to live for some time in the form of a frog.
By typical plot fairy tales, Ivan Tsarevich is forced to marry a frog, as he finds it as a result of a rite (the princes shot from bows at random, where the arrow would hit - there they would look for a bride). The frog, unlike the wives of Ivan Tsarevich's brothers, does an excellent job with all the tasks of the tsar, his father-in-law, either with the help of witchcraft (in one version of the tale), or with the help of "mother-nannies" (in another). When the tsar invites Ivan and his wife to a feast, she arrives in the guise beautiful girl. Ivan Tsarevich secretly burns his wife's frog skin, which forces her to leave him. Ivan goes in search, finds her at Koshchei the Immortal and frees his wife.
- Lisa Patrikeevna
Lisa Patrikeevna(Fox-sister, Kuma-fox) - one of the main characters of Russian fairy tales.
Fairy tales about the cunning fox and the stupid wolf are common, in which the fox deceives the wolf for his own benefit. There are also fairy tales where the fox deceives other animals (for example, a hare), or people. In most cases, the Fox (or Fox) is villain, personifying cunning, deceit, deceit, deceit, selfishness. IN literary tale the image of the fox became softer in comparison with the folklore prototype. For example, in folk tales a fox can hire himself to dress the body of a deceased person, and then eat it.
Fairy tales on the theme of the struggle of the cunning Fox with bad wolf found since ancient times in the folklore of most European peoples.
- Mishka Clubfoot
- Kolobok
Kolobok- a character of the Russian folk tale of the same name, depicted as a small spherical wheat bread that escaped from his grandparents who baked it, from various animals (hare, wolf and bear), but was eaten by a fox.
It has analogues in the fairy tales of many other nations: the American gingerbread man, the English Johnny donut, there are similar Slavic, Scandinavian and German fairy tales, the plot is also found in Uzbek, Tatar fairy tales and others.
- Dragon
Dragon- a multi-headed fire-breathing dragon, a representative of the evil inclination in Russian folk tales and epics. In Slavic mythology, it is found as a snake (Slovak zmok, Czech zmok) or smok (Polish smok, Belorussian tsmok), serpent (v. Croatian zmaj), snakes (blr. and blg. snakes).
The many-headed snake is its indispensable feature. The number of heads is usually a multiple of three, most often there are 3, 6, 9 and 12, but sometimes 5 and 7. Most often, the snake appears three-headed. Other features of the serpent are mentioned less often or not at all. In most cases, the snake has the ability to fly, but, as a rule, nothing is said about its wings. So, in the entire Afanasiev collection of Russian folk tales, only once is it reported about "fiery wings" (the fairy tale "Frolka-seat"). The body of a snake is not described in fairy tales, however, in popular prints depicting a snake, the favorite details are a long tail with an arrow and clawed paws. Another important feature of the snake is its fiery nature, however, fairy tales do not describe exactly how fire erupts. Serpent fire carries within itself and spews it out in the event of an attack. In addition to the fire element, the serpent is also associated with the water element, and these two elements do not exclude each other. In some fairy tales, he lives in the water, sleeps on a stone in the sea. At the same time, the snake is also the Serpent Gorynych and lives in the mountains (it is also possible that the middle name came from Slavic name Gorynya). However, such a location does not prevent him from being a sea monster. In some tales, he lives in the mountains, but when the hero approaches him, he comes out of the water. According to Dahl, “Gorynya is a fabulous hero and giantess who shakes mountains. Gorynich is a fabulous patronymic given to heroes, sometimes a snake, or inhabitants of mountains, dens, caves. The three-headed serpent Azhi-Dahak from Iranian mythology and the Serbian Serpent Fire Wolf (Zmaj Ogњeni Vuk) are similar to the Serpent Gorynych.
- Cat Baiyun
cat Baiyun- Russian character fairy tales, a huge man-eating cat with magical voice. He speaks and lulls the approached travelers with his tales and those of them who do not have enough strength to resist his magic and who have not prepared for a fight with him, the bayun cat mercilessly kills. But the one who can get a cat will find salvation from all diseases and ailments - Bayun's tales are healing. By itself, the word bayun means “talker, storyteller, rhetoric”, from the verb bayat - “tell, speak” (cf. also the verbs lull, lull in the meaning of “lull”). Fairy tales say that Bayun sits on a high, usually iron pole. The cat lives far away in the distant kingdom or in a lifeless dead forest, where there are neither birds nor animals. In one of the tales about Vasilisa the Beautiful, Bayun the Cat lived with Baba Yaga.
Exists a large number of fairy tales, where the main acting character give the task to catch a cat; as a rule, such tasks were given with the aim of ruining good fellow. Encounter with it fabulous monster threatened with imminent death. To capture the magic cat, Ivan Tsarevich puts on an iron cap and iron gloves. Having requisitioned and caught the animal, Ivan Tsarevich delivers it to the palace to his father. There, the defeated cat begins to serve the king - to tell fairy tales and heal the king with lulling words.
- Firebird
Firebird- a fairy-tale bird, a character in Russian fairy tales, is usually the goal of searching for the hero of a fairy tale. The feathers of the firebird have the ability to shine and with their brilliance amaze the human eye. The Firebird is a fiery bird, its feathers shine with silver and gold (Ognivak has reddish feathers), its wings are like flames, and its eyes glow like a crystal. It is about the size of a peacock.
The Firebird lives in the Garden of Eden of Iria, in a golden cage. At night, it flies out of it and illuminates the garden with itself as brightly as thousands of lit fires.
The extraction of the firebird is associated with great difficulties and is one of the main tasks that the king (father) sets for his sons in a fairy tale. It is only possible to get the firebird younger son. Mythologists (Afanasiev) explained the firebird as the personification of fire, light, and the sun. The Firebird feeds on golden apples, which give youth, beauty and immortality; when she sings, pearls fall from her beak.
The singing of the firebird heals the sick and restores sight to the blind. Leaving aside arbitrary mythological explanations, one can compare the firebird with medieval stories, very popular in both Russian and Western European literature, about the Phoenix bird reborn from the ashes. The prototype of the Firebird is a peacock. Rejuvenating apples, in turn, can be compared with the fruits of the pomegranate tree, a favorite delicacy of phoenixes.
Every year, in the fall, the Firebird dies and is reborn in the spring. Sometimes you can find a fallen feather from the tail of the Firebird; brought into a dark room, it will replace the richest lighting. Over time, such a pen turns into gold.
To catch the Firebird, they use a golden cage with apples inside as a trap. You can’t catch it with your bare hands, as you can get burned on its plumage.
- Gray wolf
- Sivka-Burka
- Dereza goat
- Elena the beautiful
- Vasilisa the Wise
- Marya the Artisan
- Miracle Yudo
