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Encyclopedia of Russian & Slavic and Legend

Encyclopedia of Russian & Slavic Myth and Legend

Mike Dixon-Kennedy

Santa Barbara, California Denver, Colorado Oxford, England Copyright © 1998 by Mike Dixon-Kennedy

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the publishers.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Dixon-Kennedy, Mike, 1959– Encyclopedia of Russian and Slavic myth and legend. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. Summary: Covers the and legends of the at its greatest extent as well as other Slavic people and countries. Includes historical, geographical, and biographical background information. 1. Mythology, Slavic—Juvenile literature. [1. Mythology, Slavic. 2. Mythology—Encyclopedias.] I. Title. BL930.D58 1998 398.2'0947—dc21 98-20330 CIP AC

ISBN 1-57607-063-8 (hc) ISBN 1-57607-130-8 (pbk)

0403020100999810987654321

ABC-CLIO, Inc. 130 Cremona Drive, P.O. Box 1911 Santa Barbara, California 93116-1911

Typesetting by Letra Libre

This book is printed on acid-free paper I. Manufactured in the United States of America. For Gill

CONTENTS

Preface, ix How to Use This Book, xi Brief Historical and Anthropological Details, xiii

Encyclopedia of Russian and Slavic Myth and Legend, 1

References and Further Reading, 327 Appendix 1, 331 Glossary of Terms Appendix 2, 333 Transliteration from Cyrillic to Letters Appendix 3, 335 The Rulers of Appendix 4, 337 Topic Finder Index, 353

vii

PREFACE

Having studied the amazingly complex sub- This volume is not unique. A good num- ject of world mythology and legend for more ber of books have been published about the than twenty years, I have found few stories myths and legends of the ancient more stirring than those of ancient Russia. and . However, as a quick look at the Regrettably for us, at the end of the twenti- Bibliography will show, many of these are eth century very few Russian pre-Christian available only in languages other than (pagan) beliefs remain. Those that have sur- English.Thus this book presents, possibly for vived have been Christianized, their pagan the first time, the myths and legends in their roots now long forgotten. translated form. In addition, a great deal of My introduction to Russian legend was historical, geographical, and biographical the story of the Baba-Yaga, told me information related to the Slavs and their by someone whose identity I have since for- mythology has been included so that readers gotten. Many years later, as I began to may gain the deepest possible understanding research world mythology and legend, Baba- of the myths and legends against their cul- Yaga resurfaced as I delved into the myster- tural and geographical background. A ies and delights of ancient Russian and detailed map of the area covered by this vol- Slavic . ume has been included to make this last task This book is a general guide to the myths easier; for even though certain places or and legends of the Russian Empire at its countries described might be , there greatest extent, along with those of countries are a fair number that are not so well known. and peoples that can be broadly defined as Russian and Slavic beliefs weave a rich Slavic or that have influenced and been tapestry between the real world and the influenced by Slavic cultures. Today, at the world of pure fantasy.Here we have a culture end of the twentieth century, Russia or Rus that believed in a large number of supernat- is a huge country that occupies a large part ural and fantastical beings, from dragons to of Europe and Asia.Yet it was once a land of one-eyed or multiheaded monsters, from modest size that subsequently underwent shape-changing wolves to soulless beings.We centuries of expansion and change. Pop- also find a curious mix of the pagan and the ulations came and went, and each migration Christian; for even though Russia adopted added to the culture base of the country as it as the state religion in A.D. 988, progressed from one incarnation to the remained popular until the end of next—from principality to empire. All this the nineteenth century, and in more remote movement has left the rich legacy of mythol- areas, even up to the present day. Thus we ogy and legend detailed in this volume—a find Christian themes interwoven with legacy inherited by a land that covers pagan ideas: Dragons fight priests, saints approximately one-sixth of the ’s total encounter , and witches enter the landmass. kingdom of heaven.

ix x PREFACE

It is my hope that by preparing this vol- ed my countless mistakes and assumptions ume in the format in which it is presented, I would need a volume all its own. Needless to have brought the myths and legends of the say, they all know just who they are, and to Russian and other Slavic peoples to a much each and every one of them I say a great big broader readership, and by so doing, have “thank you.” increased readers’ understanding of the cul- My final thanks have to go to my long- tures on which the volume touches. suffering wife, Gill, and to Christopher, Obviously one such volume cannot begin to Charlotte, Thomas, and Rebecca, my four do justice to this subject. Although I have often “fatherless” children. For long periods included as much information as possible of time over many years they have lost me to within the physical constraints of the book, I my research, my passion. Very rarely have hope readers will be inspired to undertake they complained, and I hope that now they their own, further research and to carry it to will be able to enjoy the results of their soli- new levels. tude. Whoever thinks writing is a solitary Whenever one writes a book, one obvi- occupation should think of the writers’ part- ously owes thanks to many different people ners, for theirs is the true solitude. for their help.To list all those who over the years have provided me with information, Mike Dixon-Kennedy guided me as to where to look, and correct- Lincolnshire HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

Although this book is arranged as a simple, SPELLING AND PRONUNCIATION straightforward encyclopedia, several conven- The spellings of Russian words and names tions have been adopted to make cross-refer- that appear in this book are based on vari- encing easier and the text more decipherable. ous commonly used systems of translitera- 1. Where headwords have alternative tion from the Cyrillic to the Latin alpha- spellings, these are given under the main bet. These word-spellings are phonetically entry within the book preceded by “Also.” based (see Appendix 2); thus, the words When the variant spellings are widely differ- should be pronounced more or less as writ- ent, variants are given their own, shorter ten, with every vowel and consonant being entries that direct readers to the main sounded (there are no silent e’s, for exam- entries.Where this is simply a matter of the ple).The single prime sign (') has been used omission or addition of a letter or letters, where the soft sign would appear in the then those letters affected within the head- Cyrillic word, indicating that the preceding word are enclosed in parentheses; e.g., consonant is palatalized. Appendix 2 shows Timofe(y)evna gives two versions of the the full modern Cyrillic alphabet and each patronymic, Timofeyevna and Timo- letter’s various possible pronunciations as feevna, both of which are acceptable well as its written equivalents in the Latin transliterations from the Cyrillic. alphabet. Where the variation is a different ending, then the most common is given first. For RUSSIAN TITLES instance, Svarozhich (~gich) indicates that Russian rulers and their families were given the most common variant is Svarozhich titles that may be unfamiliar to the reader. and the less common is Svarogich. Briefly, they were as follows. Where the difference is a complete word, or czar—Russian emperor.The title then that word is enclosed in parentheses. was first used c. 1482 by Ivan Vasilevich, This occurs when an epithet or patronymic Grand Duke of Muscovy—better known as is part of the subject’s name but is not com- Ivan Groznyi, or .Thereafter, monly used, e.g., Peter (Belyaninovich). it was used by the emperors of Russia until 2.Where there is a separate entry for any the 1917 Revolution. The word tsar is of the people, places, or objects mentioned derived from the Latin cæsar. within an entry, a list of these will be found tsarevich or czarevich—The son of a at the end of the entry preceded by “See tsar. Historically the tsarevich was the eldest also.” son, but the word applies to any son, not just 3. At the end of many entries, citations of the heir. sources in the References and Further tsarevna or czarevna—The daughter Reading section will be found, preceded by of a tsar. Like the tsarevich, the tsarevna was “References.” usually the eldest daughter of the tsar; but

xi xii HOW TO USE THIS BOOK the word may be correctly applied to any tsaritsa or czaritsa—A woman who is daughter. empress and rules in her own right, regard- tsarina or czarina—The wife of a tsar; less of whether she is married to a tsar. an empress, but not necessarily a ruler in her A glossary of other terms used in the own right. (Unlike a tsaritsa, she is empress book may be found in Appendix 1. merely by virtue of her .) BRIEF HISTORICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL DETAILS

THE AND SLAVS Finno-Ugric peoples do not belong to the Known to the classical writers of the first and Indo-European family. Their language second centuries as the Vanedi,a people living grouping, a subfamily of the Ural-Altaic beyond the Vistula,the Balts and Slavs origi- family, contains more than twenty different nated the northeastern Indo-European lan- tongues that are spoken from in the guages spoken in central and eastern Europe, west to in the east, and to the the , and parts of north Asia.The Slavs Carpathian Mountains in the south. are generally subdivided into three linguistic The Finno-Ugric peoples may be subdi- and cultural groups: the Western Slavs, vided into four main groups according to including the , Czechs, Moravians, and their geographical position. The first group Slovaks; the Eastern Slavs, made up of includes the Finns, Lapps, (though Russians, Ukrainians, and Belorussians; and is generally thought of as a Baltic the Southern Slavs, comprising the Bulgars, country), Livonians, and Karelians. The sec- , , and . The closely re- ond grouping comprises the Cheremiss- lated Balts are also divided into three groups: Mordvin peoples of the middle and upper Latvians, , and Prussians. . The third includes the Votyaks, There is such a high degree of similarity Permyaks, and Zyrians, who inhabit the among the that experts Russian provinces of Perm and Vyatka, and describe this linguistic group as a dialect con- the last, the Voguls and Ostyaks of western tinuum in which the speakers of one language Siberia. The Magyar people of Hungary are understand much of what is said in the others. normally included in the fourth grouping, as In their written form,the Slavic languages vis- they originated in western Siberia, but they ibly differ in that some, such as Polish, are are generally considered a Turkic people. written in the Roman alphabet, while others, The Finno-Ugric peoples were widely like Russian, employ the Cyrillic alphabet (see influenced by their Indo-European neigh- Appendix 2). These different alphabets are bors—the Balts, Slavs, and Norse/Teutons. largely explained by the turbulent history of Many of their legends bear direct compari- the Slavic regions, which were subdued by son with those of both the Balts and the various empires and rulers at various times. Slavs. Although the languages themselves continue The legends of the Finnish peoples are to flourish despite political and cultural not considered in this volume, as they are upheavals, very little of ancient Slavic mythol- extensive enough to warrant a volume of ogy and legend survives today. their own. In addition, these legends do not exhibit any signs of cultural cross- THE FINNO-UGRIC PEOPLES fertilization and seem to have little bearing Although closely related to both the Balts on the study of Russian and Slavic myth and Slavs, with whom they assimilated, the and legend.

xiii xiv HISTORICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL DETAILS

OTHER PEOPLES unfortunate, as this story (Ivan the ’s Son) is particularly fine. An indigenous people who live near the Lena River in northeastern Siberia, in one of Letts the coldest regions on earth, the Yakuts speak Indigenous inhabitants of who were a Turkic language in the Ural-Altaic family, closely related to their neighbors the closely related to Finno-Ugric. Very few of Lithuanians. Their language is Baltic with the beliefs of the ancient Yakuts have sur- characteristics of both Latvian and Lith- vived. uanian. Tungus Readers will find further detail on each of An ancient Siberian people. Only one of the these groups under the respective headings in major Tungus legends has survived, which is the main body of the book. Encyclopedia of Russian & Slavic Myth and Legend

several of his family had been murdered, so it was decided, upon the suggestion of Duke Boleslaus, that Adalbert should undertake a mission to the pagan Prussians in Pom- erania. Adalbert went on to evangelize Hungary and possibly and as well but was murdered in 997, along with his two companions Benedict and Gaudentius, by Prussians who suspected them of ADALBERT OF PRAGUE, SAINT being Polish spies. Prussia and Poland AAdalbert’s body was thrown into the The patron saint of Prussia and Poland, water near Königsberg (modern Kalin- whose feast day is 23 April. Adalbert (c. ingrad, a Russian city that is separated from 956–997) was born to a noble Bohemian the rest of the country by ) but was family and baptized Voytech. At his confir- later recovered after it washed ashore in mation, he took the name Adalbert, after his Poland. He was enshrined at Griezno, but his teacher of the same name in Magdeburg. relics were forcibly repatriated to Prague in When his teacher died in 981, Adalbert 1039. Saint Adalbert is usually depicted with returned to Prague and was consecrated a club and lances—the weapons used to there in 982, becoming the first native murder him—and often with a two-headed bishop of the city. However, Adalbert cross. encountered stiff opposition to his attempts See also: ; Hungary; Poland; Prussia to convert others to Christianity, and in 990 he withdrew from Prague to Rome, where AFRON he joined the Benedictine abbey of Saints Russia Boniface and Alexis. Duke Boleslaus The tsar of an unnamed realm, which some (Boleslaw I, “the Brave”) of Poland peti- say lay in the Thrice-Ninth Kingdom, and tioned Pope John XV (pope 985–996) for the owner of the Horse with the Golden the return of Adalbert to Prague, and shortly Mane. When Ivan Vyslavovich was caught thereafter Adalbert was sent back under trying to steal both the horse and its golden papal decree. bridle (though the shape-changing wolf Conditions appeared to have improved, helping Ivan Vyslavovich had warned him and Adalbert founded the Benedictine abbey not to touch the bridle), Afron gave him a at Brevnov. The peace, however, was short- chance to redeem himself. If Ivan lived, and the populace once again grew hos- Vyslavovich could bring him Elena the tile to him and his teachings when he Beautiful, after whom Afron had lusted for attempted to give sanctuary to a woman quite some time, he would not only forgive who had been accused of adultery. The Ivan Vyslavovich but would also give him the horde dragged the woman out of his church Horse with the Golden Mane and its bridle. and summarily executed her, whereupon If he failed, Ivan Vyslavovich would be Adalbert promptly excommunicated every- branded a common thief. one involved. Once again he was obliged to Ivan Vyslavovich succeeded in abducting flee to Rome, from where he was yet again Elena the Beautiful with the help of the ordered to return, this time by Pope Gregory shape-changing wolf who had been helping V (pope 996–999). However, in his absence, him throughout his journey, which began as

1 2 AGOG-MAGOG a quest assigned to him by his father, Tsar “birthgiving, nourishing mother.” She Vyslav Andronovich, to capture the Firebird. owned the Golden Book of Fate, which con- However, Ivan Vyslavovich fell in love with tained the names and destinies of every Elena the Beautiful, and vice versa, so the human being either living or yet to be born. wolf assumed her shape when they came She brought the soul of the newborn baby back to Afron’s palace. Afron kept his word down from heaven so that a complete human and gave Ivan Vyslavovich both the Horse being could come into existence and then with the Golden Mane and its golden bridle, entered the name of the new person in the and Ivan and the real Elena the Beautiful Golden Book of Fate. It was only when the rode away on the horse.The wolf resumed its name had been entered in the book that the true form and rejoined them, thus leaving person became a fully fledged member of the Tsar Afron with nothing. human race. Other Siberian tribes thought See also: Elena the Beautiful; Firebird,The; the mother- dwelt in heaven on a Horse with the Golden Mane,The; Ivan mountain that had seven stories. There she Vyslavovich;Thrice-Ninth Kingdom,The; not only gave newly born people their lives Vyslav Andronovich but also determined the fate of all people and equipped them with the potential to do both AGOG-MAGOG good and evil. Armenia The Altai acknowledged a similar A mysterious monster with whom Badikan known as the “milk lake mother,” and was said to have done battle. With Armenia the Yakuts themselves have a curious myth lying so close to the Holy Land, it seems rea- about a White Youth who encounters a calm sonable to assume that Agog-Magog was a “lake of milk” near the cosmic tree, the derivation of Gog and Magog (Revelation world pillar of Yryn-al-tojon, the “white 20:8), whose names would probably have creator Lord.” After seeking the blessing of been familiar to the common populace the tree, this youth felt a warm breeze, heard through the work of missionaries and travel- the tree creak, and saw a female divinity, ers to and from the holy cities. Ajysyt, rise from the roots. She offered him See also: Badikan milk from her full breasts, and after satisfying his thirst, the youth felt his strength increase a hundredfold. Thus, the milk-breasted Lithuania mother of life, the mother-goddess, and the A mysterious and curious flying creature cosmic Tree of Life are combined into one sometimes depicted as a cockerel and some- sustaining and nourishing entity. times shown with the head of the lucky See also: Golden Book of Fate,The; Lena, Zaltys (grass snake) and the fiery tail of a River; Siberia;Tatars;Tree of Life,The;White comet. Youth;Yakuts;Yryn-al-tojon See also: Zaltys AJYSYT-IJAKSIT-KHOTAN AJYSYT Siberia—Yakut Siberia—Yakut “Birthgiving, nourishing mother,” an aspect The mother-goddess of the Yakuts, a Turkic of the Yakut mother-goddess Ajysyt. people living near the river Lena in Siberia. See also: Ajysyt;Yakuts Literally translated, her name means “birth- giver,” though she is also referred to as “the AK MOLOT mother of cradles” and was believed to be Tatar present whenever one of her devotees gave One of a pair of heroes who are described in birth. As Ajysyt-ijaksyt-khotan, she was the a poem as engaged in mortal combat, the ALENUSHKA 3 other hero being Bulat.Ak Molot managed to then divided into two groups. One group of inflict numerous wounds on his enemy that continued to migrate westward with would have killed any normal man, but Bulat the , appearing in Gaul, was not normal, for he did not carry his soul. Lusitania (Portugal), and finally, North After three years of fighting, Ak Molot saw a Africa, where they merged with the . golden casket hanging from the on a The other group, wandering eastward, settled white silken thread. Ak Molot shot down the in the Caucasus Mountains. Their descen- casket and opened it, whereupon ten white dants, the Ossetes of the Republic of birds flew out, one of which contained Bulat’s Georgia, tell a story similar to that concern- soul.While still fighting Bulat,Ak Molot shot ing the passing of King Arthur. It is quite the birds one after another, and then, as the possible that the story of Arthur was carried tenth bird fell to the ground, Bulat died. to the region by the Romans, although this See also: Bulat has never been proven.The story of Batradz the Ossete hero might also have been the ALAKO source of the Arthurian legend, as it seems to Slav—Romany be the older of the two. The of the , formerly called See also: Arthur, King; Batradz; Caspian Sea; Dundra. Sent to the earth by his father, Caucasus; Georgia; Ossetes; Dundra taught the Romany people their laws and became their protector. When he ALATNIR had finished his task on earth he ascended Slav into the , where he became Alako. He A brilliant white stone that lies on the island watches over his people and carries their of . Frequently mentioned as a potent souls to live on the moon after death. One force in magical spells and charms. day Alako will return from the moon and See also: Buyan lead his people back to their lost homeland. Alako was worshiped as recently as the ALENKA late nineteenth century. Votaries carrying Russia idols of Alako that showed him holding a The daughter of an unnamed witch that quill in his right hand and a sword in his left some authorities identify as Baba-Yaga.The would gather once a year at full moon, set up witch brought the lad Ivashko home for sup- his idols, and offer songs and prayers to him. per and ordered Alenka to cook him. These rites were then followed by a feast. However, when the witch went out again, Alako was also central to the rites of passage. Ivashko tricked Alenka, pushed her deep into At Christian baptisms, a child would be bap- the hot coals, locked the oven door, and hur- tized in the names of both Christ and Alako, ried outside to hide in the forest canopy.The and all newlyweds were consecrated to him. witch returned and berated her absent See also: Dundra; Moon daughter for having left the meal unat- tended. She then sat down to dine with her ALANS friends, unaware that they were feasting on Russia Alenka—a fact soon brought to light when Iranian-speaking nomadic tribe of the bar- Ivashko reappeared. barian peoples known as the Sarmatians, See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Ivashko who inhabited Russia in Roman times.They first appeared in history north of the Caspian ALENUSHKA Sea, and between the second and fourth cen- Russia turies A.D. migrated westward into the east- Although of royal lineage,Alenushka and her ern provinces of the Roman Empire. They brother Ivanushka were forced to wander 4 ALEPPO like gypsies after their parents died. During the tsar rejoiced to see his wife restored to their wanderings the pair came to a pond full health. where a herd of cattle were grazing. Ivanushka remained by the water, bleat- Ivanushka rushed to the water to slake his ing for his sister. In the palace the sorceress thirst, but Alenushka stopped him, warning nagged the tsar to kill Ivanushka, saying that him that if he drank he would turn into a she had grown tired of the way he smelled. calf. At first the tsar would not hear of it, but Next they came to a lake beside which a eventually he reluctantly agreed. Ivanushka, flock of sheep were grazing. Again learning of his fate, asked the tsar for per- Ivanushka ran to the water’s edge, and again mission to go to the seashore. The tsar Alenushka stopped him from drinking, agreed. warning him that if he did he would turn There Ivanushka called out to his sister, into a lamb. Near the next stretch of water but Alenushka replied that she could not some pigs were rooting about. Alenushka come because of the boulder tied around her once more stopped Ivanushka from drink- neck. Ivanushka returned to the palace, but at ing, this time warning him that he would midday once more asked permission to visit become a piglet. By the time they reached the seashore, where he again called to his sis- the next watering hole, near which a herd of ter and received the same reply. As dusk were grazing, Ivanushka’s thirst was so began to fall Ivanushka asked permission of great that he ignored his sister’s advice. As the tsar a third time. Once more the tsar soon as he drank the water, Ivanushka agreed; but this time, his curiosity aroused by turned into a kid. Ivanushka’s strange behavior, he followed the Alenushka harnessed her brother, and the kid to the edge of the water.There Ivanushka two continued on their way.They eventually called to his sister, and this time she came arrived at a royal palace, where Ivanushka ran bobbing to the surface. off to eat the well-manicured grass.The royal The tsar immediately swam out to guards brought Alenushka and her brother Alenushka, released the boulder, and car- before the tsar, who was immediately capti- ried her back to the palace. There he vated by Alenushka and asked her to marry ordered his guards to light a huge . him. She consented and she and her brother When the sorceress came out to see what remained at the tsar’s palace. they were doing, the tsar threw her onto Some time later the tsar had to be away on the fire, where she burned to death. As the business. While he was absent, a sorceress sorceress died, the gardens around the who had designs on his affections cast a spell palace burst into flower once more, and on Alenushka, who fell ill, growing thinner Alenushka and Ivanushka lived out their and weaker each day. By the time the tsar days happily together. returned, the flowers and the grass around See also: Ivanushka the palace had died, and Alenushka was very wan. Awhile later, the tsar again had to leave ALEPPO the palace on business.This time the sorcer- Armenia ess told Alenushka that she could cure herself City to which Martiros promised his dying if she went to the sea’s edge at dusk and father he would never travel to trade. He drank a little of the water.Alenushka went to later broke his promise when he learned that the sea to drink, but as she bent down to the the people of Aleppo paid exorbitant prices water, the sorceress tied a huge boulder for goods, especially boxwood. Ancient around her neck and threw her far out to sea. Aleppo (today’s Halab) is located in northern The sorceress then assumed the likeness of Syria. Alenushka and returned to the palace, where See also: Martiros ALESHA 5

ALESHA him and ate it whole, spitting out the bones Russia as he swallowed the flesh. Alesha once again Also: Aliosha taunted Tugarin, saying that his father, A ', the son of Leontii, a priest from Leontii, once had a mongrel dog that choked Rostov, Alesha lived in Kiev at the court of to death on a ’s bone, and that he hoped Prince Vladimir Bright . When Vladimir Tugarin would do the same. Tugarin again asked his knights which one would rescue ignored Alesha and devoured a huge game the princess Zabava from the clutches of a pie in a single bite. dragon that had carried her away, it was Alesha once more commented, saying that Alesha who told the prince about Dobrynya his father had had an old cow that had Nikitich’s pact with the dragon, thus making rooted around in the dirt for food and had the prince command that knight to rescue choked to death. He hoped that Tugarin’s ill the girl, or be beheaded. manners would lead to the same fate. At last Alesha was not always inept, as the story of Tugarin rose to the bait and asked Prince his arrival at Kiev proves. Riding out from Vladimir Bright Sun who the ignorant peas- Rostov,Alesha and his squire Ekim chose to ant was. When he heard that it was none head for Kiev because they were certain that other than Alesha—for even Tugarin had the other possible choices, Suzdal' and heard of him—he threw his long knife at Chernigov, would lead them into trouble him. However, the agile Ekim caught the either from wine or from women. Arriving knife by its handle. Seeing this, Tugarin in Kiev, they immediately realized that all pushed the table over and challenged Alesha was not as it should be, for there were no to meet him out on the steppe. grooms waiting in the courtyard to stable Alesha was only too happy to oblige and their horses. immediately set out on foot. Some distance Entering the royal palace, they presented from Kiev,he came across a pilgrim who was themselves to Prince Vladimir Bright Sun, carrying a heavy staff weighing ninety poods who had already heard of Alesha and bade (3,240 lbs, or 1,472 kg). Exchanging clothes him attend a banquet that night as a guest of with the pilgrim, Alesha also borrowed the honor.Alesha chose not to sit at the table but staff. Soon afterward he caught sight of instead to perch himself on the stove in the Tugarin astride a powerful horse, flying over- banqueting hall, a position usually occupied head on a set of paper wings he had made. by beggars and serfs. Shortly after the meal Alesha prayed for a heavy shower of , and had got under way, the door to the hall was his prayer was answered almost immediately. thrown open and a , brutish creature As the rain fell,Tugarin’s paper wings disin- slithered in.This was Tugarin, a heathen crea- tegrated and he crashed to the ground. ture with the girth of two fully grown Tugarin realized who the pilgrim was and trees, eyes set far apart in his ugly head, and galloped toward him, fully intending to crush ears that were nearly eight inches long. him under his horse’s hooves. Without paying his respect to Vladimir, Alesha nimbly sidestepped the rushing Tugarin seated himself between the prince horse and hid beneath its flowing mane. As and his wife. Tugarin searched for Alesha the knight Watching these events from his place on struck out with the staff, knocking Tugarin’s the stove, Alesha inquired as to how serious head from his shoulders. Picking up the the argument must have been between the head, Alesha impaled it on the end of the prince and his wife to allow such an ugly staff and returned to Kiev riding Tugarin’s creature to sit between them. Ignoring horse. Alesha, Tugarin plunged the blade of his See also: Bogatyr'; Chernigov; Dobrynya knife into a roast swan that was set before Nikitich; Dragon; Ekim; Kiev; Leontii; 6 ALEXANDER THE GREAT

Rostov;Tugarin;Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince; Zabava (Putyatichna), Princess References: Astakhova 1938–51; Speranskii 1916

ALEXANDER THE GREAT General 356–323 B.C. Greek Macedonian king, the son of Philip II of Macedon and Olympias. Alexander’s place in Russian and Slavic leg- end is due to the fables of Vardan and Mekhithar Gosh. See also: Mekhithar Gosh;Vardan

ALIOSHA Russia Variant spelling of Alesha. Although Alyosha is yet another variant spelling of the same Slavic name, the very different tales of Alesha/Aliosha and of Alyosha recorded in this volume should not be confused. The Portrait of Alexander the Great (Library of Congress) similarity between these two legends in cer- tain details (e.g., both protagonists are the time. The gashes made by Alklha’s fangs are sons of priests) might or might not indicate a clearly visible on the surface of the moon, common origin. and similar marks also could be seen on the See also: Alesha;Alyosha sun if it were not so bright. See also: Moon; Sun Lithuania ' A collective term for sacred fields, springs, or Russia groves that could not be plowed, fished, or A demoness, or —half woman and half felled. These Alka were holy places for the bird—who torments the damned. Possibly of cremation of the dead and for votive offer- Persian origin, Alkonost' lives in Rai, the ings to the . abode of the dead, where her song tortures the souls of the dead who led evil lives, giv- ALKLHA ing them no rest. Siberia See also: Rai; Sirin; ,The The personification of the darkness of the References: Haase 1939 sky, a monster that filled the universe with a huge body and enormous wings of impene- ALLELUIAH trable blackness. Alklha fed on the moon Russia each month, slowly nibbling away until the Christian name given to one of the three moon disappeared. However, the moon did female spirits that oversee the functions of not agree with Alklha, and the resultant irri- human life—the Russian equivalents of the tation caused Alklha to vomit and thus Greek Fates. Her companions were Milo- return the moon to the night sky.Alklha also serdnia and Miloslaviia. tried to eat the sun, but it was far too hot, so See also: Miloserdnia; Miloslaviia it disappeared only in part, or only for a short References: Bezsonov 1861 ALMAFI 7

ALMAFI and no word had come from him, his father Hungary—Magyar sent Second Almafi off to seek his fortune. “Son of the apple,” the name of three chil- Second Almafi took exactly the same road as dren born miraculously to an old couple his brother had, sat under the same tree, saw from three apples that fell from an apple tree, the same man, and received the same set of their only possession. As each of the three instructions. The old man, however, added children was identical and each had the same that First Almafi had been tempted by one of name, the old couple referred to them as First the water lilies and had been lost. Second Almafi, Second Almafi, and Third Almafi. Almafi was almost tempted by the water lilies When the children reached their eighteenth as he crossed the stream, but he remembered birthday, the old man called them to him, the words of the old man just in time and speaking initially to First Almafi, saying that made it safely across. However, as he entered the time had come for him to leave home the silver field he was so enchanted that he and seek his fortune. His mother gave him a stooped down and picked a silver flower for loaf of barley bread, and First Almafi set out. his buttonhole. Immediately he became a sil- As night fell, First Almafi sat down under ver snake and slithered away. a tree and took out the barley loaf and began Finally it was Third Almafi’s turn to set to eat. He had only taken a couple of bites out and seek his fortune. He followed the when an old man came up to him and asked same road his brothers had, sat under the for food. First Almafi said that he would same tree, and received the same instructions gladly share his meager rations, whereupon from the same old man, who added that his the old man told the youth to watch for the two brothers had already succumbed to rising of the scythe-star, and then go in the temptation.Third Almafi set off, crossed the direction the shaft pointed him in.Along the stream and the silver field with ease, and was way he would come to a fast-flowing stream. almost tempted to pick a flower as he crossed He was not to worry, as the stream’s waters the golden field; but remembering what the would bear his weight. In the midst of the old man had said, he resisted the urge and stream grew the most beautiful water lilies. made his way safely through the field. He was not to pick even a single one, as if he He found himself in a vast, empty desert did he would be lost. When he had crossed that stretched as far as the eye could see. For the stream he would enter a field of silver, three days he struggled through the deep and after that, a field of gold. He was to cross sand, his feet sinking with every step. Finally both without picking even a single blade of he sank to the ground, exhausted. He lay the enchanted grass, as if he did he would there a long time, until he heard a loud hum- perish. Finally, having crossed the fields, he ming in the sky, and looking up, saw a float- would find his fortune. ing palace.As he watched the palace float by, First Almafi thanked the old man, who he caught a glimpse of a beautiful maiden instantly vanished. Then he watched and standing on a balcony. He hauled himself to waited for the scythe-star to rise, and set off his feet and hurried after the floating palace. in the direction it indicated once it was Exhaustion finally got the better of Third clearly visible. Before long he came to the Almafi, who slumped to his knees, panting. stream, which he started to walk across, stop- As he knelt, a small chicken landed in front ping when he came to the water lilies. of him.Almafi watched it in amazement. He Bending down, he picked one of the blooms, could easily have reached out and eaten the instantly turned into a fish, and was carried bird, but it looked as exhausted as he was, so away by the fast-flowing waters. he said that he would carry it so that they Although it had been some time since might seek refuge together. Instantly the bird First Almafi had set off to seek his fortune turned into the old man, who told him that 8 ALMAFI as his pity had overcome his greed, he could His sleep was disturbed by a loud crowing grant Third Almafi one wish. Third Almafi from the branches above him. Sitting up, thought for a moment, then asked for his Third Almafi saw a large golden cockerel in two brothers to be released from their the tree, the tone of its crowing telling Third enchantments. The old man told Third Almafi that all was not well with the bird. Almafi that they were already on the road Third Almafi asked it what the problem was, home, and then he vanished once more. whereupon the cockerel told him that he Third Almafi continued on his journey, was under an , having origi- and after another day’s travel, as exhaustion nally been a prince engaged to a beautiful was again beginning to overtake him, he maiden. came to a huge castle with no windows, just Third Almafi took pity on the plight of a single small door. Inside he found a huge the prince and said that he would do what- hall with a row of tables in it.The first table ever he could to help. The cockerel flew held a bowl of porridge and a note saying down from the tree and told Third Almafi that whoever ate the porridge would never that the enchantment had been placed on be hungry again.Third Almafi sat down and him by Deceit, who owned a well of emptied the bowl, and afterward he felt as if enchanted water. If Third Almafi could he need never eat again. obtain a cupful of the water and spray the He then moved to the second table, where cockerel with it three times without the he found a bottle of water along with a note bird’s knowledge, the enchantment would be saying that whoever drank the water would broken and the prince would be himself never feel thirst again. Without hesitation again. Third Almafi leaped to his feet and Third Almafi drank the water and then asked the cockerel to point him in the direc- moved on to the third table, where he found tion of the well, but the cockerel did not a small jar containing some ointment, and a know its whereabouts. However, the cock- note saying that whoever anointed them- erel told Third Almafi that he should travel to selves with the ointment would be filled the Talking Mountain, and it would give him with the strength of a thousand men. Third the directions he required. When Third Almafi duly anointed himself and then went Almafi asked how he was to find the moun- to the fourth table. There he found a sword tain, the cockerel told Third Almafi to tear and a note saying that whoever wore the off a part of his crest, which would guide sword would be invincible. Third Almafi him. buckled on the sword and then went to the Third Almafi did as he was told and set fifth table, where he found another small jar off after the piece of golden crest, which of ointment along with a note saying that flew just ahead of him. For three days and whoever anointed their eyes with the lotion three nights Third Almafi traveled without would see everything. Third Almafi applied rest until he reached a vast forest in the the lotion and then lay down to rest, for now middle of which rose a lofty mountain at he knew that he had to find the mysterious whose foothills the crest stopped flying. flying palace and the maiden he had Third Almafi found a cave on the slopes of glimpsed. the mountain and entered. Inside was a For a full year Third Almafi wandered the marble slab inscribed with instructions on world, looking for the flying palace, and how to awaken the voice of the mountain. through all that time he never felt hunger or Following the instructions,Third Almafi left thirst. During his travels Third Almafi came the cave, uprooted twelve tall pine trees to the edge of an immense forest, where he from the forest below, dragged them into sat down and fell asleep beneath a large oak, the cave, and set them afire.Then he waited even though he didn’t really need to rest. until the last embers died away, whereupon ALMAFI 9 the mountain spoke, telling Third Almafi After a long journey he came to the foot how to find both the well of Deceit and the of an immense mountain and decided to beloved maiden of the cockerel prince. climb it so that he might spy the flying Almafi traveled three weeks to reach the palace in the distance. Seven days later he well, which was guarded by a twelve-headed stood on the summit, far above the clouds, dragon. Drawing his sword, Third Almafi and saw the flying palace heading straight quickly disposed of the vile monster and toward him. As it swept past, Third Almafi then lay down to rest. When he awoke he sprang upward and landed in the courtyard found that Deceit had bound him hand and of the palace. Quickly searching through foot and thrown him into a deep dungeon. the palace, which was deserted, Third Third Almafi waited three weeks in that Almafi found the maiden chained to the dungeon before Deceit returned, surprised balcony. Using his great strength, he tore to find the prisoner still alive although he the chains apart, and he and the maiden had had no food or water. Deceit moved embraced. Then Third Almafi asked her closer to Third Almafi to have a better look. what had happened. Third Almafi, who had loosened his bonds She told him that her father, a king, once earlier, now tore them off and quickly bound had the misfortune of wounding a terrible Deceit hand and foot with them.Then Third monster.The monster swore that one day he Almafi carried Deceit out of the dungeon, would steal away the king’s most precious built a huge bonfire, and burned Deceit to possession—his daughter. For a long time she death. Then Third Almafi drew water from had lived a virtual prisoner, but at length the the well and made his way back to where the king relaxed the guard and she was allowed golden cockerel waited. to wander in the palace gardens. There, one When the cockerel asked Third Almafi if day, she had heard a humming in the , and he had succeeded in his task, Third Almafi looked up to see the flying palace heading said he had not. The cockerel dropped its down toward her. As it swept overhead the head in despair, and Third Almafi sprayed the monster leaned out and took hold of her. water over it three times, restoring the prince She had been a prisoner for three years. to his human form.The two of them then set Although at first the monster had allowed out to rescue the prince’s beloved from her her to wander through the hundred rooms of place of imprisonment, which lay, as the the palace, he had chained her after she tried Talking Mountain had told Third Almafi, to escape. beneath the sea, in a glass mountain. Third Almafi searched the palace. In the At the edge of the sea Third Almafi hundredth room he came across the monster dipped his head beneath the waves and saw fast asleep and woke him with a swift kick. the mountain far offshore.Then, calling all The two wrestled, the monster managing to the animals of the sea to their aid, Third throw Third Almafi only once before the Almafi had them raise the mountain to the youth got the upper hand and smashed the surface, for even he could not breathe monster’s head open. He returned to the under water.When the mountain surfaced, embrace of the maiden, and together they Third Almafi hauled it ashore and smashed pondered the manner in which they might it with a single, carefully aimed blow.The leave the palace, which at that moment was maiden stepped from the glass fragments flying on its two tremendous wings over a and embraced the prince, and all three set wide sea. Third Almafi decided that when off for the prince’s kingdom, where Third they were over land again he would simply Almafi acted as best man at the wedding. cut off the wings with his sword. Then Third Almafi set out to resume his Some days later the maiden saw land in own quest. the distance.As they drew closer the maiden 10 ALYONKA recognized the land, and soon she caught beside the coffin of his dead daughter for sight of her father’s palace.Waiting until the three nights, reading aloud from the Psalms. appropriate moment, Third Almafi cut the Alyosha knew that the witch had faked wings from the flying palace, which floated her death.At his lessons that day he asked his to the ground next to the king’s. The king teacher for advice. The old woman told celebrated the return of his daughter, and a Alyosha how he might protect himself; and little while later, he dispatched his messen- thus prepared,Alyosha went to the church as gers to bring Third Almafi’s mother, father, night fell to begin his lonely vigil, first care- and brothers to the kingdom, where prepara- fully inscribing a circle in the stone floor tions were being made for the marriage of with a knife the old lady had given him. At the maiden to Third Almafi—who eventually the stroke of midnight, the lid of the coffin would inherit the kingdom and would rule opened and the witch climbed out. She qui- with kindness, compassion, and wisdom. etly made her way toward where Alyosha was See also: Deceit; Dragon;Talking Mountain, seated with his back toward the coffin, read- The ing the Psalms. However, as the witch References: Biro 1980 reached the circle, she stopped, and no mat- ter how hard she tried, she was unable to ALYONKA cross it; and so she spent the remainder of the Russia night clawing helplessly at Alyosha’s neck. See Alenka. Alyosha kept reading the Psalms and did not turn around, for turning would have broken ALYONUSHKA the spell and he would have fallen prey to the Russia witch.As the first cock crowed, the witch ran See Alenushka. back to the coffin and tumbled in, and Alyosha went home. ALYOSHA The following night the very same thing Russia happened, but when the witch reached the The son of a priest who was taught how to circle in the stone, she started to mouth read and write by an old woman. One day, eerie sounds. As these sounds filled the on his way home from his lessons, he passed church, a huge blew up inside the the palace of the local, unnamed tsar and sanctuary, and Alyosha felt as if his body peered in through a window.There he saw were being invaded by a thousand creeping the tsar’s daughter, and as he watched, she insects.Yet not once did Alyosha falter in his took her head from her shoulders, washed reading of the Psalms, and not once did he and dried it, and then replaced it. Alyosha turn around; and at daybreak the witch had was astounded. He immediately realized that to return to her coffin. the princess was a witch.Worse for Alyosha, The third night came and Alyosha the witch had caught sight of him at the returned to the church. This time he ham- window and was plotting a way to keep her mered nails into the coffin lid before sitting secret. down to read from the Psalms. At midnight Feigning illness, the princess called the tsar the lid of the coffin flew off and the witch to her bedside, eliciting his promise that sprang out, chanting strange spells that con- when she died he would have the son of the jured up all the of hell. All through local priest stand guard over her coffin three the night the demons tormented Alyosha, nights in a row.The tsar gave his word, and but not once did he falter or turn around, the very next morning the princess was and at daybreak the terrible images faded dead.The tsar went to the home of the priest away and the witch tumbled back into her and told him that Alyosha must sit vigil coffin. AMUR 11

Then, as the cock crowed the second were reunited, and was time, the tsar entered the church. He was shown in his true light. alarmed to find his daughter face down in See also: Bogatyr'; ; Dunai her open coffin. However, after Alyosha Ivanovich; Godenko Bludovich; Il'ya explained all that had passed, the tsar Muromets; Ivan Gostinyi Syn; Kiev; ordered the foul witch to be burned at the Lithuania; Nastas'ya, Princess; Nastas'ya stake and buried beneath a heavy stone slab. Nikulichna;Vasilii Buslayevich;Vasilii Kazimirovich;Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince In return for Alyosha’s loyalty and faithful References: Speranskii 1916; Ukhov 1957 service, the tsar bestowed on him a vast treasure. AMBROSE Hungary—Magyar ALYOSHA POPOVICH A young prince who was imprisoned Russia beneath the earth, possibly in the under- One of seven legendary bogatyri who assem- world, by an old witch. The prince finally bled to go on a journey together.The other elicited from the witch the information that six were Vasilii Buslayevich, Vasilii Kazi- she kept her power in a shining beetle, and mirovich, Ivan Gostinyi Syn, Godenko her soul in a black beetle.These beetles were Bludovich, Dobrynya Nikitich, and Il'ya to be found inside a box, inside a pigeon, Muromets. A legend that is purported to inside a hare, all of which were inside a wild explain why the bogatyri disappeared from boar kept in a green field. If both beetles were Holy Russia may be found in the entry for killed, then she would die. After some time Vasilii Buslayevich. the prince managed to escape from his prison Alyosha Popovich also puts in a brief and found the boar, which he quickly killed. appearance in the legends surrounding the After he recovered the two beetles, he wedding feast of Dunai Ivanovich and the crushed the shining one first. At this, the Princess Nastas'ya, where he is described as witch took to her bed. The young prince the most valiant man in all Russia.The valor confronted her there and crushed the second of Alyosha Popovich, however, is called into beetle, whereupon she died. question when he recommends Dobrynya See also: Koshchei (the ); Nikitich to Prince Vladimir Bright Sun as Underworld,The the man most suited to go to the assistance of the King of Lithuania. Alyosha’s intention AMELF(I)A TIMOFE(Y)EVNA was not to aid his prince or the besieged Russia King of Lithuania but rather to rid Kiev of The widowed mother of Vasilii Buslayevich Dobrynya Nikitich so that he might marry and Dobrynya Nikitich, in the first case hav- Dobrynya’s wife, Nastas'ya Nikulichna. ing been the wife of Buslai, and in the second Several times over a period of several years case as the wife of Nikita. Amelfia Timo- Alyosha delivered news of the death of feyevna is depicted as a powerful and wealthy Dobrynya Nikitich, and each time, he asked sorceress who constantly advised her sons— Nastas'ya Nikulichna to marry him. She although her advice was seldom taken. always refused, saying that she preferred to See also: Buslai (~y); Dobrynya Nikitich; wait another three years. However, she even- Nikita;Vasilii Buslayevich tually agreed, and preparations were made References: Speranskii 1916; Ukhov 1957 for the wedding. News of the impending ceremony reached Dobrynya Nikitich, who AMUR returned to Kiev in disguise and sang songs Russia of celebration at the couple’s wedding feast. This Siberian river originates at the junction In the end, Dobrynya Nikitich and his wife of the Shilka and the Argun Rivers in south- 12 ANAHITA eastern Siberia, then runs east- and south- On these days men and women young and eastward until it nears the Songhua, a tribu- old would strip naked and jump and shake tary flowing northward from China, where it themselves about, saying that they had seen turns again and heads northeastward along Saints Paraskeva and Anastasia and had been the Sikhote Alin mountains.The Amur emp- ordered to honor them with their lascivious ties into the northern end of the Tatar Strait, dances. These celebrations were condemned which separates mainland Russia from the as pagan rituals in 1589 by the Patriarch of island of Sakhalin.Today the modern city of Constantinople.The Stoglav Council, set up Nikolayevsk-na-Amure lies at the river’s during the latter half of the sixteenth century mouth—the traditional homeland of a native by Ivan the Terrible, also condemned the fes- Siberian people known as the Gilyaki tivals, calling them orgies; but the cult (Nivkhi). The Amur holds the same great remained active, especially in , where historical and cultural significance for the Friday was considered the Sabbath until well Gilyaki and other native people of the region into the eighteenth century. as the Dnieper does for Russians and See also: Constantinople; Ivan Groznyi; Ukrainians. Nedelia, Saint; Paraskeva, Saint; Ukraine See also: Gilyaki (Nivkhi); Siberia References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Bezsonov 1861; Haase 1939; Ralston 1872 ANAHITA Armenia ANDREW, SAINT A goddess of Iranian origin, Ardva Sura Russia Anahita (“the high, the powerful, the Patron saint of Russia, , and Achaia immaculate”) was widely worshiped in and of fishermen and old maids. Saint Armenia, where she was commonly referred Andrew’s feast day is 30 November. One of to as Anahita. Depicted as a young woman the twelve apostles, brother of Simon Peter, with an expansive bust, she wore a crown of he was a fisherman converted and baptized stars, brocade and otterskin clothing, fine by John the Baptist and became one of jewels, and golden sandals. Anahita was the Christ’s closest companions (see Mark 1:29 goddess of all the waters—rivers, streams, and 13:3; John 1:40 and 6:8; and Acts 1:13). lakes, and the sea, as well as the life-giving Tradition holds that Andrew preached the fluids of mankind, such as semen and moth- gospel in Asia Minor and Scythia and was er’s milk. crucified in Achaia () on the order of the Roman governor. The belief that his ANAITIS cross was x-shaped dates from the tenth cen- Armenia tury but did not gain popularity until the Goddess with a temple at Acilisena, where fourteenth. Among Russia’s patron saints in the unmarried daughters of noble families addition to Andrew are Saints George and entered the goddess’s service as temple pros- Basil. titutes.After their term of service to the god- See also: Basil, Saint; George, Saint; Scythia dess, the young women commonly married without apparent difficulty. ANDRONOVICH,VYSLAV Russia ANASTASIA, SAINT See Vyslav Andronovich. Russia Connected with Saints Nedelia and Para- ANNA skeva. Twelve Fridays in the year were Russia believed sacred to Paraskeva, and conse- The sister of Basil II, the Byzantine emperor. quently also to Saints Nedelia and Anastasia. In 998,Vladimir I made the political decision 13

An icon of the apostle Andreas (Saint Andrew) from , c. 1600 (collection of Professor D.Walter Moritz, Hanover, ; Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY) 14 APPRENTICE, THE to accept Christianity as part of a pact with took the goblet to the king, claiming that it Basil. Another condition of this pact was had once been his property but had been Vladimir’s marriage to Anna. stolen by a band of forty thieves and that See also: Basil II, Bulgaroctonus; Byzantine those thieves now were trying to sell it back Empire;Vladimir I to him.The king lost no time in having the forty thieves and their apprentice brought APPRENTICE, THE before him. The Apprentice told the king Armenia how he had come to have the goblet and said The unnamed son of the laborer Ohan. that he would bring his majesty eleven more Having proved himself no good at anything, like it to prove that the jeweler was lying. his father took him to the home of forty The king agreed and freed the Apprentice thieves to become their apprentice.The first but detained the forty thieves in case the task the thieves gave their apprentice was to Apprentice did not keep his word. The fetch water from a nearby well. However, thieves were thrown into the king’s dun- when the Apprentice leaned over the well geons, and the Apprentice set out from the and dipped his pitcher into the water, he city to find eleven more goblets just like the found that he could not pull it out again.The one from the well, although in truth he had Apprentice tugged with all his might, and no idea where to go or what to do. the pitcher came out of the water with a pale After several days’ ride the Apprentice white hand holding tightly onto it. Quick as came to a large city.There he found all the a flash, the Apprentice took hold of the white people shuffling around with sorrowful hand and began to pull. A shriek emanated expressions etched on their faces.When the from beneath the surface of the water, from Apprentice asked an old woman what the which another hand appeared holding a fan- problem was, he was told that the king’s only tastic golden goblet. Not wanting to lose the son had died and that every night his grave pitcher, the Apprentice released the hand and was defiled and the people had to rebury the snatched the goblet. He then made his way dead prince the following day.The Appren- back to the home of the thieves, the pitcher tice quickly made his way to the palace and full of water in one hand and the goblet hid- sought an audience with the king, telling den under his shirt. him that he would guard the grave of the The thieves were immensely surprised to prince and ensure that it was never again see their apprentice return, for no one had tampered with. ever succeeded in drawing water from the The king told the Apprentice that he well before: Everyone who had tried had would give him whatever his heart desired if been pulled under the water and drowned. he could make that so. The Apprentice kept When asked where he had got the water, the vigil over the grave through the night. On the Apprentice told his masters what had hap- stroke of midnight three doves flew down, pened at the well, finishing up by showing settled by the grave, and discarded their feath- them the goblet.Their eyes lit up when they ers to become three beautiful maidens. One saw the goblet, for they instinctively knew of the maidens took out a tablecloth and a that it was priceless and that they should be crimson , and tapping the cloth, a - able to sell it for enough to be able to retire quet was instantly laid.Then the maiden went and live in luxury for the rest of their days. to the gravestone and tapped it with the All forty thieves and their apprentice set wand.The ground opened up, and the prince off for the nearest city,and there they showed stepped out of his grave and sat down to eat the goblet to the city jeweler, who offered to with the three Dove Maidens. take it to the king for an assessment of its The Apprentice watched from his hiding value. The thieves agreed. The jeweler then place, and then, taking careful aim, he fired APPRENTICE, THE 15 an arrow at the Dove Maidens.The maidens for eleven golden goblets as his reward.The hastily donned their feathers again and flew king said he could not grant the Apprentice’s away, leaving behind the tablecloth and the request but he did know where the crimson wand.The Apprentice made himself Apprentice might find such goblets. known to the prince, gathered up the cloth The following morning the Apprentice and the wand, and had the prince return to set sail with one of the merchant ships, and his grave, promising to release him from after a journey of seven days and seven death very shortly. nights they came to the island of the king of When the king and his ministers came to the houris. On the island was a beautiful the grave in the morning they were de- palace.The Apprentice walked boldly up to lighted to find that everything was just as it, knocked on the door, and entered. Inside they had left it the evening before.The king he found an old man preparing a stew, an was even more delighted when the Ap- old man who told the Apprentice to hide, as prentice struck the grave with the wand and the houris would soon return, and if they the prince climbed out and embraced his found him there, they would tear him to father. However, when the Apprentice asked pieces. for eleven golden goblets just like the one he Sure enough, moments after the Ap- had gotten from the well, the king told him prentice had hidden, three white doves flew that one such goblet was worth more than down into the courtyard, discarded their his entire kingdom and that he could not feathers, and sat down to dine. During the give the Apprentice what he wished. meal the first houri toasted the Apprentice Saddened by this, the Apprentice would not who had managed to acquire her golden accept anything else from the king, and goblet. The second toasted the Apprentice instead he resumed his travels. who had secured her tablecloth and crimson After several days’ ride the Apprentice wand, and the third toasted the Apprentice came to another city, where he found all the who now held her bracelet. When the people starving. When he asked the king of Apprentice heard these toasts in his name, he that city what the problem was, he was told made himself known and was welcomed to that their food had to be brought to the city their table. by ship, but that whenever a ship entered the After they had eaten, the three houris sat harbor, a hand would reach out from the in sad and silent contemplation. When the water and sink it.The Apprentice asked for a Apprentice asked them what was wrong, small boat, and having provided a feast for they told him that they had a brother who the entire city thanks to the tablecloth, he had been taken captive by the giant Azrail, rowed out into the harbor to await the next and that no one had ever been able to set consignment of food. him free. The Apprentice said he would He did not have to wait long before a fleet gladly perform this task if they would reward of forty merchant ships sailed toward the him with the eleven goblets he needed to set harbor mouth. As the first ship entered the the forty thieves free.They agreed and took harbor, the Apprentice saw a pale white hand the Apprentice to see their father, the king of rise out of the water, a golden bracelet the houris. When the king asked the around its wrist.The Apprentice took hold of Apprentice what he needed to undertake his the bracelet and pulled with all his might, quest, the Apprentice asked for a horse from and the bracelet slipped over the hand, which the king’s stables, the use of the king’s sword, then disappeared beneath the waves. When a bow and arrows, and a large steel mace. So all forty ships had been unloaded and the equipped, the Apprentice rode out to find people of the city had collected their food, the lair of the giant Azrail, guided by the the Apprentice went to the king and asked king’s chamberlain. After several days’ ride 16 APRAKSI(I)A they came to the foot of Mount Djandjavaz, The Apprentice did as he was advised, and the home of the giant. he was duly rewarded and married.The fol- Leaving the chamberlain at the foot of lowing day the Apprentice and his new wife the mountain, the Apprentice rode onward returned to the palace of the king who held and upward until he came to a group of the forty thieves in his dungeons, and pre- huge buildings.When he approached them, sented him with the eleven goblets. Seeing he found his way barred by the two huge that the jeweler had indeed been lying, the servants of Azrail; but having no time for king summoned the jeweler and had him them, the Apprentice spurred his horse, and executed. Then the king, who was elderly in one swift swing of his sword, decapitated and lacked an heir, abdicated in favor of the them both. As their huge heads fell from Apprentice, who made the forty thieves his their shoulders, the Apprentice caught chamberlains and ministers. them and threw them onto an overhead See also: Azrail; Djandjavaz, Mount; Dove balcony. The noise awakened Azrail, who Maidens,The; Ohan came out to see what all the commotion References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, vol. 1 was about. When Azrail saw the Apprentice and the APRAKSI(I)A dead bodies of his servants, he roared a chal- Russia lenge, quickly armed himself, and came out See Evpraksiya (~ia), Princess. to meet the Apprentice carrying seven maces, seven swords, and a bow with seven ARCONA arrows. The Apprentice neatly dodged the Baltic Coast first mace thrown by Azrail, picked it up, and Located on the Baltic coastline, the site of hurled it back, telling Azrail to have another the god Svantovit’s chief temple. Here the go.The giant threw all seven of his maces, all god was depicted on a carved wooden pil- seven of his swords, and fired all seven of his lar, in four aspects, holding a bull’s-horn cup arrows, but they all missed the Apprentice. in his right hand.A white stallion, sacred to Seeing the giant totally devoid of weaponry, the god, was kept either in the temple itself the Apprentice urged on his horse, and at the or in the temple precincts, together with its gallop, let fly with his mace, which caught saddle and bridle and Svantovit’s sword and Azrail on the side of the head and knocked battle flag. him to the ground. In a flash, the Apprentice See also: Baltic; Svantovit (~dovit) sliced off the giant’s head with his sword and then cleaved it in two with a second mighty AREVHAT blow. The head pleaded to be cut in half Armenia again, but the Apprentice refused, for he A beautiful maiden who was caught and knew that a third blow would restore Azrail brought to the royal palace for the sole pur- to life. pose of being fed to Odz-Manouk, the ser- Instead the Apprentice tethered his horse pentine son of an unnamed king and queen. and entered the home of Azrail, where he Arevhat was lowered through the roof of the found the son of the king of the houris chamber in which Odz-Manouk was held, bound in chains. With a single swipe of his and the trapdoor was shut. sword, the Apprentice set him free, and the Later in the day the king went to look in two returned to the king of the houris. En on his son, and he was astonished to find the route the houri prince told the Apprentice to girl still alive. His astonishment turned to ask as his reward not only the goblets but also bewilderment when he saw that Odz- the hand of the prince’s youngest sister as his Manouk was no longer a dragon but a hand- bride, and the ring of the king of the houris. some prince, having been transformed when ARMENIA 17

Arevhat spoke kindly to him and showed no rounded by dense forestlands, Arkhangel'sk fear. Released from the chamber, it was not was for centuries sustained by its wood, fur, long before Odz-Manouk and Arevhat were and leather industries. married. See also: Dvina, River; Ivan Savel'evich;White Some days later, Odz-Manouk asked his Sea new wife just exactly who she was. She told him that she was an orphan and had not ARMENIA always been the radiant woman he saw General before him. Once she had looked quite ordi- A country in the Caucasus mountain nary; but one day,while she sat sewing out in region. People lived in historic Armenia by the hills, her bobbin fell down a narrow 6,000 B.C., the earliest societies there proba- ravine and into a crevice. She reached down bly being tribal groups that lived by farming into the crevice and could not reach the or cattle raising. In the eighth century B.C., bobbin; but she saw an old woman at the a union of several tribes formed the king- bottom who told her how to enter her home dom of Urartu, introduced irrigation, and in order to retrieve it. built fortresses, palaces, and temples. In the Where Arevhat was inside, however, the sixth century B.C., ancestors of the door disappeared, and the girl realized that Armenians migrated, probably from the she was in the presence of a witch.The witch west, to the Armenian Plateau, where they first asked Arevhat to clean her home, which settled alongside the native population. The she did, and then to comb her hair. Arevhat kingdom of Urartu was conquered by the did these tasks with kindness, and then she Medes, a people from what is now , in allowed the old woman to rest her head in the fifth century B.C. her lap while the old woman slept, having Soon after Urartu fell to the Medes, the first given Arevhat instructions to wake her Medes themselves were conquered by the when she saw yellow water flowing.Arevhat Persians. Armenia remained under Persian did as instructed. When the old was and then Greek rule for hundreds of years, awakened, she took Arevhat by the ankles while managing to maintain a degree of and plunged her into the yellow water.Then autonomy. King Tigran II, who came to she sent her on her way, transformed into a power in 95 B.C., built an independent radiant beauty; and so it happened that she Armenian kingdom that reached from the was brought to the palace. Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean Sea; but See also: Odz-Manouk the Romans defeated Tigran in 55 B.C., and References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, vol. 1 Armenia became a part of the Roman Empire. In the early third century A.D., ARKHANGEL'SK Armenia became the first nation to adopt Russia Christianity as its state religion. The The home of Ivan Savel'evich. The city of Armenian alphabet was developed in the Arkhangel'sk (also known in English as early fifth century A.D. by an Armenian Archangel) is located on the flatlands of the cleric, and in 451 the Armenians, under northern branch of the river Dvina, 28 Vartan Mamikonian, defended their religion miles (45 km) from the point where the against the Persians in the Battle of Avarair. river flows into the White Sea.English mer- Arabs conquered Armenia in the seventh chants first occupied the area near the century A.D., and in 884, an independent river’s mouth—a former Norse settlement Armenian kingdom was established in the —in 1584. Originally called Novo- northern part of the region. Seljuk Turks Kholmogory, the city was renamed in 1613 conquered the country in the mid-eleventh in honor of the archangel Michael. Sur- century, but Armenians established a new 18 ARTHUR, KING state in Cilicia on the Mediterranean coast— Round Table are known throughout the the last Armenian kingdom, which fell to world. The only connection between King invading Mamluks (a powerful political class Arthur and the heroes (legendary or other- that dominated Egypt from the thirteenth wise) of Russian and Slavic myth and legend century until their massacre in 1811) in 1375. stems from the similarity of a story told of By 1514, the had gained Batradz, a hero of the Alans, as well as a pos- control of Armenia, and it would rule west- sible connection to the Serbian Prince ern Armenia until its defeat in World War I, Marko, who, it is said, lies asleep awaiting a in 1918. Persia gained control of eastern time when his services are once more Armenia in 1639 and ruled it until 1828, required. when the region was annexed by Russia. It Although the similarities in these stories became independent in 1991, after nearly 70 may be purely coincidental, it is commonly years as a part of the , and today assumed that either the legend of Arthur was it is a member of the Commonwealth of carried to Slavic regions by Roman soldiers Independent States, a loose association of or the stories of Batradz were taken to former Soviet republics. Britain and subsequently attached to the See also: Caspian Sea; Caucasus; Russia already growing folklore regarding King Arthur.The connection between Arthur and ARTHUR, KING is more tenuous: In this case, it General seems likely that the legend of King Arthur Semimythologized, legendary ruler of Bri- led to that of Marko’s enchanted sleep until tain whose exploits with the Knights of the the time of his country’s greatest need. See also: Alans; Batradz; Marko, Prince

AS-IGA Siberia—Ostyak “Old Man of the Ob',” a benevolent venerated by the Ostyak people who lived beside the great Siberian river. See also: Ostyaks; Siberia

ASKOLD and Russia According to Russian tradition as recorded in the Primary Chronicle, internal dissension and feuds among the Eastern Slavs around Novgorod became so violent that they vol- untarily chose to call upon a foreign prince who could unite them into one strong state. Their choice was Riurik, or Ryurik, a Scandinavian (or Varangian) chief, who in 862 became ruler of Novgorod. Two other Scandinavians, Dir and Askold, possibly leg- endary figures, gained control of Kiev. Later, the cities of Novgorod and Kiev were united Head of King Arthur, from The Beautiful Fountain under a common ruler. (Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg, See also: Dir; Kiev; Novgorod; Primary Germany; Scala/Art Resource, NY) Chronicle; Riurik AVARS 19

ASLAN ATRIMPAASA Armenia Scythia “Lion,” the third name by which Zurab was The goddess of the moon. known (after Zuro).Aslan is also the name of a king, the father of Gulinaz in the story of BOREALIS Samson. It is quite possible that the two Russia Aslans are one and the same, although this Nainas, the personification of this familiar can be neither proved nor disproved. and spectacular natural phenomenon, was See also: Gulinaz; Samson; Zurab betrothed to Niekia. However, the two were References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, never married, due to the intervention of vol. 4 Peivalké and his father, the sun. See also: Nainas; Niekia; Peivalké; Sun ASTLIK Armenia AURORAS A star, also described as the goddess of stars, Russia and the wife of the god Vahagn.The couple’s The two primary stars, Zvezda Dennitsa and marriage might be interpreted as incestuous, Zvezda Vechernyaya (Morning Star and as Vahagn created the stars. Evening Star), daughters and attendants of See also: Vahagn and sisters to the two—some say three—Zoryi. ASTRAKHAN' See also: Dazhbog; Evening Star; Morning General Star; Zoryi; Zvezda Dennitsa; Zvezda A city on the Volga River delta, in south- Vechernyaya western Russia.The city,which extends onto several islands in the delta, is an important trading center because of its direct connec- Baltic tions by waterway with ports on the Caspian The deification of the planet Venus seen in Sea and the Volga River. Like , the morning sky shortly before sunrise, Astrakhan' is dominated by an old fortress, a known as Auseklis in Latvia and as Ausrine in kremlin. Astrakhan' once served as the capi- Lithuania. tal of a Tatar state. The Mongol conqueror See also: Morning Star;Venus Tamerlane (1336–1405) destroyed the capital in 1395. However, it was later rebuilt, and in AUSRINE 1556, Ivan Groznyi captured the city and Lithuania made it part of Russia. See Auseklis. See also: Caspian Sea; Ivan Groznyi; Kremlin; Mongols; Moscow;Tatars;Volga AUTRIMPAS Prussia ATHOS, MOUNT The god of seas and of lakes. Serbian mountain where legend records that AVARS the body of Prince Marko was buried by a General priest who came across the corpse beside the A Mongolian people who conquered (c. A.D. burial place of Sarac. It is also said by some to 461) the Uighurs, a Turkic tribe sometimes be the place where Prince Marko simply called the pseudo-Avars, and with the sleeps and awaits his return to the land of the Uighurs formed an alliance on the Volga living. steppes (in what later would be Russia). In See also: Marko, Prince; Sarac the middle of the sixth century this confed- 20 AVDOT'YA

The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) on a moonlit night (Abe Black/Archive Photos)

eration was almost annihilated by the Turks. they were almost completely exterminated The survivors, mostly Uighurs led by Avar by the Moravians, the survivors being ab- chiefs, took the name of Avars and split into sorbed by the Slavic peoples. two bodies. One part remained in eastern Of the Avars who remained in eastern Europe. The other moved westward until Europe very little is known. However, the they reached the river and settled in available evidence indicates that one of the Dacia, whence they initiated raids of con- twenty-seven Lezghian tribes of Dagestan, quest. Russia, might be their descendants. Esti- At the end of the sixth century the terri- mated to number more than 150,000, these tory of the Dacian Avars extended from the modern Avars are Muslims and speak a lan- river Volga to the Baltic Sea, and they ex- guage similar to Arabic. acted enormous tribute from the Byzantine See also: ; Caucasus; Empire. During this period, under Baian, Danube; Khan; ;Volga their khagan, or khan, they were possibly the greatest power in Europe, and tremen- AVDOT'YA dously influenced the later development of Russia a large part of Europe by driving most of The wife of Mikhail Potyk.The couple made the Western Slavs to the areas they have a pact that if one of them died, the other occupied ever since. After the death of would join the deceased in the tomb. Baian, the power of the western Avars Avdot'ya died first, and true to his word, her declined under strikes by the Slavs and husband was lowered into the tomb beside Bulgars, and in 795 and 796 they were her. First, however, he took the precaution of crushed by Charlemagne (742–814). Later having a rope connected to the church bell AZERBAIJAN 21 so that if he changed his mind, he might Armenia).The official language of Azerbaijan summon assistance and be released. is Azeri, a Turkic language of the Ural-Altaic Lighting a candle, Mikhail Potyk settled family. Russian is also commonly spoken, down beside the body of his dead wife in although its use is declining. The traditional silent vigil. Around midnight a great many religion of the Azeris is Shiite , which snakes entered the tomb, one of which has experienced a revival in recent years. turned out to be a fire-breathing dragon. Orthodox Christianity is practiced to vary- Unafraid, Mikhail Potyk cut off its head and ing degrees among the Georgian,Armenian, rubbed the body of his dead wife with it. and Slavic minorities. Avdot'ya instantly came back to life. Mikhail The area of Azerbaijan was settled from then rang the church bell, and he and his about the eighth century B.C. by the Medes, wife were released to enjoy many more years and the region later became a part of the together. Persian Empire.A much-disputed territory,it See also: Dragon; Mikhail Potyk was conquered in the late seventh century A.D. by Arabs, who introduced the Islamic AZERBAIJAN culture.Turkic tribes controlled the area dur- General ing the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Azerbaijan is the most populous and the least Azerbaijan once again came under Persian urbanized of the three Transcaucasian control in the seventeenth century and was republics (the other two being Georgia and ceded by Persia to Russia through treaties in

Azerbaijani interior ministry special forces patrol an ancient Muslim cemetery outside Kazakh,Azerbaijan, 14 May 1991. (Reuters/Archive Photos) 22 AZNAVOR

1813 and 1828. In 1918, following the houris. Although many tried, none man- Russian Revolution, Azerbaijan became an aged to defeat the giant. When the independent state; and in 1920 it united with Apprentice heard of the plight of the Georgia and Armenia to form the Trans- houris’ brother, he said that he would caucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Re- defeat the giant and release the captive, public (SFSR). When the Transcaucasian provided the brothers gave him eleven republic was dissolved in 1936, Azerbaijan golden goblets, which he needed to free became a constituent republic of the USSR. his friends.The houris agreed and took the The collapse of communism in the USSR in Apprentice to see their father, who 1991 led to the reassertion of Azerbaijan’s equipped the Apprentice with a horse, a political independence. The new republic bow and arrows, the king’s sword, and a joined the United Nations in 1992. large steel mace. Thus outfitted, the See also: Armenia; Georgia;Transcaucasia Apprentice was led to the foot of Mount Djandjavaz by the king’s chamberlain. AZNAVOR Riding ahead alone, the Apprentice Armenia quickly killed the two giant servants of Mysterious defeated by Badikan. Azrail. The noise of battle woke Azrail, Little is known about his origins, his charac- who came out of his huge castle to see ter, or his deeds, as the legend offers no what was going on. details. When he saw the bodies of his servants, See also: Badikan Azrail roared a challenge and quickly armed References: Khatchatrian 1933 himself with seven maces, seven swords, and a bow with seven arrows. The Apprentice AZOV, SEA OF neatly dodged the first mace thrown by General Azrail, picked it up, and hurled it back, A large, shallow inland sea bounded by telling Azrail to have another go.The giant Ukraine and Russia.The Sea of Azov is con- threw all seven of his maces, all seven of his nected to the Black Sea by the Kerch Strait swords, and fired all seven of his arrows, but and covers about 14,500 square miles they all missed the Apprentice. Seeing the (37,550 square kilometers). Its maximum giant totally devoid of weaponry, the depth is only about 48 feet (15 meters). Its Apprentice spurred on his horse, and at the western end is called the Sivash, or Putrid gallop, let fly his mace, which caught Azrail Lake, because of the numerous foul-smelling on the side of the head and knocked him to marshes and lagoons there—lagoons that the ground. In a flash, the Apprentice sliced yield important chemicals for industry. The off the giant’s head with his sword and then Don River flows into the Gulf of Taganrog, cleaved it in two with a second mighty which lies at the northeastern end of the sea. blow. The head pleaded to be cut in half See also: Black Sea; Don; Ukraine again but the Apprentice refused, for he knew that a further blow would restore AZRAIL Azrail to life. Armenia See also: Apprentice,The; Djandjavaz, Mount; A giant who lived on Mount Djandjavaz Houri and who captured the brother of the three References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67. BABA-YAGA (-JAGA, -IAGA) Russia Possibly the best known of all Slavic leg- endary characters, this witch is known as Ienzababa or Jezda in Poland, and Jazi Baba to the Czechs (baba mean- ing “old woman” and yaga being Russian for “hag”). Baba-Yaga is usually portrayed as malevolent, but she is occasionally a benefactress. Like most Russian witches, Baba- is an immortal shape-changer, a Poland Btrue sorceress with a deep knowledge of “Old woman,” the name given to the last everything in the world (the Russian word sheaf harvested. Also, the spirit that was for witch, 'ma, comes from the root ved', believed to live in this last sheaf. meaning “to know”). Baba-Yaga is the per- Sometimes the sheaf was composed of sonification of death; she is the ’s hand- twelve smaller sheaves lashed together, the maiden. She is never portrayed as a goddess, women racing each other as each bound for she is far too earthly to be considered a her smaller sheaf, because the one who fin- true deity.Yet in her earliest form, she dis- ished last was certain to have a child the played an aspect of the Great Goddess, the next year. The Lithuanian counterpart is patron goddess of women, benevolent to all. the Boba. Not until the Christian era was she down- See also: Boba graded to a fearsome witch, and even then she retained a wide following among women. BABA LATINGORKA Post-Christian legends provide evidence Russia of the importance of Baba-Yaga to women. A sorceress related to the dragon Go- One story says that an old couple had a ryshche, she appeared to Dobrynya Ni- daughter but could find no godmother for kitich in the guise of an old hag and chal- her.After much searching, they found an old lenged him to a fight, armed with a sword woman who said she would act as the child’s and lance that reached into the skies. Two godmother. This old woman then revealed versions exist of the fight. In one, herself as Baba-Yaga and spirited the girl Dobrynya was mortally wounded by Baba away to live with her.The girl later commit- Latingorka and died in shame. In the sec- ted some unrecorded crime against Baba- ond, he did not die until his wound had Yaga,who, rather than eating the child as she been avenged by Il'ya Muromets, who would have done in pre-Christian stories, defeated the hag. Many authorities believe simply exiled her into the dark forest.There that Baba Latingorka is an incarnation of the girl was found by a prince who was out that most terrible of all Russian witches, hunting. He took her back to his kingdom, Baba-Yaga. where she subsequently bore him three sons, See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Dobrynya each with the moon and stars upon his fore- Nikitich; Dragon; Goryninka; Goryshche; head. Learning of her goddaughter’s where- Il'ya Muromets abouts, Baba-Yaga appeared, demanding that References: Astakhova 1938–51; Evgen'eva and the three children be given her as expiation Putilov 1977; Speranskii 1916 for the girl’s misdeeds.She then made off not

23 24

A turn-of-the-century illustration of the Russian witch Baba-Yaga (Sovfoto) BABA-YAGA (-JAGA, -IAGA) 25 only with the children but also with their that Baba-Yaga also spins the thread of life mother. The prince, predictably distraught, from the bones and entrails of the dead.Any set out to find them. After some time, he hero who looked inside the cottage would came to a clearing in the forest. In the clear- be likely to find Baba-Yaga crammed into ing a bright fire was burning around which every corner of the house, with her nose all manner of animals were gathered, block- pressed hard against the roof. ing his passage. In the center, next to the fire, Descriptions of Baba-Yaga vary widely. sat Baba-Yaga with the prince’s wife and Some describe her only as an old and three sons.The prince pleaded to be admit- leave the details to imagination. Others ted, but the animals let him pass only after describe her as an aged, ugly crone who is the prince’s wife asked Baba-Yaga’s permis- so emaciated that she is little more than sion.The hag allowed the prince to carry off skin and bone. Her teeth are long and very his three sons but not his wife. As the story sharp, occasionally made of iron, and some- developed, Baba-Yaga came to be equated times her canines are so long that they pro- with Mary, Mother of God, and the forest trude over her lips. Her teeth need to be home of the witch became the kingdom of sharp, for Baba-Yaga is a cannibal, one gaze heaven. from her eyes usually being enough to pet- The oldest surviving stories of Baba-Yaga rify her victims—either turning them tem- suggest that she is an ancient deity with ori- porarily to stone so that she could take gins perhaps as long ago as Paleolithic times, them home, unpetrify them, and eat them, when she was the patroness of herds and or simply immobilizing them with fear. herdsmen, the goddess of horses, and the Her hair is a tangled mass of writhing patron goddess of farmers and farming. Her snakes.This aspect, like her petrifying eyes, oldest personification, however, is as mistress suggests a classical Greek influence, for of all animals, a bird goddess as reflected by these are both essential attributes of the the chicken legs on her house, with which Gorgon Medusa. Her nose and her breasts she is as one. are made of iron.The bones of her victims Although unnamed in the story of Ivan form the gate and fence that surround her the Pea, the old crone who lives in the forest home, each post being adorned with a in a strange house that revolves in the wind human skull, the eyes of which light up at is none other than Baba-Yaga. In that story night.These bones are symbolic not only of she is far from the malevolent witch; but Baba-Yaga’s association with death but also maybe even Baba-Yaga realized that she of her role as the source of new life, which would have been no match for Ivan the Pea. she brews from the bones of the dead. Her Almost every story about Baba-Yaga soup often contains leftover body parts, describes her dwelling as a cottage in the such as fingers, toes, and eyes. The house most remote and inaccessible part of a deep itself is also said by some to be made of forest, which makes her the khoziaika lesa human bones, with legs for doorposts, (“mistress of the forest”).This cottage sits on hands for the bolts, and a mouth with four sets of hen’s legs,one at each corner, and razor-sharp teeth for the lock. Others say revolves either freely in the wind or when that these parts are associated only with the some unheard word is spoken. Some versions bone fence and that Baba Yaga’s house of the legend say that the cottage was not resembles any other peasant hut—apart fixed to the ground and could run around on from its chicken leg supports. its hen’s legs. Others say that the hen’s legs In her benevolent guise, Baba-Yaga were simply supports for the four corners appears as a normal, aged peasant woman and that the center of the house was fixed on with luxuriant hair and a kindly face and dis- the spindle of a spinning-wheel, indicating position, and as often as not, wears the tradi- 26 BABA-YAGA (-JAGA, -IAGA) tional headdress of a married woman. Her Baba-Yaga possesses truly awesome dualistic aspects are not as clearly defined as power, for time itself is in her hands: The might be expected. Baba-Yaga is an Sun, the Day and Night, obey her implicitly, immensely complex character who is per- as do all the laws of nature. She controls the haps best described as triune rather than weather, an aspect she shares with Russian dualistic, each of her three aspects perhaps witches in general, and can devour the sun best equated to the three Fates of classical and moon, cause crops to grow or perish, and Greece. In her first aspect, as a fertility god- regulate the flow of milk from cows in the dess, she is benevolent, bringing new life into same way as she regulates the rainfall. She the world. In her second aspect she maps out also has connections with the leshii, for she, the course of human life and is both benev- like the wood , kidnaps small children olent and malevolent. In her third aspect she and wields power over the forest and the ani- determines the date of human death, the role mals that live in it. In another aspect she is in which she is most commonly regarded. In regarded as the guardian of the fountain that her triune state, Baba-Yaga hovers over the supplies the Water of Life and Death. She birth of every new life, immediately threat- rides through the air in a mortar instead of ening to take it back again. She has the the customary broomstick of the pan- power to send life into the earth and to recall European witch, propelling herself forward it. She is the most terrible of the regenerative with a pestle and brushing away all evidence fertility , for she appears prone to fits of her passage with a birch .The mor- of passion and whim. She demands the sacri- tar and pestle represent the destructive and fice of a child in return for wealth, for she, the protective aspects of Baba-Yaga, for like the classical Pluto, controls all the riches Slavic peoples traditionally used these imple- of the earth. Baba-Yaga is thus a ments not only to grind grain (the destruc- earth deity who encompasses life from con- tive aspect) but also to prepare flax for spin- ception through birth and life to death, and ning (the protective aspect). Perhaps beyond—although her role in the under- unsurprisingly, the mortar and pestle also world is merely that of guardian: According represent the human reproductive organs. to her pleasure, she may redistribute souls to Thus, the two objects are symbols of all three newborns or keep them in the underworld phases of human life—birth, life, and death— for all eternity, never to be reborn. and thus of all three aspects of the triune Some commentators insist that the deity. All evidence of Baba-Yaga’s passage bones around Baba-Yaga’s house indicate through human lives is swept away with a that she has a very strong connection with birch broom—a broom that may be regarded the spirit world. Some even go so far as to as further evidence of her all-pervading say that her house guards the point where influence, a symbol of the inverted Tree of the two worlds—the world of the living Life, reaching downward. Baba-Yaga rides and that of the dead—meet. This may the skies generating and nurturing life before explain why in some cases she is benevo- sweeping it away again with the broom. As to humans, her purpose being not to would befit a powerful fertility deity, Baba- send people into the afterlife but rather, Yaga has hordes of children, although their like the Greek Cerberus, to stop the dead names are never revealed. They are all as from escaping. Others say that she is a por- strange as their mother—from the reptiles, trayal of the gates of hell themselves, lying animals, and spirits that cohabit with her, to in wait for her victims with her jaws agape, her forty mare-daughters. swallowing any who are unfortunate The mare-daughters appear in one story enough to seek shelter in her mouth with where a young man is told that he must its razor-sharp iron teeth. travel to Baba-Yaga’s home to secure a horse BABA-YAGA (-JAGA, -IAGA) 27 that will help him release his bride Maria ciated with the bear, who sometimes Morena, who has been taken prisoner by replaces her in the role of master of the for- some unnamed captor.When the young man est, and the —both animals to be arrives at the home of the witch he is con- feared and respected. She demands human fronted by the bone fence that surrounds it. sacrifice from her supplicants in return for On closer inspection, however, the young the sustenance of life. man sees that one spike on the fence has no In Russian legend, Baba-Yaga is closely skull on top.As he is inspecting the fence he associated with serpents and dragons. Kosh- is confronted by the witch, who informs him chei the Deathless, whose name derives from that the last picket has been reserved for his kost' (“bone”), is a dragon in human guise, skull, although he can escape death and his destiny and all he does guided by the obtain what he came for if he completes a dualistic aspects of Baba-Yaga. She confers simple task—controlling the forty mare- on him immortality but also gives him a daughters for twenty-four hours. Needless to soul, thus making him mortal. Baba-Yaga is say, the hero of this story completes the task, also the controlling force behind the multi- receives a supernaturally empowered steed headed, fire-breathing dragon Chudo-Yudo, from the witch, and completes his quest to who sits watch over the Water of Life and free his bride. Death, a role that has often led Chudo-Yudo Although Baba-Yaga may essentially be to be considered a bizarre offspring of the regarded as a feminine deity, she is equally at witch and thus a brother to the forty mare- home in the world of men. She carries a daughters. wand with which she can transform herself In Belorussia, Baba-Yaga and her associ- and those at whom she directs its power, and ates are held to drain the energy of the sun she rules over the male genitalia. She is also with their magical fires, destroy plants, and more likely to appear in her benevolent guise turn the power of the earth against mankind. to men than to women. She owns a fire- Thus, in this region at least, Baba-Yaga and breathing, flying horse, giving her an aspect her sisterhood are seen as being in control of as the horse goddess, as well as a self- the elements of the earth. If humanity does directing, self-cutting sword, both items not please or placate them, then Baba-Yaga being more readily lent to men than to and her kind will use their awesome powers women. She also will lend other, feminine to turn the earth itself against those it is articles to deserving youths, such as mirrors, meant to support. rings, and balls of yarn. Baba-Yaga is also the One particular story, that of Vasilissa the patroness of wandering minstrels, for she Beautiful, clearly demonstrates both the owns a self-playing that some allude to malevolent and benevolent sides of Baba- as the first instrument of the type ever made. Yaga and her powers. In this story the witch With links to the werewolf and vampire, assigns the poor girl impossible tasks, telling Baba-Yaga and her kind,the volkhvy (seers), her that she will be eaten if she fails; but would perform their chief rites and cause when Vasilissa has completed all of the tasks, the most trouble at , the same Baba-Yaga gives her a magical skull that rids time that the female elders of villages would her of her cruel stepmother and stepsisters. go into the fields at night to look for medi- Another story about a Vasilissa—Vasilissa the cinal herbs and other plants. Baba-Yaga is Wise—demonstrates the compassionate the wolf goddess who devours all who try to nature of Baba-Yaga: In this story the witch enter her sphere. She induces nightmares tells Ivan the Young how he might regain his and hallucinations as well as deadly diseases, wife,Vasilissa the Wise, and keep her forever. all three relating to her role as the goddess of See also: Chudo-Yudo;Day; Devil,The; death and the underworld. She also is asso- Dragon; Great Goddess; Ienzababa; Ivan the 28 BAB'E LETO

Pea; Ivan the Young;Jazi Baba; Jezda; Khoziaika See also: lesa; Koshchei (the Deathless); Leshii (~y); References: Propp 1963; Sokolov 1945 Maria Morena; Moon; Night; Sun;Tree of Life, The; Underworld,The;Vampire;Vasilis(s)a the BABII PRAZDNIK Beautiful;Vasilis(s)a the Wise;Volkhv;Water of Russia Life and Death,The;Werewolf “Old woman’s holiday.”An alternative name References: Afanas'ev 1974, Baroja 1964; Dal' 1957; 1957, and 1865–69; Matorin 1931; for Radunitsa, used widely in Kievan Rus'. Newell 1973; Snegirev 1839;Wosien 1969; Babii Prazdnik, celebrated near time, Zemtsovskii 1970 was dedicated to the god and included a feast prepared and eaten in honor of the BAB'E LETO dead. During this feast, women decorated Russia eggs—a practice that was incorporated dur- Indian summer (literally,“old woman’s sum- ing Christian times into the festival of mer”), a period of the Russian agrarian cycle Easter—and placed them on the graves of that started officially on Saint Simon’s Day (1 deceased ancestors, symbolizing rebirth. September), after the harvest, and culminated See also: Radunitsa; Rod(ú) in the Pokrovskaia Subbota in October. References: Snegirev 1839; Sokolov 1945; Zabylin 1880 Bab'e leto was marked by several significant household events: Old fires were extin- guished and new ones laid and lit by the mis- BABUSHKA-LYAGUSHKA- tress in honor of the ancestral spirits. The SKAKUSHKA dead were remembered, new spinning was Russia started, new beer was brewed, and “Grandmother Hopping Frog,” the frog that were arranged. Although most of these ritu- lived in the Green Marsh and was asked by als (e.g., the lighting of fires) were observed Baba-Yaga to help in his quest to only on Saint Simon’s Day,the “old woman’s find the place I-Know-Not-Where and the summer” would run throughout September, thing I-Know-Not-What. Babushka- right up to the Pokrovskaia Subbota—the Lyagushka-Skakushka said that she would Feast of the Intercession, or Day of help Petrushka, provided he carry her in a Protection. Bab'e leto was also a time when jug of fresh milk to the River of Fire, for she rulers would go out among the people, seek- was old, and without the rejuvenating pow- ing their renewed support. ers of that river, she would not have the See also: Pokrovskaia Subbota strength. Baba-Yaga agreed and took the frog References: Snegirev 1837–39; Zabylin 1880; back to her home in her pestle and mortar. Zemtsovskii 1970 There she prepared a jug of fresh milk, placed the frog in the jug, woke her son-in- BAB'IA KASHA law, and told him what to do. Russia Petrushka took the jug with the frog in it, “Old woman’s gruel,” the day after Koliada, mounted Baba-Yaga’s swiftest horse, and on which a Russian family would eat a meal within a matter of a few minutes, stood of kut'ia specially prepared in the bathhouse beside the River of Fire.There Petrushka let so that the family would receive the blessings the frog out of the jug and placed her on the of a good harvest, direct from the spirits of ground. Placing one foot in the River of their ancestors.The kut'ia was a type of mush Fire, Babushka-Lyagushka-Skakushka started made of eggs and grain—foods symbolic of to grow until she was the size of Petrushka’s rebirth. In Ukraine the festival centered on a horse. The frog told the archer to climb on rite in which the entire family drank kut'ia her back and hold tight, which Petrushka from a horned vessel. did, while the frog continued to grow until BADIKAN 29 she was taller than the tallest tree in any for- As he wondered who might own such a est. The frog made sure that Petrushka was building, the sun was blotted out by the holding on tightly, and then she leaped shape of an enormous giant making its way through the air, landing in a foreign land and toward the palace, a giant with armor of breathing out slowly until she resumed her steel, a casque (helmet) and shoes of bronze, normal size. and a bow and arrows of wrought iron. As Babushka-Lyagushka-Skakushka informed the giant reached the gates to his castle he Petrushka that they were now in I-Know- stopped, sniffed, and proclaimed that he Not-Where. The frog then told Petrushka could smell human flesh. Unafraid, Badikan that he should go to the lowliest hut in a stepped out of the shadows and made him- nearby village and hide there behind the self known to the giant. The giant in turn stove, for within that hut lived I-Know-Not- introduced himself as Khan Boghu. What. Petrushka thanked Babushka- Badikan replied that he had heard of Khan Lyagushka-Skakushka and set off. He found Boghu and had traveled to his land to do bat- the hut with little difficulty and hid himself tle with him. Khan Boghu laughed and told inside as instructed. Badikan that if he were that great a warrior, Though the legend does not say so, it is perhaps it would be better if they became reasonable to assume that after delivering friends. Badikan laughed and agreed that he Petrushka to his desired destination, would live with the giant as his companion. Babushka-Lyagushka-Skakushka returned to The following morning Khan Boghu told the Green Marsh. Badikan that he had a problem with which See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Green Badikan might be able to help. In the Marsh; I-Know-Not-What; I-Know-Not- Kingdom of the East there lived a king Where; Petrushka; River of Fire,The whose daughter was the most beautiful maiden in all the world, and Khan Boghu BADIKAN had fallen in love with her. If Badikan could Armenia bring him the maiden, Badikan would be The youngest of the forty sons of an rewarded. Badikan assented, and armed and unnamed king. As each son came of age, the provisioned by Khan Boghu, he set off. king sent him off to a distant land to prove In the Kingdom of the East, Badikan his worth and find a wife. Finally it was found employment as a gardener in the Badikan’s turn to be likewise dispatched.The palace gardens, and there he caught his first King gave him a sword, a bow and arrows, glimpse of the princess. Immediately he was money and servants, and a magnificent horse, smitten by her beauty, and she too, guessing and then gave Badikan his blessing and sent that he was far more than a gardener, fell in him on his way. love with Badikan. However, as the city was Badikan traveled far and wide. He crossed heavily fortified to protect it against attack, the Kingdom of Darkness and the Kingdom Badikan could not hope to escape with the of Light. He did battle with Agog-Magog princess. She, however, said that she would and the demon Aznavor, overcoming them travel beyond the city walls, and there she and many other beasts both natural and would allow Badikan to abduct her. supernatural. However, his servants all were Thus it was that several days later the killed in these battles and his money was princess left the city with a retinue of forty spent by the time he reached an enormous handmaidens. Badikan waited until the party palace. The palace had been built in a time was crossing a river in single file, and then he before man walked upon the earth, and it swooped down, plucked the princess from was so large that it would have taken Badikan her mount, and sped off into the mountains a week to scale its walls. with her, hiding her safely before returning 30 BADNIK to dispose of the soldiers sent by her father to the ox had drained them and had fallen into track them down. a drunken stupor, Badikan leaped forward The princess was overjoyed to be in the and cut off its head. As the head fell, Khan company of Badikan, but her joy turned to Boghu, who was out hunting, stumbled and despair when Badikan admitted that he had fell, and instantly he knew that the princess abducted her at the request of Khan Boghu. had betrayed him and the ox was dead. Khan However, the princess gained a stay of mar- Boghu staggered to his feet and hurried back riage when she told Khan Boghu that she to his palace as quickly as he could, consid- had promised her parents that she would ering the pain he was suffering for the very refrain from marrying for seven years—a first time. Seeing him coming, the princess delay that Khan Boghu gladly consented to. fled to the rooftops, fully intending to throw From then on both the princess and Badikan herself to her death if the need arose. conspired to discover why Khan Boghu Badikan, meanwhile, had cut open the ox, remained invulnerable to all weapons. caught the fox by its tail, and cut off its head. The princess settled into a routine of As the head rolled from the fox, blood began appearing loving and caring toward Khan to flow freely from Khan Boghu’s nose. Boghu, and it wasn’t long before Khan Badikan then cut open the fox, took out the Boghu lapsed into a false sense of security. mother-of-pearl box, and broke its lock. As One night, while Khan Boghu was glowing the lock broke, Khan Boghu began to cough in the light of the princess’s compliments, he up blood. Badikan then let out the seven dropped his guard and told her that he could sparrows. He strangled the first two, and not be killed because he did not carry his Khan Boghu fell to his knees. He strangled seven souls with him.Those seven souls were two more, and Khan Boghu’s arms and legs hidden inside seven sparrows that could not grew numb. He strangled two more, and be caught.The sparrows, in turn, were secure Khan Boghu’s heart and liver burst. Then inside a mother-of-pearl box that could not Badikan caught the last sparrow and crushed be opened, and the box was inside a fox that it in his hands, and as he did, all life left Khan could not be caught. If that were not enough, Boghu in a cloud of black smoke. the fox was inside an ox that could not be Badikan then hurried back to the overcome, and thus he was safe for all time. princess.A few days later they were married, When Khan Boghu went hunting the fol- and for the rest of their days they ruled Khan lowing day,the princess told Badikan how he Boghu’s domain together. might find Khan Boghu’s soul and thus kill This story should be compared with that him. When Khan Boghu returned, Badikan of Koshchei the Deathless, for he too had his asked whether he might be allowed to travel soul hidden outside his body so that he on an adventure, promising to return when might remain invulnerable, and like Khan he had satisfied his need, for he was bored Boghu, he was tricked by a woman’s wiles doing nothing in Khan Boghu’s palace. Khan into revealing his secret. Boghu consented, and Badikan made his See also: Agog-Magog;Aznavor; Boghu, farewells to the princess and set off on his Khan; Kingdom of Darkness,The; Kingdom fabulous horse. of Light,The; Kingdom of the East,The; His first stop was at the home of a group Koshchei (the Deathless) of sorcerers who told him that the ox could References: Khatchatrian 1933 be overcome with seven barrels of strong wine. So equipped, Badikan rode for many BADNIK days until he found the huge ox. Hiding Russia—Novgorod Province behind some rocks, Badikan left the seven The name given to the log ritually burned open barrels of wine in the open, and when to bring the Koliada festivities to a close. BALKAN(S) 31

The burning of the log symbolized death farmers from the Russian steppes, and later, and rebirth, the sun, and the ancestors of the sometime during the Bronze Age (c. people. 2,000–500 B.C.), by .The Slavic peoples See also: Koliada first arrived in the region around the third References: Afanas'ev 1869 century A.D., and migrated to the peninsula in large numbers in the sixth century.There BAGPUTYS they were joined by Bulgar tribes during the Lithuania seventh century, the Bulgars eventually A sea god who is particularly associated with assimilating with the Slavs. Slavic, Magyar, storms, Bagputys rides the choppy seas in a and Germanic settlements evolved in com- boat with a golden anchor. parative isolation due to natural barriers of communication, and as a result, each of these BALD MOUNTAINS groups developed its own religion, language, Russia and customs. All suffered periodic persecu- A mountain range near Kiev. In the legend tion by the Turks. During the Byzantine era of Ivan the Pea, these mountains were said to (395–1453), a form of Orthodox Chris- mark the boundary of the kingdom of the tianity was established in parts of the dragon that carried off Ivan’s sister,Vasilissa Balkans, while Islam spread in those regions of the Golden Braid, and killed his two held by the Turks.From the late Middle Ages brothers. on, the Ottoman Turks gradually took con- See also: Dragon; Ivan the Pea; Kiev;Vasilis(s)a trol of almost the entire peninsula; but the of the Golden Braid balance of power in the Balkans changed again after the siege of Vienna (1683),when BALKAN(S) the Ottoman Turks were driven back by the General Austrian Habsburgs and by Russia, both The Balkan peninsula, located in southeast- powers seeking access to the seas surround- ern Europe, stretches from the Black and the ing the peninsula. Aegean Seas in the east to the Adriatic and In the nineteenth century, one Balkan Ionian Seas to the west, and is bounded by nation after another developed strong the Mediterranean to the south. The plural nationalist movements, forcing Turkey to form of the name refers to the lands that concede a degree of autonomy to each con- make up the region: , , stituent nation.The Balkan League of 1912 and , Serbia and Mon- was formed to counter Turkish rule in the tenegro, Albania, continental Greece, south- area, and this led to the Balkan Wars. Two east , , European Turkey, years later Pan-Slavism contributed to the and the former Yugoslav Republic of outbreak of World War I when the heir pre- Macedonia. The peninsula is linked to the sumptive to the Austrian emperor was assas- rest of Europe by an isthmus that is 750 sinated at Sarajevo by a young Serbian miles (1,200 km) wide between Rijeka on nationalist named Gavril Princip. After the west, and the mouth of the river Danube World War I ended in 1918 and the on the Black Sea to the east—a strategically Ottoman Empire was dismantled, Bosnia important route from the Mediterranean and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slavonia, and Sea to the Black Sea. Carniola united with Serbia and Mon- The Balkans have been inhabited since c. tenegro to form the Kingdom of the Serbs, 200,000 B.C. By the seventh millennium Croats, and Slovenes, which was later B.C., a distinctive Stone Age culture had renamed Yugoslavia. evolved in the region.The peninsula was set- See also: Black Sea; Bosnia; Bulgaria; tled around 3,500 B.C. by seminomadic Croatia; Danube; Herzegovina; Macedonia; 32 BALTIC

Magyars; ; Romania; Serbia; should behave, especially as priests always Slovenia preached peace to one and all, the priest replied that that was exactly why he had so BALTIC soundly beaten the bandit—so that others General could live in peace, free from banditry. Name given to a sea and a geographical One of the fables of Mekhithar Gosh. region.The Baltic Sea is a large, shallow arm See also: Mekhithar Gosh of the North Sea that lies between the Scandinavian peninsula and the northern coast of Europe. It links , Finland, Slavic Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland The spirit of the bathhouse (banya), with the North Sea and the Atlantic. The described as a wizened little man with wild Baltic Sea has an area of approximately white hair and a long, straggly beard. Bathers 160,000 square miles (414,000 square kilo- could invoke the spirit in order to obtain a meters). It is about 950 miles (1,530 kilome- reading of the future by exposing their naked ters) long and around 400 miles (640 kilo- backs outside the bathhouse. If the future was meters) across at its widest part. to be pleasant, then Bannik could be felt The name Baltic also is used to refer col- stroking the back. However, if the future was lectively to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. to be unpleasant, Bannik would run his nails Before 1918, these three countries were down the exposed spine. Every fourth ruled by Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Ger- bathing session belonged to Bannik, who many, and Russia, but each maintained its would entertain his spirit friends in the bath- own language, literature, and traditions. The house. If humans were foolish enough to Baltic lands were part of the Russian Empire enter while Bannik and his guests were until the Russian Revolution of 1917 there, they would be fortunate to escape deposed the tsar and made it possible for the with a simple drenching in boiling water. three nations to assert political autonomy. More likely they would emerge badly beaten Soviet forces occupied the three indepen- or would be found dead inside the bath- dent Baltic states in 1940 and annexed them house, strangled or with a broken neck. to the Soviet Union. troops invaded References: Pomerantseva 1975 the Baltics in 1941, during World War II, but the Germans were driven out by the Soviets BARDOYATS in 1944 and 1945. Until 1991, the Baltics Prussia remained constituent republics of the Soviet The god of ships and patron of sailors. Union; but in September 1991, the three countries regained their independence dur- BARO(N) ing a period of political upheaval that led to Armenia the dissolution of the Soviet Union by the The traveling companion of Haron. Some end of that year. sources suggest a blood relationship between See also: Estonia; Latvia; Lithuania; Poland the two, but it is never confirmed or denied explicitly. During their travels Haron went BANDIT AND THE PRIEST,THE blind, and from that moment on Baron had Armenia to act as Haron’s guide, a fact he often bit- A bandit once attacked a priest and nearly terly complained about. One night they killed him, but the priest prayed to God, was camped under a tree in a forest at the foot of filled with great strength, and beat the bandit Mount Amarven. Baron climbed a tree to within an inch of his life. When the bandit remain safe during the night, leaving Haron complained that this was not how a priest to fend for himself on the forest floor.As the BASIL, SAINT 33 sun set, the two travelers heard a pack of The king eyed the two suspiciously,think- wolves approaching, and as the howls grew ing they were spies for his enemies, and had louder, Baron was so frightened that his them bound and dragged off to his dungeons. trembling caused him to lose his footing and There they were left for several days before fall from the tree. being dragged into the presence of the king Haron, however, remained calm and told and his beautiful daughter. Haron was imme- Baron that they should simply sit beneath the diately smitten by her beauty,and she likewise tree and talk, giving the impression that they by his countenance. The king questioned were just two of many.They did exactly that, both Haron and Baron and, not believing and the wolves, thinking that they would be their story, called on his guards to take them set upon by an unknown number of men, out and hang them. However, the king’s left them alone.The following night exactly daughter interceded, and the king allowed the same situation arose, this time with a her to hear their stories and be their judge. pack of bears, and again Haron and Baron She listened to what both Haron and deceived the bears into thinking that they Baron had to say, and then went to her were not alone, although Baron was still father, told him that she believed that they extremely scared. posed no threat, and asked that her father Once again, as they made their camp the should call upon Loqmân the Wise to next night, Baron sought to make his bed in restore Baron’s sight.This he did, and when a tree, leaving Haron on the ground. Baron Baron could see again, he pleaded with the climbed down to eat, but when Haron grew King to take him out and hang him, as he thirsty,Baron refused to lead him to a nearby could not stand to look Haron in the face stream.Thus Haron had to guide himself to after the way he had treated him. Haron and the refreshing water. There Haron heard a the princess lifted Baron to his feet, and bird alight on a branch above him, a bird that Haron and Baron were reconciled.The king told him to splash the water from the stream then consented to the marriage of Haron on his eyes. Haron did so, and his sight was and his daughter, a wedding at which Baron immediately restored. Overjoyed, he rushed served as best man. back to the camp to tell Baron, but all Baron See also: Haro(n) could think about was bettering his already References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, perfect sight, and he rushed down to the vol. 10 stream to splash water in his face. However, when he did so he was immediately struck BARSTUKAI blind. From that moment on their roles were Lithuania reversed, and Haron had to lead Baron. An underworld being sometimes described The following evening the two once as a , who was believed to influence the again made camp in the shade of a tree. harvest and to perform household chores for Haron did not seek to make his bed in the those who had made offerings to Puskaitis. tree but stayed with Baron.As they settled to Offerings were left these by farmers prepare their evening meal they heard the who would lay out tables of food in barns, sound of a man on horseback approaching where the Barstukai were believed to gather them, the hoof falls of the horse accompa- and feast at midnight. nied by the sound of many men on foot. As See also: Fairy; Puskaitis; Underworld,The they listened to the men approaching, a huntsman on a white horse entered the BASIL, SAINT clearing—a huntsman that Haron immedi- Russia ately recognized as the king of the land they One of the most famous of Russian saints, to were traveling through. whom the landmark cathedral in Red 34 BASIL II, BULGAROCTONUS

Saint Basil’s Cathedral, , Moscow, October 1996 (Reuters/Ulli Michel/Archive Photos)

Square, Moscow, was dedicated. Saint Basil is celebrate his victory over the Kazan' Tatars. said to have started his life as a wandering In the seventeenth century the cathedral nomad, and through that wandering he was renamed Saint Basil’s, a name it bears to became as one with God. A historical char- this day. acter from the first half of the sixteenth cen- See also: Ivan Groznyi; Ivan the Terrible; tury,Basil is said to have marched naked into Kazan';Tatars Moscow, where he punished dishonest mer- References: Fedotov 1960 and 1966 chants as Christ had the money-lenders in the synagogue and reminded Tsar Ivan IV BASIL II, BULGAROCTONUS (dubbed Groznyi, “The Terrible”) of his Russia atrocities. Basil lived with a widow but never Lived from c. 958 to 1025. The son of married her, and in so doing demonstrated Romanus II and sister of Anna, Basil as- that a man may protect the innocent, an act cended the imperial Byzantine throne as sole in direct contrast with the actions of the tsar. ruler in 976.Within a few years, his rule was Basil openly reproached the tsar for his endangered by an uprising of nobles led by bloody repression, but because Basil died in Bardas Sclerus, who was assisted by General 1550, he never witnessed the worst excesses Bardas Phocas. Basil put down this revolt, but of Ivan’s reign. the rebellion continued to simmer.The same Basil was buried in the church of “Our two men led a second revolt almost a decade Lady of Kazan',” which Ivan had built to later, this time threatening to topple Basil. BEL BELYANIN 35

The emperor was saved when he entered authority over fifty bishops in Pontus. Basil into an alliance with Vladimir I,who, as part remained resolutely opposed to the hetero- of his pact with Basil, converted to doxy of the Byzantine emperor Valens, Christianity and married Anna.Vladimir sent whom he eventually forced to withdraw six thousand troops to Basil’s aid, tipping the from Caesarea.After this victory,Basil found- scales in his favor, and the Byzantine emperor ed a new town, Basilia, where his preaching defeated the uprising in 989.The troops sent consistently drew large crowds. He died on 1 by Vladimir became the core of the future January 379 at the age of 49, worn out by ill- Varangian Guard, an élite unit of the ness, austerity,and hard work. His feast day is Byzantine army.Basil II fought a fifteen-year 2 January. war against the Bulgars that culminated in See also: Andrew, Saint; George, Saint his victory in the Belasica mountains. This victory earned him his epithet Bulgaroc- BATRADZ tonus (“Bulgar-slayer”), for he had thousands Russia of prisoners blinded and then led back, in Hero of the Alans, Sarmatian ancestors of the groups of a hundred, by a one-eyed man, to Ossetes. The story of this hero’s death is the Bulgar Tsar Samuel, who reputedly died remarkably similar to that of King Arthur. of shock at the sight (1015). Bulgaria was Having sustained a mortal wound, Batradz annexed to the Byzantine Empire in 1018, called upon his two companions to throw his and the eastern frontier of the empire was sword into the water. Twice they pretended extended to Lake Van in Armenia. Basil II to carry out the task, and twice their deceit died seven years later, in 1025. was uncovered.When they finally complied, See also: Anna;Armenia; Bulgaria; Byzantine the waters turned blood red and the surface Empire;Vladimir I was whipped into a frenzy although no wind blew. Some have suggested that this is the BASIL THE GREAT, SAINT origin of the return of Arthur’s sword Russia Excalibur to the —a plausi- Patron saint of Russia, with Saints Andrew ble theory, as it is known that Sarmatian - and George. Born c. 329 at Caesarea to a diers served in the Roman army in Britain wealthy, respected, and extremely pious fam- under Lucius Artorius Castus. ily (all of the members of his family are ven- See also: Alans;Arthur, King; Ossetes; erated as saints), Basil was educated in the Sarmatians schools of Caesarea, Constantinople, and Athens. He taught rhetoric in Caesarea for a BATU KHAN short time but soon followed his family into Russia religious life, visiting holy sites and monas- Historical twelfth-century leader of the teries in Spain, Egypt, and Palestine before Mongol hordes who, thanks to the inter- settling as a hermit on the shores of the river necine wars being fought in the area, con- at Annesi in 358. He quickly attracted a quered Ukraine and central Russia with lit- number of companions, and together they tle or no resistance. founded the first monastery in Asia Minor, See also: Mongols; Ukraine establishing the principles on which Orthodox monasticism thenceforth would BEL BELYANIN operate. Russia Ordained in 363, Basil left his monastic The tsar of an unnamed kingdom, husband community in 365 to take administrative of Nastas'ya of the Golden Braid, and father control in Caesarea under Archbishop Euse- of three sons—Peter Belyaninovich, Vasilii bius, whom he succeeded in 370, receiving Belyaninovich, and Ivan Belyaninovich. One 36

Detail showing Saint Basil the Great, from a mosaic on the right wall of the apse, Duomo, Cefalu, Italy (Alinari/Art Resource, NY) BEREGINY 37 day when the three children were young, a Polish realm. It remained under Polish rule huge gust of wind blew Nastas'ya away. until 1796, when Catherine II (the Great) Many years later her three sons set off on a recovered the lost territory. In 1918, quest to find their mother, a quest that Ivan Bolshevik troops invaded ', and the completed. following year they established a Communist See also: Ivan Belyaninovich; Nastas'ya of the government there. In 1922 Belorussia Golden Braid; Peter (Belyaninovich);Vasilii became a republic of the Soviet Union. From Belyaninovich 1922 to 1991, the country was part of the Soviet Union, during which time it was BELARUS' called the Belorussian Soviet Socialist General Republic, or simply Belorussia. It gained See Belorussia. independence in 1991, when the Soviet Union ceased to exist.The language spoken by Belorussians is closely related to Russian Slav and is sometimes referred to as “White The name Belobog is derived from the Russian.”The country’s official name now is Russian words belyi (white) and bog (god). Belarus'. The White God represents the beneficent See also: Lithuania; Poland forces of goodness, light, and life. He is eter- nally opposed by , the Black BELUN God, who represents the forces of evil and is Russia the cause of all misfortune. Belobog—as the The Russian name for the White God, White God was called in the Balkan lands (in known in the Balkans as Belobog. The per- Russia, he was known as Belun)—was usu- sonification of goodness, light, and life, Belun ally represented as a venerable old man with was particularly important in Russia—a land a flowing white beard, dressed in white situated in northern latitudes where much of clothes. He roamed the countryside during the year passes in virtual darkness. Belun is the day, doing works of kindness—curing represented as an old man dressed in white, sick animals, seeing to it that a hunter made with a flowing white beard, who can be seen a good kill, finding lost items, or ensuring a only during the daylight hours, when he good crop. Belobog and Chernobog are two performs all manner of kind acts for people’s of the oldest Slavic deities.They might well benefit. Belun is also an alternative name for have originated with nomadic peoples in Buyan, although many sources consider the western Asia or the Himalayas, being closely paradisal island of Buyan merely an earthly related in character to and manifestation of the deity. Ahriman in ancient Persian myth; but they See also: Buyan also have counterparts in almost every cul- ture around the world where beliefs in the BEREGINY duality of good and evil are found. Russia See also: Belun; Black God; Chernobog The nymphs of river, lake, and forest, whose name is related to bereg (shore) and beregina BELORUSSIA (meaning both “shore” and “earth”). The General bereginy appear to be among the most Originally part of the Russian empire, ancient of hunting and fertility deities.Their Belorussia, or “White Russia,” traces its his- cult was associated with the birch, which is tory back to Kievan Rus'. During the four- the first tree to flower in spring. Later the teenth century this land was incorporated bereginy were separated into individual clas- first into Lithuania and subsequently into the sifications, such as the russalki or vili, the 38 BESSARABIA ptitsy-siriny, and the rozhanitsy. Some The personification of evil, Chernobog is authorities assert that many later deities, such opposed by Belobog, the White God, who as the West Slavic goddess Zhiva, also origi- personifies goodness. nated with the bereginy. See also: Belobog; Chernobog;White God See also: Ptitsy-siriny; Rozhanitsa; Rus(s)alki (~ulki);; Zhiva BLACK MIRE Russia BESSARABIA A foul swamp that lay on the road between General Chernigov and Kiev and that sucked in any- An east European region situated partly in one who attempted to cross it. Il'ya and partly in Ukraine, covering Muromets had to cross the Black Mire as he 17,147 square miles (44,411 square kilome- traveled along the road from Chernigov on ters). Bessarabia is bordered by the Dniester his way to the court of Vladimir Bright Sun River to the north and east, the Black Sea at Kiev. and Danube River to the south, and the Prut See also: Chernigov; Il'ya Muromets; Kiev; River to the west. Russia gained Bessarabia Nightingale;Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince from the Turks in 1812. Southern Bessarabia was awarded to the historical principality of BLACK SEA Moldavia in 1856, at the end of the Crimean General War (1853–1856), but was regained by In Russian, Chernoe More. A large body of Russia in 1878. After World War I, Romania water in southeastern Europe that is controlled Bessarabia until 1940, when the bounded by Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Soviet Union seized the region during World Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania. The War II. Romania reoccupied Bessarabia in Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits and the Sea 1941, but the Soviet Union regained the ter- of Marmara connect it with the Medi- ritory toward the end of the war. Bessarabia terranean Sea. The ancient Romans called then became part of the Moldavian and the sea Pontus Euxinus, which means “friend- Ukrainian republics of the Soviet Union. ly sea.”The Black Sea covers approximately The Moldavian Republic was renamed the 173,000 square miles (448,000 square kilo- Moldovan Republic in 1990, and in 1991, meters), an area greater than that of Cali- the Soviet Union was dissolved, and fornia. At its deepest it is 7,238 feet (2,206 Moldova and Ukraine became independent meters). North of the Kerch Strait is the Sea countries. of Azov, a large bay of the Black Sea. Several See also: Black Sea; Danube; Moldavia; important rivers empty into the Black Sea, Moldova; Romania; Ukraine including the Danube, the Dniester, the Dnieper, and the Don. BIRD’S WAY,THE See also: Azov, Sea of; Bulgaria; Danube; Lithuania Dnieper; Georgia; Romania; Russia; Ukraine Alternative name for the , the heavenly bridge that the spirits of the dead BLACK STREAM cross to reach their eternal home, the moon. Russia See also: Milky Way,The; Moon A small river that flowed into Lake Il'men' from the west. Long ago, a miller built his BLACK GOD mill on this stream, which nearly dammed its Slav waters. More importantly for the sake of this The literal English translation of the Russian legend, the mill stopped the fish in the river name Chernobog (a compound of the words from gaining access to Lake Il'men', a fact chernyi, meaning “black,” and bog, “god”). they bitterly pointed out to the river. BOGATYR' 39

Appearing as a man dressed from head to BLUDOVICH, GODENKO foot in black, the Black Stream came to a Russia man from Novgorod who was fishing in his See Godenko Bludovich. waters, and offering to show him a place where the water teemed with fish, he asked BOBA the man to do him a favor.The man readily Lithuania agreed, and having been led to the point on The name given to the last sheaf harvested, the river where the fish filled the water the equivalent of the Polish Baba.The person almost completely,the Black Stream gave the who binds this last sheaf is the subject of man a message that he was to pass on to a much attention, for he or she is held to be peasant whom he would meet in Novgorod, imbued with the life-giving forces of the who would be dressed in a blue kaftan, blue grain.The last sheaf is made into the figure of trousers, and a blue hat. a woman, which is then carried through the After returning to Novgorod, the man village on the last wagon to leave the fields, duly found the peasant and passed on the and at the farmer’s house, is drenched with message without realizing that the peasant water before everyone involved in the har- was none other than the personification of vest dances around it. Lake Il'men'.That night, in response to Black See also: Baba Stream’s plea, Lake Il'men' sent a huge wave thundering up Black Stream, which washed BOGATYR' the mill away. Russia This story seems related to the ancient (pl. bogatyri) “Champion,” the post- custom of offering a human sacrifice to a Christian Russian name for a knight of Holy water god whenever a new mill was built, in Russia. These knights were revered by the order to assure the effort’s success. folk as demigods who fought , demons, See also: Il'men', Lake; Novgorod and other evil beings sent forth by the Devil. These knights usually appeared in the won- BLAISE, SAINT der tales, the volshebnye skazki, but also figure Slav as heroes in other categories of Russian leg- The patron saint of wool-combers, his name ends, especially the byliny and the bylichki. In is invoked against sore throats. Very little is the epic cycles that related the stories of known about Saint Blaise, who seems to have bogatyri, pagan myths were mingled with been unknown prior to the eighth century. the new Christian beliefs—accommodating He is thought to have been an Armenian the ancient religious system within the new bishop and martyr—possibly the bishop of one. One poem in particular, Why There Are Sebastea in Cappadocia—and to have been No More Bogatyri in Holy Russia, can be seen executed during the persecutions of as a concerted attempt to eliminate the Christians in the early fourth century. His bogatyri altogether, as it explains that these feast day is 3 February, and his iconographic knights became too self-confident and emblem is a comb. In art he is usually shown attacked a large supernatural army referred to with two candles—an iconography that led in some versions of the stories as the Kams. to the sixteenth-century practice (still cur- However, every time a supernatural warrior rent today) of placing two candles on a fell to the bogatyri, two more sprang up to patient suffering from a throat ailment. take his place, and at last the bogatyri admit- ted defeat and fled to the mountains, where BLASIUS, SAINT they were turned to stone. Slav See also: Bylichka; ; Devil,The; Il'ya Alternative name for Saint Blaise. Muromets; Kams; Mikhail Potyk; Mikula 40 BOGHU, KHAN

Armored bogatyri on horseback travel the countryside in search of evil in Bogatyri, an undated Vasnetsov painting in the Tretyakov Gallery. (V.Vasnetsov/Sovfoto/Eastfoto/PNI)

Selyaninovich; Sviatogor;Volkh Vseslav'evich; Hiding behind some rocks, Badikan put out Volshebnye skazki the seven open barrels of wine, and when the ox had drained them and fallen into a BOGHU, KHAN drunken stupor, he leaped forward and cut Armenia off its head. As the head fell, Khan Boghu, An enormous giant who is central to the who was out hunting, stumbled and fell and story of Badikan. Khan Boghu was the pos- instantly knew that he had been betrayed and sessor of seven souls, which he kept inside the ox was dead. Khan Boghu staggered to seven sparrows that could not be caught.The his feet and hurried back to his palace as sparrows, in turn, were inside a mother-of- quickly as he could, considering the pain he pearl box that could not be opened, which now found himself suffering for the very first was inside a fox that could not be caught. If time. Seeing him coming, the princess, who that were not enough, the fox was inside an had fallen in love with Badikan and told her ox that could not be overcome. With his lover of Khan Boghu’s weakness, fled to the seven souls thus protected, Khan Boghu rooftops, fully intending to throw herself to believed himself secure from his enemies for her death if need be. all time. When Badikan discovered this Badikan, meanwhile, had cut open the ox, secret, he set out to kill the giant. caught the fox by its tail, and cut off its head. Badikan’s first stop was at the home of a As the head rolled from the fox, blood began group of sorcerers, who told him that the ox to flow freely from Khan Boghu’s nose. could be overcome with seven barrels of Badikan then cut open the fox, took out the strong wine. So equipped, Badikan rode for mother-of-pearl box, and broke its lock. As many days until he found the huge ox. the lock broke, Khan Boghu began to cough BORIS, SAINT 41 up blood. Badikan then let out the seven A period of civil wars began in 1419, fol- sparrows. When he strangled the first two, lowing the execution of John Hus, a Khan Boghu fell to his knees.When he stran- Bohemian religious reformer. Called the gled two more, Khan Boghu’s arms and legs Hussite Wars, these were chiefly religious grew numb. When he strangled yet another conflicts in which Hus’s followers fought two, Khan Boghu’s heart and liver burst.Then loyal Roman Catholics.The two sides man- Badikan caught the last sparrow and crushed aged to reach a compromise in 1436, after it in his hands, and as he did so, all life left which most Bohemians gradually became Khan Boghu in a cloud of black smoke. Protestants. Bohemia came under the rule of See also: Badikan the Catholic Habsburg family in 1526. The References: Khatchatrian 1933 Bohemian Protestants overthrew the Habs- burgs in 1618, but the dynasty regained BOGORODITSA power in 1620 and subsequently ruled Russia Bohemia for almost 400 years, during which “Birth-Giver of God,”name for Mary,mother time Bohemia lost most of its religious and of Christ. A post-Christian cult was devised political freedom. Beginning in the late eigh- around the Virgin Mary by the early Russian teenth century, Czech leaders in Bohemia Orthodox clergy to bring the pagan worship worked for a rebirth of patriotism and cul- of into the sphere of Christian the- ture.A revolt in 1848 was unsuccessful. ology.The Virgin Mary soon became a central In 1918, following the conclusion of focus of Russian Orthodoxy. World War I, Bohemia became a province of References: Bulgakov 1932, 1944 the new independent republic of Czecho- until the government of Czecho- BOHEMIA slovakia abolished the country’s provinces in General 1949. In 1992, after the Soviet Union col- Bohemia is a region in the western part of lapsed and many nations of eastern Europe the that covers 20,374 had reasserted political independence, the square miles (52,768 square kilometers). state of Czechoslovakia was voted out of Bohemia is a saucer-shaped plateau ringed existence and the independent countries of by hills and mountains. The Sudeten the Czech Republic and Slovakia were cre- Mountains form Bohemia’s northeastern ated in its place. Bohemia became a region in boundary, and the Bohemian Mountains the the Czech Republic. region’s western boundary. Most Bohemians See also: Czechoslovakia; Czechs; Slovakia belong to the Slavic grouping known as Czechs. The first known inhabitants of BORIS, SAINT Bohemia were the Boii, a Celtic tribe that Russia lived in the region during the fourth century Russian Orthodox saint who according to B.C., from whose name Bohemia is derived. some legends was a smith who, along with The Czech word for Bohemia, Cechy, refers Saint Gleb, forged the first plow. This plow to the Czechs, who had settled in the region was of enormous proportions, and was forged by about A.D. 500. In 1158, Emperor with implements of like size.The two smiths Frederick I of the Holy Roman Empire gave were reported to have used twelve golden the title of king to the Duke of Bohemia. , and tongs that weighed almost four Bohemia reached its political and cultural hundredweight, or twelve poods. Other ver- peak in the 1300s, when Charles IV sions of this legend name the two saintly (1316–78) ruled as king (from 1346, he also smiths as Saint Kuz'ma and Saint Dem'yan. was the elected king of Germany, and after Boris and Gleb are Russia’s oldest saints, 1355, Holy Roman emperor). sons of Prince Vladimir Bright Sun, and 42 BORUSHKA MATUSHKA brothers of Sviatopolk. The earliest account made Bosnia a banat (province) under the of the martyrdom of the brothers dates from control of a ban (viceroy). Ban Stephen the twelfth-century Primary Chronicle. In this Krotomanic extended Hungarian authority version, Boris hears of his father’s death over the principality of Hum (also known as while he is fighting the invading Pecheneg Zahumlje), later known as Herzegovina. hordes. Boris quickly returns to Kiev, where Krotomanic’s nephew and successor Stephen he learns that his older brother Sviatopolk Tvtko further extended the boundaries, and plans to kill him and take his lands and in 1376 proclaimed himself king of Serbia inheritance. However, instead of acting and Bosnia. The kingdom began to disinte- against his brother in order to evade death, grate after the death of Tvtko, and a rebel- Boris makes things easier for Sviatopolk and lious Bosnian chieftain seized the Hum submits to his fate. Gleb then learns that region early in the fifteenth century and Sviatopolk plans the same end for him, and established it as Herzegovina, which means he too submits to the inevitable.The broth- “independent duchy.” By 1463 the Ottoman ers are recorded as dying in 1015, and shortly Empire had conquered most of Bosnia, and afterward they were canonized as “Protectors Herzegovina fell to them in 1483. The two of the Land of Rus'.’’ territories remained provinces of the The cult of Boris and Gleb was not Ottoman Empire for the next 400 years, Christian in origin, but the church gave its although unsuccessful uprisings against the blessing in order to satisfy the newly con- Turks occurred frequently during the nine- verted populace. teenth century. See also: Dem'yan, Saint; Gleb, Saint; Kiev; The population of the area included Kuz'ma, Saint; Pechenegs; Primary Chronicle; Roman Catholic Croats, Orthodox Serbs, and Sviatopolk;Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince Muslims (Slavs who converted to Islam during References: Bezsonov 1861; Cross and Ottoman rule) by the late nineteenth century. Sherbowitz-Wetzor 1953; Golubinskii 1903; Unrest among the various ethnic groups, cou- Zenkovsky 1963 pled with the increasing deterioration of the Ottoman Empire, led to a general decline of BORUSHKA MATUSHKA the area. During the Congress of Berlin in Russia 1878, the double monarchy of Austria- One of the names of the magical horse Hungary negotiated with other European owned by Il'ya Muromets, the other being rulers for administration rights over the area, Kosmatushka. and by 1908 it had annexed the two provinces. See also: Il'ya Muromets; Kosmatushka Austro-Hungarian rule did little to quell the References: Astakhova 1938–51 ethnic tensions in the region. Bosnia became a center of nationalist agitation for political BOSNIA independence and cultural autonomy. Europe General began to take sides in the disputes: Austria- Nearly three millennia ago, the territory now Hungary and Germany opposed the growing called formed part Serbian nationalism, and Russia and Great of Illyria, which became known as the Britain partially supported it. Roman province of Illyricum in the first In June 1914 the heir to the throne of century B.C. Following the collapse of the Austria-Hungary, Archduke Francis Ferdi- Roman Empire, first the Goths and then the nand, and his wife were assassinated in Slavs conquered the territory. Various petty Sarajevo by Gavril Princip, a Serb student Slav princes ruled the area until the twelfth from Bosnia.This act precipitated World War century A.D., when Hungary made the area I. During the war, Croats and Serbs mostly one of its dominions. The later fought together, hoping to create a kingdom BOZHENA 43

“Young Bosnia” members on trial in Sarajevo. Gavril Princip, one of the group’s members, shot the Austro- Hungarian regent,Archduke Ferdinand, and his wife on 20 June 1914. (Archive Photos) that would unite all of the South Slavic peo- merchant guilds in 1416 and remained in ples. On 1 December 1918, following the control until 1476, when the city came overthrow of the monarchy of Austria- under the control of Ivan the Great. During Hungary at the close of the war, Bosnia and the sixteenth century the boyars formed Herzegovina merged and became part of the such a powerful group that they began to independent Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and threaten the authority of the tsar. However, Slovenes under the Serbian monarchy of their influence was decisively broken by Ivan King Alexander from 1921 to 1934. When Groznyi in 1565 when the tsar confiscated conflict between Croats and Serbs led to most of their land. greater national tensions, Alexander tight- See also: Ivan Groznyi; Ivan the Great; ened control over the country, and in 1929 Novgorod he renamed the kingdom Yugoslavia (which References: Zenkovsky 1963 means “Land of the ”). See also: Herzegovina; Hungary; Serbia BOZHENA Russia BOUYAN From bog, “god,” bozhena was the name given Slav to the bathhouse in Russian folklore, the See Buyan. home of the bannik. Marriages were often sanctified in the bathhouse, and those so BOYARS sanctified were considered more sacred than Russia those conducted in church, the bathhouse Aristocratic landowners in Russia. These being the traditional center of prophecy,sor- nobles wrested power in Novgorod from the cery, and healing. 44 BRIANSK WOODS

See also: Bannik About 10 B.C. the Romans established the References: Arbatskii 1956 colony of Aquincum on the present site of and near that of an earlier settlement. BRIANSK WOODS In A.D. 376 invading Vandals conquered Russia Aquincum. During the next 500 years Slavs, Woods that lay on the road between Avars, and others settled on the sites of Buda Chernigov and Kiev and in which the brig- and Pest, and in the latter half of the ninth and Nightingale had his nest. It was also in century the Magyars took the towns. In the Briansk Woods that Ivan the Soldier 1241, during the Tatar invasion of Hungary, hung Death in a pouch until he was almost Pest was destroyed. In 1247 King Béla IV of dead. Hungary repopulated Pest with Germans See also: Chernigov; Death; Ivan the Soldier; and colonists of other nationalities and estab- Kiev; Nightingale lished the city of Buda. Buda became the capital of Hungary and the home of the royal BRIGHT SUN court in 1361, while Pest became a leading Russia commercial center. During the Turkish inva- Epithet applied to the historical prince sion of Hungary, Pest was taken in 1526 and Vladimir I of Kiev,whose identity merged in Buda in 1541. When the Turks were driven the folk imagination with that of Vladimir II out in 1686 by a league of states under the to form the legendary prince of Kiev, leadership of Austria, both cities were almost Vladimir Bright Sun. in ruins. Because of the commanding posi- See also: Kiev;Vladimir I;Vladimir II;Vladimir tion of Buda and Pest on the Danube and Bright Sun, Prince their resultant economic importance, the recovery of both cities was rapid. Both Buda BUDAPEST and Pest continued to grow during the eigh- Hungary teenth century and made an extraordinary City in northern Hungary, on the river advance during the period preceding the last Danube near the Slovakian border. Hungary’s decade of the nineteenth century. capital and largest city.Tree-lined boulevards In the mid-nineteenth century, Hungar- and wide squares bordered by modern build- ian patriots made Pest a center of culture and ings make today’s Budapest one of the most politics, and in 1848 Pest became the capital beautiful capitals of Europe.The city consists of Hungary. In 1873, Buda, Pest, Obuda, and of the community of Buda on the west bank Margaret Island were united to form a new of the Danube and the community of Pest on capital city, which was christened Budapest. the east bank. Built on a terraced plateau, See also: Avars; Danube; Hungary; Magyars; Buda contains ruins dating from the Turkish Slovakia;Tatars occupation, including the former royal palace situated on the summit of the plateau, at the BULAT base of which are famous medicinal springs. Tatar Pest stands on a plain and is the site of the One of a pair of heroes who appear in a Houses of Parliament (opened in 1896), the poem engaged in mortal combat each other, Academy of Sciences, the Museum of Fine the other hero being Ak Molot. Ak Molot Arts, the Palace of Justice, the Eötvös Loránd managed to inflict numerous wounds on his University (1635), the Custom House, and enemy—wounds that would have killed any the National Museum. Buda and Pest are ordinary man. However, Bulat was not ordi- linked by six bridges over the Danube, nary,for he did not carry his soul.After three including one of the largest suspension years of fighting,Ak Molot saw a golden cas- bridges in Europe. ket hanging from the sky on a white silken BULAT THE BRAVE 45 thread. Ak Molot shot down the casket and Sensing their approach, Bulat pretended opened it, whereupon ten white birds flew to have lost his ring and told his companions out, one of which contained Bulat’s soul. to continue on their way while he returned While fighting Bulat, Ak Molot also man- to look for it. Vasilissa Kirbit'evna tried to aged to shoot down the birds, one after dissuade him by giving him her own ring, another, and as the tenth bird fell to the but although Bulat accepted the offered ground, Bulat died. ring, he still returned along the route they See also: Ak Molot had followed. Coming across his pursuers, he killed all but the tsar before returning to his BULAT THE BRAVE companions. Russia Tsar Kirbit returned home and gathered Found being flogged in a market square for together twice as many men. Bulat the Brave owing a large sum of money to a merchant, once again sensed their approach, and this Bulat was saved from further torment by time pretending to have lost his scarf, he Ivan, who paid the money Bulat owed to the returned and dispatched them all, leaving merchant. Thinking nothing of this, Ivan only the tsar alive to return home. Knowing walked away from the market square; but that his daughter was lost to him forever,Tsar Bulat ran up to him, thanked him for saving Kirbit gave up the chase and returned home him, and told him that if he had not helped to mourn her. him, Ivan never would have found the girl As night fell Bulat, Ivan, and Vasilissa Vasilissa Kirbit'evna, who was prophesied to Kirbit'evna made their camp. Bulat told Ivan become his wife. that he would scout the area and ordered To fulfill his destiny, Ivan followed Bulat him to stay awake and watch over the the Brave’s instructions exactly.The pair rode maiden. Ivan managed to stay awake half the a great distance until they came to the land night but fell asleep soon after midnight. of Tsar Kirbit.There, in a tower, just as had When Bulat woke him in the morning the been foretold, they found the maiden. girl was nowhere to be seen. Bulat scolded Purchasing some chickens, ducks, and geese, Ivan, telling him that Koshchei the Deathless Bulat told Ivan to have them roasted and to had abducted her and that they would have hand him a wing whenever he returned to search for her. from trying to capture the girl. Bulat then After several days’ ride they came across a went to the tower and threw a stone to herd of cattle being tended by two men. attract the attention of the girl, cracking the Having discovered from one of the herdsmen gilded roof of the tower in the process. that the cattle belonged to Koshchei, they Running back to Ivan, Bulat had him give killed the men and dressed in the herders’ him a chicken wing and then returned to the clothing before driving the herd back to tower, where he offered it to Vasilissa where Koshchei lived. Kirbit'evna. In order to maintain her beauty in such a Three times Bulat did this, each time dreary place,Vasilissa Kirbit'evna had taken to offering the girl the wing he carried, first of washing her face in ’s milk morning and chicken, then of duck, and finally of . night.As Bulat and Ivan drove the cattle into As the maiden leaned out of the window to the yard a maid was just filling a cup with the take the last wing offered, Bulat grabbed her, goat’s milk for Vasilissa Kirbit'evna. Bulat and the three made away as fast as their slipped the girl’s ring off his finger and slyly horses would carry them. The following dropped it into the milk. When Vasilissa morning, when Tsar Kirbit saw the damage Kirbit'evna found the ring she immediately to the tower and found his daughter missing, knew who the two herdsmen were and he and a number of his men gave chase. rushed out to greet them. Bulat told the girl 46 BULGARIA that she must discover where Koshchei kept it was pounced upon by the eagle Bulat and his soul, for without it they could not kill Ivan had spared. Out of the duck fell the egg, him.Then he bade her quickly to help them which rolled into the sea, whence it was hide. Scarcely were they secreted when recovered by the lobster. Having Koshchei’s Koshchei flew in. soul in their possession, Bulat and Ivan Pretending to have missed him very returned to Vasilissa Kirbit'evna. That much, Vasilissa Kirbit'evna snuggled up to evening, when Koshchei returned, they con- Koshchei, telling him that she had been fronted him and smashed the egg on his scared for him. He replied that she had no forehead, killing him. need to be frightened, for he did not carry Ivan returned to his homeland, where he his soul with him. It was hidden in a broom married Vasilissa Kirbit'evna in fulfillment of in the kitchen. When Vasilissa Kirbit'evna the prophecy and made Bulat the Brave his told Bulat this, he knew that Koshchei was most trusted friend and adviser. lying, so he told the girl to be even more See also: Ivan; Koshchei (the Deathless); cunning. Vasilis(s)a Kirbit'evna That evening, when Koshchei returned, Vasilissa Kirbit'evna presented him with the BULGARIA broom, finely decorated, as a gift, telling him General that his soul was too precious to leave lying A country of southeastern Europe that is around. Koshchei laughed. He then told her bounded to the north by Romania, to the that his soul was in fact inside the goat that west by the former Yugoslavia, to the south provided the milk she washed in.Again Bulat by Greece, to the southwest by Turkey, and knew he was lying, so Vasilissa Kirbit'evna to the east by the Black Sea. In ancient presented Koshchei with the goat, elabo- times, as the Roman province of Moesia rately decorated. Koshchei once again Inferior, the territory comprised Thrace laughed, and told her that his soul was not in and Moesia. It was inhabited by the the goat but rather in an egg, inside a duck, Thraco-Illyrians. Beginning in the sixth inside a hare, under a huge oak on a remote century A.D. Slavic tribes migrated into the island in the middle of an endless ocean. region and either absorbed or drove out the When Vasilissa Kirbit'evna relayed this to original inhabitants. In the latter half of the Bulat, he knew that at last Koshchei had told seventh century, the region was conquered the truth. Immediately he and Ivan set off by the Bulgars (a people of Turkic stock), the find the island. En route they grew dan- who migrated from their domain on the gerously short of food. Coming across a dog, east side of the Black Sea, crossed the lower they made to kill it. The dog pleaded for reaches of the Danube River, and subjugat- mercy, saying that he would be of use to ed Lower Moesia, then a province of the them. Bulat set the dog free. Next they came Byzantine Empire. Imperial armies failed to an eagle, and the same thing happened. repeatedly to dislodge the invaders during On the shore of the ocean they met a lob- the eighth century. Fewer in number than ster, and exactly the same thing happened the Slavic population of Lower Moesia, the again. Bulgars gradually became Slavicized during Crossing the ocean took many days, but this period, and by the end of the century finally they came to an island on which a sin- they had annexed considerable additional gle, huge oak tree grew. Bulat unearthed the territory and laid the foundations for a tree with ease, and the hare jumped out and strong state under Khan Krum, who ran away. Instantly the dog they had spared reigned from 803 to 814.The Krum armies appeared and caught the hare. Out of the inflicted a devastating defeat on an invading hare the duck flew high into the sky, where Byzantine force in 811 and almost suc- BULGARIA 47 ceeded in taking Constantinople in 813. Methodius, the “apostles to the Slavs.” Bulgarian-Byzantine relations were there- During this period the Cyrillic alphabet was after relatively peaceful and continued to adopted, and the language known today as be so during the first half of the ninth cen- Old became the first writ- tury. Khan Krum’s immediate successors ten Slavic language. enlarged their dominions, mainly in the Weakened by domestic strife and successive region of Serbia and Macedonia. However, Magyar raids, Bulgarian power declined in 860, during the reign of Boris I steadily during the following half century. In (852–889), Bulgaria suffered a severe mili- 969, invading Russians seized the capital and tary setback at the hands of the Serbs. Four captured the royal family, but the following years later Boris, responding to pressure year the Byzantine emperor John I,Tzimisces, from the Byzantine emperor Michael III, alarmed over the Russian advance into south- made Christianity the official religion of eastern Europe, intervened in the Russo- the khanate (865). Boris accepted the pri- Bulgarian conflict. The Russians were com- macy of the papacy in 866, but in 870, fol- pelled to withdraw from Bulgaria in 972, and lowing the refusal of Pope Adrian II (pope the eastern part of the country was annexed 867–872) to make Bulgaria an archbish- to the Byzantine Empire. Samuel, the son of a opric, he shifted his allegiance to the Bulgarian provincial governor, became ruler . Under his son, of western Bulgaria in 976; but Samuel’s Simeon (893–927), the country became a armies were annihilated in 1014 by the leading power. In the eleventh century Byzantine emperor Basil II, who incorporated Bulgaria came under Byzantium’s rule, and the short-lived state into his empire in 1018. even though a second independent Bul- Led by the nobles Ivan and Peter Asen,the garian empire was founded in the four- revolted against Byzantine rule in teenth century, Bulgaria formed a part of 1185 and established a second empire. It the Ottoman Empire for almost 500 years, consisted initially of the region between the until it became an independent kingdom in Balkan Mountains and the Danube, but by 1908. The term Bulgar may be correctly the early thirteenth century it included used to refer to any of the invaders from extensive neighboring territories—most Asia who entered the region in the seventh notably, sections of Serbia and all of western century and conquered and subjugated the Macedonia. In 1204, following the Latin Slav population. occupation of Constantinople, Ivan’s and In the late ninth and early tenth centuries, Peter’s brother Kaloyan (reigned 1197–1207) during the reign of Boris’s son Simeon, temporarily broke with the Eastern Ortho- Bulgaria became the strongest nation in east- dox church and accepted the primacy of the ern Europe. A brilliant administrator and pope. However, this act was renounced in military leader, Simeon introduced Byzan- 1234. Ivan Asen II (reigned 1218–1241), the tine culture into his realm, encouraged edu- fifth ruler of the Asen dynasty,added western cation, obtained new territories, defeated the Thrace, the remainder of Macedonia, and Magyars, and conducted a series of successful part of Albania to the empire in 1230. wars against the Byzantine Empire. In 925 Feudal strife and involvement in foreign Simeon proclaimed himself emperor of the wars caused the empire gradually to disinte- and Bulgars. The following year grate after the death of Ivan Asen II. The Simeon conquered Serbia and became the Bulgarian armies were decisively defeated by most powerful monarch in contemporary the Serbs in 1330, and for the next quarter eastern Europe. Simeon’s reign was marked century the second empire was little more by great cultural advances led by the follow- than a dependency of Serbia. Shortly after ers of Saint Cyril and his brother Saint 1360 the Ottoman Turks began to ravage the 48 BUSI-URT

Maritsa Valley, completing the subjugation of married at one time to Nikita but do not Bulgaria in 1396. During the next five cen- mention whether this marriage occurred turies the political and cultural identity of before or after Amelfia’s marriage to Buslai, Bulgaria was almost destroyed. However, or how the marriage ended. after a century of terrorism and persecution, See also: Amelf(i)a Timofe(y)evna;Vasilii the Turkish administration improved and the Buslayevich economic condition of the remaining Bul- garians rose to a level higher than it had been BUSLAVLEVICH,VOL'GA under the kingdom, although unsuccessful Russia revolts against Turkish rule still occurred See Vol'ga Buslavlevich. from time to time. In the late eighteenth and early nine- BUSLAYEVICH,VASILII teenth centuries, with the revival of a litera- Russia ture glorifying Bulgaria’s history, nationalism Also: Busla(y)ev,Vasilii became a powerful movement. In 1876 the See Vasilii Buslayevich. Bulgarians revolted against the Turks but were quelled. In an act of sadistic reprisal, the BUYAN Turks massacred about 15,000 Bulgarian Slav men, women, and children. In 1877, An oceanic island described by some as par- prompted by the desire to expand toward the adise. The home of the North, East, and Mediterranean Sea and by Pan-Slavic senti- West , the soft west wind being ment, Russia declared war on Turkey. As a known as Dogoda. These winds were the result of the ensuing Russo-Turkish War, in attendants of the Sun, who—according to which Turkey was defeated, a part of Bulgaria some accounts—also lived on the island. became an autonomous principality, and Buyan is sometimes described as the home Eastern Rumelia, another region, was made of the two Zoryi, the daughters of an autonomous Turkish province. Dazhbog— Utrennyaya and Zorya See also: Black Sea; Byzantine Empire; Vechernyaya. Further accounts made Buyan Byzantium; Constantinople; Cyril and a silent, subterranean city that was the eter- Methodius, Saints; Danube; Macedonia; nal, peaceful home of the dead. Magyars; Romania; Serbia See also: Belun; Dazhbog; Dogoda; Sun; Wind; Zorya Utrennyaya; Zorya Vechernyaya BUSI-URT Finno-Ugric—Votyak BYLICHKA One of the classes of urt. The spirit of the Russia grain field who protects the d'u-urt, the soul (pl. bylichki) One of the three main types of the grain, and ensures a good harvest. of Russian legend, the other two being the See also: D'u-urt; Urt bylina and the skazka. Bylichki deal with the supernatural world and with beings BUSLAEV,VASILII that come from the land of the dead, the Russia underworld. When pagan beliefs were at See Vasilii Buslayevich. their strongest in ancient Russia, the com- mon peasants half-believed the bylichki. BUSLAI (~Y) These legends are generally short and told Russia in the first person, being related from father The husband of Amelfia Timofeyevna and to son and thence passed down through the father by her of Vasilii Buslayevich. Legends generations. indicate that Amelfia Timofeyevna also was See also: Bylina; Skazka; Underworld,The BYZANTINE EMPIRE 49

BYLINA BYZANTINE EMPIRE Russia General (pl. byliny; from byl', meaning “fact” or “true One of the most influential acts of Emperor story”) One of the three categories of Constantine was his decision in 330 to move Russian legend, with the skazka and the the capital of the empire from Rome to bylichka. The byliny, or stariny, tell of the “New Rome”—the city of Byzantium—at heroes of yore, such as Il'ya Muromets and the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. Dobrynya Nikitich, and of their daring deeds The new capital, Constantinople (today, in battle against the enemies of ancient Istanbul), also became the intellectual and Russia. They are formulated in verses in- religious center of Eastern Catholicism.This tended to be sung or chanted and evidence a move fostered a special relationship between distinctive mix of the mythical and the his- church and state that combined elements of torical. The earliest byliny date from the Eastern Catholicism with those of classical tenth or the eleventh century, but their con- antiquity (a synthesis frequently described tent is undoubtedly of much earlier origin. rather simplistically as “Caesaropapism”). At See also: Bylichka; Dobrynya Nikitich; Il'ya its worst, this culture led to the subjection of Muromets; Skazka the church to state tyranny. References: Chadwick 1964; Oinas 1978; A collision between the church and the Sokolov 1945 imperial power in the eighth century

Engraving of Saint Sophia in Constantinople, c. 1837 (Print and Picture Collection, Free Library of Philadelphia) 50 BYZANTIUM brought about a crisis. Emperor Leo III had From its early foundations in Kiev,this Slavic prohibited religious images, thus precipitat- Orthodoxy pervaded Russia, where the fea- ing a struggle in which Eastern Orthodox tures of Eastern Christianity took firm hold. monks became the principal defenders of the However, during the centuries-long rule of icons. Eventually the icons were restored, and the Ottoman Turks in the Balkans some with them a measure of independence for Christian populations were forced to em- the church. However, during the seventh and brace Islam. eighth centuries three of the four great See also: Byzantium; Constantinople; Kiev Eastern Orthodox capitals were captured by the dynamic new faith of Islam. Only Constantinople remained immune for a BYZANTIUM time; however, besieged by the Turks, it fi- General nally fell in 1453. The name given by the Greeks to a city on Among the points of controversy between the Bosporus. In A.D. 330 the Roman Constantinople and Rome was the evange- emperor Constantine the Great moved the lization of the Slavs that began in the ninth capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to century. Even though several Slavic tribes— Byzantium and renamed the city Constan- Poles, Moravs, Czechs, Slovaks, Croats, and tinople. The city became the seat of power Slovenes—did adopt the Western rites, the for the Byzantine Empire.Today it is known vast majority of Slavic peoples became as Istanbul,Turkey. Christians in the Eastern (Byzantine) church. See also: Byzantine Empire; Constantinople During the past several centuries, the Caspian has been shrinking in size because the rivers that empty into it (chiefly the Volga, Ural, Emba, Terek, and Kura) bring less water than it loses by evaporation. The Caspian Sea lies 92 feet (28 meters) below sea level and is drained by no natural outlets to the ocean. The waters of the Caspian are less salty than ocean waters and abound with CAIN both freshwater and saltwater fish. Armenia C See also: Kayen. CAUCASUS General CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS A series of mountain ranges that extend 750 General miles (1,200 km) between the Caspian and Part of the great mountain system of central the Black Seas. The highest peak is Elbruz, Europe. The Carpathians extend about 900 which rises to 18,480 feet (5,633 m). miles (1,400 kilometers) along the border between Slovakia and Poland and into CAUTIOUS MOTHER CROW Ukraine and Romania, with most of the Armenia range being situated in Slovakia and A mother crow once told her children to be Romania. The highest peak in the wary of man, especially if they saw a man Carpathians is Gerlachovsky (8,711 feet, or stooping to pick up a stone. One of the 2,655 meters), in Slovakia’s Tatra Mountains. young birds asked his mother what they The Carpathians are an extension of the should do if they encountered a man already mountain range that includes the Alps, holding a stone, to which the mother replied although the Carpathian peaks are generally that their question showed her that they lower than the Alps and have fewer lakes, were already cautious enough to go forth glaciers, and waterfalls. into the world and come to no harm. One of the fables of Vardan. CASPIAN SEA See also: Vardan General References: Marr 1894–99 A great salt lake below sea level, the Caspian is the largest inland body of water in the CHARITY world. It lies between Europe and Asia east Russia of the Caucasus Mountains and is bordered The village that is home to the beautiful, by Kazakhstan on the north and northeast, half-naked spinning-woman who cures Turkmenistan on the southeast, Iran on the Peter of Murom of his sores in exchange for south, Azerbaijan on the southwest, and his promise of marriage. When Peter of Russia on the west and northwest. Murom attempts to renege, his strength saps The Caspian Sea covers 143,250 square away and the sores reappear. Convinced that miles (371,000 square kilometers). It is about he has no choice, Peter of Murom marries 750 miles (1,210 kilometers) long at its the maiden, who reveals that her true name greatest extent and varies from 130 to 300 is Fevroniia. miles (209 to 483 kilometers) in width. See also: Fevroniia; Peter of Murom

51 52 CHEREMISS-MORDVIN

CHEREMISS-MORDVIN because he was only passing through, on his General way to the court of Vladimir Bright Sun at Adjective describing the indigenous inhabi- Kiev. tants of the region around the middle and See also: Desna; Il'ya Muromets; Kiev; upper Volga that is today the autonomous Ukraine;Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince republic of Mordovia or Mordvinia. The region was conquered by Russia during the CHERNOBOG thirteenth century and did not regain politi- Slav cal autonomy until 1930.Almost none of the The Black God, whose name is a com- Finno-Ugric–speaking Cheremiss-Mordvin pound of the words chernyi (black) and bog indigenes have survived. (god). He was the epitome and personifi- cation of evil, darkness, and death. Usually CHERKESS represented as a dark figure dressed all in General black, he was reportedly seen only during Alternative name for Circassians. Cherkess is the hours of darkness. His direct opposite also the name of an autonomous oblast in is Belobog, the White God, the personifi- today’s Russian Federation. cation of goodness. Chernobog was partic- ularly feared in northern Russia, where CHERNAVA long periods of each year passed in virtual Russia darkness. Daughter of the Sea Tsar. was forcibly See also: Belobog; Black God;White God betrothed to her, having been detained beneath the oceans by her father: The Sea CHUDO-YUDO Tsar knew that if the couple consummated Russia their marriage, Sadko would be forever Fire-breathing, multiheaded dragon de- under his spell. However, Sadko sought the scribed in some accounts as the brother of help of Saint Nikolai of Mozhaisk, and in Koshchei the Deathless, and thus the off- accordance with the saint’s instructions he spring of Baba-Yaga, and in others as a per- did not lie with the girl; thus, he was soon sonification of the witch in her foulest form. released from his bond. Chernava is also the Chudo-Yudo is one of the guardians of the spirit of the river of the same name, which Water of Life and Death,and his name tradi- flows near Novgorod and to which Sadko tionally was invoked in times of drought. was transported when the Sea Tsar was See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Dragon; forced to release him. In Russian legend, all Koshchei (the Deathless);Water of Life and rivers are described as children of the Sea Death,The Tsar—even those that spring from the blood References: Afanas'ev 1865–69 of fallen heroes. See also: Nikolai of Mozhaisk, Saint; CHUR Novgorod; Sadko; Sea Tsar Slav Alternative name for Rod(ú). CHERNIGOV Russia CHURILO PLENKOVICH Port town on the River Desna in northern Russia Ukraine, also the site of an eleventh-century The best-dressed man in all Russia, accord- cathedral. In the legend of Il'ya Muromets, ing to the legends surrounding the wedding the hero Il'ya freed the inhabitants of the feast of Dunai Ivanovich and the Princess town, who were under siege. They asked Nastas'ya. him to become their tsar, but Il'ya refused See also: Dunai Ivanovich; Nastas'ya, Princess COPPER KINGDOM, THE 53

CILICIA CONSTANTINE General Slav Also: Kilikia The given name of Saint Cyril, who did not Armenian state established on the Medi- adopt the name Cyril until he had become a terranean coast in the mid- to late eleventh monk.As he died soon afterward, in A.D. 869, century. This kingdom fell to Mamluk he was known only a short time as Cyril. invaders in 1375.The territory now is part of See also: Cyril and Methodius, Saints modern Turkey. CONSTANTINOPLE CIRCASSIANS General General “City of Constantine,” the name by which People of the northwestern Caucasus, also Byzantium was known between A.D. 324, referred to as the Cherkess.They are found when the Roman emperor Constantine I today chiefly in the Adygeya and Cherkess chose the city as his capital, and 1453, when autonomous oblasts (political subdivisions the Ottoman Empire conquered the city and of the Russian Federation) and in larger renamed it Istanbul. See also: Byzantium groups in Jordan, Turkey, and Syria. They belong to the Abkhaz-Adygei language group, a non–Indo-European group dis- COPPER CITY,THE tantly related to Georgian, and are linguisti- Armenia cally related to many other mountain peo- One of a succession of cities visited by ples of the Caucasus and Transcaucasus. Habërmani’s wife on her quest to find her Since the seventeenth century they have husband and restore him to her side. been Muslims. Although Circassia was See also: Habërmani References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, ceded to Russia in 1829, its fiercely inde- vol. 4 pendent inhabitants were not subjugated until 1864, by which time many had left the Caucasus and migrated to various parts of COPPER KINGDOM, THE the Ottoman Empire. Russia One of three kingdoms in the realm of Whirlwind, which was located on a plateau CITY OF THE KING, THE at the top of some tremendously high moun- Russia tains. The tsaritsa of this kingdom had been A city in the Kingdom by the Sea, in which imprisoned by Whirlwind in a copper palace Sviatogor’s future bride had lived for thirty that was guarded by dragons. She was set free years on a dunghill. by Ivan Belyaninovich, along with her sisters, See also: Kingdom by the Sea,The; the tsaritsas of the Silver Kingdom and the Sviatogor Golden Kingdom, when he killed Whirl- wind and released his mother, Nastas'ya of CLAY CITY,THE the Golden Braid. She married Vasilii Armenia Belyaninovich, one of the two brothers of One in a succession of cities that Habër- Ivan. Her sister the tsaritsa of the Silver mani’s princess-wife traveled through on her Kingdom married Peter Belyaninovich, and quest to find her husband and be reconciled Elena the Fair, the tsaritsa of the Golden with him. Kingdom, married Ivan Belyaninovich. See also: Habërmani See also: Dragon; Elena the Fair; Golden References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, Kingdom,The; Ivan Belyaninovich; Nastas'ya vol. 4 of the Golden Braid; Peter Belyaninovich; 54 COSSACKS

Silver Kingdom,The;Vasilii (Belyaninovich); Whirlwind

COSSACKS General A group of people in the former USSR, chiefly of Russian and Ukrainian stock, who lived principally on the steppes that lie to the north of the Black Sea and the Caucasus mountains and extend eastward to the Altai mountains in Siberia. Some historians trace the origin of the Cossacks to serfs who fled the principality of Moscow in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries A.D. and established wheat-growing and stock-raising communi- ties in the valleys of the Dnieper, Don, and Ural Rivers and in Siberia.The name Cossack derives from the Turkish word kazak, which means “free person.”The individual Cossack communities, like other Russian peasant communes of the time, owned land in com- mon. These communities were governed by The famine in Russia, 1892; a Cossack patrol near village assemblies that were presided over by Kazan prevents peasants from leaving their village. elected village elders called atamans or het- (Wood engraving in the Illustrated London News, mans.The chief ataman or hetman of a region from a sketch by a Russian officer; Library of enjoyed great power and prestige, exercising Congress) the authority of a military leader in times of war and that of a civil administrator in peacetime. In the sixteenth century, as the Russian tsars used the Cossacks as border extended their realm, the Cossacks were sub- troops and as a special military and police jected to the authority of the Russian gov- force for the suppression of internal unrest. ernment, which tried to incorporate them In the latter nineteenth and early twentieth into the state on the same basis as the other centuries the tsarist government used inhabitants of the country.As subjects of the Cossack troops to perpetrate pogroms (orga- tsar, all Cossack males aged between 18 and nized massacres, from grom—“thunder”) 50 became eligible for military service.They against Jewish people. Cossack troops were were most often conscripted as members of employed on a large scale in the suppression the cavalry. Cossack horsemen became of the Russian Revolution of 1905, but they famous in the wars of the tsars against the refused to be used for the same purpose dur- Tatars in the Crimea and the Caucasus. ing the Revolution of 1917. The Cossacks, however, cherished their During the civil war that followed the tradition of freedom, which frequently 1917 Revolution, the majority of Cossacks brought them into conflict with the tsars. In fought against the Bolshevik armies. The the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the establishment of the Soviet system brought Cossacks, supported by peasants, engaged in about many changes in Cossack life. The two widespread revolts (1670–71 and 1773– richer Cossacks were deprived of their 74) in the lower Volga Valley.In later years the wealth, and traditional forms of local admin- CROATIA 55 istration were abolished. Cossack soldiers seventh century the Carpathian Croats were relieved of their special military and ousted the Avars and were in turn con- police duties, and Cossack cavalry units were quered by the Franks. Later the region was prohibited. Cossacks were forced to engage made into a duchy.Croatia was an indepen- in collective farming. Many were deported dent kingdom from 925 until the end of the from their lands and resettled in Kazakhstan eleventh century, when a period of anarchy or in Siberia. Nonetheless, Cossack customs led to intervention by Hungary. Except for and traditions continued to be practiced in periods of occupation by the Ottoman several parts of Russia during the Soviet Empire, most of what is today the Republic period, particularly in the regions of the Don of Croatia was an autonomous kingdom and Kuban' Rivers. within the Habsburg Empire from 1102 During the last years of the USSR, until the Hungarian revolution of 1848–49. Cossack organizations experienced a sudden and were dominated for a revival. In 1990, Cossack associations were time by Venice and France, respectively. formed in traditional Cossack areas of the After the Hungarian revolution, Croatia and Russian south including the lower reaches of Slavonia became separate Austrian crown the Don River, the North Caucasus, and the lands. In 1867 the Austrians and Hungarians Ural Mountains. The same year, a national created the dual monarchy of Austria- union of various Cossack associations was Hungary from the Habsburg Empire, and founded in Moscow. After the USSR was Croatia was assigned to the Hungarian dissolved in 1991, the movement spread to crown the following year. Croatia gained its areas outside traditional Cossack lands, so autonomy and was formally joined with that by the end of 1992, Cossack associations Slavonia in 1881. had appeared in several large northern cities, During World War I, Croats and Serbs such as St. Petersburg and Moscow. fought side by side, hoping to create a king- See also: Black Sea; Caucasus; Dnieper; Don; dom that would unite all of the South Slavs. Kazakhstan; Moscow; Siberia;Tatars;Volga On 1 December 1918, following the over- throw of the monarchy of Austria-Hungary CRIMEA at the close of the war, Croatia became part General of the independent Kingdom of the Serbs, The Crimea is a peninsula in southern Croats, and Slovenes under the Serbian Ukraine that juts out into the Black Sea and monarchy of King Alexander I.When con- the Sea of Azov. It covers about 10,400 flict between Croats and Serbs led to greater square miles (27,000 square kilometers) and national tensions, Alexander tightened con- is joined to the mainland by the narrow trol over the country, and in 1929 he Isthmus of Perekop. renamed the kingdom Yugoslavia (“Land of See also: Azov, Sea of; Black Sea; Ukraine the Southern Slavs”).Tensions between the two ethnic groups continued, however, and CRNOJEVIC, IVAN the postwar history of the state was marked Serbia by the struggle of the Croats for greater See Ivan Crnojevic. political autonomy. Croatian extremists assassinated Alexander in 1934, and the fas- CROATIA cist movement Ustasˇa began to garner sup- General port among discontented Croat peasants. In A constituent republic in the former 1939 the approximate present boundaries of Yugoslavia. Part of Pannonia in Roman the republic were defined and the area was times, the country was conquered by the named Croatia. Avars in the sixth century A.D. During the See also: Avars; Hungary; Mongols; Pannonia 56 CRYSTAL CITY,THE

CRYSTAL CITY,THE Armenia One of the succession of cities that the wife of Habërmani traveled through on her quest to find her husband. See also: Habërmani References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, vol. 4

CYRIL AND METHODIUS, SAINTS Slav Cyril and Methodius were brothers born in Thessalonica (Cyril in c. 826, Methodius c. 815 or c. 826) who achieved renown as the Apostles to the Slavs. Cyril was christened Constantine and was educated at the University of Constantinople, where he studied under Photius. Later, Cyril taught at the same university in Photius’s place, while Methodius became the provincial governor of the Slavic colony of Opsikion. Twelfth-century Romanesque embossed tin reliquary In 861 the two brothers were sent by with the heads of Saints Cyril and Methodius, Castle Byzantine Emperor Michael III (“the Armory, Kreuzenstein,Austria (Erich Lessing/Art Drunkard”) to convert the Khazars, a Tatar Resource, NY) people of Russia who tolerated all faiths and whose ruler practiced Judaism. When they returned from this mission, Methodius Rome, where they were received with hon- became the abbot of a Greek monastery and ors by Pope Adrian II. Cyril went back to teaching. However, in Cyril became a monk and adopted the 863, Rostislav, Duke of Moravia, wrote to name Constantine, by which he is com- the patriarch of Constantinople, Photius, monly known, but died a short time after- requesting missionaries who could teach his ward (869) and was buried at San Clemente people. Photius sent Cyril and Methodius in Rome. Methodius was consecrated as because of their knowledge of the Slavic bishop of Moravia but later was imprisoned language. for two years, for his continuing opposition The most significant achievement of to German bishops. He was released upon these two brothers was their invention of the the intervention of the pope, but in 879 he Glagolitic alphabet that is still used in a few was called to Rome to answer charges of isolated locales and that became the basis of heterodoxy. Pope John VIII cleared him of the Cyrillic alphabet, which probably was the charges and appointed him bishop of the work of a later disciple. Due to this Simium and Moravia with express papal per- invention as well as their translations of mission to celebrate mass in the Slavic lan- many passages from Scripture and Christian guage. Methodius remained in his see until liturgy, the brothers are regarded as the his death in 885. In 1880 the feast day of the founders of Slavic literature.They won many brothers was extended to the universal Slavs to the eastern Catholic rite due to church by Pope Leo XIII, and Pope Paul II their knowledge of the language. Eventually, named them patrons of Europe along with however, as they began to encounter stiff Saint Benedict. In church art the two broth- opposition from German bishops and mis- ers are depicted as holding up a church sionaries, Cyril and Methodius withdrew to between them.Their feast day is 14 February CZECHS 57 on the Roman Catholic calendar, and 11 and the Slovaks. Most of the Czechs lived in May on the Orthodox calendar. the western part of the country, in the See also: Byzantine Empire; Constantinople; regions of Bohemia and Moravia, whereas Cyrillic alphabet; Opsikion;Tatars the Slovaks lived primarily in Slovakia, an area in the east. CYRILLIC ALPHABET Celtic and Germanic tribes also lived in General what became Czechoslovakia more than Around A.D. 860, Greek missionaries from 2,000 years ago.The first Slavic tribes settled Constantinople came to Slavic lands to con- in the region about A.D. 500. Several tribes vert the people to Christianity. The people united to form a state in the ninth century lacked a written alphabet, however, so the that became the core of the Great Moravian missionaries devised for them a unique sys- Empire, which soon covered much of central tem of writing known as Cyrillic, from the Europe. Hungarian tribes conquered the name of one of its inventors, St. Cyril. (Cyril empire in 907 and ruled Slovakia for nearly and his brother St. Methodius, also known as 1,000 years. the Apostles to the Slavs, are often credited In 1212, Bohemia became a semi- with having created this alphabet.) The independent kingdom within the Holy Cyrillic alphabet, like its Latin counterpart, Roman Empire, a German-based empire in has Greek roots, being based on the ninth- western and central Europe. In 1526, the century uncial script. Additional characters, Austrian Habsburgs began ruling Bohemia, however, were devised to represent Slavic which during the ensuing decades gradually sounds that had no Greek or Latin equiva- lost most of its powers of self-governance. In . The Cyrillic alphabet originally con- the late eighteenth century Czech intellectu- sisted of 43 letters.Various smaller versions of als began actively to encourage a national this alphabet are currently used in Russia (32 identity among their compatriots. A similar letters), Ukraine (33 letters), Serbia (30 let- movement that emerged around the same ters), and Bulgaria (30 letters), but not in time in Slovakia was put down by Hungarian Poland, the Czech and Slovak Republics, or rulers. Not until 1993 were the nationalist Slovenia, where modified Latin alphabets are aspirations of the two peoples realized. used. An interesting division exists in the See also: Bohemia; Czechs; Hungary; Balkan countries, where the Roman Moravia; Slovakia Catholic Croats use the Latin alphabet but the Greek Orthodox Serbs employ Cyrillic CZECHS for the same language. General Appendix 2 shows the modern Cyrillic The word Czechs as used in this book refers alphabet as used in present-day Russia, along to people who speak the and with its most common English transliteration. who live in central Europe, roughly inside the See also: Bulgaria; Cyril and Methodius, bounds of the former Czechoslovakia (today, Saints; Czechs; Poland; Serbia; Slovakia; the independent Czech and Slovak repub- Slovenia; Ukraine lics). Czechoslovakia was created as an inde- pendent state after the breakup of the Austro- CZECHOSLOVAKIA Hungarian empire at the end of World War I, General in 1918. It comprised the Bohemian crown A state in central Europe from 1918 until lands: Bohemia, Moravia, and part of , 1992. On 1 January 1993 the state of the three areas in which the Czech language Czechoslovakia ceased to exist and was originated; and Slovakia, a part of Hungary divided into the Czech Republic and that was inhabited by Slavs. Slovakia. Czechoslovakia was home to two See also: Bohemia; Czechoslovakia; Hungary; closely related Slavic peoples, the Czechs Moravia; Slavs; Slovakia 58

Early-twentieth-century photograph of Prague, the capital of Czechoslovakia, looking to the ancient Roman palace and Saint Vitus Cathedral (Archive Photos) which belonged to Tsar Afron, not only would Dalmat forgive Ivan but he also would give him the Firebird and its cage. Ivan Vyslavovich tricked Dalmat with the help of a shape-changing wolf who became the Horse with the Golden Mane, and after Ivan had ridden away on the real one, resumed his shape as a wolf and disappeared. See also: Afron; Dmitrii (Vyslavovich); DACIA Firebird,The; Horse with the Golden General DMane,The; Ivan Vyslavovich;Vasilii The name given to the land today known as Vyslavovich;Vyslav Andronovich Romania, during the period prior to the Roman occupation in A.D. 106. Dacia also DALMATIA included parts of modern Hungary, but General those areas did not become parts of Hungary One of the two primary geographical until the modern borders were established; regions of modern Croatia, the other being so it is correct to refer to Dacia as the the Pannonian Plains. Dalmatia is a coastal ancient name for Romania. The Dacians— region between the Adriatic Sea and the earliest known inhabitants of the Bosnia-Herzegovina. Once a state in its own region—were living in Dacia by the fourth right, it became a part of the former century B.C., although their origin and the Yugoslavia when the Kingdom of the Serbs, exact date of their arrival are unknown. Croats, and Slovenes was formed on 1 Trajan conquered Dacia in A.D. 106 and December 1918 from Bosnia-Herzegovina, made it a province of the Roman Empire, Croatia, Dalmatia, Montenegro, Serbia, and and the country thereafter became known as Slovenia. Romania. See also: Bosnia; Croatia; Herzegovina; See also: Hungary; Romania Montenegro; Pannonia; Serbia; Slovenia

DADZBOG DANILO, PRINCE Slav Russia See Dazhbog. Autocratic whose authority was chal- lenged by an all-female army. Danilo DALMAT engaged the female army in a singing con- Russia test, challenging them to sing about Il'ya Tsar of an unnamed realm, he owned the Muromets. They refused, and instead they Firebird that was the target of a quest by the sang a song about how they would over- sons of Tsar Vyslav Andronovich—Dmitrii, come Danilo. Having finished the song, Vasilii, and Ivan (all of whom bore the Danilo ordered the guards to attack the patronymic Vyslavovich, meaning “son of female army; but before the guards could Vyslav”).When Ivan Vyslavovich was caught move, the people of Danilo’s city rose up, trying to steal the Firebird and its gilded drove the guards away, and then turned cage, Tsar Dalmat gave him a chance to against Danilo and killed him. redeem himself. If Ivan could steal for Tsar See also: Il'ya Muromets Dalmat the Horse with the Golden Mane, References: Chadwick 1964

59 60 DANUBE

Detail in marble from the Column of Trajan, Rome, showing the Roman campaigns against the Dacians, c. 106 B.C.–A.D. 13 (Alinari/Art Resource, NY)

DANUBE Black Sea. In the third century A.D.it General formed the northern boundary of the The second-longest European river, flowing Roman Empire in southeastern Europe. c. 1,776 miles or 2,858 kilometers. It rises on Early in the Middle Ages, Goths, Huns, the eastern slopes of the Black Forest (in Avars, Slavs, Magyars, and other migratory southwestern Germany) and flows across peoples crossed the Danube on their way to Europe to Romania, where it enters the invade the Roman, and later the Byzantine, Black Sea through a swampy delta. The Empire. It served as an artery for the river’s Russian name is Dunai, stemming Crusaders into Byzantium (Constantinople) from the legend that the river sprang into life and from there to the Holy Land, and it later from the blood of Dunai Ivanovich after he eased the advance (beginning at the end of impaled himself on his upturned spear for the fourteenth century) of the Ottoman shooting his wife, Princess Nastas'ya, through Turks into central and western Europe. the heart with a poisoned arrow. During the nineteenth century it became an The river has always been an important essential link between the growing industrial route between western Europe and the centers of Germany and the agrarian areas of DAZHBOG 61 the Balkans. At that time, most of the river’s Way (the Milky Way), or in a boat such as middle and upper course lay within the that used by the Sun on his return trip to Austrian Empire and the lower part the east. belonged to the decaying empire of the See also: Bird’s Way,The; ; Milky Way, Ottoman Turks.As Turkish control over the The; Moon; Sun Balkans weakened, Austria and other European powers moved to prevent Russia from acquiring the strategic Danube delta. Russia See also: Avars; Black Sea; Byzantine Empire; The rising sun, personified in the goddess Byzantium; Constantinople; Dunai Ivanovich; Zorya Utrennyaya. Magyars; Nastas'ya, Princess; Nastas'ya See also: Zorya Utrennyaya Nikulichna; Romania DAY DARK PRINCESS, THE Russia Russia Although there are no legends specifically The euphemistic name given to the wife of focused on Day, the legends of Baba-Yaga Paul, the ruler of Murom. describe Day as being under the witch’s See also: Murom; Paul command, as are the Sun and the Night. In these tales Day is described as a horseman DARKNESS with a white face, dressed from head to foot Russia in white, and riding a brilliant white horse The personification of the night, which that has a white saddle and harness. He is the would hold the Sun captive without the brother of Night, who is his complete oppo- daily intervention of . site. Day’s relationship to the Sun is never See also: Perun; Sun revealed. Some specialists say that the Sun might be the father of both Day and Night; DATAN but this assertion appears in none of the sto- Poland ries that mention Day. One of the three gods of the field, the others See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Night; Sun being Lawkapatim and Tawals.All three were invoked to ensure a good harvest, because if DAZHBOG they were not called upon for their help, they Russia, Poland, Serbia could become malevolent and ruin the crop. Also: Dadzbog See also: Lawkapatim;Tawals The son of sky god , brother to fire god Svarozhich, Dazhbog is god of the sun, DAUSOS happiness, destiny, and justice. He gradually Lithuania superseded his father as the supreme deity in Mysterious realm of the dead—possibly the the Russian .The giver of warmth moon—governed by Dievas. It was not a and light, he was much revered by the early heaven or a paradise but simply a world that Russians because much of Russia is covered lay beyond the slippery high hill of the sky, by snow and ice most of the year and the which the dead had to climb.To stop them- winter nights are unendurably long.The dis- selves from slipping down again, the dead appearance of Dazhbog was always greeted needed strong fingernails or claws like those with dismay, and occurrences such as of an animal.As the journey was believed to eclipses, when Dazhbog was said to have be very long, spirits were also said to have been devoured by wolves, were taken as fore- made the trip on horseback, in the smoke of warnings of terrible times to come—of cremation fires, by traveling along the Bird’s plague, famine, or war.The Russians believed 62 DEATH that Dazhbog ruled over the twelve king- See also: Anna;Auroras; Kiev; Mesyats; Moon; doms of the zodiac and was served by two Sun; Supreme Deity; Svarog; Svarozhich beautiful maidens, the two Zvezdy (Zvezda (~gich);Vladimir I; Zvezda Dennitsa; Zvezda Dennitsa and Zvezda Vechernyaya)—the Vechernyaya personifications of the Auroras—and by the References: Gimbutas 1971; Ivanov and seven planets; and that comets acted as his Toporov 1965 messengers. Daily he drove his golden chari- ot, which was drawn by a pair of fire-breath- DEATH ing white horses, across the sky from his Armenia and Russia golden palace in the east, while his balding In the traditions and cultures of many peo- old uncle Mesyats (the moon) awaited his ples throughout the world, death is personi- arrival in the evening. Some stories, howev- fied as a skeletal figure dressed in black. er, say that Dazhbog married Mesyats, who Nobody can cheat him when he calls. One in this case would be female, and that their Armenian story shows Death in an unusually union begot the stars. Occasionally the gen- benevolent light, although he certainly does ders of Dazhbog and Mesyats are reversed, not start off that way when he calls on a making Dazhbog the sun goddess, and young man and tells him that he will die on Mesyats the moon god. Later tradition said his wedding day. The young man, terrified, that Dazhbog lived in the sun, whence he takes to his heels. After several days of walk- ruled over twelve kingdoms—one for each ing and worrying, the young man comes to sign of the zodiac. the foot of Mount Biledjan, where he sees an In 988, when Vladimir I married Anna old man sitting on a stone throne, a staff in and converted to Christianity, Dazhbog’s his hand.The old man calls to the youth and huge statue in Kiev was ceremonially top- asks him why he looks so troubled.When the pled into the river, along with the statues of young man replies that he is running from other pagan deities. Dazhbog then became Death, who has warned him that he will die increasingly identified with Lucifer, the on his wedding day,the old man reveals him- bearer of God’s light who fell from the sky to self as Time, adding that Death is under his outer darkness. control. The youth then begs to be spared Polish belief held that Dazhbog lived in from the clutches of Death, whereupon Time the east, in a paradise of milk and honey, a tells him to drink of a well in the distance, land of eternal sunlight, whence he rode out for the water of the well will free him of his each new morning in a golden chariot with fear so that he might live his life to the diamond wheels that was drawn by twelve fullest, though not in his own hometown. white, fire-breathing horses (some accounts The young man drinks from the well, as say that his chariot was drawn by three instructed. Immediately his fear of Death horses—one of gold, one of silver, and one vanishes, and the young man continues on of diamonds).The Serbs saw Dazhbog as an his way until he comes to a town where he upright young man who lived in a palace in settles and over the years amasses a small for- the east, whence he drove his carriage out tune. However, after several years his every morning. Again, some accounts say thoughts turns to his parents, so he sets off that he had twelve white horses, others that for home, carrying his fortune with him. No he had three made respectively of gold, sil- sooner does he enter his parents’ house than ver, and diamonds. As the day wore on he Death reappears and demands the young grew steadily older before dying each man’s soul. Seeing Death, the young man’s evening as a red-faced, bloated, elderly gen- mother throws herself in front of her son, tleman. He was reborn the next morning as telling Death to take her soul instead. Death a young man. agrees and starts to draw the woman’s soul 63

“The Final Moments,” page from the fifteenth-century Hours of Marguerite de Coetivy (ms. 74/1088, folio 90, Musée Condé, Chantilly, France; Giraudon/Art Resource, NY) 64 DEBESTEVS out of her mouth, but the pain is too much DECEIT to bear, and the old woman begs for mercy, Hungary—Magyar whereupon Death lets go. Next, the young An evil sorcerer who placed a spell on a man’s father offers his soul, but with the same prince, turning him into a cockerel. result. Seeing that his case is hopeless, the See also: Almafi;Talking Mountain,The young man tells Death that he will gladly give up his own soul if the maiden he loves will not offer herself in his place. Death Russia agrees, and the two go to the home of the “Grandfather Frost,” the friendly personifica- young woman to whom the youth is tion of frost, is the Russian counterpart to betrothed. She immediately offers her soul; Father Christmas (Santa Claus). When unac- but when Death starts to draw it out of her, companied by Wind, Frost is a jolly old fellow. she complains that he is taking too long and See also: Frost; Morozko;Wind that he should either let her live or take her soul at once, allowing her time only to kiss DEDY the man she loves one last time before she Russia dies. Death marvels at the love and devotion “Grandfathers,” the generic name applied to of the young woman. No sooner has he the spirits of revered ancestors, who were removed her soul than he is filled with believed to be linked to the household spir- remorse—a very alien feeling for Death. He its, such as the domovoi. gives her back her soul and departs. The See also: Domovoi young man and the young woman are duly married, their wedding feast lasting three DEKLA days and three nights, and from that day to Lithuania this they are the only couple ever to have Sister of Karta and - in legends escaped the clutches of Death. that describe three goddesses of fate. A Russian legend confirms that Death Usually Laima-Dalia was considered the may be evaded but that the result might not sole goddess of fate. The three goddesses be desirable: In the tale of Ivan the Soldier, were believed to control the destinies of all Ivan captures Death in a pouch and hangs living things, from a single blade of grass to him in a tree in the Briansk Woods. Later, a human being. Ivan decides that his time has come to die. He See also: Karta; Laima(-Dalia) returns to the Briansk Woods and releases Death from the pouch, but Death refuses to DEMIAN, SAINT take the old soldier and quickly hurries away. Russia See also: Briansk Woods; Ivan the Soldier;Time See Dem'yan, Saint. References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, vol. 10 DEM'YAN, SAINT Russia DEBESTEVS Russian Orthodox saint. According to leg- Latvia end, he was a smith who with the help of his “Father of Heaven,” the god of the sky. His brother, Saint Kuz'ma, forged the first plow Lithuanian counterpart is Dievas, and in (although other versions of this legend name Latvia he is known as Dievs. In Latvian the two smiths as Saints Boris and Gleb).The belief, the sky god married the Sun—in this real Saints Kuz'ma and Dem'yan, however, instance, female—and as a result controlled had nothing at all to do with smithing:They the destiny of all beings. were doctors who were martyred.Their con- See also: Dievas; Sun nection with the legends surrounding smiths DEVIL, THE 65

An undated woodcut of Ded Moroz, the spirit of Frost, flying through the air (from the collections of Carol Rose; photo by David Rose) stems from the fact that Kuz'ma sounds sim- DEREVLIANE ilar to the Russian word for a smithy, kuznya. Russia As a result they became, in the Russian A peaceful people whose prince, Prince Mal, Orthodox calendar of saints, the patrons of sought to unite his house with that of Kiev smiths and craftsmen, guardians of the land by marrying the widowed Olga. What hap- and providers of fertility,and patrons of med- pened then is related in a folktale known as icine and metallurgy. Churches dedicated to “Olga’s Revenge.” them were often found in the part of a town See also: Kiev; Mal, Prince; Olga where smiths and craftsmen plied their References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor trades. 1953 The plow reputedly forged by Kuz'ma and Dem'yan was of enormous proportions DESNA and was forged with implements of like size. Russia The two smiths were reported to have used River that flows through Ukraine.The capi- twelve golden hammers, and tongs that tal city of Kiev lies at the confluence of the weighed almost four hundredweight, or Desna and the Dnieper. twelve poods. One Ukrainian story (see the See also: Dnieper; Kiev; Ukraine entry on Kuz'ma, Saint) tells how this plow was first used. Given their putative talent in the art of welding, Kuz'ma and Dem'yan also Czech came to be regarded as the patron saints of Goddess of the hunt, paralleling the Roman marriage in Russia. . Among the Serbs she is known as See also: Boris, Saint; Gleb, Saint; Kuz'ma, Diiwica, and in Poland as Dziewona or Saint Dilwica. References: Chicherov 1957 See also: Diiwica; Dilwica

DENNITSA DEVIL, THE Slav Russia The shortened, popularized version of Although the Devil is not described in Zvezda Dennitsa, the Morning Star. Russian legends in the same terms as he See also: Morning Star; Zvezda Dennitsa appears in other cultures, he is said, as he is 66 DEVIL AND THE SOLDIER, THE elsewhere, to reside in the underworld, When the old man arrived at the smithy, where he is the lord of the dead and of the Devil had gone and the smith was back demons, witches, and serpents, and to bring at the forge. Threatened with all kinds of misfortune to the living. Some authorities punishment if he did not do for the claim that the witch Baba-Yaga is the servant landowner as he had done for his wife, the of the Devil, but there is no evidence in the smith was obliged to do as he was asked. legends to support this. One particular leg- Throwing the landowner into the fire, he end shows that the Devil could also have a burned him until only his bones were left. compassionate nature, provided he was These he placed in the tub and poured milk shown the respect he thought he deserved. over them. Several hours passed and nothing An unnamed smith once saw a frighten- happened. Anxious about her husband, the ing image of the Devil in a local church. recently rejuvenated woman came to the Upon returning to his smithy, he commis- smithy,and finding only the charred bones of sioned a painter to re-create the likeness on her husband, she ran off to have the young the doors to his workshop. For ten years he smith arrested for murder. always gave the Devil a cordial greeting as he After she left, the Devil reappeared, and the came to work and bade him a good night smith explained his predicament. The Devil every evening as he left.After the smith died, then revealed who he was and told the smith his son inherited the smithy, but the youth that if he promised from that moment forth swore never to show something so hideous always to be civil to him and never to strike the respect his father had. Instead he used to his image again, he would restore the man. hit the image with a large , squarely The smith agreed, and by the time the woman between the eyes, every time he passed it. For had returned to have the smith arrested she three years the Devil withstood these insults, was greeted by her rejuvenated husband. until he could bear it no longer. See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Transforming himself into a young man, Underworld,The he went to the smithy,where he asked to be made the smith’s apprentice. Having been DEVIL AND THE SOLDIER, THE taken on, the Devil soon proved his worth Russia and was often left to mind the forge. On An old soldier, on his way home after being one such occasion the aging wife of a local discharged from the army of an unnamed landowner came to the smithy to have her tsar, was seated by a lake when he was con- horse shod.The Devil told her that they had fronted by a red-horned demon.The demon just started a new line of business, the reju- made a pact with the soldier that for the next venation of old people. The vanity of the fifteen years, in return for untold riches, the old woman got the better of her, and she soldier would not wash, shave, comb his hair, paid the Devil in advance to renew her cut his nails, wipe his nose, or change his youth. clothes. However, if the soldier broke any of Gathering two pails of milk, the Devil took these rules even once, then the Devil would hold of the woman in his tongs and cast her have his soul. into the middle of the furnace.When all that The soldier agreed, and had the demon was left were her bones, the Devil removed bring him a sack of money and then trans- these from the fire and placed them in a tub. port him to Moscow in a flash.There the sol- He then poured the milk over the still crack- dier quickly bought a wonderful mansion ling bones, and within a few minutes a young and settled down to pass the next fifteen woman stepped forth. Returning to her hus- years in splendid isolation. Every day the sol- band, she persuaded him to go for the same dier’s fortune continued to grow, and soon treatment. he found that he did not have enough room DIEVAS 67 to store it all.Therefore he started to distrib- that in return he did not even possess the ute his wealth among the poor of Moscow; soldier’s soul. His anger subsided, however, but still his fortune continued to grow, and when he learned that the two elder daugh- his fame began to spread far and wide. ters of the tsar had said they would rather The tsar heard of the old soldier’s generos- marry the Devil than the soldier.The Devil ity, and being almost bankrupt, he called for rubbed his hands in glee and waited until in the soldier to be brought before him so that due course he was able to add their souls to he could solicit a donation from him. The his vast collection. soldier duly presented himself to the tsar, his See also: Moscow;Water of Life and Death,The hair and beard touching the floor in a matted mass, his nose constantly running, and his DEVIL’S CASTLE clothes in the most disgusting state.Worst of Armenia all was the smell, which was nauseating. The lair of Tapagöz,the oldest of the demons. The tsar offered the old soldier the rank of See also: Tapagöz a general in his army in return for a large sum of money. The soldier politely refused the DIDA post, but promised to give the tsar all the Slav money he needed if one of the tsar’s three The female counterpart of Dido, the pair daughters would become his wife. The tsar likely to have been twins born to the deities instantly agreed and called for his oldest and Lado. daughter to be brought to him. However, as See also: Dido; Lada; Lado soon as she saw the hideous apparition before References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Znayenko 1980 her, the girl said that she would rather marry the Devil—a comment noted by the demon DIDILIA who had struck the deal with the soldier. Poland The tsar’s second-oldest daughter was One of a pair of fertility deities, the other brought in, and she retorted in exactly the being Zizilia. The twin mothers of divine same manner, and her name likewise was twins, Didilia and Zizilia were venerated as noted by the demon. Finally, the tsar’s goddesses of erotic and maternal love. youngest daughter was brought into the hall, See also: Zizilia and although her initial reaction was one of References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Znayenko 1980 disgust, she knew that her father was depend- ing on her.Thus, with tears rolling down her DIDO fair cheeks, she agreed to marry the soldier. Slav Preparations for the marriage were soon The consort of Lada; or, according to some in full swing, and the tsar had collected his sources, the son of Lada. Dido had a female gold, when the fifteen years the soldier had counterpart named Dida, and it seems likely agreed to came to an end.The demon came that Dido and Dida were twins born to the to the soldier, and unable to convince the deities Lada and Lado. soldier to continue in the service of the See also: Lada; Lado Devil, restored him to his former self, and References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Znayenko 1980 then rejuvenated him with the Water of Life and Death. Shortly afterward, the soldier and DIEVAS the tsar’s daughter were married. Lithuania, Latvia The demon returned to his master and “Heavenshine,”the high god of the sky,ances- reported all that had happened. The Devil tor of everything that exists, and the most was furious to think that fifteen years’ ancient of gods. His name is with the wealth had been wasted on the soldier and dyut, “to shine,” and deiuos, “of the 68 DIEVO SUNELIAI sky,”and can thus be related to both the Greek DIIWICA (originally Dieus) and the early Indian Serbia sky god . He is called Debestevs in The Serbian name for Devana, the goddess neighboring Latvia, where he is depicted as a of the hunt. handsome king dressed in a silver robe, cap, See also: Dilwica belt, and sword. He lives beyond the slippery high hill of the sky, far beyond the realm of DILWICA Dausos, in an enclosed kingdom that may only Poland be entered through three silver gates. Within An ancient goddess of the hunt who rode the walls of his kingdom are his manor house, with her followers and her hunting dogs farms, sauna, and garden, the entire realm through the forests. She was depicted as eter- being surrounded by an impenetrable forest. nally beautiful and radiant and totally unap- Every day Dievas leaves his home and proachable. To stumble across Dilwica and drives very carefully down the slippery high her hunting party would mean almost cer- hill of the sky in a chariot of gold, or on a tain death, possibly by being torn to pieces copper sledge. He takes great care not to by her hounds. Some commentators have make the earth tremble or to disturb so suggested that Dilwica (also known in much as a single dewdrop, for Dievas is pri- Poland as Dziewona or Dziewana) is a ver- marily concerned with the promotion of the sion of the Roman goddess Diana, whom earth’s fertility. Dievas stimulates the growth she certainly resembles. Others have sug- of crops and tramples weeds underfoot or gested that Dilwica was originally an aspect under the wheels of his chariot. In associa- of the Great Goddess common to many cul- tion with Laima, Dievas is also responsible tures and that the name Dilwica was given for determining man’s fate. He is attended by her only to protect her true, secret name. his unnamed sons, the Dievo suneliai, and See also: Devana; Great Goddess the moon god Menuo. Although he is the most powerful of DIMSTIPATIS Baltic deities, he is not the king or ruler of Lithuania the gods, having surrendered that role to Alternative name for Zemepatis, the god of Perun. He is rather primus inter pares, living the homestead. This variant is derived from on in his realm beyond the horizon, in celes- dimstis (home) and patis (father). tial retirement, his home being shared by the See also: Zemepatis dead. If they were lucky, the dead were car- ried there on the smoke of their funeral DIR pyres, or climbed along the Milky Way; but if Russia they were unlucky,they would have to crawl A Varangian who, along with Askold, gained up the slippery high slope of the sky, cling- control of Kiev at about the time Riurik ing on with their fingernails. The variant became the ruler of Novgorod (A.D. 862). name of Dievs is used mostly in Latvia. However, Dir and Askold may be purely leg- See also: Dausos; Debestevs; Dievo suneliai; endary figures, whereas Riurik is known to Laima (-Dalia); Menuo; Milky Way,The; Perun be historical. See also: Askold; Kiev; Novgorod; Riurik; DIEVO SUNELIAI Varangians Lithuania Collective name given to the unnamed sons DIV of Dievas.They were their father’s attendants, Russia as was the moon god Menuo. A magical bird that appears in the Lay of See also: Dievas; Menuo Igor’s Campaign as the forces of nature com- DOBRYNYA NIKITICH 69 bined into a single force that bars Igor’s way, Black Sea east of Odessa. The river features signals disaster, and leads Igor toward his in many of the Russian legends that evolved enemies. around the court of Vladimir Bright Sun at See also: Igor Kiev. In the legend of Sukhman, the river is References: Mann 1979; Zenkovsky 1963 reported to have told the hero that the Tatar army was attempting to cross her to reach DJANDJAVAZ, MOUNT Kiev. Armenia See also: Black Sea; Kiev; Sukhman;Tatars; The home of the giant Azrail. Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince See also: Apprentice,The;Azrail References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, DOBRYNYA NIKITICH vol. 1 Russia Friend of Dunai Ivanovich and his compan- DMITRII (VYSLAVOVICH) ion in travel from the court of Vladimir Russia Bright Sun in Kiev to Lithuania, to bring One of the three sons of Tsar Vyslav back Princess Evpraksiya to be Vladimir’s Andronovich; brother to Vasilii Vyslavovich bride. In Lithuania he persuaded the king to and Ivan Vyslavovich.When their father sent allow Evpraksiya to marry Vladimir Bright the three on a quest to locate and capture the Sun, whom the king held in very low Firebird, Dmitrii traveled with Vasilii, and esteem. Dobrynya brought the princess back Ivan traveled alone. When Ivan Vyslavovich to Kiev by himself after Dunai Ivanovich set was on his way home, having successfully off in pursuit of a mysterious marauder who completed the task, and bringing the Horse had circled their camp at night. with the Golden Mane and the maiden Dobrynya, whose name is derived from Elena the Beautiful with him, his brothers dobryi (good), is probably best known as a ambushed and killed him. Then they dragon-slayer. Having slain the young of a returned home with the spoils, claiming she-dragon named Goryshche, Dobrynya Ivan’s success as their own, and cast lots to was warned by his mother, Amelfia Timo- determine each man’s share.Vasilii won Elena feyevna, never to return to the Sorochinsk the Beautiful, and Dmitrii won the Horse Mountains, where the dragon lived, and to with the Golden Mane. Both brothers were stay away from the river Puchai. Dobrynya thrown into the tsar’s deepest dungeon after ignored what he thought were the ramblings Ivan Vyslavovich returned, having been of an old woman, and he was soon back in miraculously brought back to life with the dragon-hunting country. help of the Water of Life and Death, sprin- Tired and dusty from his long journey, kled on him by the shape-changing wolf that Dobrynya stripped off his clothes, and leav- had helped him earlier in his quest. ing them with his horse on the bank, dived See also: Elena the Beautiful; Firebird,The; into the river Puchai. As soon as he entered Horse with the Golden Mane,The; Ivan the swiftly flowing waters, he saw fire and Vyslavovich;Vasilii Vyslavovich;Vyslav sparks leap into the air, accompanied by thick Andronovich;Water of Life and Death,The black smoke. Out of this smoke emerged the twelve-headed she-dragon Goryshche—the DNIEPER dragon whose offspring Dobrynya had pre- Russia viously killed.As the dragon asked Dobrynya River, total length 1,400 miles (2,250 km), what she should do with him, the knight saw that rises in the Smolensk region of White his chance and dived beneath the waters, Russia and flows south past Kiev, Dne- coming ashore on the bank opposite that on propetrovsk, and Zaporozhe to enter the which his clothes and weapons lay, his horse 70 DOBRYNYA NIKITICH having been frightened away when the ing morning, he mounted the chestnut and dragon appeared. made ready to leave. Just as he was about to Just as he thought he was finished, spur the horse on, his mother gave him a Dobrynya caught sight of a priest’s hat lying silken whip, telling him to whip the horse, in the grass. As a bogatyr', a knight of Holy should its strength begin to fail. Russia, he knew that this would make a for- Placing the whip in his pocket, Dobrynya midable weapon; but when Dobrynya lifted spurred the horse, which cleared the walls of it, he found that it was extremely heavy. As the city in a huge leap and sped off faster the dragon flew toward him, Dobrynya bran- than the eye could follow. In no time at all, dished the hat and severed the dragon’s they had reached the foothills of the heads.As the dragon dropped to the ground, Sorochinsk Mountains. There the ground Dobrynya leaped onto her and readied him- teemed with the young of the she-dragon. self to finish her off. Goryshche begged for Dobrynya set upon them, trampling them mercy, promising never to raid the lands of with his horse. After a while, having been Holy Russia again and never to carry off any bitten badly, the horse began to falter. more Russian people. Dobrynya likewise Remembering the words of his mother, promised never to return to the Sorochinsk Dobrynya took the whip from his pocket Mountains.Then he released the dragon. and gently whipped his mount between the Having lost his horse and his weapons, ears and hind legs. Instantly the horse’s vigor Dobrynya had to make his way home to returned, and they made their way to the Kiev on foot. When he arrived there he cave of the she-dragon. found that in his long absence a disaster had Needless to say,Goryshche was not happy befallen the court of Prince Vladimir Bright to see Dobrynya. She complained bitterly Sun.The very dragon whom Dobrynya had about the death of her offspring, and even spared had broken her word, and flying over more so about the fact that Dobrynya, a the city, had carried away the Princess knight of Holy Russia, had broken his word. Zabava,Vladimir’s favorite niece, holding her Dobrynya retorted that it was she who had between her jaws.Vladimir Bright Sun called first broken their pact, and he demanded the together his knights and challenged them to return of Zabava.When the dragon refused, rescue the unfortunate maiden. Dobrynya attacked her. For three days the Alesha, the son of the priest Leontii, told pair fought, until finally Dobrynya was vic- Vladimir that Dobrynya appeared to be torious. However, Dobrynya now found familiar with the dragon that was responsi- himself stranded in the middle of a vast lake ble, adding that he believed that the dragon that had formed from the dragon’s blood, a regarded Dobrynya as her brother. When lake that the earth would not soak up. Vladimir Bright Sun heard this, he com- Calling on Mother Earth, he commanded manded Dobrynya to bring back the girl or her to open up and swallow the dragon’s be beheaded. blood. Instantly a huge chasm appeared and Dobrynya went home and told his the lake was drained. Dobrynya climbed mother what had transpired, complaining down from his horse and entered the net- that he would have to walk to the Soro- work of caves in which the dragon had chinsk Mountains because he had no horse. lived. Inside he found, and released, many His mother told him of his father’s old chest- hundreds of Russians, before he found , which stood mired in dung inside the Princess Zabava in the very last chamber. stables.Telling her son to clean up the horse Leading her outside, he perched her in front and feed it, she also advised him to get a of him on his horse and returned to Kiev at good night’s sleep. Dobrynya followed his the same speed with which he had departed. mother’s advice to the letter, and the follow- When he returned he was greeted as a great DOBRYNYA NIKITICH 71 hero by Prince Vladimir Bright Sun and all The woman immediately climbed down the people of the city.He was also greeted at from her horse and took Dobrynya out of home by his horse Voroneyushka, “Little her pouch, demanding to know who he was. Raven,” which had at long last returned to She said that if he were older than her, she its stable. would kill him; if he were younger, she Some time later, despite his great popular- would consider him her brother; and if they ity in Kiev,Dobrynya Nikitich sat at his win- were the same age, she would marry him. dow brooding. When his mother, Amelfia Dobrynya refused to tell the woman any- Timofeyevna, asked him what was wrong, he thing, but the horse had recognized him and replied that it was long past the time when told the woman that his name was Dobrynya he should have married but that all of the Nikitich and that he was the same age as the eligible maidens of the city had already been woman. The latter then told Dobrynya that spoken for. His mother told him that if he her name was Nastas'ya Nikulichna and that were ever to find a bride, he would have to as they were the same age, they should marry. travel beyond the confines of the city—an Dobrynya agreed, and the two of them rode idea that immediately appealed to Dobrynya. back to Kiev. Even if he failed to find a wife, he was sure Dobrynya’s mother, the widow Amelfia to have some adventure. Timofeyevna, welcomed the woman, and As Dobrynya left for the stables, his before long a great wedding had been mother called after him, telling him to leave arranged, which would be attended by his own horse Voroneyushka behind and Prince Vladimir Bright Sun and his wife instead to take the horse that had belonged to Evpraksiya. For three days and three nights his father, which had served him well in his the wedding feast continued, and then quest to find the Princess Zabava. Dobrynya Dobrynya and his new wife Nastas'ya followed the advice of his mother, and armed returned to live with Amelfia Timofeyevna. himself before riding out from the city onto After her marriage, Nastas'ya stayed at home, the steppes.A short time later he came across like any other Russian wife. the tracks of another rider and hurried after Some three years later Prince Vladimir them. Having ridden hard for a short distance Bright Sun arranged a great banquet in Kiev Dobrynya spotted a polianitsa (female war- and invited all the bogatyri to attend. As the rior) spurring her jet-black steed across the banquet drew to a close,Vladimir addressed plains. Dobrynya quickly strung an arrow in the knights present, asking which of them his bow and let it fly.The arrow flew straight would lead an army against the forces of an and true and struck her on the side of her enemy who had attacked his father-in-law, helmet. Instead of hurting the rider, the the King of Lithuania. At first none of the arrow simply fell to the ground, and the knights responded, so Vladimir asked the woman rode on as if nothing had happened. question a second time. This time Alyosha Dobrynya let a second arrow fly,with exactly Popovich stood and told the prince that the same result; but the third arrow hit the there was none better qualified to serve the woman’s helmet again and caused her to stop purpose than Dobrynya Nikitich, who had and look around. Seeing Dobrynya, she lifted once served in the army of the King of him from his horse by his hair and thrust him Lithuania. Reluctantly Dobrynya agreed, and into a deep pouch that she always carried he went home to prepare for the coming with her; and for three days he brooded there expedition. in silence as they rode across the steppes. On There his mother questioned him about the fourth day the woman’s horse stumbled what he was doing, and with great reluctance and complained that it could no longer con- Dobrynya told her of his mission, telling her tinue to carry a polianitsa and a bogatyr'. not to worry; for if he were killed, he would 72 DOBRYNYA NIKITICH join his late father, Nikita, in heaven and strel and went to the palace to serenade the would see her there one day. Amelfia wedding guests. There, seated on the stove, Timofeyevna blessed her son and then ran to the customary location for minstrels and tell Nastas'ya, her daughter-in-law, of beggars in the palace, Dobrynya sang songs Dobrynya’s impending departure. Nastas'ya in celebration of the marriage. ran to her husband, who told her about his So touched was Nastas'ya by the min- mission, adding that she should wait for him strel’s songs that she asked permission of for 12 years, and that if he had not returned Prince Vladimir Bright Sun to give him a by that time, she should divide his wealth drink. The prince agreed. Having accepted equally between the church and the poor the drink from his wife, Dobrynya asked and then seek a new husband. However, permission of Prince Vladimir Bright Sun to Dobrynya advised her that she should not return the compliment. Vladimir gave per- marry Alyosha Popovich, for the two men mission, and Dobrynya gave Nastas'ya a cup had exchanged crosses and were thus broth- of mead into which he had slipped his wed- ers in the eyes of God. ding ring. As soon as Nastas'ya found the With that Dobrynya kissed his wife, ring, she fell to the floor and begged her mounted his horse, and left for Lithuania. husband’s forgiveness. Three years passed and Dobrynya did not The banquet fell silent at the sight of the return home. News of his death was brought bride begging the forgiveness of the minstrel, to Kiev by Alyosha Popovich. Amelfia but it soon became apparent that the minstrel Timofeyevna wept for her son, but Nastas'ya was none other than Dobrynya Nikitich, refused to accept the news and continued returned from Lithuania. Prince Vladimir her long vigil. Bright Sun welcomed him warmly, but all Three more years passed, and Alyosha Dobrynya could think of was how he had Popovich once more rode into Kiev and been betrayed by his brother in God,Alyosha brought news of the death of Dobrynya Popovich. Having forgiven his wife—for she Nikitich, and again Nastas'ya refused to could not have known the truth—Dobrynya believe him. turned to Alyosha, who also begged forgive- Six more years passed before Alyosha ness. Dobrynya rejected Alyosha’s pleas, and Popovich came back to the court of Prince grabbing him by the neck, threw him to the Vladimir Bright Sun, again bringing news of ground, drew his sword, and raised his arm to the death of Dobrynya Nikitich. This time, strike—but was prevented from doing so by although Nastas'ya did not believe her hus- the great Il'ya Muromets. Dobrynya sheathed band was dead, she knew that she had hon- his sword and left the palace with his wife, ored his wishes, and so she agreed to marry refusing from that day forth to speak to Alyosha Popovich.Thus the city of Kiev pre- Alyosha, and for the rest of their lives pared for the marriage of Alyosha and Dobrynya Nikitich and Nastas'ya Nikulichna Nastas'ya, while at the Lithuanian border lived in peace and happiness. Dobrynya Nikitich slept a long and deep See also: Alesha;Alyosha Popovich;Amelf(i)a sleep. Timofe(y)evna; Bogatyr'; Dragon; Dunai As he awoke, two white doves flew into Ivanovich; Evpraksiya (~ia), Princess; his tent and spoke of the wedding arrange- Goryshche; Il'ya Muromets; Kiev; Leontii; Lithuania; Mother Earth; Nastas'ya ments being made at that very moment in Nikulichna; Polianitsa; Puchai; Sorochinsk Kiev. Hearing the news, Dobrynya quickly Hill;Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince; gathered his possessions, mounted Voro- Voroneyushka; Zabava (Putyatichna), Princess neyushka, and rode like the wind all the way References: Astakhova 1961; Evgen'eva and back to Kiev.There he was joyfully reunited Putilov 1977; Gil'ferding 1951; Rambaud with his mother. Then he dressed as a min- 1879 DOMOVOI 73

DODOLA DOMOVIK Serbia Slav Goddess of rain, propitiated in times of Alternative name for the domovoi, and the drought by dressing a girl from head to foot one that is perhaps most correctly used when in grass, herbs, and flowers so that even her referring to him in connection with his face was hidden. This girl, now known as female counterpart or wife, the domovikha. , would walk through the community See also: Domovikha; Domovoi in the company of a group of other girls, stop in front of every house, and dance.The ret- DOMOVIKHA inue would form a circle around the girl and Slav sing a propitiation song, while the lady of the The wife of the domovoi.This female house- house would come out and throw a bucket hold spirit lived in the cellar or henhouse, of water over Dodola. whereas her mate lived in the stove. The domovikha (also known as domania or DOGODA ) would help good wives by doing Slav household chores for them and would annoy The god of the west wind, he was perceived bad ones by tickling their children awake in as the most gentle of the deities that person- the middle of the night. ified the winds. He lived on the island of See also: Domovoi; Kikimora Buyan with the east and north winds, and according to some sources, the Sun. DOMOVOI See also: Buyan; Sun;Wind Slavic Also: Kaukas; Majahaldas; Majasgars, Domo- DOJRAN, LAKE vik,Tsmok Serbia (pl. domovoi) The spirit of a family’s found- Shallow lake that straddles the border ing ancestor who lived in the stove, the focal between Macedonia (in the southern part of point of the Russian home. The domovoi’s former Yugoslavia) and northern Greece, east connections to familial ancestors (or dedy) of the border town of Gevgelija. guaranteed him a stable place in folk tradi- According to Serbian legend, the lake was tions, especially in rural communities, well originally a dry hollow in the center of into the modern era. The domovoi, whose which there was a deep well safeguarded by name comes from dom (house), looked after 13 locks.A local girl named Dojrana, deeply the welfare of the family and was sometimes in love with a local boy, was taken by the affectionately referred to as dedushka (grand- Turks. Preferring death to concubinage, dad) or chelovek (fellow). His wife, the Dojrana is said to have committed suicide by domovikha, lived in the cellar or henhouse throwing herself into the well. The locks and helped good wives by doing domestic could not be closed after her suicide, and the chores, annoying slovenly ones by tickling water from the well gushed forth to form their children to wake them in the middle of Lake Dojran, which was named in her the night. memory. According to legend, the corps of do- See also: Macedonia movoi staged a revolt against Svarog when the universe was created. Svarog drove them DOMANIA from his realm, whereupon they fell to earth, Slav some into backyards, some down chimneys Another name for the domovikha, or the and into stoves, some into forests, and some kikimora. onto the plains. Each group was domovoi, See also: Domovikha; Kikimora and each had the same characteristics; but 74 DON over the years those outside the home disap- self, he suggested that the man drill a large peared or were assimilated with other spirits, hole in the cask. He could then plug the leaving a single race of domovoi. hole during the day but let all the water out Very few people claim to have caught a at night. The man foolishly followed this glimpse of the domovoi, although everyone advice, and when the domovoi came to has heard him in the creakings and groan- water the horses he found the cask empty. ings of their house.Those who say they have Enraged, he smashed the stables to pieces seen this spirit describe him as a dwarfish, and killed all the horses. aging man covered with a long beard and The importance of the domovoi was soft, silky fur, even on the palms of his hands reflected in the fact that every time the and the soles of his feet.The only parts of his master of the house left, his wife would body visible through this downy covering ensure that the mouth of the stove was cov- are his piercing eyes and his pointed nose. ered so that the domovoi did not leave as Sometimes he would also be depicted with well. Later traditions said that the domovoi horns and a tail, but he was usually con- lived not only in the stove but also in the ceived of according to peasant lore, as an cattle sheds and stables, for he was particu- animated haystack. Less approachable and larly fond of farm animals. At night he much shier than the domovoi was the would feed the horses and then comb and dvorovoi, the spirit of the household yard, groom them, neatly plaiting their manes who might have been a descendant of the and their tails. Every time the peasant domovoi. bought a new animal he would lead it Although mischievous, the domovoi around the yard to make sure that the would never harm the family with whom he domovoi approved of his purchase, and lived unless he was offended in some way. would ask the domovoi to welcome the During daylight hours the domovoi stayed newcomer to his home. However, the spirit hidden or used his shape-changing abilities of the yard, including the stables and sheds, to disguise himself as an animal while he was usually referred to as the dvorovoi. roamed the fields and woods. At night he See also: Dedy; Domovik; Domovikha; would return to his human hosts’ home, eat- Dvorovoi; Kaukas; Majahaldas; Majasgars; ing the bread and salt that were left out for Svarog;Tsmok him, or upsetting pots and furniture if he felt in any way ill treated. DON One story concerning the domovoi tells General of two peasants who lived next door to each River that rises south of Moscow and flows other. One owned horses that were well fed 1,180 miles (1,900 kilometers) before enter- and well groomed, whereas the neighbor’s ing the extreme northeastern extremity of horses were sickly and thin.Wishing to find the Sea of Azov. For almost four months of out why his horses were so much finer than every year it is closed by ice. In its lower those of his neighbor, the peasant hid at reaches the river is a mile (1.5 kilometers) night and caught the domovoi grooming, wide, and its upper navigable reaches are feeding, and watering his horses from the connected to the Volga River by canal. large water cask in the yard. The following day, not wanting his drinking water supply DONETS to be contaminated by an ugly spirit, he General asked his jealous neighbor what he should The chief branch of the river Don, the do.The neighbor knew that a domovoi was Donets runs through the northeastern cor- surely helping this lucky fellow, and keen to ner of Ukraine, an area known as the Donets see him reduced to the same terms as him- Basin. DRAGON 75

DORMITION, THE and legends and are still popularly believed Russia to be the cause of many natural phenomena. Fifteenth-century church inside the walls of Eclipses of the sun or moon were taken to be the Kremlin in Moscow. The church was caused by a dragon, their reappearance show- dedicated to the Virgin Mary and tradition- ing that even a dragon could not withstand ally was regarded as the heart of the capital their power—a reassuring sign that dragons city.This building was the symbol of Mary’s could be defeated by righteous people. power and protection; and because it was at Dragons were not the most intelligent of the heart of the capital, its power and protec- creatures and were easily tricked, as illus- tion extended over the entire city and its trated by the following story of the dragon people. and the gypsy: See also: Kremlin A gypsy once wandered into a village the References: Hapgood 1906; Lebedev 1881 day after a particularly ferocious dragon had devoured all of the inhabitants save one. DOVE MAIDEN This survivor pleaded with the gypsy to Russia leave before the dragon reappeared; but as The form in which Masha was captured and they were talking, a huge shadow fell over nursed back to health by Petrushka. them and the dragon landed right before See also: Masha; Petrushka their eyes. When the monster made toward the DOVE MAIDENS, THE gypsy, the fellow held up one hand and told Armenia the dragon that it would choke if it tried to Three supernatural maidens who used to fly eat him, for he was far stronger than the down every night, raise a prince from his dragon. The dragon scoffed at this and sug- grave, and sup with him. The Apprentice gested a test. Picking up a millstone, he pro- frightened the Dove Maidens away and ceeded to crush it into a fine powder. The obtained from them a tablecloth and a crim- gypsy applauded the dragon and then asked son wand. With the wand the Apprentice whether the creature could make water run restored the prince to life, and thus won from a stone.The gypsy picked up a muslin favor with the rejuvenated prince’s father. bag full of cream cheese and began to See also: Apprentice,The squeeze the whey from it. References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, Impressed, the dragon thought that it vol. 1 might be better to befriend the gypsy; so it asked him to bring back the fattest oxen he DRAGON could find in the field for their dinner. The Russia gypsy knew that he was not strong enough Dragons abound in Russian legends. They to do that, so he herded the cattle into one are usually described as serpentine in shape, end of the field and began to tie their tails as was the twelve-headed dragon dispatched together.When the dragon came to see why by Dobrynya Nikitich. Other accounts, espe- the gypsy was taking so long, the gypsy told cially those from the era of byliny, tell of him that he thought it better to drag back dragons with the head of a serpent and the the whole herd, for then they would not body of a man, and flying on a winged horse, need to fetch any more food for a long time. as did the dragon killed by Ivan the Pea to Impatiently, the dragon skinned a large ox, free his sister Vasilissa of the Golden Braid. threw it over his back, and carried it back to Although many Russian tales of dragons the village. date from pagan times, the creatures contin- Having filled two cooking pots with fresh ued to be associated with Christian knights meat, the dragon gave the ox hide to the 76 D'U-URT gypsy and told him to go to the well and fill D'U-URT it with water and then bring it back. The Finno-Ugric—Votyak gypsy had trouble carrying the skin to the The soul of the grain, which is protected well, but once there, he started to dig a chan- while the grain is growing in the field by nel around it. Once again the dragon grew Busi-urt, the soul of the grain field. impatient and came to see what the delay See also: Busi-urt; Urt was.The gypsy explained that he thought it better to bring back the whole well, for then DUGNAI they would never run out of water. The Slav dragon, anxious to eat, filled the ox skin An unusual, though important goddess with himself, carried it back, and poured the water but a single responsibility—to make dough into the cooking pots. rise. Now they needed firewood. The dragon sent the gypsy into the forest to collect a DUNAI, RIVER large oak tree. There the gypsy began to Russia make a rope from the bark of the trees, Ancient Russian name for the Danube. which he had wound around twenty trunks Slavic legend describes how the river Dunai by the time the dragon came to see what was formed from the blood of Dunai Ivanovich. taking so long. Again the gypsy explained See also: Danube; Dunai Ivanovich that he thought it far better to bring twenty trees than a single one, for then they would DUNAI IVANOVICH never run out of firewood. The dragon Russia laughed, tore up a huge tree, and strode back A knight, or bogatyr', who offered to under- to the village and built a huge fire under the take a quest to secure the daughter of the cooking pots. Soon the dragon began to eat, King of Lithuania as the bride of Prince but the gypsy pretended to sulk and refused Vladimir Bright Sun. Dunai Ivanovich made to eat. this offer during a banquet at which the When the dragon asked why he was sulk- prince complained that he was the only ing, the gypsy replied that the only way he unmarried man present. The knight offered would know that they were true friends to travel to Lithuania, accompanied only by would be if the dragon would come to meet his friend Dobrynya Nikitich (also a his family. The dragon agreed, and hitched bogatyr'), to bring back the Princess three fine horses to a large cart, and the pair Evpraksiya for Vladimir. For their mission, drove back to the gypsy camp. There they Vladimir offered them forty thousand men were greeted by the gypsy’s naked children, and ten thousand pieces of gold, which who ran noisily around the cart.The dragon Dunai refused. Instead he asked for an asked who these children were, and the unbroken stallion for each, with bridles and gypsy replied that they were his children, whips that had never been used, and a letter hungry as usual, and what a fine meal they stating their mission. So equipped, the two would make of the dragon. rode from Kiev to Moscow and then on to With that, the dragon leaped down from Lithuania. Arriving at the court of the King the cart and hurried away, never again to of Lithuania, Dunai left Dobrynya in charge attack a human. The gypsy sold the horses of the horses and entered the great hall, and the cart, and he and his family lived where he was cordially greeted. comfortably on the proceeds for many years. However, when Dunai explained the pur- See also: Alesha; Bylina; Dobrynya Nikitich; pose of their visit, the mood very quickly Il'ya Muromets; Ivan the Pea;Vasilis(s)a of the changed, for the King of Lithuania had a Golden Braid poor opinion of Vladimir Bright Sun. He DUNDRA 77 also scolded Dunai for seeking the hand of placed on the head of one of them, and the his younger daughter in Vladimir’s behalf, other would then shoot an arrow down the instead of that of his elder daughter. Just as he blade of a knife and through the ring with- was about to have Dunai dragged off to the out disturbing it. Dunai bade his wife take dungeons, one of the king’s men rushed into the first turn, and three times she suc- the hall to tell the king that Dobrynya was ceeded.Yet when it came to Dunai’s turn, bludgeoning the king’s men to death.Taking she pleaded with him not to attempt the this as a divine sign, the king quickly agreed feat, asking him to forgive her for her fool- to the suit and bade the three of them a safe ish challenge.When Dunai refused, she told journey. him of their unborn child—a child with That night, as they slept, they heard sus- arms to the elbow that were of solid gold picious sounds nearby but were not and legs of silver from hips to knees. Stars attacked. The following morning Dobrynya clustered around his temples; from every and Princess Evpraksiya rode off toward hair on his head there hung a pearl; the Kiev, while Dunai tracked down the bandit moon shone from his back; and the sun that had been stalking them the previous radiated from his eyes. night.When he caught up with the stranger, Unimpressed, Dunai proceeded with he knocked him from his mount and the contest, dipping the point of his arrow demanded to know where he was going. into the venom of a poisonous snake. Looking down, Dunai saw that the person However, he failed to make the target, and he had knocked from the saddle was a the arrow pierced Nastas'ya’s heart. As she woman. died, they cut the baby from her womb, This woman told Dunai that she was and it proved to be every bit as wondrous Princess Nastas'ya, Evpraksiya’s elder sister. as she had said it would be. Grief-stricken, She had been hunting when Dunai and Dunai sank the butt of his spear into the Dobrynya left with her sister, and she had set ground and fell onto its point. Two rivers out in pursuit, aiming to rescue her sister sprang up from where husband and wife from her abductors. So taken was Dunai lay dead: One was the river Nastas'ya, and with her courage that he spared her life and the other, the river Dunai—better known asked her to become his wife. Quickly they today as the Danube. rode to Kiev, and they were married at the See also: Alyosha Popovich; Churilo same service at which Vladimir married Plenkovich; Danube; Dobrynya Nikitich; Evpraksiya. Evpraksiya (~ia), Princess; Kiev; Lithuania; The wedding feast lasted twelve days, Moscow; Nastas'ya, Princess;Vladimir Bright during which time a great many boasts Sun, Prince References: Evgen'eva and Putilov 1977 were made. Dunai Ivanovich boasted that in the city of Kiev there was none who could compare with him. His new wife chided DUNAY (-USHKA) him, saying that even though she had only Russia been in the city for a short time, already she Variant names for Dunai Ivanovich, Du- had noticed that Churilo Plenkovich was nayushka being a familiar form that would the best-dressed man in all Russia and have been used by family and close friends. Alyosha Popovich was the most valiant. See also: Dunai Ivanovich However, now that she had arrived in Kiev, there was no finer archer in the city than DUNDRA herself. Dunai rose to the boast and chal- Slav—Romany lenged Nastas'ya to a test of skill with the The original name of the god of the moon, bow and arrow. A silver ring was to be who later became known as Alako. Ac- 78 DUSK cording to legend, Dundra was sent to earth culture, especially in the most remote re- by his father, to teach the Romany people gions. their laws and to serve as their protector. References: Dal' 1957 When he had finished his task on earth he ascended into the skies, where he became DVOROVOI Alako. He watches over his people and car- Slav ries their souls to live on the moon after The spirit of the household yard. Closely re- death. One day Alako will return from the lated to the domovoi, the dvorovoi lives in the moon and lead his people back to their lost sheds and stables, where he tends the animals. homeland. New animals brought to the house are intro- See also: Alako duced to him so that the dvorovoi can wel- come them to their new home. However, the DUSK dvorovoi is believed hostile to animals with Russia white fur, although he tolerates chickens with The setting sun, personified in the goddess white feathers, for they have their own god. Zorya Vechernyaya. The dvorovoi could be influenced in one See also: Zorya Vechernyaya of two ways: by bribery or by punishment. If a piece of bread and some bits of sheep’s DVINA wool were left out, then the dvorovoi prob- General ably would do as he was bidden. He also The name of two rivers in eastern Europe. could be made to do what was wanted by The Western Dvina, or Daugava, rises west of taking a long stick and a thread from the Moscow and flows into the Gulf of Riga in shroud of a dead man.This thread was to be Latvia.This river is 633 miles (1,019 kilome- tied to the stick and then used to whip the ters) long.The other, the Northern Dvina, is yard, in the process of which the dvorovoi an important waterway in northwestern was sure to be lashed. Those who could see Russia, formed by the Sukhona and the dvorovoi would pin him to a fence with Vychegda Rivers. It is 455 miles (732 kilo- a pitchfork. However, as the story of Katya meters) long and flows into the White Sea at shows, the dvorovoi was a jealous character the port of Arkhangel'sk. who could exact his own revenge. See also: Arkhangel'sk; Moscow;White Sea See also: Domovoi; Katya

DVOEVERIE DZIEWONA (~WAN[N]A) Russia Poland Literally,“double faith.” Refers to the con- The name by which the goddess of the hunt, tinuation of pagan traditions and rituals for Devana, was known to the Polish. centuries after the adoption of Christianity See also: Devana as the state-sanctioned religion, due mainly to resistance from women who far pre- DZULI ferred matriarchal pagan religions to patri- Siberia—Tungus archal Christianity. As a result, medieval Also: Muxdi Russia became a nation divided by class The name given to a statuette of a revered and religion, the upper class being (in the ancestor who was thought to have gone to majority) Christianized and the peasants live with the gods and could thus be relied clinging to their pagan roots. To this day upon, if treated with respect, to bring good elements of dvoeverie remain in Russian fortune to the household. Having completed all of the tasks assigned him, Ivan Vyslavovich was on his way home with Elena and the Horse with the Golden Mane when they were ambushed by Dmitrii Vyslavovich and Vasilii Vyslavovich, Ivan’s jealous brothers. Ivan Vyslavovich was killed, and Elena fell by lot to Vasilii.The treach- ery of the two brothers was revealed after Ivan was restored to life by the wolf, who used the Water of Life and EARTH MOTHER Death to resuscitate him. Dmitrii and General EVasilii were thrown into a deep dungeon, See Mother Earth. and Elena the Beautiful married Ivan Vyslavovich. EKIM See also: Afron; Dalmat; Dmitrii Russia (Vyslavovich); Firebird,The; Horse with the Alesha’s squire. Ekim accompanied his mas- Golden Mane,The; Ivan Vyslavovich;Vasilii ter from Rostov to the court of Prince Vyslavovich;Vyslav Andronovich;Water of Vladimir Bright Sun at Kiev. There he Life and Death,The caught the knife thrown at Alesha by the vile monster Tugarin. ELENA THE FAIR See also: Alesha; Kiev; Rostov;Tugarin; Russia Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince The tsaritsa of the Golden Kingdom, one of three kingdoms in the realm of Whirlwind. ELENA THE BEAUTIFUL She and her sisters, the tsaritsas of the Copper Russia Kingdom and the Silver Kingdom, were the A princess from an unnamed kingdom who prisoners of Whirlwind. When Ivan was abducted by Ivan Vyslavovich and his Belyaninovich came to Whirlwind’s realm to helper, the shape-changing wolf. Ivan rescue his mother, Nastas'ya of the Golden Vyslavovich had been set the task of abduct- Braid, whom Whirlwind had abducted years ing Elena by Tsar Afron after he had been earlier, Elena told Ivan where he might find caught trying to steal Afron’s Horse with the Nastas'ya, making him promise to return and Golden Mane and its bridle—that being a free her as well. This he did, although his task assigned Ivan by Tsar Dalmat, who had brothers Peter and Vasilii Belyaninovich tried caught Ivan trying to steal the Firebird and to claim the credit for themselves and its cage for his father (Tsar Vyslav An- returned home with Elena and the other two dronovich). Elena was abducted by the wolf, tsaritsas, leaving Ivan stranded in Whirlwind’s who helped Ivan Vyslavovich in recompense realm. After Ivan Belyaninovich returned for having killed his horse. By the time they home with the help of Lame and One-Eye, arrived at the kingdom of Tsar Afron, Ivan two servants of Whirlwind, it was Elena who and Elena had fallen in love. The wolf first realized that someone had arrived who assumed Elena’s form so that the lovers possessed magical powers from the realm of could evade Afron. Ivan Vyslavovich and Whirlwind. Elena also devised the three tasks Elena rode away on the Horse with the that uncovered the treachery of Peter and Golden Mane and were later rejoined by the Vasilii.She later married Ivan Belyaninovich. wolf. Her sister, the tsaritsa of the Copper

79 80 ELETSKOI

Kingdom, married Vasilii Belyaninovich, and given twofold. The champion thought for a her other sister, the tsaritsa of the Silver moment and then asked the king to put out Kingdom, married Peter Belyaninovich. one of his eyes. See also: Copper Kingdom,The; Golden One of the fables of Vardan of Aygek. Kingdom,The; Ivan Belyaninovich; Lame; See also: Vardan Nastas'ya of the Golden Braid; One-Eye; References: Marr 1894–99 Peter (Belyaninovich); Silver Kingdom,The; Vasilii Belyaninovich;Whirlwind ERISVORSH Slav ELETSKOI The god of storms. To the Czechs he was Russia known as Varpulis, the god of storm winds One of the earliest religious icons of the and an attendant of Perun. Virgin Mary that “miraculously” appeared. See also: Perun;Varpulis Dating from 1060, the Eletskoi icon was found in a forest near Chernigov. Modern ERLIK thinking attributes the appearance of these Siberia, Lapland holy relics to the early clergy who recog- “First life,” the being created by the sky god nized the importance of associating the Ulgan from a speck of mud found floating Virgin Mary with the nature goddesses that on the surface of the primordial ocean, for pervaded pagan religious belief. The clergy the single purpose of helping the sky god to must have reasoned that icons found near create the rest of the universe. Ulgan sent pagan holy trees and water would be read- Erlik to fetch more mud from the ocean ily accepted and revered even by those least floor, which he did, though he hid some of likely to convert to Christianity. All avail- the mud in his mouth, fully intending to cre- able evidence suggests that this ruse was ate a universe of his own from it. However, successful. as Erlik chewed the mud, it started to swell See also: Chernigov until he was forced to spit it out, the mud References: Matorin 1931 and saliva mixture spraying across the land created by Ulgan to form all the damp and ELIAS putrid places of the world—the swamps and Russia marshes. The Christian name with which the attrib- Meanwhile, Ulgan had created not only utes of Perun became associated. Both leg- the land but also the first people, whom he endary figures were believed to have power fashioned out of the mud and then imbued over rain and harvest. with a divine spirit of life. However, Ulgan See also: Perun ran out of mud and left the people to dry out References: Frazer while he went to fetch some more, leaving a huge dog to guard them. Where this dog ENVY came from is not recorded, but he was prob- Armenia ably created by Ulgan. Erlik saw the new A king once had two champions, each of people drying out and tried to bribe the dog whom was being eaten away by envy of the to let him have them. The dog refused, other. The king resolved to do something whereupon Erlik spat on the new people, about this and summoned one of his cham- covering them in saliva. When Ulgan pions.The king told the fellow that he could returned, he turned the new people inside ask whatever he wanted and it would be his; out before finally bringing them to life, and but he warned that whatever the champion mankind has been that way ever since—dry asked for, the other champion also would be on the outside and foul and wet on the EZERINIS 81 inside. Ulgan then banished Erlik to purga- therefore more closely resembles Swedish tory in the underworld; but before Erlik and Finnish than Russian. went, he snatched as many of the newly cre- See also: Finno-Ugric; Latvia; Lithuania ated people as he could to be his servants. Since that day the dead have been inside-out EVENING STAR versions of the living.And Erlik, the first cre- Slav ated being, became the god of death and The personification of the planet Venus seen ruler of the underworld. in the early evening sky.In Slavic mythology See also: Ulgan; Underworld,The the Evening Star is Zvezda Vechernyaya, the sister to Zvezda Dennitsa, the Morning Star. ERMOLAI-ERAZM Together the sisters are collectively referred Russia to as the two Zvezdy, the daughters of A fifteenth-century monk who recorded a Dazhbog, and sisters to the two, or three, number of post-Christian legends. The Zoryi. monk is best remembered for his account of See also: Dazhbog; Morning Star;Venus; the legend of Fevroniia. Zoryi; Zvezda Dennitsa; Zvezda Vechernyaya See also: Fevroniia References: Zenkovsky 1963 EVIL Russia ERZYA The personification of all that is bad, General although not equated with the Devil. Evil is The northern branch of the Mordvin peo- usually feminine and personified as the aged ple, their southern counterparts being the hag One-Eyed (likho being Russian Moksha. for “evil”). See also: Moksha; Mordvins See also: Likho, One-Eyed

ESKERI EVPRAKSIYA (~IA), PRINCESS Siberia—Tungus Russia The creator, who plunged into the primeval Daughter of the King of Lithuania and sister waters and brought back a clump of mud to Princess Nastas'ya. She was brought from from which he fashioned the earth. Lithuania to Kiev to become the bride of Vladimir Bright Sun by Dunai Ivanovich, ESTONIA who married her sister, and by Dobrynya General Nikitich. She and her sister were married at A republic of the Soviet Union from 1940 to the same service, and by virtue of their mar- 1991, Estonia and its Baltic neighbors Latvia riage became Christians. In some versions of and Lithuania are now independent states. the story, Evpraksiya and Nastas'ya are iden- Estonia, like the other Baltic countries, has tified as the daughters of the Tatar khan. had a turbulent history, and as a result very See also: Dobrynya Nikitich; Dunai little remains of and leg- Ivanovich; Khan; Kiev; Nastas'ya, Princess; end.The country was a democratic republic Tatars;Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince between 1919 and 1934, when the govern- ment was overthrown in a fascist coup. EZERINIS Unlike the languages of Latvia and Lithuania Lithuania, the language of Estonia is not of The god of lakes but apparently not of rivers Slavic but of Finno-Ugric origin, and it and streams.

we may deduce that she was a servant of the Devil, and with her purpose at an end, she had returned to eternal damnation. Peter, however, had been tainted by the blood of the serpent. Covered in sores, he set out in search of a cure for himself and his kingdom, which had been struck down as a result of his apparent fratricide. Traveling with a large coterie, Peter arrived at a village called Charity, where he was carried to an FAIRY isolated cottage. There he was confronted General Fby a very beautiful, half-naked woman, who A supernatural being with powers sat spinning.The woman told Peter that she who could help or harm human beings. In lived alone, the remainder of her family being recent legend, fairies have been pictured as long dead, and that she would cure him of his very small and sometimes as very lovely and affliction on the condition that he married delicate. In medieval stories, however, fairies her. Peter immediately agreed. No sooner were often of human size. had he done so than his sores disappeared and his strength returned. However, Peter now FARAONY saw no reason to marry the maiden and made Russia ready to leave the cottage. As he did so, his One of the many variant names applied to strength sapped away and the sores erupted the russalki, others being mavki, navki, and again. Convinced that he had no choice in vodianiani. the matter, Peter agreed to the union, and the See also: Mavki; Navki; Rus(s)alki (~ulki); couple were duly married. Vodianiani At their wedding the woman told Peter References: Pomerantseva 1975 that her name, or rather the name she had chosen to use as his wife, was Fevroniia. FEVRONIIA Together Peter and Fevroniia traveled back Russia to Murom, where the influential boyars, Paul, the Christian ruler of the city of angry because Peter had married a mere Murom, was visited by the Devil, who peasant, accused Fevroniia of poor manners appeared to his wife, euphemistically referred at the feast thrown in honor of their prince. to as the Dark Princess, in the form of a ser- Fevroniia retaliated by performing a series of pent. Only she could recognize the Devil; all miracles, such as turning crumbs from the those around her saw only the image of Paul. table into frankincense and myrrh. These When she told her husband of the visit she acts, however, did not assuage the anger of had received in her bedchamber, Paul advised the boyars, who demanded that she be ban- her to ascertain from the Devil the manner of ished from the court because as a powerful Paul’s death. She did as he asked, and found sorceress, she could hold their wives in thrall. out that Paul’s brother Peter of Murom Fevroniia agreed to leave Murom, provided would kill him. However, when Peter came that Peter accompany her. to do the dirty deed, he succeeded only in So Peter, Fevroniia, and their retinue set killing the serpent that had assumed Paul’s out from Murom by boat. However, as they guise. At this point in the legend the Dark made camp that evening, Peter began to Princess ceases to be mentioned, from which worry about their exile. Fevroniia assuaged

83 84 FINLAND

trees. True enough, the following morning Peter and his coterie awakened to find them- selves in the midst of a great forest, whereas they had gone to sleep at the edge of a small wood the night before. Peter and Fevroniia remained there until they received news of a fratricidal war that had broken out among the boyars in Murom, who had asked for Peter and Fevroniia to return and rule over them. This the couple did; but Peter was merely a figurehead, the true ruler of Murom being Fevroniia. Many years passed, during which the cou- ple ruled Murom with wisdom. However, after Peter died and was buried in the cathe- dral, Fevroniia willed herself to die on the feast of Kupalo. She was buried outside the city walls, in keeping with her pagan and peasant origins; but the following morning the boyars discovered her grave beside that of her husband, inside the cathedral grounds. Fevroniia, as shown through her transfor- mation of the cut branches into a fully grown forest, is a personification of the pagan tree goddess. This story, which was recorded by the fifteenth-century monk Ermolai-erazm, demonstrates the coexis- tence of Christian faith alongside the ancient pagan religions—apparently acceptable to the clergy,so long as Christianity was seen to be the more potent force, as demonstrated by Peter’s burial inside the cathedral and Fevroniia’s burial outside the city walls. However, the supernatural migration of Fevroniia’s grave to the cathedral demon- strates that no matter whether pagan or Christian, God accepts all into his kingdom after death. See also: Boyars; Charity; Dark Princess,The; An early illustration of a fairy king and queen Devil,The; Ermolai-erazm; Kupalo; Murom; standing beneath a mushroom being entertained by Paul; Peter of Murom the court (from the collections of Carol Rose; photo by References: Zenkovsky 1963 David Rose) FINLAND his fears by performing another miracle: She General took the branches that had been cut to fuel Scandinavian country that is bounded to the the cooking fire and blessed them, telling north by Norway, to the east by Russia, to Peter that by morning they would be tall the south and west by the Baltic Sea, and to FINNO-UGRIC 85

The harbor market at Helsinki, Finland (Archive Photos) the northwest by Sweden. The country was the beginning of the nineteenth century, originally inhabited by Lapps, but they were Finnish had no official status, Swedish being driven northward by Finnic invaders from the language of education, government, and Asia around the first century B.C., into the literature in Finland. It was not until the area they occupy to this day. During the publication of the in 1835 that the twelfth century the country was conquered Finns’ linguistic and nationalistic feelings by Sweden, and for the following two cen- began to emerge. turies the area was the scene of a great num- See also: Baltic; Estonia; Finno-Ugric; Karelia; ber of wars between Sweden and Russia. As Lapps; Livonia a duchy of Sweden, Finland was allowed ever greater autonomy,becoming a Grand Duchy FINNO-UGRIC in 1581. In 1809, during the Napoleonic General Wars, Finland was annexed by Russia. It Closely related to both the Baltic and Slavic remained under Russian imperial rule until languages, with which they became assimi- 1917, when it declared independence during lated, the Finno-Ugric languages do not the Russian Revolution. Russia at first tried belong to the Indo-European family. Their to regain its lost territory, but finally recog- language grouping, a subfamily of the Ural- nized Finland’s independence in 1920. Altaic family,contains more than twenty dif- The inhabitants of Finland speak Finnish, ferent tongues spoken from Norway in the a Finno-Ugric language closely related to west to Siberia in the east, and to the Estonian, Livonian, Karelian, and Ingrian. At Carpathian Mountains in the south. The 86 FIREBIRD,THE

Finno-Ugric peoples may be subdivided into shone as bright as day. Owned by Tsar four main groups according to their geo- Dalmat, the bird used to steal the golden graphical position. The first group includes apples that grew in the garden of Tsar Vyslav the Finns, Lapps, Estonians (although Estonia Andronovich. The latter set his three sons is generally thought of as a Baltic country), Dmitrii Vyslavovich, Vasilii Vyslavovich, and Livonians, and Karelians.The second group- Ivan Vyslavovich the task of locating and ing comprises the Cheremiss-Mordvin peo- obtaining the bird for him. Ivan succeeded in ples of the middle and upper Volga.The third this quest; but his brothers ambushed and group includes the Votyaks, Permyaks, and killed him, claiming that they had completed Zyrians, who inhabit the Russian provinces the quest when they presented the bird to of Perm and Vyatka; and the last group, the their father. Their false claim was exposed Voguls and Ostyaks of western Siberia. The when Ivan Vyslavovich was restored to life by Magyar people of Hungary are normally the Water of Life and Death, which was included in the fourth grouping because sprinkled on him by the shape-changing they originated in western Siberia, but they wolf that had been helping him in his quest. are considered a Turkic people. The Firebird remained in the ownership of The Finno-Ugric peoples were widely Vyslav Andronovich, for Dalmat had given influenced by their Indo-European neigh- the bird to Ivan after the latter completed a bors, the Balts, the Slavs, and the Norse, or task that Dalmat had assigned him. Dmitrii Teutons,and as a result many of their legends and Vasilii were thrown into their father’s bear direct comparison with those of both deepest dungeon for their treachery. the Balts and the Slavs. See also: Dalmat; Dmitrii (Vyslavovich); Ivan See also: Carpathian Mountains; Cheremiss- Vyslavovich;Vasilii Vyslavovich;Vyslav Mordvin; Estonia; Finland; Hungary; Karelia; Andronovich;Water of Life and Death,The Lapps; Livonia; Magyars; Mordvins; Ostyaks; Permyaks; Siberia;Voguls;Volga;Votyaks; FIRST ALMAFI Zyrians Hungary—Magyar See Almafi. FIREBIRD,THE Russia FOMA NAZARIEV A fabulous bird described as having eyes that Russia sparkled like crystal and golden feathers that One of two cogovernors of the city of Novgorod, the other being Luka Zinoviev. The pair accepted a wager of thirty thousand rubles offered them by Sadko that the latter had amassed a fortune sufficient to buy everything that was for sale in the city.Sadko ultimately lost the bet because as soon as he had bought something, the governors brought in more goods to take the place of those purchased. See also: Luka Zinoviev; Novgorod; Sadko

FOOL AND THE BIRCH TREE, THE Russia There once lived an old man who had three The image of a Firebird painted in miniature on a sons.The two elder sons were quick-witted, black lacquer plate (Sovfoto/Eastfoto/PNI) but the youngest was a fool. When their FROST 87 father died, the two eldest made sure that the home again when they encountered a greedy bulk of the estate went to them.A short time deacon who asked what they were carrying. later, the local fair arrived, and all three sons The two smart brothers said that they had set out to sell their goods. The two eldest been gathering mushrooms; but the fool took the finest cattle, calves, sheep, and lambs, laughed, said that they were lying, and whereas all the fool had was a bony old ox. opened his sack to reveal the gold within. En route to the fair the fool passed The deacon leaped down from his horse and through a wood. An old birch tree was began cramming his pockets full of the fool’s groaning in the breeze—a sound that the gold.The fool took offense at this, took out fool took to be an offer for his ox.The fool his hatchet, and killed the deacon. bartered with the tree and finally agreed to a The two eldest brothers were aghast.They price of twenty rubles. The tree creaked hurriedly took the body home and buried it again, and the fool agreed to leave the ox and in their cellar, telling the fool not to mention return the following day for his money.Back what had happened to anyone. Some days at home, the fool told his brothers that he later the townsfolk came to the door and had sold his ox for twenty rubles.When they asked whether the brothers had seen the dea- asked him to show them the money, he told con.The fool immediately told them that the them he had to return to collect it the next deacon was buried in their cellar. However, day.His brothers cursed him as a fool and left without his knowledge, his two brothers had him alone. dug up the deacon and buried a goat in his The following day the fool returned to place. Thus, when the townsfolk dug in the the wood and demanded his money.The tree cellar, all they found was the corpse of the creaked, which the fool took to be a request goat; and from that day forward, no one ever for one more day’s credit, terms to which he believed the fool again. agreed. That night, when the fool told his brothers what had transpired, they called him FROST every bad name under the sun. Thus, when Russia the fool returned the next morning, he took In most Russian folktales and legends, Frost his ax with him, and when the tree was not appears as a nameless demon. In the tale of forthcoming with his twenty rubles, he cut it Marfusha, Frost has the name Morozko. In down.As the tree fell, a horde of gold hidden another story, where he remains nameless, at its roots by long-ago robbers tumbled out. he appears to a peasant as a thin, hunched The fool stuffed as much as he could into his man with gray hair and bushy white eye- pockets before returning home to fetch his brows. Frost is usually a malevolent spirit; brothers, there being far too much gold for however, as the story of Marfusha illus- him to carry. trates, he can show compassion when he is The three brothers filled a number of so disposed. sacks with the gold and were on their way See also: Ded Moroz; Marfusha; Morozko

The Secret History of the Mongols, a Mongol epic written during the mid-thirteenth cen- tury, the tribe for a time ignored its new chief. It was not long, however, before Temujin began to attract followers, form alliances, and build an army.He used harsh training and strict discipline to create a supe- rior fighting force that was well equipped and that employed new tactics and weapons. GABIJ(I)A Temujin used his army to extend Lithuania Ghis power over neighboring tribes, and by The goddess of fire and the domestic hearth. 1206 he had become the ruler of . Some accounts say that she was brought to That year, an assembly of Mongol chieftains earth by Perkunas; others, that she was car- proclaimed him Genghis Khan, a title that ried by a swallow that was badly burned probably means either universal ruler or while carrying her. invincible prince. After becoming the ruler See also: Perkunas of Mongolia, Genghis Khan set out to con- quer China. First he attacked a kingdom in GENGHIS KHAN northwestern China called Xi Xia, or Hsi General (c. 1162–1227) A Mongol conqueror who founded the largest land empire in history and ruled an area that stretched across cen- tral Asia from the Caspian Sea to the Sea of Japan. Genghis (also Chinghiz) Khan was a political and military genius who united Mongol and other nomadic tribes into an effective, disciplined fighting force. Genghis’s warriors were known for their use of terror to intimidate their opponents, and they fre- quently killed their prisoners. Genghis Khan was an intelligent man with superior organizational abilities. He showed great generosity to his followers; and although he had little interest in cultural matters, he promoted literacy among his people, as well as establishing the first Mongol code of laws, called the Yasa or Yasak. Genghis Khan’s original name was Te- mujin, which means “ironworker.”His father was the chief of a small Mongol tribe. Temujin inherited the position of chief Nineteenth-century engraving of Genghis Khan around age 13, when members of an enemy (Print and Picture Collection, Free Library of tribe poisoned his father; but according to Philadelphia)

89 90 GEORGE, SAINT

Hsia. He then invaded northeastern China, ’s Day (23 April) marked the and in 1215 he took Beijing (Peking), the beginning of the agricultural year, a day on capital of the Jin (Chin) Empire. In 1218, which George appeared in his fertility Genghis Khan broke off his assault on China aspect. In Belorussia, as in other areas, the and swept into central Asia, where he day was marked with a ceremony in which crushed the kingdom of Khorezm, or a young man who was called George for the Khwa¯rizm, which occupied an area roughly day, and representing the saint, dressed in contiguous with modern Uzbekistan and greenery and flowers and led an entourage Turkmenistan. In 1220, he destroyed the of singing maidens into the fields to stimu- cities of Bukhara and Samarqand (Samarkand late the fertility of the ground. In Ukraine in present-day Uzbekistan), and Neyshabur the ceremony combined both Christian and (Nishapur in modern Iran). Two smaller pagan elements. There a priest led a com- armies of Genghis invaded the plains north pany into the fields to bless the soil, and then of the Caspian Sea, and by 1223, they had the company, or in some cases the priest conquered the Kipchaks and had defeated himself, would roll on the ground to imbue the Russians at the Kalka River. From 1225 it with their own inherent fertility. Saint until he died in 1227, Genghis Khan again George supplanted the ancient fertility laid siege to Xi Xia. His grandson, Kublai deities, being depicted as the guardian of all Khan, completed the conquest of China. aspects of agriculture, from plants to cattle See also: Caspian Sea; Khan; Mongols; and beyond. He was described as winging Turkmenistan; Uzbekistan his way across the land on his white steed, reviving the soil and all life that lay dormant GEORGE, SAINT within it, his powers allegedly given him by Russia the Virgin Mary. Patron saint of Russia. His preeminence stems Russia was not the only country to adopt from his emergence in the sixteenth century.A Saint George as patron saint. England, warrior saint who embodied aspects of Perun Portugal, and Greece all delegated this role to and Svantovit, George was the dragon-slaying Saint George; but in Russia, the saint seems hero who awed the earth and its inhabitants. to have been more potent than elsewhere. He was also a symbol of the consolidation of As with many saints, not much is known Muscovite sovereignty, and his warlike depic- about George’s life—indeed, it cannot be tion in art, seated atop a great white charger confirmed that he actually existed. It has and carrying a spear, suggested that the tradi- been suggested that he may have been tor- tional sacrificial image of the Muscovite ruler tured and put to death by Diocletian at had changed to that of an aggressive and self- Nicomedia on 23 April 303. Some, however, assertive defender of the land. prefer the idea that he died c. 250 at Lydda Saint George first appeared as the patron in Palestine, where his alleged tomb is exhib- of Russian rulers in 1415, under the ited.The famous story of George’s fight with Muscovite Grand Prince Vasilii II. This pa- the dragon cannot be traced to an earlier tronage was advanced under the rule of Ivan source than Legenda Aurea by Jacobus de III (“the Great”), the successor to Vasilii II, Voragine (1230–98), which was translated as and marked the transformation of the Kievan Golden Legend by Caxton in 1483. ideal of service into overlordship. For the first See also: Dragon; Perun; Saint George and time the ruler was not seen as the servant of the Deceitful Fox; Svantovit the people; instead, the people were seen as References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Bezsonov servants of the crown. Saint George was so 1861; Delehaye 1927; Gimbutas 1971; popular in Moscow that forty-one churches Kazanskii 1855; Leroy-Beaulieu 1905; there are dedicated to him. Tereshchenko 1848 91

Sixteenth-century Russian icon of Saint George and the dragon (Rubliev Museum, Moscow; Beniaminson/Art Resource, NY) 92 GEORGIA

GEORGIA GILYAKI (NIVKHI) General General A nation in the Caucasus region that became Ancient people who today number around independent in 1991 after nearly 200 years of 4,500 and inhabit a region of Russia in Russian and Soviet rule. Georgia has an area southeastern Siberia, near the mouth of the of 26,911 square miles (69,700 square kilo- Amur River.The Gilyaki (Nivkhi) tradition- meters) and lies mostly in Asia, with a small ally have made a livelihood hunting and fish- part in the north being located in Europe. ing. Their native religion is a form of People have lived in what is now . Georgia for thousands of years. The first Georgian state was established in the sixth GIRAITIS century B.C., and by the third century B.C. Lithuania most of what is now Georgia was united in God of the forests. The fact that he is men- a single kingdom. However, for most of its tioned in seventeenth- and eighteenth- history Georgia was divided by powerful century manuscripts suggests that he might be empires that wrangled over it. From the a deity of comparatively modern invention. mid-first century B.C. until the eleventh century A.D. Georgia was invaded by GIWOITIS Romans, Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, and Slav Seljuk Turks. Georgia was Christianized in Spirit who assumed the shape of a lizard and the third century A.D. who was offered milk to drink. During the eleventh and twelfth centuries a series of Georgian rulers gradually freed GLASS MOUNTAIN, THE the country of foreign control and central- Ukraine ized its government. Beginning in the early The home of a ferocious dragon in the king- thirteenth century, however, Georgia again dom of an unnamed tsar. The kingdom was suffered attacks by other nations. Mongol for many years a peaceful place to live, until armies, including those of Asian conquerors the dragon took up residence, its home Genghis Khan and Tamerlane, frequently accreting under its feet. At first the mound raided Georgian lands between the early was no more than a shiny hillock. However, thirteenth century and the early fifteenth the longer the dragon stayed there, feeding century, sending the nation into a decline. on the people, the larger the hillock grew, Between the sixteenth and the eighteenth until a huge glass mountain dominated the centuries the Ottoman Empire and Iran kingdom. The tsar sent out his bravest war- fought over Georgian territory. riors to kill the dragon, but none returned, In the late eighteenth century the ruler of and the glass mountain continued to grow one of the kingdoms in east Georgia ac- until it occupied almost half the kingdom. cepted partial Russian rule in exchange for The dragon, knowing that it was safe, military protection; and by the early nine- swooped down on the palace and carried teenth century, all of Georgia had been in- away the tsar’s only daughter, locking her in corporated into the Russian Empire. a cave on the glass mountain. See also: Caucasus; Genghis Khan; Mongols In a neighboring kingdom lived a young tsarevich named Ivan who heard of the GHOVT plight of his neighbor and set out to see if he Armenia could help. En route he was bitten by an ant A she-devil, the demoness into which that promised to help him if the young Koknas, the sister of Suren, was transformed. prince would spare its life. Ivan did so and See also: Koknas; Suren continued on his journey,pondering the task GODENKO BLUDOVICH 93 that lay ahead.As he thought of the immen- weight roughly equivalent to 36 lbs, or sity of this task, he called out to the ant for 16.38 kg). Other versions of this legend help.The ant appeared and gave the prince a name the two saintly smiths as Saints grain of wheat, which he told Ivan to place Kuz'ma and Dem'yan. at the foot of the glass mountain. Ivan Boris and Gleb are Russia’s oldest saints. thanked the ant and rode on. They are described as sons of Prince Having introduced himself to the tsar Vladimir Bright Sun and brothers of and told him his aim, Ivan rode to the foot Sviatopolk.The earliest account of the mar- of the glass mountain, which by this time tyrdom of the brothers dates from the covered almost three-quarters of the king- twelfth-century Primary Chronicle. In this, dom. Ivan tethered his horse to a tree and Boris hears of his father’s death while he is placed the grain of wheat at the base of the fighting the invading Pecheneg hordes. Boris mountain.Then he hid among the trees and quickly returns to Kiev, where he learns that watched. As he looked at the grain of his older brother Sviatopolk plans to kill him wheat, it began to glow, and a trickle of and take his lands and inheritance. However, water began to flow from the base of the instead of attempting to avoid his death, mountain. That trickle quickly became a Boris smooths the way for Sviatopolk and raging torrent as the mountain continued to submits to his fate. Gleb then learns that melt, and Ivan had to find higher ground or Sviatopolk plans the same fate for him, and be swept away. he too submits to the inevitable.The broth- The dragon, on returning to his lair, saw ers are supposed to have died in 1015, and water gushing from the base of the moun- shortly afterward they were canonized as tain and swooped down to see what was “protectors of the land of Rus'.” causing it. As the dragon landed, the torrent Although the cult of Boris and Gleb was of water became even more intense, and a not Christian in origin, the church sanc- great wall of water dashed the dragon to its tioned it in order to satisfy the needs of the death and then carried its remains away. Ivan newly converted populace. then rushed over to what remained of the See also: Boris, Saint; Dem'yan, Saint; Kiev; mountain and released the princess, and Kuz'ma, Saint; Primary Chronicle; Sviatopolk; together they hurried back to her father. Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince Several days later Ivan—by then called Ivan References: Bezsonov 1861; Cross and the Dragon Killer—and the princess were Sherbowitz-Wetzor 1953; Golubinskii 1903; Zenkovsky 1963 married. Ivan inherited the kingdom some years later when the tsar abdicated in his GODENKO BLUDOVICH favor. Russia See also: Dragon; Ivan the Dragon Killer One of the seven bogatyri who undertook a legendary quest together.The other six were GLEB, SAINT Vasilii Buslayevich,Vasilii Kazimirovich, Ivan Russia Gostinyi Syn, Alyosha Popovich, Dobrynya Russian Orthodox saint. According to leg- Nikitich, and Il'ya Muromets. This legend, end, he and Saint Boris were smiths who which purports to explain why the bogatyri forged the first plow. This plow was of disappeared from Holy Russia, may be found gigantic proportions, and was forged with in the entry about Vasilii Buslayevich. implements of like size. The two smiths See also: Alyosha Popovich; Bogatyr'; were recorded as having used twelve golden Dobrynya Nikitich; Il'ya Muromets; Ivan hammers, and tongs that weighed almost Gostinyi Syn;Vasilii Buslayevich;Vasilii four hundredweight, or twelve poods (a Kazimirovich pood being an old Russian measure of References: Speranskii 1916; Ukhov 1957 94

Late-fourteenth-century Russian icon of Saints Boris and Gleb on horseback from the Cathedral of the Dormition, the Kremlin, Moscow (Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow; Scala/Art Resource) GOLDEN HORDE, THE 95

GODINOVICH, STAVR then sat down to wait while the witch’s Russia daughter took the pitcher to where See Stavr Godinovich. Habërmani lay. As he drank the water, he found the ring and was immediately cured of GOIK his fever. Habërmani sent the witch’s daugh- Poland ter to fetch the woman from the well.Thus The name given to a puppet that is used in a Habërmani and his princess were reunited, pagan ceremony traditionally performed although they had yet to escape the witch. during the Lenten season.The puppet, which For the full story see the entry for represents death, is taken out into the fields Habërmani. and ritually dismembered, or carried on References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, vol. 4 horseback and thrown into the local water- course. This ceremony’s purpose is not to GOLDEN HORDE, THE safeguard the people of a village from death, General which they must accept as inevitable, but it is In 1237, Batu Khan, a grandson of the con- thought to protect them from illness during queror Genghis Khan, led between 150,000 the coming year. and 200,000 Mongol troops into Russia and destroyed one Russian town after another. In GOLDEN BOOK OF FATE, THE 1240, the troops conquered Kiev and Russia Siberia—Yakut became part of the Mongol Empire, being The book owned by Ajysyt, the mother- incorporated into an administrative area goddess of the Yakut people who live near called the Golden Horde.The capital of the the river Lena in Siberia.The book contains Golden Horde was at Sarai, near what is now the names and destinies of every human Volgograd. being living or yet to be born.Ajysyt brought In the early fourteenth century, Prince the soul from heaven so that a complete Yuri of Moscow married the sister of the human being could come into existence at khan of the Golden Horde, and he was birth, and then the goddess entered the name appointed the Russian grand prince about of the new person in the Golden Book of 1318. From that time on, Moscow grew Fate. It was only when the name had been stronger and richer while the Golden Horde entered in the book that the person became grew weaker, chiefly because of struggles for a fully fledged member of the human race. leadership. In 1380, Grand Prince Dmitrii See also: Ajysyt; Lena, River; Siberia;Yakuts defeated a Mongol force in the Battle of Kulikovo, near the Don River. The victory GOLDEN CITY,THE briefly freed Moscow of Mongol control and Armenia proved that the khan’s troops could indeed The last city visited by the princess in her be beaten. However, Moscow was recaptured quest to locate Habërmani. There she met by the Mongols in 1382. the daughter of the witch nursing Habër- During the late fifteenth century,Moscow mani, who was getting water at the well.The became the most powerful Russian city.Tsar princess asked the girl if she knew where Ivan III (“the Great”) won control over Habërmani was, and she was delighted to Moscow’s main rivals, Novgorod and Tver'. hear that he was in that city, although for In 1480, Ivan made the final break from seven years he had lived a life of torment in Mongol rule by refusing to pay taxes to the the clutches of a vile fever. The princess Golden Horde. The khan’s troops moved asked the girl for a drink from the pitcher, toward Moscow but they never attacked, as and she surreptitiously slid her wedding ring they were forced to return in order to defend into the water as she drank. The princess their own capital from Russian attack. 96 GOLDEN KINGDOM, THE

See also: Genghis Khan; Khan; Kiev; although others were readily hired, he was Mongols; Moscow passed over due to the softness of his hands. He had almost given up hope when a GOLDEN KINGDOM, THE golden carriage entered the square, those Russia others still looking for work quickly taking One of three kingdoms in the realm of to their heels, leaving the young man quite Whirlwind, located on a plateau atop a alone.The carriage drew up beside him and tremendously high mountain range. The its owner, a wealthy merchant, offered him a tsaritsa of this kingdom, Elena the Fair, a job, good food, and fine clothes.The young prisoner of Whirlwind, lived in a golden man readily accepted the offer and climbed palace that was guarded by dragons. She was into the carriage. Minutes later the carriage set free by Ivan Belyaninovich, along with stopped beside a golden ship, which they her sisters, the tsaritsas of the Silver Kingdom boarded. Several days later they landed on an and the Copper Kingdom, when he killed island on which stood a magnificent golden Whirlwind and released his mother Nastas'ya mansion and a huge, glittering mountain. of the Golden Braid. She married Ivan, and As the ship moored, the merchant and the her first sister, the tsaritsa of the Silver young man disembarked to be greeted by the Kingdom, married Peter Belyaninovich. Her merchant’s daughter, a maiden of such other sister, the tsaritsa of the Copper beauty that the young man immediately lost Kingdom, married Vasilii Belyaninovich his heart to her.All day long the young man (Peter and Vasilii being the two brothers of labored, unloading the ship and carrying the Ivan). provisions to the mansion. Then the mer- See also: Copper Kingdom,The; Dragon; chant invited him to dine with himself and Elena the Fair; Ivan Belyaninovich; Nastas'ya his daughter, for the following day the young of the Golden Braid; Peter (Belyaninovich); man would start the work he had been hired Silver Kingdom,The;Vasilii Belyaninovich; to do. Whirlwind The banquet laid out in the mansion was finer than the young man had ever seen in all GOLDEN MOUNTAIN, THE his privileged youth.After the meal, the mer- Ukraine chant poured two goblets of wine and The tale of the Golden Mountain—a pushed one toward the young man.As he did Ukrainian version of the story of Grishka so, the merchant’s daughter called to her and the Mountain of Gold—revolves around father from outside the room, and he left.As the unnamed, idle son of a rich merchant. he left by one door, the maiden came in Having grown up amid a life of luxury through another and hurried over to the where he had only to ask for a thing and it young man. She handed him a tinderbox, would be given, the merchant’s son knew telling him that should he ever find himself nothing about managing money and had no in danger, he only had to strike the tinderbox skill or profession.When his father suddenly and help would come. died, the young man quickly squandered the The young man quickly pocketed the tin- large fortune his father had left him. derbox and drank the goblet of wine. No Destitute and suddenly friendless, the young sooner had he drained his goblet than he man sold the golden buttons from his coat, slumped across the table and fell into a deep his last asset in the world, and with the sleep, for the wine had been drugged. The money bought food and a spade. Then he merchant got up from the table and went out went to the town square and waited for into the stables, where he harnessed two someone to come along and employ him.All strong horses to a cart and then killed an old day long the young man waited, but nag, cleaned out the carcass, and loaded it GOLDEN MOUNTAIN, THE 97 onto the cart. Then he went back into the before him and asked him what he desired. mansion and carried the young man out and He immediately asked to be taken back to sewed him up, with his spade, inside the body his hometown, and in a flash he found him- of the old horse.The merchant then drove to self standing in the deserted market square the foot of the Golden Mountain, where he where his journey with the merchant had unloaded the carcass and set his horses to started. graze while he hid behind some bushes. As The young man lived quietly by himself dawn broke, a flock of ravens with iron beaks until his hands had healed from the labor on and claws flew down from the mountain and the mountain, and then he went back to the picked up the carcass and carried it to the market square to await the return of the mer- summit. There they started to tear away the chant. He waited patiently every day for flesh of the old horse. As the sun broke over almost two months.Then the merchant reap- the horizon, they had picked the bones clean peared and the young man stood his ground and were beginning to peck at the body of as those around him seeking honest employ- the young man inside. ment fled. So it was that the young man once The youth awoke as the pain chased away again found himself on the island.The mer- the last effects of the drugged wine, and he chant’s daughter was amazed when she rec- chased away the birds with his spade. ognized the young man to whom she had Wondering where he was, he called out for given the tinderbox; but she bit her lip and help. From the foot of the mountain the said nothing to her father. merchant shouted that the young man That evening, as the merchant poured the should dig and roll the gold down the two goblets of wine, the young man passed mountain. If by evening he had dug a cart- some comment that made the merchant turn load of gold, then the merchant would tell around, and as he did so, the young man him how he might descend the mountain. If swapped the goblets. Then, when the mer- he had not, then the merchant would leave chant fell into a deep sleep, the young man him there to be devoured by the ravens went out into the stables, hitched the horses when they returned to roost at sunset. to the cart, killed and gutted an old nag, and All day long the young man dug into the sewed the merchant and a spade inside.Then, mountain, and by evening the cart below just as the merchant had done, the young was fully laden. However, as he stopped dig- man drove to the foot of the mountain, ging and looked down the mountain, he saw unloaded the carcass, unhitched the horses, that the merchant was hitching his horses to and watched from his hiding place as the the cart and making ready to leave. The ravens carried the carcass up to the summit young man shouted down to the merchant, of the mountain. asking to be told how to get down. The As the sun rose and the ravens began to merchant simply laughed at him and told tear at the merchant, he awoke and fought him that he would never get down and that off the ravens with his spade. From the foot he should enjoy the time he had left, for of the mountain the young man called up to when the sun set the ravens would return him and told him to dig a cartload of gold and tear him to pieces. With that the mer- before sunset.The merchant dug furiously all chant drove away, and the young man sat day, and by evening the cart was fully laden down to ponder his fate. with gold.As the sun began to set, the young As he pondered, the sun began to set, and man drove away and left the merchant to his he saw the ravens in the distance. Just then well-deserved fate. He drove the cart back to he remembered the tinderbox, took it out, the golden mansion, where he took the mer- and struck it twice. Instantly two men chant’s place, married the merchant’s daugh- (described in the legend as Cossacks) stood ter, and lived a life of ease, never employing 98 GORYNICH any unfortunate lads to mine gold from the black smoke. Out of this smoke emerges the Golden Mountain. twelve-headed she-dragon Goryshche.While See also: Cossacks; Grishka; Mountain of the dragon asks Dobrynya what she should Gold; Ukraine do with him, the knight seizes the moment and dives beneath the waters, coming ashore GORYNICH on the bank opposite that where his clothes Russia and weapons lie, his horse having been A terrible dragon that was the nephew of the frightened away when the dragon appeared. sorcerer Nemal Chelovek. Just as he thinks the game is up, Dobrynya See also: Dragon; Nemal Chelovek catches sight of a priest’s hat lying in the grass.As a bogatyr', a knight of Holy Russia, GORYNINKA he knows that this hat will make a formida- Russia ble weapon; but when he lifts it, it seems A sorceress related to Goryshche the dragon. extremely heavy. As the dragon flies toward She appears to Dobrynya Nikitich in the him, Dobrynya brandishes the hat and severs guise of an old hag and challenges him to a all but one of the dragon’s heads.The dragon fight, armed with a sword and lance that drops to the ground and Dobrynya leaps reaches into the skies. Many authorities astride her, preparing to finish her off. believe that Goryninka (also known as Baba Goryshche begs for mercy and promises Latingorka) is an incarnation of that most never to raid the lands of Holy Russia again, terrible of all Russian witches, Baba-Yaga. and never to carry off any more Russian See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Dobrynya people. Dobrynya likewise promises never to Nikitich; Dragon; Goryshche return to the Sorochinsk Mountains; and References: Astakhova 1938–51; Evgen'eva and having made their pact, the two part ways. Putilov 1977; Speranskii 1916 Absent his horse, Dobrynya must make his way home to Kiev on foot.When he arrives GORYSHCHE he finds that in his long absence a disaster has Russia befallen the court of Prince Vladimir Bright (from gora, “mountain”) A multiheaded she- Sun. The very dragon that Dobrynya spared dragon related to Baba Latingorka, or had broken her word, and flying over the city, Goryninka, and Sviatogor. Goryshche’s lair is she had carried away the Princess Zabava, in a cavern in the Sorochinsk Mountains, Vladimir’s favorite niece.Vladimir Bright Sun where she holds many Russians—her food calls together his knights and challenges them supply—in captivity. Dobrynya Nikitich to rescue the unfortunate maiden. undertakes a quest to find Goryshche and Alesha, the son of the priest Leontii, tells end her murderous ways. Vladimir that Dobrynya seems to know the Having slain her young, Dobrynya is dragon quite well, adding that he believes warned by his mother,Amelfia Timofeyevna, that the dragon regards Dobrynya as her never to return to the Sorochinsk Mountains brother. When Vladimir Bright Sun hears and to stay away from the river Puchai. this, he commands Dobrynya to bring back Dobrynya ignores what he thinks of as the the girl or be beheaded. ramblings of an old woman, and he is soon Returning home, Dobrynya explains what back in dragon-hunting country. Tired and has transpired to his mother, complaining that dusty from his long journey, Dobrynya strips he will have to walk to the Sorochinsk off his clothes, and leaving them with his Mountains because he has no horse. His horse on the bank, dives into the river mother tells him of his father’s old chestnut, Puchai. Suddenly he sees fire and sparks which is standing in the stable, mired in its leaping into the air, accompanied by thick own dung. Telling her son to clean up the GREEN MARSH 99 horse and feed it, she also advises him to get all the people of the city.At home, he is also a good night’s sleep. Dobrynya follows his greeted by the sight of his horse mother’s advice to the letter.The next morn- Voroneyushka, “Little Raven,” which has at ing, as he mounts the chestnut and makes long last returned to its stable. ready to leave, his mother hands him a silken See also: Alesha;Amelf(i)a Timofe(y)evna; Baba whip, telling him to whip the horse with it if Latingorka; Bogatyr'; Dobrynya Nikitich; the beast’s strength begins to fail. Dragon; Goryninka; Kiev; Leontii; Mother Placing the whip in his pocket, Dobrynya Earth; Puchai; Sorochinsk Mountains; spurs the horse, which clears the city walls in Sviatogor;Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince; Voroneyushka; Zabava (Putyatichna), Princess a single leap and speeds away faster than the References: Evgen'eva and Putilov 1977; eye can follow. In no time at all they reach Nechaev and Rybakov 1959; Speranskii the foothills of the Sorochinsk Mountains. 1916; Ukhov 1957 There the ground is teeming with the young of the she-dragon. Dobrynya attacks them, GRAMOVITSA riding over their dead bodies; but gradually, Russia having been bitten badly,the horse begins to The personification of the Virgin Mary as falter. Remembering the words of his “Mary the Thunderer,” an aspect in which mother, Dobrynya takes the whip from his she appears as a column of fire—a character- pocket and gently lashes his mount between istic previously attributed to Perun. In this the ears and hind legs. Instantly the horse’s aspect she is responsible for the rainbow vigor returns, and they finally arrive at the bridge that connects heaven and earth, cave of the she-dragon. allowing the rain to flow freely over the Needless to say,Goryshche is not happy to fields. see Dobrynya and complains bitterly about See also: Perun the death of her offspring, and even more so References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Matorin 1931 about the fact that Dobrynya, a knight of Holy Russia, has broken his word. Dobrynya GREAT BEAR retorts that it is she who first broke their General pact, and demands the return of Zabava. The common name for the constellation When the dragon refuses, Dobrynya attacks Ursa Major. her. For three days they battle, until finally See also: Ursa Major Dobrynya triumphs. However, Dobrynya now finds himself stranded in the middle of GREAT GODDESS a vast lake that has formed from the dragon’s General blood—a lake that the earth will not soak up. The head goddess of any pantheon, whether Calling on Mother Earth, he commands she be the goddess of the sun, the moon, or her to open up and swallow the dragon’s the earth. The Great Goddess was usually— blood. Instantly a huge chasm appears and the but not always—the most respected female lake drains away. Dobrynya climbs down from deity. In some cultures the Great Goddess his horse and enters the network of caves in was considered too remote or aloof to be which the dragon lived. Inside he finds and interested in the affairs of mere mortals, and releases many hundreds of Russians before he there her cult was weak. sees Princess Zabava in the very last chamber. See also: Moon; Sun Leading her outside, he perches her in front of him on his horse, and they return to Kiev GREEN MARSH at the same speed as that with which he Russia departed.When he returns, he is greeted as a The home of Babushka-Lyagushka-Ska- great hero by Prince Vladimir Bright Sun and kushka (“Grandmother Hopping Frog”), the 100 GREGORY OF SMOLENSK oldest living creature. Baba-Yaga asked her to At a banquet that night, the merchant’s help Petrushka in his quest to locate the daughter gave Grishka a tinderbox, telling place I-Know-Not-Where and the object I- him that if he ever had need of assistance, all Know-Not-What. he had to do was strike the steel against the See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Babushka- flint, and help would be at hand. Lyagushka-Skakushka; I-Know-Not-What; I- The following morning the merchant led Know-Not-Where; Petrushka Grishka to the great Mountain of Gold that rose from the center of the island, but no GREGORY OF SMOLENSK matter how hard he might try,Grishka found Russia it too steep to climb.The merchant clapped A fourteenth-century ecclesiastical chroni- Grishka on the back and told him not to cler who boasted that he had heard the earth worry, and sat him down with a goblet of bemoaning the loss of her children to the wine to refresh him so that he might try Mother of God.These stories were obviously again. The wine was drugged, and Grishka an attempt by the chronicler to convince soon fell into a deep sleep.As soon as he had others that even Mother Earth herself had dozed off, the merchant cut the throat of the accepted the inevitability of full conversion horse that had accompanied them, gutted it, from paganism. sewed Grishka up inside the carcass, and then See also: Mother Earth quickly hid. Two enormous black crows alighted, GRISHKA picked up the carcass, and carried it up to the Russia top of the mountain, where they picked its A young and handsome yet very poor peas- bones clean. Grishka woke up and drove the ant who sought work by waiting among crows away, and then called out to the mer- other men seeking employment in the mar- chant, who replied from the foot of the ket square of an unnamed town. Several men mountain. The merchant promised that if had been picked by the time a richly attired Grishka toiled hard that day,he would divine merchant drove into the square in a solid a means by which he could descend the gold carriage.All the other prospective labor- mountain safely. ers turned on their heels and fled when they Grishka dug gold all day long, rolling it off saw the merchant approach, but Grishka the sheer sides of the mountain to the mer- stood his ground.Thus he was the only man chant below, who loaded it onto a series of present when the merchant asked him if he carts. As night began to fall, Grishka called was looking for work, and he was also able to down that he had done enough for one day command the princely sum of one hundred and was ready to come down.The merchant rubles a day for his services. simply laughed, shouting back to Grishka Grishka climbed into the merchant’s car- that ninety-nine men before him had per- riage, and soon they had traveled the short ished on the summit of that mountain and distance to the harbor.There they boarded a that he would become the hundredth.Then magnificent ship and set sail. Eventually a the merchant rode away, and Grishka sat small island came into sight, the merchant’s down to ponder his predicament with the golden palace shining like a beacon in the crows circling overhead. bright sunlight. As they sailed into the small It was then that Grishka remembered the harbor and moored, Grishka and the mer- tinderbox. He struck a spark from it and was chant were met by the merchant’s wife and immediately joined by two shining youths, his beautiful daughter. Grishka immediately who asked what he desired. Grishka asked fell in love with the maiden, who likewise them to get him off the mountain. In an fell in love with him. instant Grishka found himself on the shore GULINAZ 101 of the island, just as a boat was sailing past. way down, and Grishka called up to him, Grishka called out to the sailors to rescue saying that it would be the merchant and not him, but they simply laughed and proceeded he who became the hundredth man to die on their way. Grishka struck another spark, upon that summit. Grishka went to the mer- and an evil wind blew the ship back to the chant’s palace and was joyfully reunited with shore so that the sailors had no choice but to the merchant’s daughter, who agreed to pick up Grishka and carry him home. become his wife. As the couple sailed away, After he had returned home and rested a the crows alit on the summit of the while, Grishka returned to the market square Mountain of Gold. and waited for the merchant to arrive. Soon See also: Mountain of Gold the gold carriage entered the square, and all the other men waiting took to their heels GUDIRI-MUMI and fled. Grishka this time bargained a price Votyak of two hundred rubles a day, and once again “Mother of thunder,”the goddess of thunder he was taken to the merchant’s island. and . However, when they again stood at the foot of the mountain and the merchant offered GULINAZ Grishka a drink to refresh himself, Grishka Armenia politely declined until the merchant himself The daughter of King Aslan, who was had accepted a drink from his grateful abducted and imprisoned by a Tapagöz. employee. Grishka poured the merchant a Samson, who had seen her in a dream, set drugged drink from his own flask, and when out to find and release her from the cave in the merchant had fallen asleep, he cut the which she was held captive.This he did, after throat of the horse that had accompanied killing the Tapagöz. Samson and Gulinaz them, took out its entrails, sewed the mer- then set out for home, where they were mar- chant up inside, and hid. ried in due course. For the full legend, see The crows duly appeared, carried the car- the entry for Samson. cass to the top of the mountain, and stripped See also: Aslan; Samson;Tapagöz its bones. Thus the merchant found himself References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, at the top of the Mountain of Gold with no vol. 4

instructed the old man to go into the forest, where he would find a well. At that well he should shout to Mother Earth and tell her what Habërmani wanted. The peasant forlornly did as he was asked, and when he returned home he was amazed to find that his dilapidated old hut had become a palace finer than even that of the king. The following morning the peasant once again HABËRMANI set out for the king’s palace to Armenia Hrepeat his request. The king was amazed A sorcerer prince who assumed the guise of when he saw the magnificent new palace, a snake and hid in a bundle of firewood that and he knew that forces were afoot about had been gathered by an old peasant. That which he knew nothing and which he could night he made himself known to the old not control. However, he was not ready to man and his equally aged wife and was sub- give up his only daughter so easily; so he told sequently accepted into the family. One the old man that he must now go back and evening, the snake spoke to the old man and lay out gardens around the new palace, or he told him that the very next day he should go would lose his head. to the local king and ask for the hand of the Again the peasant related the demand to princess for his son.The old man protested, Habërmani, who told him to go back to the but Habërmani insisted, and finally the man well and ask Mother Earth, as he had done agreed to go. before. This the peasant did. The following All did not go well at the palace the fol- morning the peasant went back to the king, lowing morning. At first the palace guards the gardens around the new palace being the tried to throw the old man out on his ear; finest any mortal had ever seen. Again the but he insisted that he had something king would not give up his daughter with- important to ask the king, so they uncere- out setting another task, this time telling the moniously dragged him off and deposited peasant, again under threat of losing his him in a pile on the floor before the throne. head, to provide a carpet that stretched The king asked him what he wanted, and between the two palaces. the old man boldly asked the princess’s hand Habërmani sent the peasant back to the for his son. well, and the following morning the old man The king laughed to himself, thinking trekked back to the king and told him that that the old peasant was mad; but he told everything he had been asked to do, he had him that he would give the hand of his done. However, the king assigned him one daughter in marriage if by the following last task: to provide seven invisible minstrels morning the peasant could build a fine with pipes and drums, a demand that the old palace that rivaled that of the king. If he man easily complied with, thanks to failed, however, the king would have his Habërmani, Mother Earth, and the well. head.Thus the old man trudged back to his Finally,seeing that there was nothing that the ramshackle hut, sure that he was living his old man could not achieve, the king relented last few hours on the earth. Habërmani and asked the old man to present his son. knew exactly what to do when the old peas- When the king saw that the youth was a ant told him of the king’s command. He snake, he was horrified; but as he had given

103 104 HABËRMANI his word, he gave the order for wedding his wife. Immediately resolving to find preparations to begin. Habërmani, the princess strapped on iron The wedding feast lasted seven days and sandals, took up a steel staff, and set out. seven nights. When all the guests had de- Habërmani, still wounded from the tour- parted and Habërmani and his new wife nament, had traveled by magic to a realm were left alone, Habërmani removed his ruled by a witch and her daughter whom the snakeskin and revealed himself to be a hand- witch wanted Habërmani to marry. How- some prince. He told his wife that he would ever, Habërmani was so in love with his only assume his manly guise when they were princess that when his wound had healed, he alone, and would live as a snake during the succumbed to a fever that felt as if he were day. He also warned her not to breathe one burning in the fires of damnation. The word about his human form; for if she did, witch’s daughter fetched pitchers of water the magic spell would be broken and she from dawn to dusk in an attempt to cool the would lose him, and everything would be as fever, but Habërmani simply lay there, it was before. writhing in agony. Many weeks passed, and although sorely The princess, on the other hand, was tempted on more than one occasion, the wending her way through the world, until she princess kept her bond, and she and came to the Clay City.There she met a maid Habërmani lived a life of happiness. at a well, collecting water in a pitcher. She However, the king then decided to hold a asked the girl if Habërmani lived in the city. tournament in which all the nobles of his The girl told the princess that she had not kingdom would take part. Habërmani stole heard of Habërmani, and sent her on to the away and shed his snakeskin. He then dressed Crystal City, which lay one year’s walk away. in blue armor and rode to the tournament, The princess tried that city and received the where everyone was amazed by his prowess. same response, this time being sent to the The princess immediately guessed that this Copper City. From there she was sent to the mysterious blue knight was none other than Iron City, then the Steel City, then the Silver her beloved Habërmani. Many ladies of the City, and finally the Golden City. court made fun of the princess, saying that There she met the witch’s daughter get- her husband would not dare slither onto the ting water at the well.The princess asked the tournament ground, for he would surely be girl if she knew where Habërmani was, and trampled to death. At length their taunts she was delighted to hear that he was in that became intolerable, and the princess retorted city, although for seven years he had lived a that her husband was the finest knight at the life of torment in the clutches of a vile fever. tournament that day. The princess asked the girl for a drink from No sooner had she spoken the words than the pitcher, and surreptitiously slid her wed- Habërmani was struck by a lance and thrown ding ring into the water as she drank. The from his horse.When he regained conscious- princess then sat down to wait while the ness, his wife beside him, he told her that she witch’s daughter took the pitcher to where had lost him. She could only recover him by Habërmani lay. As he drank the water, he binding iron sandals to her feet, taking up a found the ring and was immediately cured of steel staff, and traveling the world for seven his fever. Habërmani sent the witch’s daugh- years, during which time she would pass ter to fetch the woman from the well, and seven castles—one each year. Then thus Habërmani and his princess were Habërmani, the palace, its gardens, the car- reunited. However, they had yet to escape pet, and the pipers vanished, and the princess the witch. was left alone in the ramshackle hut that had That night the old witch asked the once been the home of the old peasant and princess to massage her feet until she fell HAHENGAN 105 asleep, and then to sleep at the foot of her keep her safe. The witch came to the forest bed. Habërmani advised his wife that the and knew that within its depths she would witch intended to kill her with a powerful find Habërmani as a small snake wound kick; so the princess placed a large log in her around a fine young sapling that was his place after the witch had fallen asleep. Just as wife. However, from within the trees, Habërmani expected, in the morning the log Habërmani pleaded for mercy,and the witch had been smashed.When the witch realized agreed in return for a kiss from the snake. that she had been tricked, she tried to get the Habërmani agreed, whereupon the witch princess lost by sending her out to gather five returned to her city, and Habërmani and his sacks of feathers in the forest. However, wife resumed their human forms again.They Habërmani told the princess how she could returned home, where they found the palace gather them easily, and she quickly returned and its gardens restored, and there they lived with the required amount. The witch then out their days, Habërmani never again sent the princess to bring her twelve dresses resorting to the use of his snakeskin. like no others in the world.This time, when See also: Clay City,The; Copper City,The; the princess told her husband of the task she Crystal City,The; Golden City,The; Iron had been assigned, Habërmani decided that City,The; Mother Earth; Silver City,The; the time had come for them to escape. Steel City,The Having traveled a fair distance from the References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, vol. 4 city,Habërmani told his wife to look around and see if they were being followed. She saw a cloud of dust in their wake, a cloud that HAHE Habërmani guessed would be the witch’s Siberia—Samoyed daughter. He instantly turned his wife into a Wooden idols that personified various windmill and himself into a deaf miller.Thus, household spirits. The idols would be care- when the witch’s daughter reached them, he fully wrapped and carried on the household’s could only respond with nonsense, and the hahengan, a sled especially reserved for this witch’s daughter returned to her city empty- purpose. The hahe had various functions: handed. The witch guessed what had hap- One guaranteed wedded bliss; another was pened and sent her daughter out again. the patron of fishing; another the guardian of Habërmani and his wife had traveled a health and the patron of medicine; and good distance farther when the princess saw another saw to the health and welfare of the the cloud of dust again catching up to them. reindeer herds. This time Habërmani turned his wife into a When the services of the hahe were garden and himself into a deaf gardener. As required, the idol would be taken from the before, the witch’s daughter was thwarted hahengan and erected where the influence and returned to her mother.This time it was was required, such as in a wood, on the banks the witch herself who set off in pursuit of of a river, or in the house. Then the mouth Habërmani and the princess. of the idol would be smeared with oil or Having returned to their normal, human blood, and a dish of meat or fish would be set forms, Habërmani and the princess had trav- before it. In return for this food the hahe was eled a good distance when they saw a huge expected to respond favorably to requests. cloud of dust following them. Habërmani told his wife to throw her comb on the HAHENGAN ground. Instantly a huge forest sprang up Siberia—Samoyed around them. Habërmani turned his wife The sled that was reserved to transport the into a small sapling and himself into a small hahe of a household or individual. snake, winding himself around his wife to See also: Hahe 106 HANSEATIC LEAGUE

HANSEATIC LEAGUE grew so afraid that his trembling caused him General to lose his footing and fall from the tree. A forerunner of the modern European Haron, however, remained calm and told Union, the Hanseatic League (Ger. Hansa or Baron that they should simply sit beneath the Hanse) was a confederation of northern tree and talk, giving the impression that they European trading cities that operated from were just two of many.They did exactly that; the twelfth century until 1669. At its height and the wolves, thinking that they might be in the late fourteenth century the league attacked by an unknown number of men, left consisted of over 160 towns and cities, them alone.The following night exactly the among them Lübeck, Hamburg, Cologne, same situation arose, this time with a pack of Kraków,and Breslau.The basis of the league’s bears, and again Haron and Baron deceived power was its monopoly of Baltic trade and the bears into thinking that the two were not its relations with Flanders and England.The alone (again, Baron was very frightened, and gradual decline of the league beginning in Haron was calm). the fifteenth century was due to the move- Once again, as they made their camp the ment of trade routes and the formation and very next night, Baron sought to make his development of national states. bed in a tree, leaving Haron on the ground. The earliest confederation had its head- Baron, however, had to climb down to eat. quarters at Visby, Sweden, and included over When Haron grew thirsty during the meal, thirty cities. It was quickly eclipsed by a sim- Baron refused to lead him to a nearby ilar league based at Lübeck. Both Hamburg stream.Thus Haron had to guide himself to and Lübeck established branch offices in the refreshing water. There Haron heard a London, in 1266 and 1267, respectively. bird alight on a branch above him, a bird These two German leagues were united with that told him to splash the water from the yet another based in Cologne, in 1282, to stream on his eyes. Haron did so, and his form the so-called Steelyard. There were sight was immediately restored. Overjoyed, three other branches of the Hanseatic he rushed back to camp to tell Baron. League—at Bruges, Bergen, and Novgorod. When Baron heard the news, all he could The last general assembly, that of 1669, think about was bettering his already per- marked the League’s end. fect sight, and so he rushed down to the See also: Novgorod stream to splash water in his face. However, when he did so he was immediately struck HARO(N) blind; and from that moment on, their roles Armenia were reversed, and Haron had to lead The traveling companion of Baron, some Baron. sources suggesting a blood relationship The following evening the two once between the two but never explicitly con- again made camp in the shade of a tree.This firming or denying it. During their travels time, Haron did not seek to make his bed in Haron went blind, and from that moment on the tree but stayed close to Baron.As they sat Baron had to act as Haron’s guide, a fact he down to prepare their evening meal, they often bitterly complained about. One night heard the sound of a man approaching on they made their camp under a tree in a for- horseback, the horse’s hoof falls accompanied est at the foot of Mount Amarven. Baron by the sound of many men on foot. As they climbed a tree to remain safe during the listened to the men approaching, a huntsman night, leaving Haron to fend for himself on on a white horse entered the clearing—a the forest floor. As the sun set, the two trav- huntsman that Haron immediately recog- elers heard a pack of wolves approaching nized as king of the land they were traveling them; and as the howls grew louder, Baron through. HAZARAN 107

The king eyed the two suspiciously, and that took nine years in the construction. thinking them enemy spies, he had them However, as the bishop was consecrating the bound and dragged off to his dungeons. church, the hermit reappeared with the There they were left for several days before same message.This time the king took hold being brought before the king and his beau- of the hermit and asked him just what was tiful daughter. Haron was immediately smit- missing.The hermit replied that the missing ten by the princess’s beauty, and she likewise item was the nightingale Hazaran, and then by his countenance. The king questioned he disappeared. both Haron and Baron, and not believing The king had three sons, and they eagerly their story, called on his guards to take them volunteered to discover the whereabouts of out and hang them. However, the king’s the nightingale and bring it back to their daughter interceded, and the king allowed father. Having ridden for a month, the three her to hear their stories and be their judge. sons encountered a hermit at the junction of She listened to what both Haron and three roads.The hermit told the three that he Baron had to say,and then went to her father who followed the first road would return, he and told him that she believed they posed no who followed the second road may or may threat. She also asked her father to call upon not return, and he who followed the third Loqmân the Wise to restore Baron’s sight. road had little chance of returning.The three This he did; and when Baron could see brothers cast lots. Then the eldest took the again, he pleaded with the king to take him first road, the middle son the second road, out and hang him because he could not and the youngest the last. stand to look Haron in the face after the way After his two brothers had set off, the he had treated him. Haron and the princess youngest brother asked the hermit why he lifted Baron to his feet, Haron and Baron had little chance of returning. The hermit being reconciled. The king then consented told him that the road was beset with haz- to the marriage of Haron and his daughter, a ards, and then told the youth how he might wedding at which Baron served as best man. overcome each one. Well prepared, the See also: Baro(n) youngest brother set out. References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, Before long he came to the first obstacle, vol. 10 a river with poisonous waters and no bridge. The youth dismounted, took a drink, and HAZARAN declared, “the Waters of Life!” At that, a Armenia bridge appeared, and he crossed the river From the Persian Hazârân, “bird of a thou- safely. A short time later he came across a sand songs,”Hazaran is a fabulous nightingale huge thistle. This he picked, smelled, and who appears in a post-Christian legend. declared “the Flower of Paradise.”Riding on, An unnamed king had taken seven years the young man came across a wolf and a to build a wonderful church.As it was being lamb tied to wooden posts, a heap of grass consecrated, a strong wind rose and a hermit before the wolf, and a joint of meat in front appeared before the king, congratulating him of the lamb. The youngest brother gave the on building such a fine church but adding grass to the lamb and the meat to the wolf, that it was a pity just one thing was missing. and continued down the road.The last obsta- The hermit then disappeared, and the king cle was a two-sided gate, one side open and ordered that the church be destroyed and the other side closed. Following the instruc- rebuilt. tions of the hermit, the young man closed Seven years later exactly the same thing the open side and opened the shut side, and happened. This time the king ordered that riding through, found the palace of the mis- an even grander church be built, a church tress of Hazaran. 108 HAZARAN

Meanwhile, the eldest brother had ridden they all turned back into people, who fled in his road and come to a fine palace, where he all directions.The very last stone he whipped had decided he would remain to live a life of turned into his brother, and the two rode luxury, in the service of its lord.The middle back together to the crossroads, where they brother had likewise had an easy journey; were reunited with their eldest brother.They but the palace he came to hid a danger to took Hazaran from the hermit, and set out which he succumbed—a huge Arab who toward home. whipped the youth and turned him into En route the three ran out of water. stone. Luckily, a short distance farther down the The youngest brother, having entered the road they came to a well.They lowered the palace, encountered the mistress of the youngest brother down to fetch water. nightingale lying on a bed. As he watched, While the young man was at the bottom of Hazaran flew down from its perch and the well, the two other brothers discussed alighted on the maiden’s chest, where it how they would look in their father’s eyes started to sing, and in an instant the maiden if they allowed their young brother to take fell asleep.As she did so the young man dart- all the glory.As a result they left the unfor- ed forward, snatched up Hazaran, kissed the tunate youth in the well and returned to maiden on the cheek, and made his way back their father with the nightingale, telling the along the road. Seven days later the maiden king that their brother had perished along awoke from her sleep, and seeing that her the way. bird had vanished, she commanded her traps The king placed Hazaran in his church, along the road to stop the thief.They could but the bird would not sing and looked close not, for the spell that held them had been to death. Several days later the maiden came broken when the youth followed the advice to the king and demanded to know who had of the hermit. stolen her bird. The two brothers said that The young man made his way safely back they had, and when asked what they had to the crossroads, where he once again encountered on the way, they replied that encountered the hermit and asked for news they had encountered nothing. Immediately of his brothers. When the hermit told him the maiden knew that they were lying, and that they had not returned, the young man so she seized the brothers and their father, gave Hazaran to the hermit for safekeeping threw them into a dungeon, and ruled in and then set off down the first road. In the their stead. town surrounding the first palace, he found In the meantime, the young prince had his brother working as a servant in an inn. been rescued from the well and made his He told him of his success, and together they way back home on foot.When he arrived in rode back to the crossroads. Leaving his the city he was told all that had happened, eldest brother there with the hermit and the and he ran to the dungeon to release his nightingale, the youngest brother set off to father and his brothers. There he was con- find his other sibling. fronted by the maiden, who asked him At the second palace he too encountered exactly the same questions she had asked his the huge Arab; but when the whip was brothers. He told the maiden all he had aimed in his direction, the young man sim- encountered, and she immediately knew that ply stepped aside, took hold of the whip, and he was telling the truth. A few days later the pulled it from the Arab’s grasp. Then he maiden and the young prince were married turned the whip on the Arab, and turned in the king’s magnificent church, where him into stone. Guessing that the stones that Hazaran sits and pours out an endless stream lay all around had once been people, the of song. young prince began whipping them, and References: Khatchatrian 1933 HUNDRED SILVER PIECES, THE 109

HELEN Afron would give him both the horse and Russia the bridle. If he failed, he would be brand- Anglicized, alternative form of Elena. ed a common thief. Ivan succeeded with the help of the wolf, but fell in love with HERZEGOVINA Elena the Beautiful on the way back to General Afron’s palace.The wolf assumed Elena the Part of the land known as Bosnia-Her- Beautiful’s form and was presented to zegovina.This territory,originally referred to Afron, who kept his word and gave Ivan as Hum, was inhabited by Illyrians from Vyslavovich both the horse and its bridle. about the third millennium B.C. In c. 11 B.C. Ivan rode away on the horse and met up the area became part of a Roman province. with the real Elena the Beautiful, who had It was settled by Slavs during the late sixth been waiting in a forest nearby. The wolf and early seventh centuries. Control of the then resumed his true form and slipped area shifted among the Byzantine Empire, away from Afron’s palace to rejoin Ivan and Croatia, and Serbia from the tenth to the Elena the Beautiful. twelfth centuries. At this time Bosnia came Ivan Vyslavovich was killed by his under Hungarian rule, which continued treacherous brothers Dmitrii and Vasilii until the fifteenth century, while Her- Vyslavovich, after which the horse fell by zegovina changed hands between Serbia and lot to Dmitrii. It was, however, restored to Hungary until Bosnia seized control of the Ivan after he was brought back to life by region from 1326 to 1448. In the latter year, the wolf, using two small bottles of the the region’s local ruler seized power and Water of Life and Death.The two murder- assumed the title herzeg (duke), hence the ous brothers were incarcerated by their name Herzegovina. The Ottoman Empire father. gained control over most of Bosnia in 1463 See also: Afron; Dalmat; Dmitrii and over Herzegovina in c. 1482, after which (Vyslavovich); Elena the Beautiful; Firebird, many of the Slav inhabitants converted to The; Ivan Vyslavovich;Vasilii Vyslavovich; Islam. Bosnia and Herzegovina were made a Water of Life and Death,The single political unit by the Ottomans in the mid-nineteenth century. HORSEL See also: Bosnia; Byzantine Empire; Croatia; Slav Hungary; Serbia See Ursula, of which Horsel is a variant.

HORSE WITH THE GOLDEN HOURI MANE, THE Armenia Russia The generic name for a of any sort. Fabulous horse owned by Tsar Afron. Ivan Vyslavovich attempted to steal it for Tsar HOURI-PARI Dalmat, who had assigned him this task after Armenia Ivan was caught trying to steal the latter’s A paradisal nymph usually but not always Firebird and its gilded cage. Ivan was caught connected with water. by Afron because he ignored the advice of the shape-changing wolf that was helping HUNDRED SILVER PIECES, THE him, and also tried to make off with the Armenia horse’s golden bridle. A poor man once prayed to God, asking for Afron offered Ivan a chance to redeem one hundred silver pieces and promising to himself, telling him to bring him the spend ten of the silver pieces on oil for the maiden Elena the Beautiful. If he did, then lamps in the church. Later in the day the man 110 HUNGARY

Undated illustration of a welcoming houri (from the collections of Carol Rose; photo by David Rose)

found ninety silver pieces, fell to his knees, HUNGARY and praised God for his wisdom in taking the General ten silver pieces up front. A small, landlocked country in central One of the fables of Vardan of Aygek. Europe that was a large, independent, and See also: Vardan powerful kingdom until the late fifteenth References: Marr 1894–99 century.The Ottoman Empire ruled much of HUNGARY 111

Hungary from the early sixteenth to the late by these internal problems, Hungary was seventeenth centuries, after which the coun- defeated by the Ottoman Empire in the try became part of a huge empire ruled by Battle of Mohacs in 1526. The Ottomans the Austrian branch of the Habsburgs, a seized central Hungary soon afterward and powerful European dynasty. The empire of made the eastern third of the country, a the Habsburgs collapsed after World War I,in region called Transylvania, a dependent prin- 1918, and Hungary lost about two-thirds of cipality. The Austrian Habsburgs, who had its land but regained its independence. long wanted to make Hungary part of their The history of the Hungarian state begins empire, took the country’s western and in the late ninth century when tribes of northern sections, and in the late seventeenth Magyars, led by a chief named Arpád, swept century drove the Ottomans out of most of from the east into the middle Danube Basin. Hungary. The Habsburgs gained complete During the early tenth century, Magyar control of the country in the early eigh- armies raided towns throughout much of teenth century. Europe; but in 955, the German King Otto I In the early nineteenth century, Count defeated the invading Magyars, putting an István Széchenyi led a movement to revive end to their frequent raids. Hungarian culture and national pride and to Around 970,Arpád’s great-grandson Geza promote economic and social reforms. In the became leader of the Magyars and began to 1840s, Lajos Kossuth became the most organize the various Magyar tribes into a important leader of the reform movement united nation. After Geza died, his son and eventually turned it into a drive for Stephen, a Roman Catholic, carried on his Hungarian independence. In 1848 a govern- work. Stephen asked Pope Sylvester II (pope ment responsible to parliament was formed 999–1003) to give him the title King of with Austrian consent. Other changes were Hungary, a proposition to which the pope also made, but disagreements between the agreed. Stephen I, Hungary’s first king, was two countries finally led Hungary to fight crowned in 1000. As king, Stephen made for its independence. Kossuth became head Roman Catholicism the country’s official of a revolutionary Hungarian government, religion, and for this work, the Catholic which declared the country’s complete inde- Church declared him a saint in 1083, 45 pendence from Austria in April 1849; but the years after his death. Austrians, aided by the Russians, defeated the In 1241, armies of the Mongol Empire Hungarian army in August of that year, and invaded Hungary, and within a few months, Hungary again came under Habsburg rule. they had overrun much of its territory.The In 1867, a group of Hungarians led by death of the Mongols’ ruler forced the Ferenc Deák was able to force the emperor invaders to withdraw the following year, of Austria, Francis Joseph I, to give Hungary leaving much of the country in ruins. equal status with Austria. Under this arrange- However, under the leadership of the Arpád ment, called the Dual Monarchy, both coun- kings, Hungary gradually recovered. tries had the same monarch and conducted After the death of the last Arpád king in foreign, military, and certain financial affairs 1301, Hungary remained an independent jointly, but each country retained its own kingdom for another 225 years. John constitutional government to handle all Hunyadi, a Hungarian nobleman of Ro- other matters. manian descent, led Hungarians in defeating In 1914, a Serbian student from Bosnia- the Ottoman Empire in 1456. Hunyadi’s son Herzegovina killed the heir to the Austro- Matthias Corvinus became king of Hungary Hungarian throne. Austria-Hungary sus- in 1458. A period of conflict and disorder pected its southern neighbor Serbia of followed Matthias’s death in 1490.Weakened instigating the killing, and as a result,Austria- 112 HUZUL

Hungary declared war on Serbia—a move gary again became a monarchy, although it that marks the start of World War I had no king. (1914–1918). In the war, Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary and the Allies signed the Treaty and the Ottoman Empire supported Austria- of Trianon in 1920. The treaty was part of Hungary, forming the Central Powers. The the World War I peace settlements and Central Powers fought Serbia, France, Russia, stripped Hungary of more than two-thirds Britain, and other Allied forces—including of its territory. Parts of Hungary went to the United States, which entered the war on Czechoslovakia, Romania, Austria, and the the side of the Allies in April 1917. Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes A defeated Austria-Hungary signed an (later called Yugoslavia). Hungary’s present armistice on 3 November 1918. On 16 boundaries are about the same as those set November, the Hungarian people revolted by the treaty. and declared Hungary a republic. Count See also: Bulgaria; Czechoslovakia; Danube; Mihály Károlyi was made president. Magyars; Mongols; Romania; Serbia; Hungarian Communists and Socialists joined Transylvania together to form a coalition government in March 1919, whereupon Károlyi resigned and HUZUL Béla Kun, leader of the Communists, took Slav control of the new government as dictator. Ancient people inhabiting the Carpathian Kun’s rule lasted only a few months, col- Mountains about whom very little is known. lapsing largely because Kun could not From the scant records that do exist, they defend Hungary against attacks from Ro- appear to have held great influence by means mania, which sought Hungarian territory. In of and magic. For example, the Huzul addition, most Hungarians did not support believed that if mice obtained the cut hair of Kun’s policies, which included taking over an individual, that person would suffer bad the country’s factories and farms. Late in headaches, and in severe cases might even go 1919, Admiral Miklós Horthy came to insane. power. With Horthy acting as regent, Hun- See also: Carpathian Mountains IARILO Russia “Ardent Sun,” the sun god who has a fem- inine personification in Iarila. Iarilo was just one aspect of a quadruple fer- tility deity—the other aspects being Kupalo, linked with water; Kostromo- Kostrobunko, linked with grain; and Lado, a name used in invocations of the fertility deity as a single entity. Each of these aspects also had a feminine per- I-KNOW-NOT-WHAT sonification—Kupalo becoming Ku- Russia Ipala, Kostromo-Kostrobunko becoming An unidentified object that Petrushka had to , and Lado becoming Lada. Iarilo obtain, being told that he could find it in I- and Iarila, like their other aspects, were Know-Not-Where. Petrushka had the help of considered . Their effigies the witch Baba-Yaga and the magical frog were often burned together in a ritual sug- Babushka-Lyagushka-Skakushka in complet- gestive of the marriage of brother and sis- ing his seemingly impossible task. I-Know- ter—a ritual thought to stimulate the fertil- Not-What turned out to be an invisible being ity and potency of the aspect they by the name of Nobody.When asked where he represented (in the case of Iarilo and Iarila, came from, Nobody would reply,“I know not the sun). where”;and when asked what type of being he See also: Iarila; Kostroma; Kostromo was, he would reply,“I know not what.” (-Kostrobunko); Kupala; Kupalo; Lada; Lado; See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Babushka- Sun Lyagushka-Skakushka; I-Know-Not-Where; References: Snegirev 1837–39;Vernadsky 1959 Nobody; Petrushka

IAROSLAVNA I-KNOW-NOT-WHERE Russia Russia The wife of Igor, a powerful sorceress who An unidentified place in which Petrushka used her supernatural powers to protect her had to obtain an object simply known as I- husband. Know-Not-What. Petrushka had the help of See also: Igor the witch Baba-Yaga and the magical frog References: Mann 1979; Zenkovsky 1963 Babushka-Lyagushka-Skakushka in com- pleting his seemingly impossible task. See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Babushka- IAROVIT Lyagushka-Skakushka; I-Know-Not-What; Baltic Coast Petrushka “Wrath,” an alternative name for Svantovit. See also: Svantovit (~dovit)

IARILA Russia IENZABABA The feminine personification of the sun god Poland Iarilo. Polish name for the witch Baba-Yaga. See also: Iarilo See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga)

113 114 IGOR

IGOR approval from the maternal forces of nature Russia for his campaign. Having first appeased the The hero of the Lay of Igor’s Campaign, hus- Donets, enabling him to cross, he seeks to band of the sorceress Iaroslavna, who also appease all the other elements of nature who appears as a chief protagonist. With his have come to his aid. Finally he invokes kingdom under threat from invaders, Igor Mother Earth, presenting himself as her sup- gathers together his army—paying no heed plicant, and thus restores his land to peace to his wife’s warnings and seeking no and fertility and all the forces of nature to maternal blessings—and goes forth to do their rightful places. battle. En route he finds his path barred by See also: Div; Donets; Iaroslavna; Lay of Igor’s the Div, which steers him relentlessly Campaign; Mother Earth toward his enemies. References: Rambaud 1879; Zenkovsky 1963 Following a great battle in which it is feared that Igor has been killed, Iaroslavna IGOR, PRINCE sets out to redress the balance by use of her Russia powers. As she travels she invokes all the Historic prince of Kiev, the husband of Olga powers of nature and turns events soundly in and son-in-law of Oleg. He was killed by an favor of her husband. However, Iaroslavna assassin during his attempt to subdue the neglected to invoke Mother Earth, who Derevliane and bring them under the aus- turns against the battling Igor, although the pices of Kievan rule, and was succeeded by other forces of nature carry him to safety his wife. It seems likely that the historical within the waters of the river Donets. Here Prince Igor is the prototype for the hero of Igor realizes how foolish he was not to seek the Lay of Igor’s Campaign.

A miniature painting of Prince Igor defending his land against invaders (Sovfoto/PNI) IL'YA MUROMETS 115

See also: Derevliane; Kiev; Lay of Igor’s pre-Christian times as the giant Sviatogor. Campaign; Oleg; Olga However, there appears to be some confu- References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor sion here, as one story places both Il'ya 1953 Muromets and Sviatogor together, which obviously they could not have been if they IL'MEN', LAKE were one and the same. Il'ya’s surname is Russia actually an epithet that simply means he Lake to the south of Novgorod. Personified came from the city of Murom, not far from as a venerable, bearded old man, the lake was Moscow. Il'ya was born in the village of respectfully referred to as Granddad Lake Karacharovo, the son of a peasant named Il'men'. Both benevolent and malevolent, the Ivan, and thus was given the patronymic of lake was more likely to respond to the wishes Ivanovich, his more common name of of water spirits and fish than to those of man. Muromets being used to identify him after On one occasion he sent a huge surge of he had left his hometown. Born a cripple, water up a river known as Black Stream sim- too weak to even move, he was miraculously ply because a mill had been built on that cured at the age of 33 by a group of men, river, and that mill had blocked the fishes’ kaleki or pilgrims (some stories identify them access to the lake. On this occasion a human as Jesus Christ and two of the apostles), who messenger carried a message from Black gave him a drink made of honey. Stream, and Lake Il'men' appeared as a well- The pilgrims gave Il'ya advice on how he built peasant dressed in blue kaftan, trousers, should spend his life, mentioning that he and hat. should avoid confrontation with Sviatogor See also: Black Stream; Novgorod and Mikula Selyaninovich and Volga Yaro- References: Gil'ferding 1951; Ukhov 1957 slavich. They told Il'ya that although he might defeat Volga in battle,Volga’s cunning IL'YA would surely defeat Il'ya in the end.The pil- Russia grims then vanished from sight, and Il'ya The Russian name for the went to find his parents so that they might prophet , who following the adoption join him in celebrating his cure. of Christianity by Russia, replaced the god of Shortly after his cure, Il'ya vowed to travel thunder Perun. Elijah, or Il'ya, shared many to Kiev, to offer his services to Prince of Perun’s powers and attributes, such as Vladimir Bright Sun and his wife Evprak- being able to call down rain and fire from siya.Attending mass in Murom before setting heaven. out, he vowed that he would neither fight See also: Perun nor spill blood before he reached Kiev that evening, where he would once again attend IL'YA IVANOVICH mass. Russia This vow meant that Il'ya intended to Also known as Il'ya Muromets. The patro- travel more than 500 miles in a single day— nymic, Ivanovich, means “son of Ivan,” and a feat that would have been impossible had it Muromets means “man from Murom.” not been for his wondrous horse Sivushko, See also: Il'ya Muromets which galloped like the wind and cleared mountains in a single leap. Some sources IL'YA MUROMETS state that a single leap of this wondrous ani- Russia mal covered fifty versts, a verst being the A Russian knight, or bogatyr', who was a equivalent of approximately two-thirds of a hero of the Russian epic tales, or byliny, mile (so fifty versts would be around 33 although he appears to have originated in miles). Arming himself with his saber, his 116 IL'YA MUROMETS bow and arrows, his massive mace, and a house stood on seven pillars and covered an long, very sharp lance, Il'ya set out on the area seven versts by seven versts (about five most direct route to Kiev, which would take miles long by five miles wide). When they him past the city of Chernigov (although saw Nightingale tied to the stirrup of Il'ya some sources identify the city in this partic- Muromets’s horse, they rushed out of the ular episode as Smolensk). house to attack. However, Nightingale made As he approached the city he saw that it them put down their weapons and had them was under siege. Praying to God to release invite Il'ya into the house to be their guest. him from his vow, he charged the heathen Il'ya guessed that as soon as he was inside the hordes and killed the entire army.The peo- house he would be beaten; so wasting no ple of Chernigov welcomed him as a hero time, he killed all of Nightingale’s daughters and offered to make him their tsar. Il'ya and their husbands. refused, and instead asked them to point out Il'ya came at last to Kiev and presented to him the most direct road to Kiev. This himself to Vladimir Bright Sun. He had they did, warning him that on that route he arrived slightly too late to attend mass as was would have to cross the Black Mire, a swamp his intention. When he told Vladimir of all that pulled people down into its depths; ford that had befallen him that day,the prince did the raging river Smorodina; and then in the not believe him; so Il'ya led the prince out Briansk Woods he would be ambushed by into the courtyard where Nightingale was Solovei Rakhmatich, son of Rakhmat, a ter- still tied to his horse. Vladimir commanded rible brigand, half man and half bird, who Nightingale to whistle, but he refused, saying was commonly known as Nightingale. that as Il'ya had defeated him fairly,only Il'ya Unafraid, Il'ya set out along the overgrown could command him now. Il'ya ordered him road. (It was overgrown because for the pre- to whistle, but only at half-strength. vious thirty years Nightingale had let no one Nightingale put his fingers to his lips, and pass, killing all who attempted the journey.) ignoring what Il'ya had said, whistled at full Sivushko cleared the Black Mire in a sin- strength.All around, the guards and courtiers gle bound and then leaped across the raging fell dead.Vladimir himself was blown around torrent of the river Smorodina. Eventually the courtyard. Il'ya came to a stream called Smorodinka, Having been accepted by Vladimir beside which, in a nest in a tree, lived Bright Sun as a great knight worthy of Nightingale (some sources say Nightingale’s becoming a member of his court, Il'ya took nest was so large that it covered the tops of Nightingale out onto the steppe and seven trees). As Nightingale saw the knight beheaded him.The human half of his body approach, he whistled with all his might. All he fed to the wolves, and the bird half to the around him the trees and grass were flat- carrion crows. Then Il'ya returned to Kiev, tened; and so strong was the blast that even and there he lived as a respected member of Il'ya’s horse stumbled. Chiding it to regain its the court of Prince Vladimir Bright Sun, feet, Il'ya fired an arrow at Nightingale, strik- setting out frequently across the steppes to ing him on the temple and knocking him pursue many adventures. from his perch. On one occasion Il'ya Muromets traveled Il'ya leaped down from his horse and to the Holy Mountains (some sources say quickly bound Nightingale before he that these events took place while Il'ya was regained his senses.Then he tied him to the en route from Murom to Kiev after his stirrup of his horse and continued on his miraculous cure). There Il'ya came across a way. A short distance down the road they huge white pavilion beneath an oak tree, were to pass the house in which lived inside which stood a huge bed. Some sources Nightingale’s daughters and sons-in-law.This say the bed was ten fathoms long and six IL'YA MUROMETS 117 fathoms wide (80 feet by 48 feet). Curious he asked Il'ya to remove the lid, Il'ya found it about who owned such a bed, Il'ya tied far too heavy.Three times he hit it with his Sivushko to the oak tree and lay down on mace; but each time he struck, a steel band the bed, where he slept for three days and closed around the coffin, securing the lid. three nights.Then the earth began to trem- Sviatogor blew some of his strength into ble. Sivushko stamped his feet and called out Il'ya so that the knight could use the giant’s that the mighty Sviatogor was returning to sword; but this just made matters worse, for his tent. Il'ya leaped up from the bed and two steel bands closed around the coffin untied his horse so that it might hide, and every time Il'ya struck it with the sword. then he climbed the oak tree. Resigning himself to his fate, Sviatogor had From his position in the oak tree Il'ya Il'ya tie his horse to the tree, so that it would watched as Sviatogor approached his pavilion die there beside its master. Il'ya did as asked carrying a crystal casket on his shoulder. At and then sadly rode away from the coffin, the pavilion Sviatogor placed the casket on knowing that Sviatogor, the last of the , the ground. He unlocked it with a golden would shortly be no more. key from around his neck, opened it, and Il'ya returned to Kiev and served his drew out a beautiful woman—his wife. The prince faithfully for many years. One day, couple then ate a fine meal, after which when he realized that his end was near, he Sviatogor grew sleepy and went to bed. His departed the city one last time to ride across wife, however, did not immediately join him, his beloved countryside.As he rode he came having decided that she would first go walk- to a three-way crossroad. Each road was ing. As she walked, she caught sight of Il'ya marked by a sign saying that one road led to Muromets hiding in the tree. She bade him certain death, the second led to certain mar- climb down, and threatening to wake riage, and the last led to certain wealth.As he Sviatogor, made the bogatyr' lie with her. was old, Il'ya knew that he had no reason to Then she placed the knight in her husband’s marry and no need for wealth, so he took the pocket and went to sleep next to the giant. first road, as it seemed the most appropriate. The following morning Sviatogor placed Il'ya spurred on Sivushko. After riding his wife back in her crystal casket, and mount- three hours and covering a distance of three ing his mighty horse, set off to ride through hundred versts (two hundred miles), he came the Holy Mountains. Before long his horse to a huge palace, the home of more than stumbled for the very first time in its life; and forty thousand robbers.The robbers attacked when Sviatogor chided it, the horse com- him, but Il'ya simply rode among them and plained that once he had only to carry a killed them all. He then returned to the sign- bogatyr' and his wife but now he was forced to post and changed the wording so that anyone carry a wife and two bogatyri. Immediately who passed that way would know the road Sviatogor guessed that his wife had been was now safe. unfaithful to him, and taking her out of the Il'ya turned Sivushko down the second casket, he cut off her head. Then he reached road, rode another three hours and three into his pocket and pulled out Il'ya Muromets, hundred versts, and pulled up in front of a and the two rode on together, Sivushko having second palace.A beautiful maiden lived in the followed the party at a discreet distance. palace. She invited Il'ya to dine with her and Before long the two came across a huge spend the night, and if he did, then he would stone casket. Dismounting, Il'ya lay down in remain with her always, as her husband. Il'ya the coffin, but he found it far too large and ate and then followed the maiden to her bed- bade Sviatogor try it out. Even though Il'ya chamber; but instead of lying down when Muromets pleaded with him not to close the invited to, he took hold of the maiden and lid, Sviatogor did just that. However, when threw her onto the bed, guessing that this was 118 IMPS OF MISFORTUNE some form of trap. Just as he suspected, the Russian legends. In one such legend, that of bed opened up and the maiden fell through Volkh Vseslav'evich, is ruled over by to the dungeons beneath. Il'ya took the King Saltyk, whom Volkh kills, to rule in his maiden’s keys, went down into the dungeons, stead. and released the many prisoners she had See also: Saltyk;Volkh Vseslav'evich taken in this manner. Then he rode away, leaving the deceitful maiden locked in her IOANN THE LONG-SUFFERING, own dungeons. Returning once more to the SAINT signpost, he altered its wording so that every- Russia one would know that the road was now safe. According to a medieval tale, this Russian Finally Il'ya traveled the third road, again saint buried himself up to the chest for thirty riding three hours and covering three hun- years in order to discipline his body. The dred versts. At journey’s end he came to a Devil lit underground fires in an attempt to huge boulder in the middle of a field. This move Ioann, but to no avail. Finally the Devil rock weighed 270 poods (around 9,720 assumed the guise of an awesome dragon pounds), but Il'ya easily lifted it to reveal a that threatened to burn the saint to death. huge hoard of gold, silver, and precious One Easter night the dragon took the saint’s stones. Il'ya distributed these riches among head in its jaws and scorched his hair and his the poor and had enough left to build a small beard; but even this would not deflect the church. He then returned to the crossroads, saint from his purpose. After this the Devil where he once again altered the wording on gave up. the sign to let all who passed know what he See also: Devil,The; Dragon had done.Then Il'ya returned to Kiev. His last act was to build Kiev a cathedral. IRON CITY,THE As soon as it was completed he died and his Armenia body turned to stone. Some versions of the One of the succession of cities that the account say that Il'ya became the last stone princess wife of Habërmani traveled through needed to complete the building. on her quest to find her husband and restore See also: Black Mire; Bogatyr'; Briansk him to her side. Woods; Bylina; Chernigov; Evpraksiya (~ia), See also: Habërmani Princess; Il'ya Ivanovich; Karacharovo; Kiev; References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, Mikula Selyaninovich; Moscow; Murom; vol. 4 Nightingale; Rakhmat; Sivushko; Smorodina; Smorodinka; Solovei (~y) Rakhmatich; ISTANBUL Sviatogor;Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince;Volga General Yaroslavich References: Astakhova 1938–51; Chadwick The modern name for Byzantium, also 1964; Gil'ferding 1951; Gimbutas 1971; known as Constantinople. Khudiakov 1863; Nechaev and Rybakov See also: Byzantium; Constantinople 1959; Rambaud 1879; Speranskii 1916 ISTVAN IMPS OF MISFORTUNE Hungary—Magyar Ukraine The elder of the two sons of a poor wid- See Misfortune,The Imps of. ower, the other son being Janos. Istvan was morose, lazy, selfish, and bad-tempered, INDIA whereas his brother was the complete oppo- Russia site—cheerful, generous, kind, and good- Having no connection with the real country, natured.The family lived in a small kingdom India is a fantasy land mentioned in many beset by problems, for two seven-headed ISTVAN 119 dragons had taken up residence in the king’s his clothes and dived in; but no matter how palace. One dragon was of copper and the hard he searched, he could not find even a other of iron, and both had refused to leave single key. Thus it was that Istvan had to until the king’s daughter consented to marry spend another night in the open, this time one or the other.They had compounded the frozen to the bone in his wet clothes. problem by turning the unfortunate princess As day broke Istvan went back to the into a dragon as well. The king proclaimed palace and hammered on the small side door. that whoever could release the princess from The old crone appeared and told him to go the clutches of the dragons would receive away. However, he insisted that he be given her hand in marriage and half the kingdom the third test, so the crone took him to the as her dowry. king’s chamber, where he saw the three drag- News of this proclamation reached ons.The old crone told him to say which was Istvan’s father, who told the boy to go and the princess. Istvan had no idea and chose at see if he could make something of his life by random. He chose one of the real dragons, liberating the princess. Istvan grumbled con- which instantly bellowed with all its might. tinuously as he made his way to the royal A giant entered the hall, picked up Istvan, palace. En route he sat down to eat and spied took him outside, and threw him onto the a colony of ants. Gathering up his food, as he ground, which opened up and swallowed did not want it contaminated, Istvan kicked him. the anthill and continued on his way until he Meanwhile, Istvan’s father was waiting for came to a lake. There he sat down to eat news of his son.When none arrived, he sent again, only to be annoyed on this occasion by Janos to see if he would fare any better. Janos twelve ducklings playing in the reeds. Istvan traveled the same road as had his elder picked up a handful of pebbles and threw brother, and on the way he too sat down to them at the ducklings, which scattered. eat. As had happened with his brother, a Istvan traveled on. After spending an colony of ants gathered around the crumbs uncomfortable night in the open, which did that fell from his food. However, instead of nothing to improve his already foul temper, kicking the anthill, Janos took out a cake and he arrived at the palace and knocked on a broke it into fine crumbs, which he fed to side door. Before long an old crone came to the ants. He then continued on his way. the door and asked Istvan what he wanted. Before long, he came to the lake on which When he said that he had come to free the the twelve ducklings were swimming. Seeing princess, the old crone told him he had three them, Janos reached into his bag, took out a tests to pass.With that, she threw a handful of loaf of bread, broke it into pieces, and threw millet on the ground, and told Istvan that his the pieces to the birds.Then he made his way first test was to pick up every grain; but as he to the palace. bent down to do so, an army of ants appeared As his brother had done before, Janos and devoured the millet. The old crone knocked on the door. He was greeted by the slammed the door, and it remained closed old crone with the same challenge. She the rest of the day,no matter how hard Istvan threw a bag of millet on the ground, and as hammered on it. Janos bent down to pick it up, a column of The following morning, having spent yet ants appeared and did the job for him. Next another uncomfortable night in the forest, the old crone threw the twelve golden keys Istvan returned to the door and knocked into the lake and closed the door. Before hard. The old crone opened the door, took Janos even had time to take off his shirt, the out twelve golden keys, and threw them into twelve ducklings appeared with the keys in a lake, telling Istvan that he had to collect all their beaks.The next time Janos knocked on twelve as his second test. Istvan stripped off the door he was greeted not by the old crone 120 ITUGEN but by a beautiful maiden dressed in the and the remainder later, when he abdicated crone’s rags. She told him that she had been in Janos’s favor. As for Istvan, his ordeal held under a spell, which he had broken taught him a much-needed lesson; and from through his kindness to the ants and the that day forth he was the most pleasant per- ducklings. son anyone could hope to meet. The maiden led Janos into the palace and See also: Dragon; Janos told him how to distinguish the princess References: Biro 1980 from the two real dragons. She then gave the young man a sword with which to kill the ITUGEN dragons, telling him that after he had dis- Mongolia posed of them he must return to the palace Mother Earth, the wife of and the and put on a pin-encrusted suit of clothes mother by him of numerous children, all and stamp his foot three times, whereupon a called Tengri. Her children live on earth as giant would appear.This was the giant who the spirits of everything in the world—from held his brother Istvan in Thrall. Janos, the visible objects, such as trees or the flames of woman said, must then let the giant do as he a fire, to abstract notions, such as law, order, wanted. and human nature. The wife of Tengri is Janos thanked the woman, who instantly sometimes referred to as Umai. vanished. He entered the king’s hall, where See also: Mother Earth;Tengri; Umai he correctly identified the princess and cut off the heads of the two dragons, thus releas- IVAN ing the princess from her enchantment and Russia returning her to her human form. Then A peasant from the village of Karacharovo, Janos went outside, put on the pin-studded near Murom, and the father of Il'ya suit, and stamped his foot three times. Ivanovich, who was better known as Il'ya Beneath his feet a huge giant appeared, Muromets. picked up Janos, and placed him in his See also: Il'ya Muromets; Karacharovo; mouth. The giant, however, could not swal- Murom low Janos because of the pins; nor could he spit him out, as Janos sat on the giant’s IVAN tongue. The pain was more than the giant Russia could endure, and he asked Janos to climb A young tsarevich from an unnamed king- out of his mouth. Janos said he would, on dom. As a youth he set out to find Princess three conditions. Vasilissa Kirbit'evna, whom he had been The first was the release of Istvan, who prophesied to marry.On his way,he paid the was duly returned unscathed. The second debt of Bulat the Brave, who, indebted to the was a promise to leave the kingdom and tsarevich, told him that had he not helped never return, and the third was for two huge him, Ivan would never have found the beams of wood. The giant produced these, maiden. Together they traveled to the king- and Janos climbed out; but before the giant dom of Tsar Kirbit,and there they found the had time to close his mouth, Janos wedged in girl in a tower with a gilded roof. Bulat the the beams, thus preventing the giant from Brave captured the girl, and the three of ever closing his mouth again.The giant then them made away at full speed. When they ran away from the palace as fast as he could were chased by Kirbit and his men, Bulat the go, and he was never heard of again. Brave twice dispatched the pursuers, on each Janos and the princess were married that occasion leaving only the tsar alive. very day,the king gladly giving his new son- One night as Ivan lay sleeping, Vasilissa in-law half his kingdom as a wedding present Kirbit'evna was abducted by Koshchei the IVAN BELYANINOVICH 121

Deathless. Dressing themselves in clothes IVAN III belonging to two of Koshchei’s herdsmen, Russia Ivan and Bulat the Brave found Koshchei’s See Ivan the Great. abode and spoke with Vasilissa Kirbit'evna, advising her to trick Koshchei into revealing IVAN IV where he had hidden his soul so that the two Russia men could put an end to him. See Ivan Groznyi. After a long journey, Ivan and Bulat came to the island where Koshchei’s soul was safe- IVAN BELYANINOVICH guarded inside an egg that was inside a duck, Russia which was in turn inside a hare.These three The youngest son of Tsar Bel Belyanin and objects lay buried under a huge oak tree. his wife Nastas'ya of the Golden Braid. With the help of three animals whose lives Brother to Vasilii Belyaninovich and Peter they had spared during their quest, Ivan and Belyaninovich. Many years after Nastas'ya Bulat the Brave returned to the home of was blown away by a huge gust of wind, the Koshchei with the egg that held his soul. two eldest sons,Vasilii and Peter, set out on a Smashing the egg against Koshchei’s fore- quest to find her. Some time later Ivan also head, they killed him and rescued the girl. set out on the same quest. Ivan married Vasilissa Kirbit'evna, and Bulat Riding through the forest, he met up with became his most trusted friend and adviser. his unnamed uncle who lived in a splendid See also: Bulat the Brave; Kirbit; Koshchei palace, and who gave him a magical ball to (the Deathless);Vasilis(s)a Kirbit'evna follow. This ball, Ivan was told, would lead him to where his mother was being held cap- IVAN tive. Following the ball, Ivan caught up with Russia his brothers, whom he persuaded to join him. The son of a merchant who was placed Together they followed the ball until it came under the protection of Saint Nicholas (Saint to a stop outside a cave at the foot of very Nikolai of Mozhaisk) and then made to keep steep, almost insurmountable mountains. Not vigil over the body of the local tsar’s daugh- wanting to risk their own lives, Vasilii and ter, a witch. By reading the Psalms and with Peter sent Ivan on alone, promising to wait the help of Saint Nicholas, Ivan captures the for him at the foot of the mountains. witch when she rises from her coffin, and Ivan entered the cave, where he found a makes her pray to God for absolution. Even huge iron door barring the way. Placing his though she does this and is resurrected, she is shoulder against the door, he found that it not free of the evil inside her. Seeing this, swung easily open. Inside, just as his uncle Saint Nicholas pushes the girl into a bonfire had told him he would, Ivan found some and pulls her burning body apart. From her metal claws, which he fixed to his hands and severed limbs, hordes of frogs, snakes, and feet, and started to climb. After a month he other reptiles—the sources of her evil— reached the top, a vast plateau that stretched come forth and are burned in the fire. Saint out as far as the eye could see. Following a Nicholas restores the princess, thus exor- faint path, he first came to a palace made of cised, to life and baptizes her. He then mar- copper, the gates of which were guarded by ries Ivan to the princess. Many years later, dragons fettered with copper collars and Ivan ascends to the throne after the death of chains. Nearby there was a well with a cop- his father-in-law. per cup on a copper chain. Filling the cup See also: Nicholas, Saint; Nikolai of with water, he gave it to the dragons, which Mozhaisk, Saint immediately fell asleep, allowing him to pass References: Magarshack 1968 by in safety. 122 IVAN BELYANINOVICH

Once inside, he was greeted by the tsaritsa then he substituted a barrel of water that of the Copper Kingdom. She did not know sapped the strength of those who drank it. where Nastas'ya of the Golden Braid was He then hid beneath his mother’s cloak to kept, but she suggested that Ivan journey watch. onward to the Silver Kingdom, for the tsar- As Whirlwind returned and leaned over itsa of that kingdom, her middle sister, might Nastas'ya, Ivan reached out and grasped the know the whereabouts of Ivan’s mother.The mace that Whirlwind always carried. Bearing tsaritsa gave Ivan a copper ball to follow and Ivan high into the air,Whirlwind tried, with- bade him farewell. out success, to shake him free. Returning to Outside Ivan placed the ball on the the palace,Whirlwind drank from the barrel ground and followed it all the way to the which Ivan had exchanged for the strength- Silver Kingdom.There he placated the drag- giving water, and his strength was completely ons that guarded the gates in the same way sapped. Having drunk from the good barrel, he had the others, and on entering, was Ivan was filled with tremendous power; and greeted by the tsaritsa of the Silver King- with a single blow of his sword, he decapi- dom. She, like her sister, did not know the tated Whirlwind. He burned the body and whereabouts of Ivan’s mother, but she gave scattered the ashes.Then he quickly released him a silver ball to follow. his mother, and the two made their way back This Ivan did until he came to the Golden through the three kingdoms, with Ivan free- Kingdom. Once more he quietened the ing each tsaritsa in turn. Finally all five came dragons that stood on guard and entered the to the top of the mountain at the bottom of gleaming palace. Inside he was greeted by the which Vasilii and Peter were still waiting. tsaritsa of the Golden Kingdom, whose name After Ivan lowered their mother and the was Elena the Fair. She knew exactly where three maidens down to Vasilii and Peter, the Nastas'ya of the Golden Braid was being jealous brothers spurred their horses toward held. As had her two sisters, she gave Ivan a home, intending to claim Ivan’s success as ball—this one made of gold—to follow, their own. which would lead him to where his mother Ivan wandered back to the palace of was being held by Whirlwind. Whirlwind, where he found a small whis- Ivan duly followed the ball until he came tle, on which he blew. Instantly two ser- to a palace that was even more impressive vants appeared, called Lame and One- than those he had just visited, this one shin- Eye—for that is what they were. Ivan ing with diamonds and other precious requested food, and the servants, who had stones. Pacifying the six-headed dragons that served Whirlwind before, magically made a guarded the gates, he entered the great hall of magnificent banquet appear. After he had the palace, where he found his mother eaten and slept, Ivan asked them if they seated upon a magnificent throne and could return him to his own land.The next dressed in the most wondrous clothes Ivan moment, Ivan found himself standing in had ever seen. the middle of the marketplace outside his Amazed to see her son, Nastas'ya ex- father’s palace. plained that the secret of Whirlwind’s Instead of going straight home to find out strength lay in a barrel in the wine cellars of what had happened to his two brothers, Ivan the palace that contained a magical water, hired himself out as an apprentice to a shoe- which bestowed tremendous strength on maker.That night, as Ivan and the shoemaker whoever drank it. She then told her son how slept, Lame and One-Eye made a wonderful he might defeat Whirlwind, who was due to pair of shoes that the shoemaker went into return at any minute. Ivan took a drink from the market to sell the very next morning.As the barrel his mother had shown him, and Elena was soon to be married, having been IVAN GROZNYI 123 brought back from the mountains by Vasilii (Belyaninovich); Silver Kingdom,The;Vasilii and Peter, she needed new shoes for her Belyaninovich;Whirlwind wedding. Seeing the pair that Lame and One-Eye had made, she knew that they IVAN CRNOJEVIC could only have been made by someone Serbia who had come from the kingdoms at the top Heroic enemy of the invading Turks. Be- of the mountains. She immediately bought lieved to be asleep in a cave near Obod in them and instructed the shoemaker that he southern Montenegro, at the northern tip of was also to make her wedding dress—the Lake Skadar.There he lies in the arms of the most magnificent dress anyone had seen—by vile, awaiting the time when he will awaken the very next morning, or he would be to defend his people. This story bears direct hanged. comparison with that of Prince Marko and That night, having drunk himself into a might have been influenced by stories of stupor, the shoemaker slept and dreamed of King Arthur brought to the area by the his impending death, as Lame and One-Eye Romans. made the dress. The following day Elena Thunder is, to this day, interpreted as the came for the dress, and again she could tell anger of Ivan Crnojevic; and the river named instantly who had made it. To be absolutely after him, the Rijeka Crnojevica, which certain, she set the shoemaker a final, impos- flows into Lake Skadar a few miles from the sible task. By the very next morning he was cave, was said to have been formed by the to have built her a palace out of gold that was tears he shed over his people’s misfortune. to stand in the middle of the sea, connected See also: Arthur, King; Marko, Prince; to dry land by a golden bridge covered with Montenegro a fine velvet carpet, with a garden on either side filled with trees. IVAN GOSTINYI SYN That night the shoemaker became so Russia drunk that he had to be carried to his bed; One of the seven bogatyri that once assem- and when he rose the next day,he continued bled to go on a quest together.The other six to drink, for he did not want to be sober were Vasilii Buslayevich,Vasilii Kazimirovich, when they came to hang him. However, Godenko Bludovich, Alyosha Popovich, Lame and One-Eye had once more com- Dobrynya Nikitich, and Il'ya Muromets.The pleted the task. Elena asked the shoemaker legend of their quest, which purportedly how he had managed to complete such an explains why the bogatyri disappeared from impossible task. Not knowing what to say, Holy Russia, may be found in the entry for the shoemaker in turn asked Ivan, and the Vasilii Buslayevich. truth finally came out.Tsar Bel Belyanin was See also: Alyosha Popovich; Bogatyr'; so furious with Vasilii and Peter that he Dobrynya Nikitich; Godenko Bludovich; Il'ya wanted to have them executed, but Ivan Muromets;Vasilii Buslayevich;Vasilii interceded. In the end, Ivan married Elena, Kazimirovich Peter married the tsaritsa of the Silver References: Speranski 1916; Ukhov 1957 Kingdom, and Vasilii married the tsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom. The shoemaker was IVAN GROZNYI made a general, and no land was ever both- Russia ered by Whirlwind again. The Russian epithet attached to this tsar— See also: Bel Belyanin; Copper Kingdom, Groznyi—means “fearsome.” This historical The; Dragon; Elena the Fair; Golden ruler of Russia, better known in English as Kingdom,The; Lame; Nastas'ya of the Ivan the Terrible, was born in 1530 and was Golden Braid; One-Eye; Peter proclaimed successor to the throne after the 124 IVAN KUPALO death of his father, Grand Prince Vasilii, in rested and dragged off to the banks of the 1533. Following a period when power was Moskva River, where the executioner’s block first in the hands of his mother, Elena, and awaits him. The tsarina, ’s then after her murder in 1537, of the boyars, mother, goes to the house of her brother and Ivan finally took the throne in 1547 and tells him what has occurred. Her brother, became the first ruler to style himself tsar'— Nikita Romanov, hurries to the banks of the Russian for “Caesar.” In an attempt to con- river, where he stops the execution and then solidate his absolute power and undermine finds out who betrayed his nephew. Nikita anyone who was in a position to contest it, Romanov then seeks out the informer and Ivan initiated a series of reforms that weak- kills him. Ivan Groznyi acknowledges his ened the upper —the princes and mistake and rewards Nikita Romanov for boyars—in favor of the minor gentry. In preventing the death of the tsarevich. 1549 he convoked a legislative assembly and However, it is this very tsarevich whom his- inaugurated a period of legal reform of both tory records as having been killed by his state and church that was to last for a decade, father in 1581; so even if the story is true and establishing a new code of law and a radical Nikita Romanov did manage to save the system of local self-government. In 1552 he youth this once, Ivan Groznyi eventually liberated Kazan' from the Tatars, and two accomplished the evil deed by his own hand. years later, in 1554, he occupied Astrakhan'. See also: Astrakhan'; Boyars; Bylina; Crimea; In 1558 he invaded Livonia and captured the Ivan IV; Ivan the Terrible; Ivan Tsarevich; important Baltic seaport of Narva. Kazan'; Livonia; Moscow; Nikita Romanov; In 1565, rumors of a boyar uprising Novgorod;Tatars brought about an offer by Ivan to abdicate; References: Chadwick 1964; Chistov 1967 but he was reinstated by popular demand with sweeping powers to take whatever IVAN KUPALO actions he deemed fit against his opponents. Russia These powers led to a prolonged period of The feast of midsummer, occurring at the arrests and summary executions. In 1570 summer equinox, during which the fertility Ivan ravaged the city of Novgorod. In 1571 of Mother Earth and married women was his capital city, Moscow, was overrun and celebrated. The entire community partici- burned by Crimean Tatars. (Ivan took bloody pated in rituals that symbolically linked the revenge against the Tatars the following year.) fertility of human mothers with that of the In the last years of his reign, in an attempt to fields. The female members of the commu- redress some of his excesses, Ivan posthu- nity led in the orgiastic celebrations, which mously rehabilitated many whom he had involved ritual bathing by both men and executed during the middle period of his women in lakes and rivers (Kupalo is derived reign. However, in 1581 he accidentally from the verb kupat' [to bathe]). killed his eldest son in a fit of anger, which The earliest records of the festivities of left power in the hands of Ivan’s sickly and Ivan Kupalo come from twelfth-century feeble-minded second son Fyodor after church chronicles that almost always confuse Ivan’s death in 1584. them with the Rusaliia.These ancient writ- Ivan Groznyi is featured in a story titled ings say that the oldest unmarried peasant The Tsar Resolves to Kill His Son. This bylina women would be dressed as brides and led to opens during a feast held in Moscow in the banks of a river or lake.There they would honor of the state’s warriors both male and dance and worship the goddess, then jump female. During the feast, Ivan Groznyi learns into the water, and later return to the village that Ivan Tsarevich, his son, has conspired to sprinkle the houses with the sanctified against him. He immediately has him ar- water.After the water rituals, bonfires would IVAN THE DRAGON KILLER 125 be lit and the villagers would jump over and spent the winter together, during which time through the flames. everything they ever wanted or needed mag- Kupalo, the deity central to these celebra- ically appeared. However, when spring came tions, had a female counterpart in Kupal'- Ivan had to return to his home to sell his nitsa. In regions where different names were catch. As they parted, the russalka gave him applied to the deity central to the festival, instructions on how he might find her again. each likewise had a female counterpart. Some time later Ivan found he could not Thus, Lado was accompanied by Lada, live without the russalka. Remembering Kostromo by Kostroma, and Iarilo by Iarila. what his lover had told him, he sought out The duality of the deity central to the festi- her home: He climbed a tree that hung val demonstrates the need for the male and above the water, and at the stroke of midday, the female to complete the necessary circle, he dived into the water. As he reached the although at all times the importance of the bottom of the river, his lover rushed out female spirit far outweighed that of the male. from the weeds and embraced him. Ivan See also: Iarila; Iarilo; Kostroma; Kostromo stayed a long time beneath the waters of that (-Kostrobunko); Kupal'nitsa; Kupalo; Lada; river, but in the end he longed to return Lado; Mother Earth; Rusaliia home. Remembering that anyone could be References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor protected from the charms of the russalka by 1953; Mansikka 1922; Snegirev 1837–39; the holy cross, he made the sign and was Zabylin 1880 immediately transported back home. How- ever, having crossed himself, he could never IVAN SAVEL'EVICH again return to his russalka. Russia See also: Arkhangel'sk; Novaya Zemlya; A young seal-hunter who lived in the city of Rus(s)alki (~ulki) Arkhangel'sk, in northern Russia, and who according to one story became captivated by IVAN THE DRAGON KILLER the unearthly beauty of a russalka and spent Ukraine one long winter in her company. A young tsarevich who set out to rescue his While seal hunting in winter on the bleak neighbor who was at the mercy of a dragon islands of Novaya Zemlya, well within the that lived atop an ever growing glass moun- Arctic Circle, Ivan spent many lonely nights tain. Along the way he was bitten by an ant alone in his hut playing his . One and was on the verge of squashing it, when it night the oil in his lamp ran out and he con- promised to help him if the young prince tinued to play in the dark. As he played, he would spare its life. Ivan did so and contin- heard the sound of someone dancing inside ued on his journey, pondering the task that his hut. Knowing that he was alone, he was lay ahead of him. As he thought of the frightened and quickly refilled and relit his immense task he called out to the ant for lamp. The hut was empty. The following help.The ant appeared and gave the prince a night the same thing happened. Finally he grain of wheat, telling him to place it at the hid the lit lamp behind a thick curtain, and foot of the glass mountain. Ivan thanked the as soon as the sound of dancing started, he ant and rode on. drew back the curtain to reveal a young girl. Having introduced himself to the tsar, and This girl explained to Ivan that she was a told him his aim, Ivan rode to the foot of the russalka but because she had a human father, glass mountain which by this time covered she was able to remain out of the water for almost three quarters of the kingdom. Ivan as long as she liked, provided she was in the tethered his horse to a tree and placed the presence of only one person. Ivan fell hope- grain of wheat at the base of the mountain. lessly in love with the russalka, and they Then he hid amongst the trees and watched. 126 IVAN THE FOOL

As he looked on, the grain of wheat began to marriage, to whoever found her and brought glow,and as it did so a trickle of water began her home. Many men tried and failed, and to flow from the base of the mountain.That the tsar grew ever more despondent. One trickle quickly became a raging torrent as night a lowly guard named Ivan was standing the mountain continued to melt, and Ivan watch in the tsar’s garden when he overheard had to find higher ground or be swept away. two crows talking.These crows talked about The dragon, on returning to his lair, saw a sorcerer named Nemal Chelovek who had the water gushing from the base of the once visited the realm and made off with the mountain and swooped down to see what daughter of the tsar, going so far as to name was causing it.As the dragon landed the tor- the kingdom in which the sorcerer lived and rent of water became even more intense, and describe how he might be defeated. a great wall of water dashed the dragon to its Ivan listened intently, and when his watch death and then carried its remains away. Ivan came to an end, he asked the tsar’s leave to then rushed onto what remained of the search for his daughter.The tsar was less than mountain, released the princess, and together responsive to the idea of a humble soldier they hurried back to her father. Several days going to look for his daughter, especially later Ivan and the princess were married, when so many nobler men had tried and Ivan inheriting the kingdom some years later failed. However, when Ivan assured the tsar when the tsar abdicated in his favor. that he would not fail, the tsar relented. See also: Dragon; Glass Mountain,The However, he warned the soldier that if he failed, he would pay with his life. IVAN THE FOOL Two days later Ivan set sail for the Russia Southern Seas. En route he made a detour See Silver Roan and came ashore at a small island on which lived two leshii who had jointly inherited the IVAN THE GREAT self-cutting Samosek Sword some thirty years Russia before. As Ivan stepped onto the island he The ruler and Grand Duke of Russia from heard the two leshii fighting over whose the 1462 to 1505, also known as Ivan III sword truly was. When he approached, they (1440–1505). Ivan successfully asserted asked him to act as their judge. Ivan agreed. authority over a number of Russian princi- He proposed that he hold the sword and then palities and routed the Tatar occupiers, unit- shoot an arrow into the woods. Ownership of ing these lands for the first time under a sin- the sword would be awarded to the leshii gle Russian ruler. In 1472 he married who brought the arrow back to Ivan. The Sophia, a niece of Constantine XI Palæo- leshii readily agreed. Ivan then shot an arrow logus Dragases (1404–1453, the last By- far into the woods, and the two leshii ran off zantine emperor), assumed the title “Ruler of and quickly found it, and then fell to fighting all Russia,” and adopted the two-headed over whose it was. Ivan reboarded his ship eagle—the emblem of the Byzantine and set sail with the Samosek Sword for the Empire—as his royal crest. kingdom of Nemal Chelovek. See also: Byzantine Empire;Tatars Two days later the ship landed and Ivan stepped ashore. He found Nemal Chelovek’s IVAN THE GUARD mansion unguarded, for the sorcerer never Russia imagined anyone would be foolish enough When Nemal Chelovek, a sorcerer, kid- to enter his domain. Ivan slipped into the napped the only daughter of an unnamed mansion and quickly located the daughter of tsar and his wife, the tsar immediately offered the tsar, who told him that Nemal Chelovek half his kingdom, and his daughter’s hand in intended her to become the bride of his IVAN THE GUARD 127 nephew the Gorynich, a terrible dragon. palace armorer make an exact replica, which Ivan told her not to worry, for he would she substituted for the real sword. Soon Ivan deliver her.When she heard this, the princess rode out to attack the army of the prince a gave Ivan her ring, a token that signified that third time.Without the magical weapon, he they were betrothed and would become hus- had to fight as any normal soldier, and band and wife upon returning home. though he killed a great many of the enemy, At that moment, Nemal Chelovek in the end he was toppled from his horse and returned to his mansion and stormed into left for dead. the great hall where Ivan stood with the The tsar rejoiced that his daughter was at princess.When the sorcerer saw Ivan, he cast last free to marry a man of royal blood, and a spell that made him grow until his head within hours the wedding had been brushed the ceiling, and then he rushed to arranged. That night, as the wedding feast attack. Ivan, however, simply lifted the progressed in the palace, Ivan awoke on the Samosek Sword, which flew through the air battlefield, surrounded by dead bodies.As he and neatly decapitated the oncoming giant. walked, he grew increasingly hungry. He Then the sword went through the mansion came to a bush that had yellow berries, and and killed all of Nemal Chelovek’s servants without thinking, he ate two berries. before returning neatly to Ivan’s hand. Immediately his head began to ache terribly. Several days later Ivan presented the tsar When he put his hand to his head, he was with his daughter, expressing the hope that horrified to find that it had sprouted two they would soon marry. The tsar, however, horns. Farther on, he came across another tried to get out of his promise by saying that bush, this one with red berries, and as he was a foreign prince had asked for the princess’s still hungry, he ate two berries. Once again hand and would not look kindly upon being he experienced a crushing headache, and passed over for a mere soldier. The soldier when he felt his head, he was relieved to find was not to be put off, and he showed the tsar that the horns had disappeared. that he already wore the princess’s ring, Realizing the potential of the berries, Ivan whereupon the tsar relented and called for collected a pocketful of both yellow and red the wedding preparations to begin. berries and set off toward the tsar’s palace, During the wedding feast a messenger where he could clearly hear the sounds of rushed into the hall and announced that the the wedding celebration. Back at the palace, rejected prince had invaded the kingdom Ivan disguised himself as a beggar and gave with a vast army. Amid the confusion, Ivan one of the palace maids some yellow berries slipped out of the palace, strapped on the to give to the princess in celebration of her Samosek Sword, and rode out to meet the marriage to the prince.The maid placed the advancing army. Then, releasing the sword, berries on the princess’s pillow. That night, he decimated the army, leaving only the when she came to her room, the princess ate prince and his generals alive. Ivan then the berries. As soon as she swallowed them, returned to his new wife and calmly re- she had a splitting headache, and two horns ported the news, and the feast continued. sprouted from her forehead. A few weeks later news came that the So distressed was the tsar that he offered prince had formed a new army and was half his kingdom to whoever would cure his again on the march. Ivan again rode out, daughter. Still disguised as a beggar, Ivan annihilated the army, and returned un- came to see the tsar and promised to cure the scathed; this time, only the prince survived. princess. The tsar himself led the beggar to The prince wrote in secret to Ivan’s wife, his daughter’s room; but before entering, the asking her to help him. The princess found beggar stopped the tsar and told him that the out about the Samosek Sword and had the cure might not be painless and that under no 128 IVAN THE MARE’S SON circumstances were they to be disturbed, for alive. If she found the arrow lying on the then the cure would not work. The tsar let ground, then she would know that he was the beggar into the room and told the palace dead. guard to let no one else enter until the beg- Ivan promised his mother that he would gar came out again, no matter what noises do so, and left. Several days later he came to they might hear inside. a clearing in the forest. In the middle of this Inside the room Ivan discarded his dis- clearing was a young man on his hands and guise and took a heavy wooden club out of knees. When Ivan asked him what he was his tunic. Then he approached the princess, doing, the youth replied that he was looking who stared at him in disbelief and then for his arrow. Ivan found the arrow and screamed as Ivan began to beat her black and handed it to the young man, who told him blue for her treachery.Then he told her that his name was Ivan the Sun’s Son. The two he had the cure for her affliction, but he agreed that from that day forth they would would give it to her only if she returned the live as brothers. Samosek Sword to him. She ran to a cup- A few days later the two Ivans returned to board, took out the sword, and gave it back the clearing, where they found another to Ivan. He took the sword, ran to find the youth searching the ground. He too had lost prince, and then unleashed it, watching in his arrow, and again Ivan the Mare’s Son delight as the head of the prince rolled onto found it. This youth’s name was Ivan the the floor.Then Ivan returned to the princess Moon’s Son, and he too agreed to live as and gave her two red berries, and the horns their brother. In the middle of the clearing instantly vanished. they built themselves a home of wooden The princess fell into Ivan’s arms, but he poles covered with the skins of the animals pushed her away, telling her that as she had they had hunted. Every night each Ivan been unfaithful and as her father and mother placed his arrow upright in the ground out- were likewise dishonorable, he would banish side their home. them from the kingdom and rule in their One morning, to their surprise, they stead. From that day forth Ivan ruled the found that during the night their arrows had kingdom with a fair hand; and thanks to the been richly decorated. Ivan the Moon’s Son Samosek Sword, the kingdom remained safe said that he would keep watch that night and from all would-be invaders. catch the culprit, but he fell asleep, and in the See also: Leshii (~y); Nemal Chelovek; morning their arrows had been decorated Samosek Sword once again. Exactly the same thing happened when Ivan the Sun’s Son stayed on guard. IVAN THE MARE’S SON The third night, Ivan the Mare’s Son said he Siberia—Tungus would stand watch. The hero of a story that comes from the On the stroke of midnight three herons Tungus people of Siberia. Ivan’s mother was flew down into the clearing, smashed them- a mare that had escaped from a peasant cou- selves against the ground, and instantly ple who intended to eat her. As she ran became three beautiful maidens. Each through the forest, she came upon the corpse plucked the arrow of the man she professed of a Tungus warrior, and licking his body,she to love from the ground and set about deco- instantly conceived a son, whom she called rating it. Ivan crept from his hiding place and Ivan. She raised the boy alone. One day, she hid their heron’s wings and feathers. When told him the time had come when he must the three maidens had finished the arrows, fend for himself, adding that he should leave they could not find their heron skins. The his arrow standing upright in the ground eldest maiden called out for whoever had every night so that she would know he was hidden them to come forward, saying that if IVAN THE MARE’S SON 129 he were older than they, then he would be Ivan the Mare’s Son’s mother later found their father. If he were younger, he would be his arrow lying on the ground among the their brother; but if he were the same age, bodies of the demons. She located his body then he would become her husband. and his head, licked the body all over, and Ivan crept from his place of concealment kicked it with her hind legs. The body and revealed himself to the eldest of the three became whole again. She licked and kicked maidens, who told him that her name was the body again, and the body stirred. Once Marfida. The other maidens were Marfida’s more she licked and kicked her son, and he sisters, and the three agreed to become the jumped to his feet, fully revived. Next they wives of the three Ivans.All six lived happily sought out and found the bodies of the in their home in the clearing. other two Ivans, whom the mare also However, one day when Ivan and his brought back to life. She then left the three brothers returned from their day’s hunting brothers discussing how they might rescue they noticed that their wives were becom- their wives. ing very pale and thin. On investigation After hunting for three days, they they discovered several holes that had stitched a long rope from the hides they had appeared in the ground beneath their collected. To one end of this rope they home. Puzzled, Ivan and his brothers de- attached a leather cradle. Climbing into the cided that instead of hunting the following cradle Ivan the Mare’s Son was lowered day, they would stand guard.The following down the hole through which the serpent day,while his brothers dozed in the warmth had originally appeared. At the bottom he of the sun, Ivan the Mare’s Son saw a huge found himself in the underworld, the home serpent crawl out of one of the holes of the serpent. Following a barren track, beneath their home.Wrapping itself around Ivan came to a lake. There he saw three the three wives, it started to suck their women—Marfida and her sisters—coming blood. Ivan drew his bow and shot the ser- to draw water. Ivan fired an arrow in front pent, which quickly slithered back into the of his wife to tell her that he was there. hole whence it had come, warning Ivan as After the sisters had drawn water, Marfida it went that it would return three days later, lagged behind the others, and she and Ivan riding on a cloud of fire. were reunited. For three days the three Ivans made as Marfida told Ivan that he was to kill the many arrows as they could before taking serpent at exactly midday,while it slept in its turns to watch for the approach of the cloud hammock. Ivan did as she instructed, and he that would bring the serpent. Ivan the and the three maidens made their way back Moon’s Son saw it first. Ivan the Sun’s Son to the leather cradle. The wives of Ivan the watched it approach. By the time Ivan the Moon’s Son and Ivan the Sun’s Son were Mare’s Son came to see, it was directly over- hoisted up first.When it was Marfida’s turn, head, with the serpent in the middle, sur- she beseeched Ivan the Mare’s Son to go rounded by his army of demons. first, but he refused. Having raised Marfida, A mighty battle ensued. Ivan the Moon’s Ivan the Moon’s Son and Ivan the Sun’s Son Son was killed first. Some time later Ivan the cut the rope and threw the cradle back down Sun’s Son was killed too. Ivan the Mare’s Son the hole, thus trapping Ivan the Mare’s Son fought on alone until he had reduced the in the underworld. army of demons to a third of its original size. Once more his mother came to the res- Then he too was killed, his head cut clean cue. Having discovered him lying dead at the from his body.The serpent gathered up the bottom of the hole, she restored him to life three maidens and disappeared with them as she had done before.Then she told him to down one of the holes beneath the house. hunt until they had enough meat for the 130 IVAN THE MOON’S SON journey back to the land of the living. Ivan IVAN THE MUTE did as instructed, and finally they set out. Russia Each time the mare turned her head, Ivan A young tsarevich, born without the ability fed her some meat. As they neared the exit, to speak.At the age of twelve he was told by he ran out of meat; so he cut off a toe from his favorite groom that he was about to have his right foot and fed that to his mother. a sister, but was warned by the same groom Next he cut off his calf, and finally, an ear. that the girl would be a fearsome witch who After they had left the underworld, Ivan’s would eat her family and everyone who mother coughed up the pieces of her son came near her. The groom advised him to that she had been fed, and licking his ask his father for a swift horse, the swiftest his wounds, made him whole again. father owned, so that he might escape before Three days later Ivan came across it was too late. Marfida, who was being made to drag a The tsar, delighted to hear his son speak heavy load as punishment for remaining for the first time, personally picked out the faithful to her husband. Ivan lifted her onto horse for his son. Having traveled quite a dis- his shoulders, and then caught up with and tance, the young tsarevich started to look for killed his two false brothers. Taking the a place to live. First he came across two old three heron skins from his pocket, he seamstresses, who told him that they would plucked a few feathers from each and made be glad to take him in but they did not have himself a pair of wings, on which he flew long to live, for once they had finished the with the three maidens to their homeland, work they were doing, it would be time for where they lived out their days in peace and them to die. happiness. Brokenhearted, Ivan left and traveled on, See also: Ivan the Moon’s Son; Ivan the Sun’s next meeting a man whose task in life was to Son; Marfida; Siberia;Tungus; Underworld,The uproot massive trees. Called Uproot Oak, this man too would have been happy to take IVAN THE MOON’S SON Ivan in, but he too only had a short time to Siberia—Tungus live, for as he told the youth, when he had Youth whose lost arrow was found by Ivan uprooted all the in the forest he was the Mare’s Son, whom he thereafter treated clearing, then it would be his time to die. as his brother.These two lived together, shar- Once more overcome with grief, Ivan ing a home with a third “brother”—Ivan the journeyed on until he met a giant of a man Sun’s Son. During a battle with a huge ser- who was busy tipping a range of mountains pent that had been sucking the blood of the onto their sides.This man, whose name was three brothers’ wives, the three Ivans were Overturn Mountain, told Ivan that he would killed and their wives carried off to the ser- gladly take him in if it were not for the fact pent’s underworld lair. All three were that his days would be at an end after he had restored to life by Ivan’s mother, the mare. overturned the entire mountain range. Then the two other Ivans lowered Ivan the Down at heart, Ivan rode on until he Mare’s Son into the underworld to rescue came to the home of Sun’s Sister. She took their wives. After he had found and rescued the youth in and treated him as her own. the women, Ivan the Mare’s Son was left for After a while Ivan began to think about his dead by his false brothers, who made off with family. He climbed a mountain, gazed far all three wives. He was rescued by his into the distance in the direction of his mother, and killed both Ivan the Moon’s Son home, and cried.When he returned home to and Ivan the Sun’s Son. Sun’s Sister, he said that the tears in his eyes See also: Ivan the Mare’s Son; Ivan the Sun’s were due to the wind.Twice more this hap- Son; Underworld,The pened. However, Sun’s Sister had forbidden IVAN THE PEA 131 the wind to blow, so she knew that the tears having the right to destroy the other. Ivan sat had another cause. Ivan finally had to tell her on the scales first; then the witch, his sister, what was wrong. sat down. She was so heavy that Ivan shot off As Ivan prepared to leave, Sun’s Sister gave into the heavens, straight into the Sun’s him three items to help him on his journey: Sister’s palace, where he remained secure a comb, a brush, and two apples that had the from his sister’s rivalry. power to rejuvenate whoever ate them. On See also: Overturn Mountain; Sun’s Sister; his way Ivan met his friends once more. Uproot Oak Overturn Mountain had only two mountains left to topple before he died. Ivan threw IVAN THE PEA down the brush, and a massive mountain Russia range sprang from the earth. Uproot Oak had The youngest son of Tsar Svetozar and his only two trees left to uproot. Ivan threw wife, and brother to two other princes, both down his comb, and a huge forest of oak trees unnamed, and to a sister, Vasilissa of the appeared. Finally Ivan came to the two seam- Golden Braid. Ivan the Pea was miraculously stresses, who were stitching the last seam of conceived when his mother swallowed a their piece. Ivan gave each of them an apple, small pea, which grew inside her until she and they were instantly young upon the very gave birth to a son. Ivan the Pea grew at a first bite. In return they gave Ivan a kerchief very fast rate, and by the age of ten he was that they told him had magical properties. the strongest knight in all the kingdom. At last Ivan came to his home and was Learning of the fate of his sister, who had welcomed by his sister, who asked him to been carried away by a dragon, and his two play on the psaltery while she prepared a brothers who had gone in search of her, Ivan meal. After she went out, a mouse warned the Pea vowed to find them and bring them Ivan that his sister had really gone to sharpen home. her teeth.The mouse offered to run up and For three days he rode, until he came to a down the strings of the psaltery so that Ivan small wooden house on chickens’ legs in the could make his escape. forest that rotated in the wind.The old crone When Ivan’s sister discovered how she had that lived in that house gave him directions been tricked, she set off in hot pursuit and to the land of the dragon, in return for which was soon catching up with Ivan. Seeing her Ivan the Pea promised to bring her some of riding like the wind after him, Ivan threw the life-restoring water that the dragon down the kerchief, which immediately owned. became a huge, deep lake. Swimming across Finally arriving at the dragon’s golden it slowed Ivan’s sister down and allowed him palace, which rested on a single silver pillar, to increase his lead over her. Again she Ivan the Pea found his captive sister. He started to close the gap just as Ivan rode past ignored his sister’s pleas to run for his life, Uproot Oak, who blocked the road with a although his two brothers already lay dead in huge pile of oak trees, which Ivan’s sister had the vaults below the palace. Instead, Ivan the to gnaw her way through. Again she closed Pea had the court smith make him a huge in on her brother just as he passed Overturn mace that weighed five hundred poods Mountain, who blocked the road with a pile (18,000 lbs or 8,190 kg). This mace took of towering mountains. Finally Ivan made it forty hours to make, and fifty men were safely back to the home of Sun’s Sister, who needed to lift it; but Ivan the Pea lifted it eas- locked him safely inside.Yet his sister would ily with one hand and tossed it high into the not give up. air. So high did it fly that three hours passed Finally she suggested that they should be before it came down again. Ivan the Pea eas- weighed on a huge pair of scales, the heavier ily caught it with one hand, the impact not 132 IVAN THE SOLDIER harming him in the least, although it bent the richest merchant in the town, though he the mace slightly.Ivan the Pea simply laid the had never dared live there. As soon as the mace across his knees and straightened it out house had been completed, a horde of evil again. demons had moved in and made the place Soon the dragon came home and leaped uninhabitable. on Ivan the Pea; but Ivan simply stepped Ivan asked the old woman how he might aside and killed the dragon with one throw find the rich merchant, and then he bade her of the mace, which flew through the palace farewell. A little while later he entered the walls and landed many hundreds of miles shop of the rich merchant and asked for per- away. Ivan the Pea then found the Water of mission to sleep in the empty house that Life and Death, filled a flask with it for the night. The merchant was horrified, for he old crone in the forest, restored his brothers knew that sleeping in the house would mean to life by sprinkling some of the water over certain death; but Ivan argued that as a sol- them, and then returned to his homeland dier he had cheated death on several occa- with his sister and brothers, stopping en sions, and at length the merchant agreed, route to deliver the flask to the old crone. supplying Ivan with a dozen candles, three After the death of his father, Ivan the Pea pounds of dried walnuts, and one large became the tsar. boiled beetroot, which Ivan placed in his Although the old crone living in the for- knapsack. Then he made his way to the est is not named in this story, it is generally empty house. agreed that it is none other than the witch There he made himself comfortable, lit Baba-Yaga. the candles, and settled down to see what See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Dragon; might happen. As the town clock struck Svetozar;Vasilis(s)a of the Golden Braid; midnight, the first shriek filled the house. Water of Life and Death,The Soon the house was filled by a horde of demons with red, horned heads and green IVAN THE SOLDIER eyes that glowed with evil. When they saw Russia Ivan they celebrated the fine meal they were A professional soldier who, after twenty-five soon to have, but Ivan simply stared back at years of service to an unnamed tsar, was dis- them, and in a threatening voice, dared them charged and sent on his way with nothing in to try it.The demons were taken aback and his knapsack but a few meager rations. After even frightened by this unexpected response; several days’ travel, when his rations had been so the eldest demon stepped forward and exhausted, Ivan came across a flock of geese challenged Ivan to a trial of strength. Ivan swimming on a lake. He killed three and agreed. hurriedly packed them into his knapsack. The first test was to squeeze water from a Then he made his way to the nearest town. stone. The eldest demon went first and There he knocked on the door of a run- squeezed his stone so hard that it crumbled down farmhouse and asked the old woman into a heap of fine dust. Ivan applauded and who answered the door to roast a goose for then took the large boiled beetroot from his him, keeping the second as payment for her bag and slowly squeezed it with great deliber- trouble, and the third in exchange for a good ation so that all the demons could see the quantity of wine.That night Ivan dined as if “blood” he was squeezing from it.The demons he were a tsar, and then he settled down to stared in disbelief; and in the silence, Ivan smoke his pipe. As he relaxed, he noticed a delved into his knapsack, took out a handful of wonderful mansion a short distance away. walnuts, and began to munch on them. He asked the old woman whose home it The demons asked what he was eating, was, and she replied that it had been built by and he replied that he was eating walnuts, IVAN THE SOLDIER 133 adding that none of them could even start to The demon still inside squealed in horror chew his walnuts.The eldest demon laughed and hurriedly told Ivan that the pouch was and told Ivan to throw him one. Ivan no ordinary one. All Ivan had to do was reached down into his knapsack, took out a think about what he wanted, and it would small stone, and threw this to the demon, appear in the pouch. Likewise, if Ivan were to who without looking at what he was open the pouch and tell something to get putting in his mouth, began to chew. into it, there was no way anything could However, no matter how hard he chewed, resist his command. Ivan tried the pouch, and he could not even start to crush the stone. when he found that it worked, he declared All the while, Ivan stood there, popping one himself satisfied and set the demon free— walnut after another into his mouth, chew- with a stern warning that the next time they ing them up with ease. met would be the demon’s last. Ivan then turned to the demons and Ivan then went to the rich merchant and derided them for the inability of their leader told him that his new home was now free of to beat him in these simple contests. He then demons and that he would never be troubled suggested that they might redeem themselves again.The merchant quickly moved into his a little by showing him how easily demons house and threw a great banquet in honor of could squeeze into a small place—a space the soldier; but when he offered Ivan a such as his knapsack, for example. The reward, Ivan refused it, and the following demons took the bait; and as soon as the last morning he set off again toward his home demon had crammed itself into the knap- village. Several days passed before Ivan sack, Ivan bent down and quickly fastened it. reached his village, where he was greeted by Then Ivan settled down and slept soundly his aged mother. She told him that his father the rest of the night.The following morning had passed away five years before. That he was awakened by two servants sent by the evening, with the aid of the pouch, Ivan and rich merchant, who were more than sur- his mother ate a feast fit for a tsar. prised to see Ivan still alive. The pouch helped Ivan restore the for- Ivan scoffed at them and asked them to tunes of his family. He used it to provide show him the way to the local blacksmith, money to build a new home and buy new which they did. He set off with his knapsack. equipment; and if ever the cupboards were At the smithy he told the three smiths to bare, all he had to do was use the pouch, and hammer his knapsack flat. Before long, all the cupboards were full once again. For seven three smiths were hammering at the knap- years Ivan and his mother lived well; but then sack with all their might, the demons inside the old soldier fell ill, and after a few days he squealing for mercy.Ivan refused to allow the was confronted by Death himself. For several smiths to give up until the demons promised minutes Ivan and Death argued, but Death never to trouble the town or the merchant remained intransigent; so with the last of his again and declared that they would gladly feeble strength, Ivan reached for his pouch. pay a king’s ransom for their freedom. Within seconds he had managed not only to Ivan relented and let out all the demons trap Death inside his pouch but also to fully except the leader, keeping him in return for recover from his illness. the king’s ransom promised. A short time Ivan agreed to let Death out of the pouch later a small demon returned, carrying a only after Death promised to let him live small leather pouch. Ivan took the pouch and another thirty years and not to take the life found that it contained nothing. Thinking of any other living person during that time. that the demons were trying to trick him, For those thirty years, Ivan and his mother Ivan turned to the smiths and told them to lived a comfortable life; but one day, thirty resume their hammering on the knapsack. years to the day after Ivan had released 134 IVAN THE SOLDIER

Death, Death came to him and told him that Death inside, barely alive, down from the top his time was up. of the tree; and carried it home with him. Ivan shrugged and told Death to bring There he made his peace with his family, him his coffin. Death grinned and brought prayed for absolution from his sins, and then the coffin to Ivan, telling him to jump in. lay down and let Death out of the bag, telling However, Ivan replied that he was not pre- him that his time had come and he would be pared to get into his coffin without instruc- Death’s first victim. Death looked down at tions on how to do so properly; he was a sol- Ivan, laughed, and took to his heels, shouting dier, after all. So he asked Death to show him after him that he would never come for Ivan, the correct manner in which one should and Ivan could “go to hell.” enter a coffin. Death complied, whereupon Ivan reflected on his situation and decided Ivan slammed the lid of the coffin, nailed it that perhaps Death had the right idea. Saying down, took it to the nearby river, and cast goodbye to his family a second time, Ivan set Death adrift. out for Hell. At the gates of the infernal For several years Death floated, first down regions Ivan was stopped and asked what his the river and then on the open sea. Then, purpose was. When he told his story to the during a particularly violent storm, the cof- gatekeeper, Ivan was astonished to find the fin was smashed against some rocks, and gates immediately closed and barred to him. Death was released. He set out immediately The gatekeeper hurried away and returned to find the cunning old soldier. Back at moments later with the Devil himself.Again Ivan’s home, Death hid until he thought he Ivan explained the purpose of his visit, but could take Ivan by surprise, and then he the Devil would not permit him to enter. leaped out of the shadows. However, Ivan Ivan argued for some time, and then he real- was not to be outmaneuvered by Death, and ized that his situation was impossible. he quickly grabbed an empty grain sack and Turning to leave, Ivan took his pouch brandished it at Death. Thinking the sack from his pocket, and when the Devil saw it, was Ivan’s pouch, Death took to his heels. he quickly backed away. Ivan then realized And that was the last anyone ever saw of what it was that the Devil feared, and open- Death (at least, according to one version of ing the pouch, he flourished it in the direc- the legend).After that, Death took to creep- tion of the Devil, saying that if the Devil ing up on people unexpectedly; but he would not let him in, then maybe he should never again called on Ivan, who is said to be take the Devil to Heaven.The Devil pleaded alive to this day. with him, and after some time the two Another version of the legend starts in the agreed that Ivan should have two hundred same way but differs after Ivan captures fifty souls to take with him to Heaven— Death in his pouch. Instead of extracting a souls that were quickly turned over to Ivan, promise from Death, Ivan takes the pouch to who left. the Briansk Woods and hangs it from the top As he approached the kingdom of branches of the tallest tree. From that day Heaven, he was seen by the angel at the gates forward, no one in the whole world died. to the kingdom, who took the news of his Ivan forgot all about Death hanging from the approach to God. God told the angel to let tree, and lived on in comfort with his the two hundred fifty souls into Heaven but mother. However, one day Ivan was traveling then to close the gates and refuse Ivan through a wood when he was stopped by a entrance. However, after his run-in with the decrepit old crone who blamed him for not Devil, Ivan was prepared for some such ruse, letting her die at her allotted time. Ivan so he let the souls out one by one, and when immediately remembered Death. He went to the last soul had been released from his the Briansk Woods; took the pouch with pouch, he gave that soul the pouch and told IVAN THE YOUNG 135 him what to say once he had passed the gates heir; so he told them to go out into a field and entered Heaven. However, the soul for- and shoot off arrows in different directions. got what he had been asked to do; and so Each son should first write his name on his Ivan goes on living, growing older and older, arrow so that they could be identified. only to die when the world itself is de- Wherever a son’s arrow landed was where he stroyed. would rule; and he would marry the daugh- See also: Briansk Woods; Death; Devil,The ter of the house in which his arrow landed. Ivan’s arrow landed in a swamp, where he IVAN THE SUN’S SON found it in the possession of a shape- Siberia—Tungus changing frog who was, in reality,Vasilissa the Youth whose lost arrow was found by Ivan Wise (some Ukrainian sources name the frog the Mare’s Son,whom he agreed to live with princess as Maria). After Ivan agreed to as a brother.They were later joined by Ivan marry the frog, she revealed her full beauty the Moon’s Son.All three lived in a clearing to him and told him that she would be a frog in a forest, where they had found and mar- by day and a beautiful maiden by night. ried three magical maidens. However, a ser- pent came and started to feed on the blood of their wives. In an epic battle all three Ivans were killed and their wives carried off to the underworld by the serpent. Ivan the Mare’s Son’s mother restored all three to life, and then they lowered her son into the underworld to rescue the three wives. Having killed the serpent and rescued the maidens, Ivan the Mare’s Son was left for dead by his false brothers, who made off with all three women. Restored to life once more by his mother, Ivan the Mare’s Son escaped from the underworld, killed both Ivan the Moon’s Son and Ivan the Sun’s Son,and flew away with the three maidens to their home- land, where they lived their remaining days in peace and happiness. See also: Ivan the Mare’s Son; Ivan the Moon’s Son; Underworld,The

IVAN THE TERRIBLE Russia Ivan IV (1530–1584), tsar of Russia from 1533, whose popular epithet Groznyi means “fearsome” or “threatening.” See also: Ivan IV; Ivan Groznyi

IVAN THE YOUNG Russia The youngest son of an unnamed tsar by one of that tsar’s three concubines.The tsar could Engraving of the high priest Phillip rebuking Ivan the not decide which of his sons should be his Terrible (Archive Photos) 136 IVAN TSAREVICH

Ivan fulfilled his promise and married the Ivan Groznyi learned that his son, Ivan frog, and for some time they lived happily Tsarevich, was plotting against him.The tsar together.Then the tsar devised three tests for immediately had his son arrested and the wives of his three sons. Each time, the dragged off to the banks of the Moskva frog won, though the wives of Ivan’s two River where the executioner’s block awaited brothers cheated by spying on her. Finally him. The tsarina, Ivan Tsarevich’s mother, the tsar threw a banquet in honor of his three rushed to her brother’s house and told him daughters-in-law at which the frog appeared what had occurred. Her brother, Nikita in her human form. Seizing the opportunity Romanov, hurried to the riverbank, where to keep his wife in all her beauty,Ivan rushed he stopped the execution. He found out who home before she did and burned her frog had betrayed his nephew, sought out the skin. When she returned, she told Ivan her informer, and killed him. Ivan Groznyi later name for the first time, told him to seek her acknowledged his mistake and rewarded in the land of the eternal sun, and promptly Nikita Romanov for preventing the death of vanished. his son. However, history records that this Ivan left his home and traveled until he very tsarevich was killed by his father in came to the home of the witch Baba-Yaga. 1581. If Nikita Romanov was successful in At first, the witch was annoyed at being dis- intervening on this occasion, Ivan Groznyi turbed; but with coaxing, Baba-Yaga eventu- nevertheless eventually accomplished the evil ally told him how he might capture Vasilissa deed by his own hand. the Wise, who flew in every day to visit her. See also: Ivan Groznyi; Nikita Romanov Ivan hid and waited.When Vasilissa the Wise References: Chadwick 1964; Chistov 1967 had arrived and made herself comfortable, he pounced on her; but she managed to wriggle IVAN VYSLAVOVICH free, rapidly changing her shape. Ivan then Russia visited Vasilissa the Wise’s middle sister, and The son of Tsar Vyslav Andronovich, and exactly the same thing happened. Finally brother of Dmitrii Vyslavovich and Vasilii Ivan journeyed to the home of Vasilissa the Vyslavovich.Their father owned a wonderful Wise’s youngest sister, and this time he man- garden in which there was an apple tree on aged to hold onto his wife as she changed which golden fruit grew.All was well until a her shape.When she changed into an arrow, Firebird took to visiting the garden and steal- Ivan broke it across his knee, and Vasilissa the ing the apples. Perplexed, the tsar promised Wise resumed her human form and told him half his kingdom to whichever of his three that she would be his forever. sons could catch the thief. Together Ivan and Vasilissa the Wise The first night, Dmitrii kept watch but fell returned home.There the tsar made Ivan his asleep by the time the Firebird landed. The heir, and Ivan ruled in his father’s stead. second night, Vasilii took his turn, but the See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Maria; same fate befell him. The third night, Ivan Ukraine;Vasilis(s)a the Wise took his turn. After three hours the garden was filled with a wondrous light and the IVAN TSAREVICH Firebird settled on the tree. Ivan crept up Russia behind the Firebird and took hold of its tail. A tsar’s son named Ivan (tsarevich being a title The Firebird struggled so hard that it man- that meant merely “son of the tsar”). The aged to escape from Ivan, but in the process only Ivan Tsarevich referred to in the legends she lost one of her tail feathers to him. The of early Russia was a son of Ivan Groznyi following morning he presented that feather who was the subject of a story entitled The to his father, who treasured it above any of Tsar Resolves to Kill His Son. During a feast his other possessions. IVAN VYSLAVOVICH 137

A miniature on a black lacquer box depicts Ivan Vyslavovich and a princess being aided by a magical gray wolf. (Vakurov Isarevich/Sovfoto/Eastfoto/PNI)

As time passed, the tsar began to long for they came to a walled garden within the Firebird itself rather than just one of its which—so the wolf informed Ivan—the feathers. Once again he promised half of his Firebird was kept in a gilded cage.The wolf kingdom to whichever of his sons could warned Ivan to take only the Firebird and bring the Firebird back for him.All three set not to touch the cage; but when Ivan saw out on the quest, although none knew where the beauty of the cage, he forgot the wolf’s they should look. advice and took it down from its place in a Ivan rode aimlessly for several days until tree. Immediately he was surrounded by he came to a crossroad that warned of death guards, who hauled him off to confront the for anyone who took anything but the right- Firebird’s owner,Tsar Dalmat. hand road, although this road would lead to The tsar was understandably furious, but the death of the rider’s horse. Ivan took the gave Ivan a chance to redeem himself, telling right-hand road. After three days, he came him to ride to the kingdom of Tsar Afron across a huge gray wolf that tore his horse in and acquire for him the Horse with the half. Saddened by this loss, Ivan continued on Golden Mane. If Ivan achieved this, he foot until he was almost exhausted. would be rewarded with the Firebird. If not, Just then the wolf that had attacked his he would be branded a common thief. horse rushed up, apologized for having Outside the palace Ivan apologized to the killed the horse, and offered to take Ivan wolf for ignoring his advice, and asked his wherever he wanted to go. Ivan explained help in acquiring the Horse with the Golden his quest to the wolf, which immediately Mane. The wolf told Ivan to jump on his sped off with Ivan on his back, much faster back, and soon they were standing outside than any horse could have traveled. Soon the stables of Tsar Afron. 138 IVAN VYSLAVOVICH

The wolf told Ivan how he might bring to the Horse with the Golden Mane. Once the horse out unchallenged but warned him again the wolf transformed himself into the not to touch the horse’s golden bridle. Once horse and was left in its stead, while Ivan left inside the stables, Ivan could not resist the with the Firebird in its gilded cage. A short bridle, and he was immediately arrested by distance down the road, he thought of the the palace guards and dragged before Tsar wolf, who was instantly by their side. Afron. Like Dalmat, Afron was furious; but Riding back toward Ivan’s home, they he too gave Ivan a chance to save his good came to the spot where the wolf had first name. He told Ivan to bring him the princess attacked Ivan, killing his horse. Telling Ivan Elena the Beautiful. If Ivan did this, his and Elena the Beautiful that he could go no reward would be the Horse with the Golden farther, the wolf left them to continue their Mane and its bridle. journey on the Horse with the Golden Once more Ivan apologized to the wolf Mane.At the border of Ivan’s homeland they and asked its help. He jumped onto the passed Ivan’s brothers Dmitrii and Vasilii. wolf’s back, and the two travelers soon found Jealous of Ivan’s success, they ambushed him themselves in the land of Elena the Beautiful. and killed him, dividing the booty by lot. Leaving Ivan on the edge of a plain, the wolf Dmitrii won the Horse with the Golden moved toward the railings that surrounded Mane and Vasilii won Elena the Beautiful, the palace gardens.That evening, as Elena the whom the brothers swore to silence at Beautiful strolled in the garden, the wolf cap- sword’s point. tured her and ran off to where Ivan was wait- For thirty days Ivan’s body lay where he ing. Ivan leaped onto the wolf’s back, and had been killed, until it was discovered by they sped back toward the land of Tsar the wolf. Thinking of a way in which he Afron. Elena the Beautiful’s servants were in could revive his young friend, the wolf hot pursuit, but the wolf easily outran them. caught a young raven (some versions say it By the time they reached the palace walls was a crow) and threatened to tear it in half. of Tsar Afron, Ivan had fallen deeply in love The raven, or crow (named Voron Voro- with Elena the Beautiful, and vice versa. nich), pleaded for mercy, to which the wolf Now Ivan asked the wolf again for help, and replied that he would spare the young bird the wolf agreed. He would become the if the bird’s mother would bring him some image of Elena the Beautiful and would take of the Water of Life and Death. The bird her place with Tsar Afron while the two agreed and flew off. Three days later, she lovers made their getaway. When they were returned with two little bottles of the Water safely away, Ivan had only to think of the of Life and Death. To test the water, the wolf, and the latter would return immedi- wolf tore the mother bird in half and then ately to his side. sprinkled the water from one bottle over Tsar Afron was delighted when the false the carcass. Immediately the bird flew up Elena the Beautiful was presented to him by into the sky, fully restored.The second bot- Ivan. He kept his promise and gave Ivan the tle the wolf sprinkled over Ivan, who came Horse with the Golden Mane and its bridle. back to life. Ivan rode off on the horse and met up with Ivan returned to the royal palace during the real Elena the Beautiful, who was waiting the wedding feast of Vasilii.When Elena the for him in the forest. After traveling a short Beautiful saw Ivan, she told the tsar the truth, distance, Ivan thought of the wolf, which upon which Dmitrii and Vasilii were cast into immediately appeared at their side. the palace dungeons. Elena the Beautiful When the travelers arrived at the palace of then married Ivan, to whom ownership of Tsar Dalmat, Ivan once again asked the wolf the Horse with the Golden Mane was for his help, for he had grown very attached restored. IVASHKO 139

See also: Afron; Dalmat; Dmitrii himself to forge her a voice so that she would (Vyslavovich); Elena the Beautiful; Firebird, sound just like Ivashko’s mother. Equipped The; Horse with the Golden Mane,The; with her new voice, she hurried back to the Vasilii Vyslavovich;Voron Voronich;Vyslav lake and called for Ivashko to come to the Andronovich;Water of Life and Death,The shore.When he did, she grabbed the boy and made off to her home in the heart of the for- IVANOVICH, DUNAI est. There she ordered her daughter Alenka Russia to heat up the stove and roast Ivashko, while See Dunai Ivanovich. the witch went to gather her friends for the fine feast of young human flesh. IVANOVNA, KATRINA Alenka did as her mother told her and Russia heated up the stove, but when it came time See Katrina Ivanovna. to put Ivashko in to be cooked, the young boy tricked the girl, and it was she instead IVANUSHKA who was thrust into the heart of the stove. Russia Ivashko left the house and hid in the canopy The brother of Alenushka, Ivanushka was of the forest outside. transformed into a kid after he drank from a When the witch returned with her lake near which some goats were grazing, friends, she chided her absent daughter for although he had been warned by his sister leaving the house unattended. Judging from not to drink. When Alenushka later was the aroma that their meal was ready,she and trapped at the bottom of the sea by an evil her companions sat down and ate until sorceress who had designs on Alenushka’s there was nothing left but a few bare bones. husband, the tsar, Ivanushka pined for her by After they had eaten, the witch rolled the edge of the sea.Worried that Ivanushka’s around joyfully on the grass outside her actions would betray her secret, the sorcer- home, shouting with glee about how she ess—disguised as Alenushka—persuaded the had enjoyed the roasted Ivashko. From the tsar to kill Ivanushka. The desperate top of the trees, Ivashko whispered that the Ivanushka went three times to the edge of witch had enjoyed roasted Alenka. Looking the sea to call for his sister. On the third up, the witch saw Ivashko. She tried to occasion the tsar followed him and rescued shake him down from the trees, but Ivashko Alenushka, with whom he returned to the hung on. palace. He immediately killed the sorceress Furious that she had been tricked, the by throwing her onto a huge bonfire. witch started to gnaw at the trunk of the See also: Alenushka tree, but she had gnawed only halfway through when her two top front teeth broke. IVASHKO Rushing to the smith, she had him fit her Russia with steel teeth. Returning to the tree, she The youngest son of an old peasant couple. started to gnaw again, but now her two bot- Against his parents’ better judgment, Ivashko tom front teeth broke. These too were persuaded them to let him go fishing. replaced by the smith, and the witch During the day his parents came to the returned again to her task.At last she gnawed water’s edge and brought Ivashko food and through the tree; but Ivashko simply leaped drink. However, they did not go unobserved, to an adjoining one, and the witch had to for a witch witnessed everything and set start all over again. about trapping the young boy for her supper. Just then a flock of and geese flew Rushing to the local smith, the witch overhead. Ivashko called out to them to carry ordered him under threat of being eaten him home. Two flocks passed over, but the 140 IVO third swooped down, picked up Ivashko, and her son’s death in a dream, which she carried him back to his anxious parents. recounted to the local priest.While she was Although the witch in the story of in church, her son rode up to the door, his Ivashko is unnamed, most authorities agree black horse covered in blood. Ivo was that it is none other than Baba-Yaga,the best wounded in seventeen places and was hold- known of all Russian witches. ing his severed right hand in his left. His See also: Alenka; Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga) mother helped him down from his horse References: Afanas'ev 1957 and bathed his wounds, whereupon Ivo told her that he and his men had been returning IVO from Italy with a vast treasure when they Croatia were ambushed three times by Turks. The Hero who lived in Senj, on the eastern first two ambushes, Ivo and his men escaped coast of Croatia opposite the island of Krk. without loss.The third, however, cost Ivo all On one occasion he was reputed to have his men. As he finished the story and was routed fifty thousand Turks with just eight blessed by the priest, Ivo died in his hundred men. His death is recounted in a mother’s arms. Croatian heroic ballad. His mother foresaw See also: Croatia JEZDA Poland One of the Polish names used to refer to the witch Baba-Yaga, signifying that the witch is associated with nightmares. The other name the Poles use to refer to this complex character is Ienzababa. See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Ienzababa References: Afanas'ev 1974

JUMALA JANOS Ugric—Ural Mountains Hungary—Magyar JThe supreme being, mother of all things. The younger of the two sons of a poor The oak tree was her sacred symbol. widower, his younger brother being Istvan. bears a similarity to Mother Earth, but she is See also: Istvan greater, for she alone created the universe. References: Biro 1980 She is also one with the universe, for all that exists is contained within her body. In some regions Jumala is considered a male deity; JAZI BABA but in fact Jumala is androgynous, at once Czech both male and female. Jumala possibly devel- The Czech name for the witch Baba-Yaga. oped from an ancient , as the name See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Czechs is cognate with the word for dusk. See also: Mother Earth JAZYGES General JURAS MÀTE Ancient tribe of Sarmatians, who originally Latvia occupied the shores of the Black Sea. The sea goddess, respectfully called “Mother See also: Black Sea; Sarmatians of the Seas.”

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ernment abolished the Kalmuck Republic and exiled thousands of people to Siberia. However, many Kalmucks escaped to Europe and the United States. In 1958 the Kalmuck Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was reconstituted, and many of the people were returned to the Volga River region. Today they make up more than half of the total population of Russia’s Kalmuck autonomous region. KALINA The people are engaged chiefly in Russia Kfarming, and are unique among Mongols in The name used by Katrina Ivanovna, the practicing Buddhism. wife of Stavr Godinovich, while impersonat- See also: Astrakhan'; Mongols; Siberia; ing the ambassador of the King of Greece at Turkestan;Volga the court of Prince Vladimir Bright Sun. See also: Katrina Ivanovna; Stavr Godinovich; KALVAITIS Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince Lithuania The divine smith who daily forges the new KALMUCKS () sun. He also makes a wedding ring for the General dawn goddess so that she can marry the sun One of the major divisions of the Mongols. every morning, and a silver belt and golden From the fifteenth to the seventeenth cen- stirrups for Dievas and each of Dievas’s sons, turies, the Kalmucks were nomads who the Dievo suneliai. competed with China for control of Beijing. See also: Dievas; Dievo suneliai; Sun Later they migrated to the lower Volga River region in eastern Europe. In c. 1771, a group of some 300,000 Kalmucks decided to KAMS return to China to escape Russian domina- Russia tion.They took part in one of the largest and The name sometimes given to the super- most difficult mass migrations in recorded natural army with which the bogatyri history. They were attacked en route by attempted to do battle, in the epic poem Russian and Turkic bands, and only one- Why There Are No More Bogatyri in Holy third of the group reached Chinese Tur- Russia. The poem explains that these kestan.There they settled in the fertile basin bogatyri grew too confident of themselves of the Ili River. Some Kalmucks stayed on and attacked a large, supernatural army. the steppes of the Volga region, and their However, every time a supernatural warrior descendants still live there. Kalmucks are also fell to the bogatyri, two more sprang up to found throughout Central Asia. take his place; and at last the bogatyri The tsarist government of Russia at- admitted defeat and fled to the mountains, tempted to settle the Kalmuck nomads on a where they were turned to stone. See also: Bogatyr'; Il'ya Muromets; Mikhail reservation near Astrakhan', and the Soviet Potyk; Mikula Selyaninovich; Sviatogor; government established a republic for them Volkh Vseslav'evich in 1935. During World War II the Kalmucks References: Evgen'eva and Putilov 1977; collaborated with the invading Germans Nechaev and Rybakov 1959; Speranskii against the Soviets. In return the Soviet gov- 1916; Ukhov 1957

143 144 KANDEK

KANDEK agreed.This time Kandek filled the sack with Armenia snow and then she made off. When the old The youngest of the seven daughters of an woman picked up the sack, she complained unnamed man and his cannibal wife. that Kandek was making her wet, but never- Troubled by what she should do with all her theless she carried it all the way home—only daughters, the wife decided that she would to find the snow instead of Kandek. Again cook them, and so she bundled them all into she turned into a wolf and set off to find the stove—all except for Kandek, who hid. Kandek. Once again Kandek found herself in When the six daughters had been cooked, the sack, and yet again she was allowed to the woman began to moan that she should stretch her legs when she asked. This time have kept one of them to help her with her Kandek filled the sack with the branches of chores, especially to make the long walk to a thorn bush; and even though the old the fields to take her husband his lunch. woman complained that Kandek was prick- Kandek crawled out of her hiding place and ing her, she carried the sack all the way offered to help her mother if she promised home. never to try to cook her. This time, however, after the old woman Kandek’s mother, being a lazy woman, had recaptured Kandek, she ignored the readily agreed and sent Kandek off with her young girl’s request to be allowed to stretch father’s lunch. Kandek found her father and her legs, and carried the sack straight back to gave him his lunch, and then went for a her home, where she told her daughter to walk. As she walked, she came to an apple stoke the fire. Kandek cut her way out of the tree on which were growing large, ripe, red sack, killed the old woman’s daughter, top- apples. Kandek helped herself to one and sat pled her over into the cauldron, and then hid down to eat.As she ate, an old, blind woman in the rafters of the house. Only after the old came up and asked Kandek to give her an woman had devoured her daughter, leaving apple. Kandek took down an apple and no more than a pile of cleanly picked bones, threw it to the old woman, who missed it did Kandek call out, asking the old woman and complained to Kandek that she was to help her down from the rafters. blind and that Kandek would have to bring The old woman first made a pile of wood; the apple to her. but clambering onto it, she fell down and Kandek did so, whereupon the old hurt her back.Then she made a pile of metal woman took hold of her, threw her into a combs, but fell down when the teeth cut into sack, and started for her home.A short while her feet. Finally she made a pile of salt sacks; later Kandek asked if she might be allowed to but the salt got into the wounds on her feet, stretch her legs.The old woman agreed and and she fell down in agony,writhing in pain, let Kandek out of the sack. Kandek quickly and died. Then Kandek climbed down and filled the sack with stones and then made off. made her way home, telling everyone she When the old woman picked up the sack, met that the old werewolf was dead. she complained about the weight, but This story is interesting for the simple fact nonetheless she carried it all the way home. that it contains a female werewolf, whereas in When she found that the sack contained almost all other instances a werewolf is mas- nothing but a pile of rocks, the woman culine. It is also interesting to note that it changed into a wolf and sought out Kandek. contains only one element common to most Changing back into the old crone, she cap- werewolf legends—the ability to change tured Kandek, threw her back into the sack, shape at will—and that no special weapons, and started for home. such as silver spears, are needed in order to Again Kandek asked to be allowed to kill the creature. stretch her legs, and again the old woman See also: Werewolf KAPSIRKO 145

References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, lake swing after he had drained it of water. vol. 3 Quickly the sprite disappeared and re- peated Kapsirko’s threat to the vodianoi, KAPSIRKO the water demon—chief of the demons and Russia sprites who lived in the lake. He came to A poor but cunning peasant, who when the surface and asked Kapsirko what he was caught stealing firewood from his master was doing. Again Kapsirko repeated his threat. threatened with being sent to the frozen The vodianoi asked what Kapsirko wanted wastelands of Siberia. However, his master of him. decided that he would give Kapsirko a When Kapsirko said that he wanted his chance to redeem himself, and he assigned old master’s wife back, the vodianoi refused. him a seemingly impossible task. Kapsirko Kapsirko then suggested three contests, the was to steal his master’s horse from a heavily winner of all three to be awarded the lady. guarded stable. He accomplished this task, The vodianoi agreed. The first test was to but still his master was not satisfied; so the stand together on the very edge of the lake, master told Kapsirko to steal his wife away where each would whistle as loud as he from him. could in an attempt to make the other fall Kapsirko achieved this by enticing the into the water. The vodianoi went first, and lady out of the house and bundling her into Kapsirko almost fell in. When it was his waiting sleigh. He then made off with her Kapsirko’s turn, he whistled loud and long, down to a lake near which a vodianoi, or but hit the vodianoi with a club so that the water demon, lived. The vodianoi asked water demon fell headlong into the water, Kapsirko to sell the lady to him, which unaware that Kapsirko had hit him. Kapsirko did for a capful of money.The price The second contest was to be a race, but having been negotiated, the vodianoi made Kapsirko derided the vodianoi, saying that he off into the depths of the lake with the lady, had a grandson who could easily beat the telling his servant to fill Kapsirko’s cap with demon. The vodianoi accepted that Kap- money.Being a cunning man, Kapsirko cut a sirko’s grandson was a hare, and said that as hole in his cap and placed it on the sleigh Kapsirko was so confident, maybe the hare before the water sprite filled it. The cap should run rather than Kapsirko himself. leaked its contents into the sleigh, which was Kapsirko readily agreed, for earlier he had soon filled with . trapped two hares. As the race started, Kapsirko then returned home. With his Kapsirko let loose the first hare, which easily newfound wealth, he no longer had to be outran the vodianoi. When the vodianoi subservient to his old master. However, after returned, out of breath, Kapsirko presented a few weeks, his old master called him to his him with the second hare, which was as fresh home, for he was missing his wife and as the morning dew. wanted Kapsirko to get her back for him. The final contest was to be a wrestling The master promised Kapsirko half his estate match. Again Kapsirko tricked the vodianoi, and a large amount of money if he succeed- saying that his grandfather, an old bear, could ed. Kapsirko agreed and rode down to the easily beat the demon. Again the vodianoi shores of the lake, where he built himself a accepted this, and he was, of course, severely shelter and spent hours twisting a rope. beaten as he attempted to wrestle the bear, One day while he was working on the which was displeased to have been awakened rope, a water sprite appeared and asked from hibernation. Kapsirko what he was doing. Kapsirko In the end, the vodianoi submitted and replied that he was making a rope from returned the lady to Kapsirko, who took her which he would make the demons of the back to his old master, who kept his promise 146 KARACHAROVO and gave Kapsirko half his estate and a large Woman did not carry her soul with her but sum of money. rather kept it in a golden casket.That casket See also: Siberia;Vodianoi (~nik) was hidden inside a black chest beneath a copper rock—a rock that rose from the earth KARACHAROVO to the heavens and marked the edge of the Russia nine seas that flowed through the under- The village near Murom that was the birth- world, a point where the nine seas met and place of Il'ya Muromets. became one, rising to the surface of the See also: Il'ya Muromets; Murom earth. The horses ran to the place where the KARELIA copper rock emerged from the underworld, General dug up the black chest, and removed the Karelia is an autonomous republic in north- golden casket. Then the two horses carried west Russia, between the Finnish border and the casket back to where Kartaga and the the White Sea.It was occupied in early times Swan Woman were still fighting. There the by nomadic Finnic settlers, who gave the piebald horse transformed himself into a bald area its Finno-Ugric language—still spoken man, opened the casket, and killed the seven today, despite the best efforts of the Russian birds that flew out.These birds held the soul government to enforce language laws man- of the Swan Woman,who fell dead as the last dating the use of Russian. Karelia came bird was killed. under Russian rule in the late Middle Ages. See also: Swan Woman; Underworld,The Sweden controlled a part of the region from the thirteenth to the late fifteenth centuries, KASHCHEI (THE DEATHLESS) and again from the seventeenth to the early Russia eighteenth centuries. Subsequently Finland See Koshchei (the Deathless) occupied a part of Karelia (from 1918 to 1920 and from 1941 to 1944). KATRINA IVANOVNA See also: Finland; Finno-Ugric;White Sea Russia The wife of Stavr Godinovich, who upon KARTA hearing of her husband’s imprisonment did Lithuania not become downhearted but instead rose to The sister of Dekla and Laima-Dalia, though the challenge; gathered her retinue of thirty only in instances where there are three god- archers, thirty chess masters, and thirty min- desses of fate. Usually Laima-Dalia was con- strels; and set off for Kiev to free her unfor- sidered the sole goddess of fate. The three tunate husband. She felt honor bound to do goddesses were believed to control the des- so, as her husband’s plight had resulted from tinies of all living things, from a single blade his boasting about her prowess. of grass to a human being. A short distance from the walls of Kiev, See also: Dekla; Laima(-Dalia) Katrina and her retinue made camp. Katrina then proceeded alone into the city, disguised KARTAGA as a man. A short time later, she presented Tatar herself at the court of Prince Vladimir Bright A hero who appears in a poem recounting Sun as “Kalina,” ambassador of the King of his struggle with the Swan Woman. For Greece, saying that she had traveled to Kiev many years the couple wrestled, with neither to exact tribute from Prince Vladimir Bright gaining the upper hand. Meanwhile, Kartaga Sun under threat of a terrible war.Vladimir owned two horses, one piebald and one asked for three days and three nights to black, and both horses knew that the Swan reflect on the demands of Kalina; but Katrina KATRINA IVANOVNA 147 refused, saying that as ambassador “he”would the archers in “his”camp were weary from the accept the hand of the Princess Zabava in journey but that “he” would be glad to try. marriage in lieu of the tribute. Again Three times Vladimir shot an arrow at the Vladimir asked for time to think. Katrina said target—composed of a ring and a knife— he could have twenty-four hours, and and on each occasion, he missed. Then the returned to her camp. ambassador took aim and let fly a single However, as she made her way back, she arrow, which flew straight through the ring was secretly watched by Zabava and and split itself in two on the knife blade. Evpraksiya, Vladimir’s wife, who guessed Vladimir knew that he was beaten. The that the ambassador from Greece was a ambassador turned to Vladimir and told the woman. Thus, when Vladimir came to prince either to produce the tribute Zabava to tell her the news and to ask her required by Kalina or to have Princess to marry the ambassador to save them from Zabava taken to the cathedral in readiness a terrible war, Zabava and Evpraksiya told for their marriage. With a heavy heart Vladimir about the ruse and sought to Vladimir went to his niece and commanded expose the fraud by challenging the ambas- her to prepare herself for her wedding to the sador to “manly” contests. ambassador, and then he went back to where The following day, the ambassador the ambassador waited to say that the bride returned to Kiev and asked Vladimir for his was on her way. reply.Vladimir stalled, asking for more time, The ambassador then issued a challenge of whereupon the ambassador grew very angry his own, saying that Vladimir and he should and demanded that Zabava become his wife ride out onto the steppes and test their there and then.Vladimir remained calm and strength together. Vladimir replied that it suggested that while the wedding prepara- would be a waste of time, as there was no tions were being made, they should sit a man in all of Russia who could compete while and play the gusli. Katrina knew what with the ambassador. The ambassador was coming, and said that it had been a long taunted Vladimir, saying that if the prince time since “he” had played the gusli, but could not produce a champion and would agreed to sit and play, as “his” own players not compete himself, then perhaps there was were weary from the long journey from one in the palace dungeons who would Greece. The ambassador outplayed and out- compete. sang all of the challengers in Prince Vladimir remembered Stavr Godinovich Vladimir’s court. and his idle boast, and immediately he told Vladimir was astounded. The ambassador his guards to release him and arm him for could not possibly be a woman.Yet he decided combat against the ambassador from Greece. to continue to stall, and so he challenged the Stavr soon rode out from Kiev, and hidden ambassador to a game of chess. The ambas- by the dust thrown up by their horses, Stavr sador replied that his own chess masters were and his wife were reunited. The pair then weary from the journey to Kiev but that he returned to Kiev, where Katrina Ivanovna had played chess as a child. Quickly Katrina revealed her true identity to Prince Vladimir outplayed every chess master Vladimir could Bright Sun. Then, laughing together, Stavr produce, beating Vladimir himself in so few Godinovich and his wife Katrina Ivanovna moves that the prince could not help but rode out of Kiev, leaving Prince Vladimir think that he was playing the greatest chess Bright Sun thinking that Stavr had not made master in all the world. Convinced that the an idle boast. ambassador was a man, Vladimir continued See also: Evpraksiya (~ia), Princess; Kalina; with his plan and challenged the ambassador Kiev; Stavr Godinovich;Vladimir Bright Sun, to an archery contest. Again Katrina said that Prince; Zabava (Putyatichna), Princess 148 KATYA

KATYA KAZAKHSTAN Slav General A beautiful young peasant girl who had been Among the former constituent republics of orphaned and had inherited her parents’ the USSR, Kazakhstan is unusual in that its house. Over time she grew conscious of the indigenous people, the Kazakhs, are not a fact that she was being helped around the majority in their own country, being out- house by a dvorovoi.As the years passed, she numbered there by other, nonindigenous was able to see him clearly, a handsome ethnic groups. A large-scale influx of youth who had obviously fallen in love with Russians took place in the nineteenth and her. Katya invited the spirit to live with her. twentieth centuries, as a result of which He plaited her hair and made her promise Kazakh society came under the influence of never to undo his handiwork. the and of Slavic ideas. Some years later Katya realized that her However, the native Kazakhs did not com- lover was incapable of physical affection. pletely assimilate with the Russians, and they Yearning for human love and affection, she retain their own unique culture.The official met and became engaged to Stefan. The state language of Kazakhstan is Kazakh, a night before her wedding, after she had Turkic language, although Russian also is bathed, Katya undid her hair, which had spoken by the majority of the population. grown very long, and brushed it thoroughly Today the Slavic immigrants are concen- before retiring. The following morning her trated in the northern part of the country neighbors broke into her house when their and form a majority in Almaty (formerly knocks went unanswered and found her still Alma-Ata), the capital of Kazakhstan. in bed. Her long hair had been twisted and knotted around her neck. She had fallen vic- KAZAN' tim to her jealous dvorovoi lover, who had Tatar strangled her with her own hair. The capital of the Tatar republic, which lies See also: Dvorovoi on the Volga River about 500 miles (800 kilometers) east of Moscow. Kazan' is a cul- KAUKAI tural center of the Tatars, who founded the Latvia city in the fifteenth century. Ivan Groznyi, Subterranean spirits who are ruled by the first tsar of Russia, captured the city in Puskaitis. 1552. See also: Puskaitis See also: Ivan Groznyi; Moscow;Tatars; Volga KAUKAS Slav KAZIMIROVICH,VASILII One of the variant names applied to the Russia domovoi, it might owe its origin to the See Vasilii Kazimirovich. Latvian name, kaukai. See also: Domovoi; Kaukai KEREMET Votyak KAYEN A powerful but mischievous deity who—so Armenia the Votyak people of at least one village Also: Cain thought—caused famines through bad har- The ruler of Kilikia, or Cilicia, who had his vests because he was unmarried. After one palace in Adana. He is featured in the legend particularly bad harvest, the village elders vis- of Purto. ited a neighboring village and arranged for See also: Cilicia; Kilikia; Purto Keremet to marry Mukylin, the earth mother. KIEV 149

When everything had been arranged, the vil- . Some authorities have suggested lage elders returned home and made the nec- that Khor, or , a sun god, was the off- essary preparations.They loaded wagons with spring of Perun and Mokosh. food and drink, decorating the wagons See also: Mokosh; Perun brightly before driving them to the neighbor- References: Gimbutas 1971; Ivanov and ing village as if they were bringing home a Toporov 1965; Propp 1963;Tereshchenko bride. There they cut a sod from the sacred 1848; Zemtsovskii 1970 grove and took it home with them, thus mar- rying Keremet to Mukylin. From that day KHORIV forth the harvests were always good, though Slav the harvests of their neighbors were forever The Primary Chronicle says that Kiev was bad—a state of affairs blamed on the unwill- founded by three Viking brothers named Kiy, ing marriage of the earth mother to Keremet. Schek, and Khoriv, sometime before the See also: Mukylin;Votyaks founding of Novgorod. The legendary Kiy, Schek, and Khoriv may have a historical KHAN basis, but this cannot be confirmed. The Also: Khagan Primary Chronicle places them in Kiev before General Riurik founded Novgorod—because by that Honorific title applied to a Mongol,Tatar, or time, the descendants of these three were liv- Turkic ruler, perhaps most famously recalled ing in Kiev as tributaries of the Khazars. from the historical Mongol leader Genghis These descendants were killed when Oleg Khan. In the legends of ancient Russia, the wrested Kiev from the ,in 882. title is used indiscriminately to refer to the See also: Kiev; Kiy; Novgorod; Oleg; Primary ruler of any foreign or supernatural power. In Chronicle; Riurik; Schek;Vikings some versions of the legend of Dunai References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor Ivanovich and the Princesses Nastas'ya and 1953 Evpraksiya, their father is said to be a Tatar khan instead of the king of Lithuania (as KHOZIAIKA LESA other legends have it). Russia A khan was seen, by Russian subjects, as “Mistress of the forest,” a title that usually being far removed from their own ruler, who applies to the witch Baba-Yaga but might was answerable to the people.The khan was equally be applied to any of the many wood- above the law,an overlord and conqueror rul- land spirits. ing over a subdued people. He was, therefore, See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga) the antithesis of a tsar or a grand prince and References: Wosien 1969 was regarded with disdain tinged with fear. See also: Dunai Ivanovich; Evpraksiya (~ia), KIEV Princess; Genghis Khan; Lithuania; Mongols; Russia Nastas'ya, Princess;Tatars The capital of Ukraine, situated at the con- fluence of the Desna and Dnieper Rivers. KHAN BOGHU Founded in the fifth century, Kiev replaced Armenia Novgorod as the capital of Slav-dominated See Boghu, Khan. Russia in 882. It was also the center of the Orthodox faith after Vladimir I converted to KHOR(S) Christianity in 988. As the seat of Prince Russia Vladimir Bright Sun and his court, Kiev is One of the triad of supreme deities in the the most important city mentioned in earliest times, the others being Perun and Russian legends. 150 KIKIMORA

Gold-topped buildings in Kiev, Ukraine (Archive Photos)

The Primary Chronicle says that Kiev was Schek; Ukraine;Vladimir I;Vladimir Bright founded by three Viking brothers named Sun, Prince Kiy, Schek, and Khoriv, before the founding References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor 1953 of Novgorod. History supports an early date for the foundation of both Kiev and KIKIMORA Novgorod, and the chroniclers who re- Slav corded their slightly dubious histories well A female domestic spirit sometimes de- after the events obviously did not have a true scribed as the wife of the domovoi. Depicted understanding of their subject. Kiev had as having chicken’s legs and a long, beaklike been founded long before the Scandinavians nose, Kikimora (also known as Domania and came to Russia.The latter did not found the Domovikha) could be persuaded to perform city but brought it prosperity and thus household chores for busy wives by washing ensured its growth. Kiy, Schek, and Khoriv the kitchen utensils in a brew made from might actually have lived, but this is not cer- ferns. She would only assist competent tain. The Primary Chronicle places them in housekeepers.Those who were lazy or slop- Kiev before Riurik founded Novgorod, by py would be punished. Kikimora would lose which time the descendants of the three small items, spoil food, and wake the children Vikings were living in the city as tributaries at night by tickling them. of the Khazars. These descendants were See also: Domovoi killed when Oleg wrested Kiev away from the Vikings in 882. KILIKIA See also: Desna; Dnieper; Khoriv; Kiy; General Novgorod; Oleg; Primary Chronicle; Riurik; See Cilicia. KINGDOM BY THE SEA,THE 151

KING OF SNAKES KING OF THE WATERS Armenia Armenia Honorific title of Shah-Mar, who is featured The father of Lusaghen, and the sworn in the story of the young hunter Purto. enemy of the King of the Forest. Both kings See also: Purto; Shah-Mar are featured in the story of Lusaghen. See also: King of the Forest; Lusaghen KING OF THE FOREST References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, Armenia vol. 10 The sworn enemy of the King of the Waters, featured in the story of Lusaghen. KINGDOM BY THE SEA,THE See also: King of the Waters; Lusaghen Russia References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, The kingdom in which Sviatogor was told vol. 10 that his bride-to-be lived. There, on a

An undated woodcut from a story of mortals bargaining with the King of the Forest (from the collections of Carol Rose; photo by David Rose) 152 KINGDOM OF DARKNESS, THE dunghill in the City of the King, she had lan- wiser birds warned the peacock that kings guished thirty years. were born and did not owe their positions to See also: City of the King,The; Sviatogor their finery; but the peacock would not lis- ten. News of the peacock’s pretensions KINGDOM OF DARKNESS, THE reached the ears of the eagle, which swooped Armenia down on the proud bird and stripped him One of the lands crossed by Badikan during and his family of their feathers.The peacock his journeys. It is reasonable to assume that was not only reminded of the nature of a this kingdom never saw the light of day true king but lost his riches as well. (hence its name), and therefore, that it is an One of the fables of Mekhithar Gosh. earthly representation of the darkness of the See also: Mekhithar Gosh underworld. See also: Badikan; Underworld,The KIRBIT Russia KINGDOM OF LIGHT,THE The tsar of an unnamed kingdom and father Armenia of the beautiful maiden Vasilissa Kirbit'evna. One of the lands crossed by Badikan during His daughter was stolen from him by Ivan, his journeys. It is reasonable to assume that whom it had been prophesied she would this kingdom never knew the darkness of the marry, and Bulat the Brave. Giving chase, night (hence its name), and therefore, that it Tsar Kirbit alone survived the onslaught of is an earthly representation of heaven. Bulat. Gathering twice as many men did him See also: Badikan no good, for Bulat killed them all, again leav- ing only Kirbit alive to mourn the loss of his KINGDOM OF THE EAST,THE daughter. Armenia See also: Bulat the Brave; Ivan;Vasilis(s)a The kingdom in which the princess lived Kirbit'evna with whom the giant Khan Boghu fell in love. Badikan traveled there to abduct her on KIRBIT'EVNA,VASILIS(S)A behalf of the giant, but the pair fell in love, Russia and from that day forth they conspired to See Vasilis(s)a Kirbit'evna. discover the secret of Khan Boghu’s immor- tality. When they finally uncovered the KIRGHIZ secret, they quickly disposed of the giant, Siberia were duly married, and thenceforth ruled Ancient Siberian people who believe them- over the lands of Khan Boghu. selves the result of a divine conception. In a See also: Badikan; Boghu, Khan far-off land, so the legend goes, a ruler had a References: Khatchatrian 1933 beautiful daughter whom he locked away so that no man might see her. The girl’s only KINGS ARE NOT CREATED BY contact with the outside world was an old FLATTERY ALONE serving woman.When the girl had grown to Armenia adulthood she asked the old woman to show A proud peacock once strutted about, show- her the world outside her dark and gloomy ing off his fine feathers to the birds who prison, promising that she would not reveal came to admire his beauty. Before long the her trip to anyone. The old woman agreed; peacock began to respond to their flattery but no sooner had the girl stepped outside and started to say that with his fine feathers the palace than she was seen by the gods, he should be king of the birds in place of the who immediately impregnated her. Her eagle with its dull plumage. Some of the father was furious and had the unfortunate KOLIADA 153 maiden locked in a golden casket and thrown See also: Ghovt; Suren into the sea.The casket floated across the sea References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, until it was broken apart on a rocky coastline vol. 4 where the girl gave birth, her child being the first Kirghiz and the progenitor of the peo- KOLDUN ple.The ancient homeland of the Kirghiz is Russia today known as Kyrgyzstan. Thought to possess supernatural knowledge, the kolduny (pl.) of the Varangian period were KIRNIS considered direct successors to the ancient Slav shamans. Unlike their female counterparts, the Minor fertility deity who ensured that cher- volkhvy (seers), who would only allow admit- ries ripened successfully. tance of the opposite sex through blood lin- eage, the kolduny (or wizards) were open KIY about their practices and welcomed all who Slav wished to participate. In a patriarchal society, The Primary Chronicle says that Kiev was the kolduny might have held far greater sway founded by three Viking brothers named Kiy, than the volkhvy; but in ancient Russia, where Schek, and Khoriv, before the founding of women were the principal bearers of tradition Novgorod. Kiy, Schek, and Khoriv might and protectors of the community,the opposite actually have existed, although this cannot be was true. In later times, when wizardry was proven.The Primary Chronicle places them in practiced by groups of men and women com- Kiev before Riurik founded Novgorod, by bined, sorcerers began to be called znakhari. which time the descendants of these three The kolduny, as the possessors of special were living in the city as tributaries of the knowledge, were often consulted in cases of Khazars.These descendants were killed when community dispute or disaster, when they Oleg seized power in Kiev in 882. acted as mediators or as diviners of guilt. See also: Khoriv; Kiev; Kiy; Novgorod; Oleg; There is evidence that they might have Primary Chronicle; Riurik; Schek;Vikings favored men over women: For example, after References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor 1953 a failed harvest in the regions of Rostov and Suzdal', in 1070, the women were blamed, KÖK CHAN with bloody results. Tatar See also: Shaman;Varangians; Znakhar' The hero of a Tatar poem who gave a ring References: Tokarev 1957 that held half his strength to a maiden. Sometime later Kök Chan was engaged in KOLIADA mortal combat and did not quite have Russia enough strength to kill his opponent. Just Winter solstice ceremony that began on or then the maiden came by and dropped the around 12 December. The word Koliada ring into Kök Chan’s mouth, and feeling his comes from kolo (round, or circle); and the strength renewed, he quickly overcame and name of Koliada’s companion ceremony, killed his opponent. Sviatki, is related to svet (light). (The festival See also: Tatars known as Sviatki is only a small part of the ceremony of Koliada.) KOKNAS The traditional festival of Koliada united Armenia an entire community in worship of its ances- The sister of Suren who was, in fact, a Ghovt, tors, thereby ensuring the rebirth of the land or she-devil. For the full story see the entry in the coming new year.Young women were for Suren. central to the ceremonies. In the Sviatki rit- 154 KORKA-MURT ual, they would divine their own futures as KORYAKS well as that of the larger community—the Siberia village and its farms. At the same time, the Ancient maritime Siberian people about old women of the community would sym- whom very little has been written and pub- bolically feed the dead ancestors.The winter lished. From the information that is avail- solstice was seen as a time when the living able, they appear to have believed in the and dead communed in a period of “half- spirituality of animals. After they had killed light” as the sun approached its death sur- and dressed a bear, they would garb them- rounded by the forces of darkness. It was selves in the bearskin, dance around the important to commune with dead ancestors bear’s severed head, and repeat a formula lay- in order to dislodge the evil forces that ing the blame for the animal’s death on sought to kill the sun, ensuring both the sun’s someone else, usually a neighboring people. continuation and that of all life on earth. Likewise, when Koryaks caught a whale, In the Volga region the Koliada was they would feast on the dead spirit of the known as Ovsen' or Vinograd, but the cen- whale as they would any visiting dignitary. tral core of the ceremonies remained the Both ceremonies were designed to ensure same. The name Koliada might also have the success of future hunting. The Koryaks been derived from the Greek Kalanda, or the believed that if they did not show the prop- Romanized Calandæ. The ancients believed er respect, their prey would disappear and that the rebirth of the sun goddess, whom they would starve. they also called Koliada, was ensured by driv- ing a young woman out of the village on a KOSHCHEI (THE DEATHLESS) sled, while singing hymns invoking the sun. Russia The woman on the sled symbolically “died” One of the most unpleasant of all the char- in this ritual, which might once have called acters found in the Russian legends. The for actual human sacrifice. name Koshchei (in some variants, Kashchei) In some places, Koliada also has a mascu- comes from kost' (bone). Koshchei could not line aspect (e.g., the festival once was con- be killed because his soul was not inside his nected with Saint Nikolai of Mozhaisk); but body but was hidden elsewhere.Though the the most common form of practice was location of the hiding place varies quite matriarchal, even going so far as to personify widely from tale to tale, the soul itself was the festival as a childbearing goddess of usually hidden inside an egg.This egg was, in wealth—though wealth in this case meant turn, inside a duck or other bird, which was children rather than material riches. Some- inside a rabbit. The three were then hidden times both male and female aspects of the in some remote and inaccessible place, such festival were combined; but whatever the as beneath a large oak tree, on an island in gender and whatever the mix, the main pur- the middle of a huge ocean, or under a tree pose of the ritual was identical—to ensure on that island. the rebirth of the sun and of life on earth. The egg is the symbol of life to many cul- See also: Nikolai of Mozhaisk, Saint; Ovsen'; tures, not just the Russian, as it is the female Sviatki;Vinograd;Volga cell from which life will spring. Birds’ eggs, References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; de Beauplan so fragile and easily broken yet containing 1732; Potebnia 1865; Propp 1963; Shein 1900 the power to create a new life, were held in awe by ancient peoples and were usually pre- KORKA-MURT sented to new parents upon the birth of a Votyak child.The iconography of the egg continues Literally,“man of the house,”the spirit of the even today among many cultures, a particu- hearth that was central to any home. lar example being the giving of decorated KOSTIA NOVOTORZHENI 155 eggs at Easter, representing the resurrection young man squeezed the egg, whereupon of Jesus Christ. Koshchei let out a piercing scream.Then the Koshchei the Deathless, who in some young man crushed the egg, and Koshchei sources is described as a dragon and a male instantly died. aspect of Baba-Yaga, finally met with his There are many different versions of this own death after he had kidnaped the beauti- story, but they all have a common theme in ful Vasilissa Kirbit'evna. Bulat the Brave per- that the soul of the warlock is hidden in suaded Vasilissa to find out where her captor some bizarre and inaccessible place.The egg, Koshchei kept his soul. After recovering the however, is not the only vessel in which the egg, Bulat returned to the forest home of soul is hidden. In one variant, where Koshchei, and breaking the egg on Kosh- Koshchei appears as a serpent (possibly a chei’s forehead, killed him. dragon), the soul is contained within a peb- An alternate version of the story of ble that could be found in the yolk of the Koshchei the Deathless has him living in a egg, and death could only come to the ser- magnificent golden palace where he keeps pent if that stone were smashed into his fore- an unnamed princess prisoner, a princess head. Needless to say, no matter where the whose lover continuously walks outside soul is or what its vessel, Koshchei the the walls of the palace, unable to find a Deathless always dies and the hero always way in. The princess sought to kill rescues the maiden. Koshchei but knew that he did not carry See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Bulat the his soul with him, so she made up to him Brave; Dragon;Vasilis(s)a Kirbit'evna and asked him where his soul was hidden. References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Ivanov and Koshchei first said that his soul was in a Toporov 1965 broom in the kitchen, but this was a lie, as when the princess threw the broom onto KOSMA the fire, Koshchei remained unharmed. So Russia she tried again, and this time Koshchei told Variant of Kuz'ma. her that his soul was in a worm that lived beneath the largest of three oak trees in a KOSMATUSHKA field at the top of a high hill.The princess Russia told her lover the news, and he sought out One of the two names given to the magical the field, cut down the largest of the three horse of Il'ya Muromets, the other being oaks, dug up the roots, and crushed the Borushka Matushka. worm. Koshchei the Deathless remained See also: Borushka Matushka; Il'ya Muromets unharmed. References: Astakhova 1938–51 The princess then tried again, and this time was told that the soul could be found KOSTIA NIKITIN hidden in an egg. That egg was in a duck Russia which was in a hare, both animals in turn One of the of Vasilii Buslayevich, being within a basket that itself was locked in Kostia stood guard over the stern of the a steel chest that lay beneath a great oak that pirates’ ship while they sailed the waters of grew all by itself on a small island far out at Lake Il'men'. sea. The princess related the story to her See also: Il'men', Lake;Vasilii Buslayevich lover, who set off, found the oak, retrieved the egg, and came back to the palace, where KOSTIA NOVOTORZHENI he confronted Koshchei. Dismayed to see the Russia egg in the young man’s hand, Koshchei The first bogatyr' to take the tests set by reached for a sword, and as he did so the Vasilii Buslayevich and pass, and thus the first 156 KOSTROMA member of Vasilii’s druzhina, which eventu- KOSTROMO(-KOSTROBUNKO) ally included thirty men. Russia See also: Bogatyr';Vasilii Buslayevich The male counterpart of Kostroma. See also: Kostroma KOSTROMA KOT BAYUN Russia Russia Fertility goddess who in tenth-century art is A talking cat that lived in the Thrice-Ninth represented as a diamond-headed column in Kingdom within the Thrice-Ninth Land. a temple, surrounded by horses enclosed in Petrushka was sent to fetch Kot Bayun by a lozenge shapes. The horses are surmounted tsar who sought to be rid of Petrushka so as by human figures standing with their arms to marry his wife Masha. When the tsar raised to the sky. Kostroma is the female assigned Petrushka this task, Petrushka re- counterpart of Kostromo and as such is con- turned home crestfallen. His wife told him nected with grain, both male and female to go to bed and sleep soundly that night aspects being seen as divine twins.They are, and in the morning she would equip him in fact, a part of a complex quadruple agrar- for his task. As promised, Masha woke him ian deity with male and female aspects con- in the morning and gave him three felt hats, sidered as a single entity, the other pairings a pair of pincers, and three metal rods. being Lado and Lada, Iarilo and Iarila, and Petrushka followed Masha’s advice to the Kupalo and Kupala. Sometimes the quadru- letter. Before approaching the cat, he put the ple pairing within the deity was reduced to a three felt hats on his head and took the first single pairing, that pairing having different metal bar in one hand and the pincers in the names in different regions. In Murom the other.The cat hissed and clawed viciously at pairing was Kostromo and Kostroma, Petrushka, but the hats protected him, whereas in Kostroma province it was Iarilo though they were torn to shreds. Shortly and Iarila. before the cat tore away the third hat, Kostroma was celebrated each year on Petrushka managed to catch the flaying leg 29 June, St. Peter’s Day, or the following in the pincers and started to beat the animal Sunday, in a festival known as the “Funeral with the first metal rod, which was made of of Kostroma.”Various versions of the festi- iron.When that bar broke, he seized the sec- val were performed, according to region ond, made of brass, and continued to beat and regional consideration. Generally,how- the animal. When the second bar broke, he ever, a bonfire would be lit and a young took up the last one, made of tin, and con- maiden from the community chosen to tinued the punishment. This bar grew hot represent Kostroma. She would be borne, and bent but did not break, and in the end with great reverence, to a local watercourse the cat and begged mercy and promised to where she was ritually bathed.They would go with Petrushka to his tsar. then return to the village to end the day When Petrushka again stood before the with feasting, dancing, and games. Some- tsar, he bowed and told his ruler that he had times the maiden would be replaced with a accomplished his mission.The tsar looked at straw effigy, but the rituals remained fairly the cat and asked Petrushka how he could be constant. See also: Iarila; Iarilo; Kostromo sure that this was indeed Kot Bayun. (-Kostrobunko); Kupala; Kupalo; Lada; Lado; Petrushka released the cat, which immedi- Murom ately bared its teeth, arched its back, spat, and References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor flew at the tsar’s throat.The tsar called out for 1953; Mansikka 1922; Snegirev 1837–39; help, whereupon Petrushka simply bran- Zabylin 1880 dished the pincers and the tin bar, and the cat KREMARA 157 returned to his side. Petrushka then locked thought Mr. Kotsky was about to attack the cat in a cage within the palace and him, so he jumped down and ran off, meet- returned to the arms of Masha his wife. ing up with a huge wolf who was coming This, however, was not the end of to see just what kind of animal Mr. Kotsky Petrushka’s torment at the tsar’s hands. For was. The boar and the bear told the wolf the remainder of the story see the entry for what had happened, and from that day forth Petrushka. all the animals of the forest lived in fear of See also: Masha; Petrushka;Thrice-Ninth the terrible Mr. Kotsky. All, that is, except Kingdom,The;Thrice-Ninth Land,The for the vixen, for she had seen the fright in Mr. Kotsky’s eyes, and having coaxed him KOTSKY, MR. down from the tree, she lived a life of lux- Ukraine ury and ease as the other animals served An aging tabby cat that lived with a bad- their every need. tempered farmer who drove him away from the farm when he grew too old to effectively KRASNAIA GORA hunt rats and mice. Mr. Kotsky took to wan- Russia dering the forests, where he was befriended “Red Mountain,” a widespread springtime by a vixen who had never seen a domestic festival that, according to some authorities, cat and therefore believed Mr. Kotsky when stems from the ancient Slavic custom of he said that he was the fiercest animal in the burying the dead on hilltops or hillsides.The world. festival occurred at sunset, when young The vixen took Mr. Kotsky back to her women and young men would come to- lair, and from that day on she did all the gether and dance and sing about the coming hunting, while Mr. Kotsky grew strong and of spring while holding bread and eggs. rather fat. As Mr. Kotsky grew, so did his Often the ritual would be performed by appetite, and before long the vixen was find- young women alone who would dance ing it difficult to catch all the food the cat around a single girl standing in their midst needed. Thus she went out into the forest and holding bread and an egg that had been and told all the animals about Mr. Kotsky,his dyed red.The bread represented the fertility ferocity, and his appetite, adding that all the of the previous year; the egg symbolized the animals must help her hunt, otherwise Mr. fertility of the earth waiting to be reborn; Kotsky would be angry and would easily and the color red (krasnoe) signified the daily deal with them. death and rebirth of the sun. The following day,the animals of the for- References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Snegirev est caught a huge ox and dragged it back to 1837–39 the vixen’s lair. Mr. Kotsky hurried out and leaped onto the carcass, tearing at its skin KREMARA and shouting that he needed more to eat.As Slav he set about the dead ox, a wild boar was The patron spirit of adult pigs and possibly hiding in a pile of leaves when it was bitten the brother of Kurwaichin in Poland, he is on the tail by a gnat. As the boar twitched, usually coupled with Priparchis, the patron Mr. Kotsky saw the leaves move and, think- of piglets in common Slavic belief. Kremara ing that they hid a mouse, leaped into them was believed to assume responsibility for the with his claws extended. The boar was so continued good health of adult pigs after terrified as Mr. Kotsky landed that he Priparchis had overseen their successful birth leaped out of the leaves, Mr. Kotsky being and weaning. No true cult developed around equally surprised and leaping into a tree Kremara; but the spirit’s patronage was tradi- where a huge bear was hiding. The bear tionally evoked by pouring beer onto a fire, 158 KREMLIN which resulted in a pungent aroma thought the Italian classical style with to attract Kremara. more traditional Russian forms, such as those See also: Kurwaichin; Priparchis used in the Kremlin’s Cathedral of the Annunciation (1484–1489). KREMLIN During the seventeenth century, the tow- General ers and buildings of the Kremlin were A fortified enclosure surrounding the ad- enlarged and redecorated.The major Kremlin ministrative core of a Russian town, which buildings of this period are the Terem Palace generally consisted of a church or cathedral, (1635–1636) and the Palace of the Patriarchs a central plaza or marketplace, and in the (1645–1655). In the eighteenth and nine- larger towns and cities, a palace and other teenth centuries construction continued, but government buildings. The name comes this time in the baroque and later neoclassical from the Russian kreml', which means styles. Notable buildings from this period “fortress.” Many Russian cities have krem- include the Arsenal (1702–1736), the Men- lins, but the most famous—known simply as shikov Tower (1705–1707), the Senate (1776– the Kremlin—is the vast walled compound 1787), and the (1838– in Moscow. 1849). Buildings added during the twentieth Moscow’s Kremlin has a long history as the century include the Presidium (1932–1934) seat of government in Russia. Beginning in and the Palace of Congresses (1960–1961), the twelfth century, when Moscow was the the great hall of which currently houses gov- administrative center of only one of many ernment meetings and performances of bal- Russian states, its princes ruled from the lets and operas. Kremlin. The Kremlin was the headquarters See also: Ivan the Great; Moscow; St. of tsarist rule from the mid-sixteenth century Petersburg until 1712, when moved the Russian capital to St. Petersburg. Moscow and KRICCO the Kremlin again became the seat of govern- Slav ment in 1918, shortly after the Bolsheviks Minor fertility deity who protected the fruits took control of Russia, and remained the seat of the field. after the Soviet Union was created in 1922. With the breakup of the Soviet Union in KRIMBA 1991, the Kremlin became the seat of govern- Slav ment of independent Russia. A goddess of the house who was principally The is a triangular worshiped in Bohemia. enclosure with a circumference of nearly 1.5 See also: Bohemia miles (2.4 kilometers). The first Kremlin on the site was built in 1156. The present KRUKIS Kremlin walls have stood since the late fif- Slav teenth century, when Moscow became the The patron spirit of blacksmiths, who most powerful Russian city. At that time, according to some sources, also watched over architects from northern Italy and from the welfare of domestic animals along with throughout Russia were called to work on Peseias. the Kremlin. Italian architects built the See also: Peseias Cathedral of the Assumption (1475–1479), the Granovitaya Palace (1487–1491), the Bell KUL' Tower of Ivan the Great (1505–1508), and Ostyak the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael A water spirit who haunted large lakes and (1505–1509).The architects carefully blended areas of deep water. His appearance always KURKE 159 spelled misfortune—usually the drowning of KUPAL'NITSA some unfortunate individual who had been Slav foolish enough to venture into the spirit’s The name given to Kupala, the female coun- domain. terpart of Kupalo, in southeastern and south- western Russia. KUMSTVO See also: Kupala; Kupalo Russia From kum (cousin), Kumstvo was a prelude KUPALO to the major ceremonies of the festival of Slav Semik. During the kumstvo a birch tree, The god of peace, magic, water, and herbs; known as the “Semik Birch,” would be one aspect of a quadruple fertility deity, the dressed with ribbons to stand like a goddess other aspects being Iarilo, linked with the over the coming festivities, which were Sun; Kostromo-Kostrobunko, linked with designed to confirm the unity of the com- grain; and Lado, a name used in invocations munity and reconfirm its link with deceased of the fertility deity as a single entity.Each of ancestors. Young girls were central to the these aspects also had a feminine personifica- kumstvo, and would wear garlands woven tion—Kupalo’s being Kupala, Kostromo- from birch twigs, the garlands representing Kostrobunko’s Kostroma, and Lado’s Lada. the fertility of the maidens, which they Kupalo and Kupala, like the other aspects of would retain, unsullied, until they married. the fertility deity, were considered divine These girls would embrace, to signify the twins, and their effigies were often burned solidarity of the village, and pledge their together in order to stimulate the fertility eternal blood ties. These rituals completed, and potency of the aspect they represented— the festival of Semik could be brought to its in the case of Kupalo and Kupala, water. ultimate conclusion. See also: Iarilo; Kostroma; Kostromo See also: Semik (-Kostrobunko); Kupala; Lada; Lado; Sun References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Propp 1963; References: Snegirev 1837–39;Vernadsky 1959 Rimsky-Korsakov 1951; Zemtsovskii 1970 KUPIATITSKAIA KUPALA Russia Slav A twelfth-century religious icon that was The goddess of peace, water, magic, and “miraculously” found in a Ukrainian wood herbs, who according to some sources, was by a girl in 1182. It was common between married to . The worship of Kupala the eleventh and fifteenth centuries for icons involved ritual washing and the offering of to be found in woods and forests, the peas- flowers, which were thrown onto the ants declaring that they had been left there water’s surface. Curiously, the rites also by God to signify his potency. However, the involved fire, for fire was considered to have truth was far more mundane, for the icons the same purifying qualities as water. were placed in the woods and forests by the Worshipers would run around fires and leap clergy who knew that if they were found as over the flames in order to purify them- if by magic, the peasants would be more selves. Effigies of Kupala were either burned likely to convert to Christianity than they or thrown into the water. Kupala has been would by more conventional means. equated with the Celtic goddess Beltane. Kupala—in southern Russia, also known as KURKE Kupal'nitsa—was the female counterpart of Russia Kupalo. The spirit of the grain, who was envisioned See also: Kupal'nitsa; Kupalo;Yarilo in the form of a cockerel. During the harvest 160 KURWAICHIN festival a young cockerel was sacrificed to and riding his father’s horse.This he did; and Kurke and a few ears of grain were left stand- whereas it had taken his brothers many ing in the field to feed the spirit. months to travel, it took him a matter of See also: Rugiu Boba hours.As night fell on the very first day,hav- ing already passed the apple tree and the KURWAICHIN mountain of gems, the young man came to Poland the crest of a hill and saw two in the val- The patron spirit of sheep, and according to ley below him, one in the sky,and one on the some sources, the brother of Kremara. Both ground. were offered beer poured into the fireplace. Riding down into the valley, the young See also: Kremara prince discovered that the sun on the ground was a magnificent golden feather, which he KUSH-PARI picked up, and ignoring the warning of his Armenia horse, tucked into his hatband.Then he rode From the Turkish kush (bird) and the Persian on, and before long he came to a city.He was pari (winged spirit), Kush-Pari was exactly seen by the palace guard, who brought the that, a winged spirit in the form of a bird. king news of the approach of a rider with the The legend from Armenia concerning the sun on his head.As soon as the prince arrived Kush-Pari exhibits many Turkish and at the city he was led to see the king, who Anatolian influences and shows how during took the feather from him, and without even the expansionist years of the Russian a word of thanks, dismissed the young man Empire, these influences came to be regarded and set the feather on his wall. From that day as an integral part of their heritage. forth the king had time only for the feather, An unnamed king in an unnamed realm all other affairs of the city having to be han- was going blind as he grew older.This king dled by his advisers. had three sons, and one by one he sent them One day the king started to yearn for to find a cure for his affliction—a cure that more than just the feather, and so he called could only be found where no horse had for the young man who had found the ever trod.The first son traveled to a tree that feather to be brought before him.There the miraculously came to life overnight, bearing young prince was told to go and fetch the huge apples—apples that he took back to his whole bird to whom the feather belonged. father, who was disappointed, for he had Failure would result in his execution by already been to that place and the apples beheading.The prince told his troubles to his could not provide his cure. horse, and the next day the horse led him to The second son traveled past the tree and a forest that had a white poplar tree growing came to a mountain, the top of which was in its midst. Under the tree, so his horse awash in precious stones. Convinced that no advised him, was a white marble pool in one had ever set foot on the mountain—for which a Houri-Pari, a nymph from paradise, if they had, surely all the gems would have came to bathe. The horse told the young been carried away—the son filled a saddle- man to wait until the maiden had bathed and bag with them and returned to his father.Yet had donned her golden feathers again before his father had visited that mountain many he seized her by the legs. years before, and now, just as had happened The prince did as he was instructed, and then, the gems had turned to colored glass. before long he was riding back to the city Finally the youngest son was called upon with the Houri-Pari for the king. The king by his father to seek out the cure. In a dream took the bird from the prince and summarily the young man was advised to set out dismissed him, and then set the bird in a equipped with his father’s ring and sword golden cage, and from that day forth spent KUZ'MA, SAINT 161 every day and every night in the presence of leaped onto the back of the mare and rode the bird. her until she quieted and followed his every Before long the Houri-Pari spoke to the command.Then the prince led the mare and king, saying that she would become the most her thirty-nine offspring to the city of the beautiful maiden in all the world if the king king.There, under the guidance of his horse, would fetch for her her handmaiden, who the prince hung the ring his father had given was being held prisoner by a red demon him into the middle of a vat, from a thread somewhere between the Black Sea and the tied to his sword, which he laid over the top White Sea. (In this case the White Sea was of the vat.Then he milked each of the thirty- not the Russian Beloe More. If not entirely nine mares into the vat. imaginary, the White Sea in Anatolia would The prince then undressed, bathed in the have been the Mediterranean Sea, which is milk, redressed, resheathed his sword, and put Akdeniz, “White Sea,” in Turkish.) The king his father’s ring on his finger. Having done so agreed and once again sent for the hapless he sent the message to the king that his bath young prince, whom he commanded upon of mares’ milk, which would transform him pain of death to bring back the handmaiden. into a Houri-Pari, was ready.The king hur- The following morning the young prince ried to the vat and stepped in, and was allowed his horse to take him to the shores of immediately boiled to a pulp. The young the Black Sea. Once there, on the advice of prince then dressed himself as king and took his horse, the young man unsheathed his his place. father’s sword and pointed it out across the Kush-Pari knew what had happened and waters, which immediately divided, leaving immediately cast off her feathers and ran to him a dry path across. After crossing the sea, the side of the young man who now was the prince quickly came to the home of the king; the couple was married before the red demon, whom he decapitated. He res- next day dawned. That morning, however, cued the handmaiden and then rode back to the young king remembered his father, and the king. Once again the king did not thank he told his new wife the story of his origi- the young prince but simply took the hand- nal quest. She knew of the affliction, for she maiden and dismissed the young man. herself had caused it when her husband’s The king presented the Houri-Pari, father had failed to take her captive. whose name was Kush-Pari, with the hand- Together they rode back to the blind king, maiden and told her to cast off her feathers and there Kush-Pari cured his blindness, and and become his wife. She refused, saying that she and the young prince became the new if she did, he would surely die. Yet if he rulers in his stead. would bring her the forty fiery mares that The bird with golden plumage is encoun- lived by the Red Sea, and if he bathed in tered among myths and legends of a great their milk, he too would become a Houri- many peoples around the world, and ele- Pari, and they could then be united. ments of the legend of the Kush-Pari are Once again the king sent for the unfortu- strikingly similar to that of the Firebird. nate prince and sent him on this latest quest See also: Black Sea; Firebird,The; Houri-Pari; under threat of beheading. The prince was White Sea once again guided and helped by his horse, References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, which turned out to be one of the forty fiery vol. 1 horses (for although the stories spoke of forty mares, there were in fact only thirty- KUZ'MA, SAINT nine mares, and one stallion). At the edge of Russia the Red Sea the stallion lay down, and before Russian Orthodox saint who, according to long his mother came to him. The prince some legends, collaborated with Saint Dem'- 162 KUZ'MA, SAINT yan in forging the first plow (other versions as he could, all the time reciting the Lord’s of this legend name the two saintly smiths as Prayer. Saints Boris and Gleb). Kuz'ma and Dem'- For three days and nights the boy ran as yan, however, had nothing at all to do with fast as his legs would carry him, continually smithing; they were doctors who had been reciting the prayer, for every time he stopped martyred.Their connection with the legends his recitation, he could feel the hot breath of surrounding smiths stems simply from the the dragon on his neck. Finally,on the fourth fact that Kuz'ma sounds similar to the day, almost totally exhausted, he came to the Russian word for a smithy, kuznya. As a smithy where the saints Kuz'ma and Dem'yan result, in the Russian Orthodox calendar of were putting the finishing touches on the saints, they became the patrons of smiths and first plow that mankind would have. The craftsmen. Churches dedicated to them were tsarevich ran straight into the smithy, and the often to be found in the part of a town in two saints immediately slammed shut the which smiths and craftsmen carried out their massive iron doors in an effort to protect him. business. From outside, the dragon demanded that The plow reputedly forged by Kuz'ma the two saints relinquish the boy to meet his and Dem'yan was of enormous proportions, fate.The saints refused, so the dragon licked and was forged with implements of like size. the iron doors, his tongue penetrating them The two smiths were reported to have used on the fourth lick. However, as the dragon’s twelve golden hammers, and tongs that tongue appeared through the doors, the two weighed almost four hundredweight, or saints caught hold of it with their red-hot twelve poods (a pood is an old Russian mea- pincers, and thus captive, they harnessed the sure roughly equivalent to 36 pounds or dragon to the plow and made him plow a 16.38 kilograms). One story, apparently of deep furrow, the great mounds of earth that Ukrainian origin, tells how this plow was he threw up thereafter being known as first used. “dragons’ ramparts.” For some reason not told in the story, the Kuz'ma and Dem'yan, as the magical people of southern Russia angered God so smiths of legend, were also believed capable greatly that he sent a fierce dragon to wreak of forging nonmaterial objects: Russians, in havoc throughout their land. Every day, in a their wedding songs, would ask Kuz'ma and futile attempt to appease the dragon, a differ- Dem'yan to forge them a wedding with links ent family was obliged to sacrifice a son. so strong that they would last forever. In this Finally it was the tsar’s turn to sacrifice his way Kuz'ma and Dem'yan came to be son; and though many of his loyal subjects regarded as the patron saints of marriage. offered to send their son in the place of the 1 November was Koz'ma and Dem'yan Day tsarevich, the dragon would not agree to this. (also known as Matushka Kozma-Demian), Reluctantly the tsar led his son to the an important agricultural feast day. On this appointed place, where he left him to await day young women would go out to seek his fate.While the boy was waiting, an angel their future husbands. appeared to him and offered him a means of See also: Boris, Saint; Dem'yan, Saint; Dragon; escape. Teaching the tsarevich the Lord’s Gleb, Saint; Matushka Kozma-Demian Prayer, the angel told the youth to run as fast References: Chicherov 1957 deuces. Lada, here without Lado, is venerat- ed as the Great Goddess, the parthenogenet- ic mother of Dido, who is either her son or her consort (or perhaps simply Lado by another name). An eighteenth-century text seems to confirm that by that time, Lada had assumed an ascendancy over Lado, who was then seen as her son-consort, though here Lado is referred to as Dido or Dida (although the latter LADA name has a feminine ending, Dida is Slav Lalmost always referred to as a male). Also: Liuli See also: Dida; Didilia; Dido; Great Goddess; The goddess of beauty,female counterpart of Iarila; Iarilo; Kostroma; Kostromo Lado. Lado and Lada are commonly referred (-Kostrobunko); Kupala; Kupalo; Lado; Lel; to in unison, in the songs sung by women Mokosh; Polel; Zizilia while planting grain or at wedding cere- References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Haase 1939; monies.As a pair, the divine twins Lado and Snegirev 1837–39;Vernadsky 1959; Znayenko 1980 Lada form one aspect of a quadruple fertility deity, the other aspects being Kupalo, who is linked with water; Kostromo-Kostrobunko, LADO linked with grain; and Iarilo, linked with the Slav Sun. Each of these aspects also has a feminine The male counterpart of Lada. personification—Kupalo’s being Kupala, Kostromo-Kostrobunko’s Kostroma, and LADOGA, LAKE Iarilo’s Iarila. Russia Lada has been tentatively linked with a Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia is the Latvian goddess, though it also has been sug- largest lake in all of Europe, covering 6,835 gested that she derived from the Finno- square miles (17,703 square kilometers). Slavic Mokosh, or the Great Goddess of the Ladoga is situated 40 miles (64 kilometers) northern Letts and Mordvins. Other author- northeast of St. Petersburg.Along with Lake ities identify her with Loduna, the Scan- Onega to its northeast, Lake Ladoga forms dinavian goddess of fire, the hearth, and part of a canal system that links the Baltic herds. She may, however, have a more and White Seas. Ownership of Lake Ladoga southerly origin in the classical Leto, the was divided between the Soviet Union and mother by Zeus of and . Lada Finland until 1940, when the Soviet Union and Lado are also connected with the twin took possession of the lake after war against deities Zizilia and Didilia worshiped by the Finland. The lake now belongs to the Poles, who also venerate Lada and Lado— Russian Federation. though in this instance she appears con- See also: Baltic; Finland; St. Petersburg; nected with the classical Leda, the mother of White Sea the twins Castor and Polydeuces. One sev- enteenth-century chronicler extenuates this LAIMA(-DALIA) connection by naming Lada as the mother of Lithuania , both of whom have been The goddess of fate, to whom lime trees directly connected with Castor and Poly- were sacred. Her name is cognate with laim,

163 164 LAME

“happiness”; she was sometimes referred to pendent country; it is shared among Norway, as Laima-Dalia (meaning “Happiness-Fate”). Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Lapland covers Lithuanian in origin, the goddess later about 150,000 square miles (388,000 square gained cult status throughout the Baltic kilometers) and has no definite boundary to countries. She was believed to control the the south, ending approximately at the Arctic fate of all life-forms—animal, plant, and Circle. human. Some stories refer to three, or even See also: Finland; Lapps; Russia seven, goddesses of fate, though Laima is usually conceived as a single deity. In LAPPS instances where there are three goddesses of General fate, Laima’s sisters are named Karta and Though currently the Lapps are very much Dekla. All three jointly controlled the des- a minority race—possibly numbering fewer tinies of each and every living thing, from than 20,000—they once occupied the the single blade of grass to humankind. entire territory that is today’s Finland. Laima was responsible for choosing the Starting around the first century B.C., the moment of an individual’s death and had Lapps were driven northward by Finnic special responsibility for the lives of women, invaders from Asia.Their current homeland from conception through birth, marriage, in the far north is known as Lapland. and childbirth—when, perversely, her res- Having no political definition or precise ponsibility came to an end. Laima would boundaries, Lapland is situated roughly favor the chaste and would punish those within the Arctic Circle and belongs to four whom she considered unchaste (or those different countries—Norway, Sweden, whom the village gossips deemed so) by Finland, and Russia. The correct name for pinching or poking them. the Lapp people is Saami, though for sim- See also: Dekla; Karta plicity’s sake the more common term Lapp has been used in this book. LAME See also: Finland; Lapland; Russia; Saami Russia One of the two servants of Whirlwind. He LATVIA and his companion, One-Eye, are so called General because that is exactly what they were. European nation situated on the eastern Endowed with magical powers, they helped shore of the Baltic Sea. Latvia was an inde- Ivan Belyaninovich return home after he pendent state between 1918 and 1940, when killed Whirlwind, and they later helped Elena the Soviet Union occupied it and made it the Fair prove the treachery of Ivan’s broth- one of the fifteen Soviet republics. Latvia ers Peter Belyaninovich and Vasilii Belya- regained its independence in 1991. ninovich. An ancient people lived in what is now See also: Elena the Fair; Ivan Belyaninovich; Latvia as early as 7000 or 8000 B.C. They One-Eye; Peter (Belyaninovich);Vasilii were forced out about the time of Christ by Belyaninovich;Whirlwind invaders who became the ancestors of today’s Latvians. In time, these people established LAPLAND trade with Arabs, Estonians, Lithuanians, General Romans, and other groups, and developed Lapland is located in the extreme northern their own language and culture.The Vikings part of Europe, above the Arctic Circle.The raided Latvia during the eighth century, and region is called Lapland because it is the Russian forces attacked Latvia several times homeland of a people who are known as in the tenth century.The Teutonic Knights, Lapps. However, the territory is not an inde- an organization of German crusaders, in- LAZAR 165 vaded Latvia during the thirteenth century, LAUKSARGIS and war between the two sides followed, last- Lithuania ing until late in the century, when the A patron deity of agriculture whose name Latvians surrendered. means “Guardian of the Fields.”He was con- For more than 200 years the Knights gov- sidered subordinate to Laukpatis, whose erned Latvia as part of a larger state called responsibilities were for all aspects of agricul- Livonia; but by 1562, most of Latvia had ture. Lauksargis had the specific task of pro- fallen under the control of Poland and tecting crops and livestock in the fields, Lithuania. Sweden conquered northern hence his name. Latvia in 1621; Russia took control of this See also: Laukpatis area in 1710, and by 1800, Russia ruled all of Latvia. During the late nineteenth century LAWKAPATIM the Latvians began to organize an indepen- Poland dence movement—a movement that became One of the three patron deities of the field, stronger as Russian and German authority the others being Datan and Tawals. steadily declined. On 18 November 1918, See also: Datan;Tawals just after the end of World War I, Latvia pro- claimed itself independent. At first Russia LAY OF IGOR’S CAMPAIGN and Germany tried to maintain control, but Russia they eventually recognized Latvia’s indepen- Russia’s first national epic, dating from the dence in 1920. twelfth century, tells of the attack and defeat In 1939, shortly before World War II of the Riurik princes by the Turkic Polovtsy, began, the Soviet Union and Germany or Kumans. This epic reflects the political secretly agreed to divide much of eastern and social atmosphere of Russia at a time Europe between themselves. The Soviet when the general populace was calling for a Union made Latvia sign a treaty that per- curbing of the autocratic powers of the mitted the Soviets to build military bases rulers, believing that the latter should serve there, and Soviet troops occupied Latvia in the people and the country, rather than the June 1940, while Latvian Communists took other way around. over the government. In August 1940, the See also: Riurik Soviets made Latvia a republic of the Soviet References: Mann 1979; Rambaud 1879; Union. German forces invaded Latvia in Zenkovsky 1963 1941 and occupied the country until 1944, when Soviet troops recaptured it. Soviet rule LAZAR continued until the breakup of the Soviet Serbia Union in 1991, when Latvia regained its The sole survivor of an attack by invading independence. Turks.All the people of his village in south- See also: Baltic; Estonia; Lithuania; ern Macedonia escaped into a tunnel in the Livonia; Poland; Russia;Teutonic Knights; hills—all except one girl. She laughed at the Vikings invaders, telling them that the villagers had eluded them, and then she made the mistake LAUKPATIS of revealing where they were hiding. The Lithuania Turks lit fires at the entrance to the tunnel The patron deity of agriculture, whose name and asphyxiated all those inside with the means “Lord of the Fields.” He is sometimes exception of Lazar, who pressed himself into wrongly called Lauksargis (the latter is his the ground and crawled with such force that subordinate). his tracks became the bed of a stream that See also: Lauksargis later flowed through the mountain and into 166 LEL the next valley. Lazar founded the village of blue blood and as rough as the bark on a tree. Lazaropolje at the spot where he crawled However, not much of his skin could be seen from the hillside. because he was covered from head to foot See also: Macedonia with a long, shaggy coat of hair, almost always green in color. His hair was long and LEL tangled, and he had strange, protruding, pale Russia green eyes. Some representations of the leshii One of the twin offspring of Lada, the other show him (a leshii was almost always male) being Polel.These twins have been identified with horns and cloven hooves. To make with the divine twins Castor and Polydeuces recognition easier for mere mortals, the leshii of classical Greece (or Castor and Pollux, as wore his shoes on the wrong feet and cast no they became known in Rome). shadow. See also: Lada; Polel The leshii had the ability to change his References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Znayenko 1980 size or shape at will, and to appear or disap- pear in an instant. His flair for changing size LENA, RIVER meant that in one moment he could be small Russia enough to hide behind a single blade of The chief waterway of a large district of east- grass, but the next be so tall as to tower above ern Siberia, in Russia.The river rises on the the tallest tree in the forest that was his slopes of the Baikal Mountains and flows home. The shape-changing ability of the northeast 2,734 miles (4,400 kilometers) leshii meant that he could instantly become before emptying into the Arctic Ocean any one of the animals in the forest, espe- through the Laptev Sea. Along its middle cially the wolf or the bear (which enjoyed his course, the Lena flows through a region that special protection)—or even a human. is inhabited by the Yakuts, a Turkic people As the leshii almost never left the forest, who fish, farm, and raise livestock. only those who entered the forest were likely See also: Siberia;Yakuts to encounter him. Since the leshii was the spirit that controlled the forest, people left LEONTII him votive offerings in the form of eggs and Russia . Particularly active in the spring, A priest from Rostov and the father of having hibernated or taken a winter holiday Alesha. with his wife, the Leshachikha, and their See also: Alesha; Rostov children, the leshii returned with wild shrieks to enjoy leading people astray in the LESHACHIKHA thickest parts of his forest home. The leshii Slav could, however, be foiled by a traveler who The wife or female counterpart of the removed all his clothes and put them on Leshii. again back to front, with shoes on the wrong See also: Leshii (~y) feet, thus imitating the leshii’s style of dress. Cowherds were even reported to have made LESHII (~Y) pacts with leshiis to prevent their cattle from Slav straying. Also: Ljeschi(e) One such story tells of a peasant who built A demon-god, the spirit of the forest from his smallholding in a remote and lonely part which it takes its name, for les means “wood” of the countryside. One night this peasant or “forest.” A leshii resembled an old man, welcomed a passing traveler, fed him well, being extremely wizened, and had skin that and gave him a good bed to sleep on, and the usually was tinged with blue because of his next morning refused the man’s offer of pay- LIKHO, ONE-EYED 167 ment.The traveler then promised the peasant LIAR, THE that from that day forth he would no longer Armenia have any trouble with his cattle.They would A bored king once proclaimed that he would no longer wander off or be attacked by wild give the man who could prove himself the beasts, and no longer would the peasant have most outrageous liar an apple made of gold. to tend them. Instead, all he had to do was to Many people came and lied to the king, but chase them out of the yard every morning, he remained unimpressed. Finally a man and every evening they would return well came to the palace claiming that the king fed and give a plentiful supply of milk. owed him a pot of gold. The king laughed Everything went just as the traveler had and called him an outrageous liar—where- said for three years, until one day the peas- upon the man said that if that was the case, ant could no longer quell his curiosity and the king owed him the . The followed his cattle out of the yard. After a king realized that the man was trying to trick while, they stopped and started to graze in a him and tried to take back his words. The lush meadow,where they were watched over man retorted that if he was not a liar, then by an old crone who leaned heavily on her the king should pay him the pot of gold he stick as she dozed, rocking gently from side owed. The king knew he had been beaten to side. As the peasant spoke to her, the and handed over the golden apple. crone became still and then disappeared. Perplexed, the man went home again; but LIKHO, ONE-EYED from that day on the cattle once again Russia needed his attention, for the crone had been A personification of evil (likho is Russian for the leshii’s helper, and the curiosity of the “evil”).Two good men, one a tailor and the peasant had broken the spell that the travel- other a blacksmith, once went on a journey er, a leshii, had cast. to see if they could discover the whereabouts The leshii’s favorite trick seems to have of Evil, which neither had ever encountered. been the abduction of babies who had not They traveled far and wide. One night they been baptized or had been left unattended. sought shelter with a wizened old crone. She Young children who entered the forest to sat them down, and they were immediately fish or to gather nuts or berries were partic- transfixed, for the old crone was none other ularly at risk from the antics of the leshii. than One-Eyed Likho herself. She cackled In some regions there were whole tribes and crowed and told the two men that she of leshiis. Every spring they would run amok would eat them. through the woods, yelling and screeching Likho then prepared her stove, cut the with the sheer pleasure of simply being alive. throat of the tailor, cooked him, and ate him, Every autumn, like the leaves on the trees picking his bones clean. When she turned among which they lived, they would die. her attention to the blacksmith, he told her See also: Leshachikha his profession and said that he could forge References: Ivanov and Toporov 1965; her any item she might require. She asked for Pomerantseva 1975 a new eye, which the smith consented to make, provided Likho allowed herself to be LETTS bound, as he would have to hammer the new General eye in and any sudden movement would be Indigenous inhabitants of Latvia, closely disastrous. related to their neighbors the Lithuanians. Once Likho was securely bound, the Their language is Baltic and resembles smith took a red-hot poker from the fire, and Lithuanian. deftly put out Likho’s one good eye. Evil See also: Latvia; Lithuania twisted and fought until the rope snapped, 168 LION’S SHARE, THE and the smith found his exit barred. That for his breakfast, the ewe for his lunch, and night Likho drove her sheep into the hut, the lamb for his dinner.The lion laughed and and the smith was forced to spend an asked the fox who or what had taught him to uncomfortable night in the company of Evil give such fair shares. The fox simply replied and her sheep.The following morning Likho that it had been the eye of the wolf that had drove her sheep out of the hut, feeling each guided him. one as it passed her. The smith took off his One of the fables of Vardan. sheepskin coat, turned it inside out, and See also: Vardan safely crept past Likho; she thought he was References: Marr 1894–99 simply another of her flock. Once outside, the smith jeered at Likho LITHUANIA and then made his way off through the for- General est. After a good distance the smith saw a One of the three Baltic countries (with wondrous golden ax sticking out of a tree Latvia and Estonia).The stump. He felt strangely compelled to take has retained many features of the Indo- hold of it; but when he did, he found that the European family of languages and is one of ax would not move. Worse than that, his only two Slavic languages surviving today in hand had become fixed to the handle, and no the Baltic region (Estonian being of Finno- matter how hard he pulled he could not free Ugric origin, and more closely related to himself.Then the smith heard Likho hurry- Finnish and Swedish than to the Slavic lan- ing through the forest toward her ax, and guages). without a moment’s hesitation the smith Scholarly opinion is divided as to when took a sharp knife from his pocket, cut off his the ancient Lithuanian people first occupied hand, and ran for home as fast as his legs the country today known as Lithuania. Some could carry him. believe they arrived around 2500 B.C.; oth- The moral of this post-Christian tale is ers, that they migrated to the area sometime clear: Although it is relatively easy to find around the beginning of the first century evil, it is much harder to escape evil’s A.D. The first reference to the people by clutches; and it is better not to meddle with name, however, comes much later—in 1009, what one does not understand. in a medieval Prussian manuscript known as See also: Evil the Quedlinburg Chronicle. With the rise of the medieval lords in adja- LION’S SHARE, THE cent Prussia and Russia, Lithuania acted as a Armenia buffer between Germany to the west and the A lion, a wolf, and a fox once formed a team Mongols and Tatars to the east, constantly to hunt. At the end of the first day they had being subjected to invasion and attempted killed a ram, a ewe, and a lamb—spoils that conquest over a number of centuries. As a the lion told the wolf to divide among them. result, a loose confederation of Lithuanian The wolf gave the ram to the lion, as it was tribes was formed in the early Middle Ages the largest; the lamb to the fox, as it was the and subsequently became the Kingdom of smallest; and he took the ewe for himself. Lithuania in 1251. In the thirteenth century The lion roared his disapproval and hit the A.D., when the Teutonic Knights, a German wolf so hard that one of his eyes fell out, for militaristic religious order, were establishing he knew that the ram would be old and their power, the Lithuanians resisted, and c. tough, the lamb tasty but very small, and that 1260 they defeated the order.About a century the best meat would be that of the ewe. later a dynasty of grand dukes called the The lion then told the fox to divide the Jagiellons established, through conquest, a spoils.The fox told the lion that the ram was Lithuanian empire that reached from the LIULI 169

Baltic to the Black Sea.The Lithuanian Prince July 1940 the new parliament unanimously Gedimin occupied Belorussia and western approved a resolution requesting incorpora- Ukraine, and his son Grand Duke Olgierd tion of Lithuania in the USSR. Soviet forces added the territory between Ukraine and the withdrew following the German invasion of Black Sea. Jagiello, the son of Olgierd, suc- Russia, whereupon the Germans pillaged ceeded his father in 1377. In 1386 he married Lithuanian resources, and as a national resis- Jadwiga, queen of Poland, and after accepting tance movement developed, killed more than Christianity, he was crowned Wladyslaw II 200,000 people. In summer 1944 the Soviets Jagiello, king of Poland. reoccupied Lithuania and reestablished it as a Jagiello’s cousin Witold revolted against Soviet republic, and Lithuania settled into him in 1390 and forced Jagiello to recognize comparative calm. him as vice regent two years later. Witold Multiparty elections were held in Feb- made the grand duchy into a prestigious state, ruary 1990 and independence was declared and in 1401 Jagiello made him a duke. the following month. The USSR used eco- Together the reconciled cousins decisively nomic, political, and military pressure to defeated the Teutonic Knights in 1410. In keep Lithuania within the union as long as it 1447, under Jagiello’s son Casimir IV, could; but after the Soviet state collapsed in Lithuania and Poland formed an alliance. August 1991, the central government grant- With the accession of Casimir’s son Alex- ed independence to Lithuania, Estonia, and ander I in 1501, the countries had a single, Latvia on September 6, and all three Baltic common ruler, and in 1569 they agreed to a republics were admitted to the United common legislature and an elective king. Nations later that month. Although the political union of Poland and See also: Baltic; Belarus'; Black Sea; Estonia; Lithuania was induced by the threat of Latvia; Mongols; Poland; Prussia;Tatars; Russian conquest, it actually provided little Teutonic Knights;Ukraine protection. Poland was partitioned in 1772, 1793, and 1795, and Lithuania became a part LITO of Russia, except for a small section that was Bohemia awarded to Prussia. Unhappy with tsarist rule, The personification and spirit of summer, Lithuanians staged large-scale nationalist ritually carried into a village every year in insurrections in 1812, 1831, 1863, and 1905. the form of a newly cut sapling with a good During World War I the German army covering of leaves. The tree was decorated occupied Lithuania, but at the end of the war with ribbon of many colors, and a female nationalists established the country’s indepen- doll was hung among its branches. dence. Lithuania’s independence was recog- nized by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, and LITTLE BEAR in August 1922 the Lithuanian constituent General assembly, which had been in session since The common name for the constellation May 1920, approved a constitution that pro- Ursa Minor. claimed the country a democratic republic. See also: Ursa Minor With the outbreak of World War II and the partition of Poland by Germany and the LIULI USSR, the Lithuanian and Soviet govern- Slav ments concluded a mutual-assistance treaty Related to Lada, the goddess called Liuli is in October 1939. A pro-Soviet government the mistress of growth—a fertility aspect far assumed power in Lithuania the following beyond Lada’s role as the goddess of beauty. June and shortly afterward began a campaign Liuli could be called upon by reluctant for Lithuania’s inclusion in the USSR. In brides in the hope that she would intervene 170 LIVONIA and prevent an unhappy union; or if she LOQMÂN THE WISE could not prevent the ceremony from taking Armenia place, at least to ensure that the marriage Also: Luqmân the Wise would be happy. Loqmân, or Luqmân, the Wise is a legendary See also: Lada physician and sage celebrated throughout the References: Shein 1900; Zemtsovskii 1970 Middle East, where he is said to be a son of Job’s sister or aunt and a disciple of David; by LIVONIA others a judge in Israel; and by others an General emancipated Ethiopian slave. In Armenia Livonia was a region of Europe on the east- Loqmân the Wise was the name given to ern coast of the Baltic Sea that covered most Purto. of present-day Latvia and Estonia. Con- See also: Purto quered in the early part of the thirteenth century and converted to Christianity by the LUKA Livonian Knights, a crusading order, Livonia Russia remained independent until 1583 when it One of two boyar brothers who passed the was divided between Poland and Sweden. In test set by Vasilii Buslayevich to see if they 1710 it was occupied by Russia, and in 1721, were worthy of becoming members of his ceded to Peter the Great. The Latvian por- druzhina. His brother was Moisei. Both tion of Livonia was inhabited by people who passed the test, and with twenty-seven oth- spoke a Slavic language, and the Estonian ers, joined Vasilii Buslayevich. part by people who spoke a Finnic language See also: Moisei;Vasilii Buslayevich called Livonian. Livonian is still spoken by a few inhabitants of the region. LUKA ZINOVIEV See also: Baltic; Estonia; Finno-Ugric; Latvia; Russia Poland One of the two governors of the city of Novgorod, the other being Foma Nazariev. LJESCHIE The pair accepted the wager of thirty thou- Slav sand rubles made by Sadko when he boasted Alternative name for the leshii. that he had amassed fortune enough to buy everything that was for sale in the city.Sadko LOMPSALO ultimately lost the bet because as soon as he Lapp had bought something, replacement goods A sorcerer who once owned a sejda that would be brought in. enabled him to catch huge quantities of fish. See also: Foma Nazariev; Novgorod; Sadko On the opposite bank of the river lived another sorcerer who stole Lompsalo’s sejda LULIZAR and thus obtained the power of the sejda and Armenia the ability to catch large quantities of fish. “Pearly face,”a talking mare that belonged to Lompsalo countered the theft by procuring a an unnamed king. This king once lost his more powerful sejda, so once more the fish daughter.The princess was found wandering returned to his side of the river—until his alone in the forest by an old woman and her rival destroyed the new sejda. daughter, who took her in. The king See also: Sejda announced that he would grant any wish to whoever returned his daughter. The old LONZARIC, PETAR woman learned of the proclamation and sent Croatia word to the king that the princess was safe See Petar Lonzaric. and with her in the forest. LUSAGHEN 171

Immediately the king sent one of his min- chamberlain, and this time it was suggested isters, who rode Lulizar. The old woman that the “boy” should reclaim the rosary of embraced the princess and sent her on her the king’s grandfather that had fallen into the way, the old woman’s daughter accompany- hands of a terrible she-devil. ing the princess and the minister in the guise The king sent his “son-in-law,”again rid- of a boy. En route Lulizar spoke to the old ing Lulizar, to the castle of the demoness. woman’s daughter, advising her to ask no There Lulizar told her that she should catch reward other than ownership of Lulizar.This the rosary before it fell into the she-devil’s she did after the king had been reunited with hand and then leap into the ravine that ran his daughter.The king not only consented to past the castle, and Lulizar would catch her the gift of Lulizar but also granted the youth on her back. The “boy” did as instructed; he saw before him his daughter’s hand in but the noise of her escape woke the she- marriage. devil, who saw the fleeing figure of Lulizar The wedding feast lasted seven days and and her rider. The she-devil knew that she seven nights; and on the last night, the could never catch Lulizar, so instead she princess realized that her new husband was a shouted a curse after them, saying that if the woman, and ran to tell her mother, the rider be a man, then he should become a queen. Alarmed at the news, the queen told woman, and if the rider be a woman, then the king.The royal parents were at a loss.The she should become a man. Thus when king finally decided that they should send Lulizar returned to the palace, all was well, their “son-in-law” on a mission from which for the princess found that her husband was there would be no return. now indeed a young man; and she implored The king sent for his “son-in-law” and her father to stop sending him on perilous told him to fetch the brother of Lulizar. In missions. the stables the “boy” told Lulizar of his mis- Thus the princess and her husband were sion; but all Lulizar would say was that there reconciled, and the king gave them domin- was nothing to worry about, for with her to ion of their own, and Lulizar lived in their help, they would accomplish the quest with stables and advised them whenever the need ease. Thus they rode out from the palace, arose. found Lulizar’s brother, captured him, and References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, brought him back to the palace, where they vol. 1 presented him to the king. The king con- sulted his chamberlain about what to do LUQMÂN THE WISE next. The chamberlain suggested that the Armenia “boy” should be sent to the house of the Variant of Loqmân the Wise. demons, to collect the seven years’ back taxes they owed. LUSAGHEN The king summoned his “son-in-law” and Armenia dispatched him again on a mission from “Radiant,”a water sprite, the daughter of the which there was sure to be no return. Once King of the Waters. A young man who was again Lulizar brought the quest to a satisfac- down on his luck and who remains nameless tory conclusion by decimating the marble in the legends once sat down beside the well quarry of the demons, who rushed out to see in which Lusaghen and her parents lived. what all the commotion was; and while they Lusaghen immediately fell in love with the were gone, the “boy” entered the house and young man. She told him to return to his took the back taxes.They then rode back to parents so that his mother might come and the palace and gave the king the money he ask her father, the King of the Waters, for her was owed. Again the king consulted his hand in marriage, as was the custom. 172 LUSAGHEN

the young man’s mother looked into the waters and called out to the King of the Waters, who immediately rose from the water. A tall, imposing man with a crown of gold and wearing robes of deepest pur- ple, the King of the Waters had eyes as green as grass and a beard of flowing green hair, and carried a staff made of mother- of-pearl. The King of the Waters listened to the young man’s proposal, and then he told the youth’s mother that he would permit the marriage on one condition. Some time ear- lier, the King of the Forest, the sworn enemy of the King of the Waters, had stolen all Lusaghen’s clothes in a chest. Only if the young man could recover the stolen items would the King of the Waters give his con- sent, as without her clothes Lusaghen could never show herself to anyone. The mother told her son the condition, and he set off into the forest without a moment’s delay on a horse supplied by his A fountain at Petrodvorets in St. Petersburg features prospective father-in-law. This horse was a gilded statue of the water sprite Lusaghen. the most magnificent animal anyone in the (C.Arnesen/Allstock/PNI) whole of Armenia had ever beheld, with a saddle of mother-of-pearl, a bridle of sil- ver, golden horseshoes, and a wonderful The young man could not believe his sword and scabbard. His mother bade him ears. He asked who had spoken to him and mount and then told him that the King of why he could not see them. Lusaghen told the Forest would try everything to make the young man her name but said she could him look behind him. On no account not show herself—for reasons that he should he turn around, as if he once did so, would later understand—but that if he he would be turned into a tree in the great returned home he would believe that she forest. spoke the truth, for his home would have Thus armed and warned, the young man walls and a roof of gold and silver, and the rode into the forest and began to search for table would be laid with a banquet fit for a the chest containing Lusaghen’s clothes. king. Before long, having divined the purpose of The young man did as he was asked, and the youth’s journey to the forest, the King of he found that his home had indeed been the Forest commanded his trees to attack. magically transformed. As for the banquet, The young man unsheathed his sword and he had never beheld such fine food and laid into the trees, the steel blade slashing left such an elegant setting in all his life. and right until he managed to behead the Believing, therefore, that Lusaghen had King of the Forest himself. As the king died been telling him the truth, the young man the forest fell quiet, and it was an easy task for took his mother to the well to ask for the the youth to recover the chest containing hand of Lusaghen in marriage. At the well Lusaghen’s apparel. LYTUVONIS 173

Returning to the well, where his mother See also: King of the Forest; King of the was waiting, the young man presented the Waters King of the Waters with the chest of cloth- References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, ing.With profuse gratitude, the king thanked vol. 10 him and immediately gave his blessing to the marriage of Lusaghen and the youth. Lusaghen then dressed and rose from the LYTUVONIS well, and by nightfall she and the gallant Lithuania youth were married. The Lithuanian god of rain.

Bulgaria. The Republic of Macedonia has an area of 9,928 square miles (25,713 square kilometers). Greek Macedonia cov- ers 13,206 square miles (34,203 square kilometers), and Bulgarian Macedonia 2,502 square miles (6,480 square kilometers). The kingdom of Macedonia was powerful in ancient times, when the Macedonian ruler Alexander MAAN-ENO the Great conquered much of Estonia MAsia and spread Macedonian and Greek The consort of the supreme being , culture throughout his empire. and joint creator of man. She had specific The earliest known settlements in responsibility for the success of the harvest Macedonia were villages established about and the fertility of women. 6200 B.C. A number of different peoples See also: Ukko settled in the region over the next several thousand years. The people living there MACEDONIA eventually came to be known as Mace- General dones, and the region as Macedonia. The A region on the Balkan Peninsula of south- name Macedones comes from the Greek eastern Europe that includes the territory word makednon, meaning “high”—a refer- of today’s Republic of Macedonia (for- ence to the group’s mountainous home- merly a part of Yugoslavia), plus parts of land. northern Greece and southwestern The earliest known rulers of the Macedonians were members of the Argead dynasty, founded by King Perdiccas I about 650 B.C. During the sixth and fifth cen- turies B.C., the Argeads expanded Mace- donian rule into nearby regions. King Philip II continued this expansion, and by 338 B.C., he controlled all of Greece. Philip was assassinated in 336, and his son Alexander became king (he subsequently became known as Alexander the Great). Alexander died in 323 B.C., without leaving a strong successor. Macedonia became a Roman province c. 140 B.C. and a part of the Byzantine Empire in A.D. 395. In the sixth century, Slavs from eastern Europe raided and settled in Macedonian towns, and in the late ninth century,Bulgars from central Asia conquered Macedonia. In 1018, the Byzantine Empire of Philip II, king of Macedonia (Bibliothèque regained control and ruled the region until it Nationale, Paris, France; Giraudon/Art Resource, NY) became part of Serbia in the early fourteenth

175 176 MADER AKKA century. However, in 1371, the Ottoman run by Turkish invaders during the six- Empire again conquered the region, after teenth century and remained a Turkish which it remained part of the Ottoman kingdom until the end of the seventeenth Empire for more than 500 years. century,when the Turks were driven out by By the late nineteenth century the the Habsburgs and Hungary came under Ottoman Empire had begun to collapse. Austrian rule. Bulgaria controlled Macedonia for a brief Magyar, the native tongue of Hungary, is period in 1878, before most of the region still spoken in isolated parts of Czecho- was returned to Ottoman rule.At the end of slovakia,Yugoslavia, Romania, and Moldova. the Second Balkan War (1913), Macedonia The Magyar kingdom was first established in was divided among Serbia, Greece, and the late ninth century, when the ten Magyar Bulgaria. Serbian Macedonia became the tribes overran the country—until then Yugoslav republic of Macedonia in 1946 and inhabited by Celts and Slavs—under a chief an independent country in 1991. named Arpád. Like most of the region, See also: Alexander the Great; Bulgaria; Hungary has had a very turbulent history Byzantine Empire; Serbia that unfortunately has nearly erased the ancient customs and beliefs of the Siberian MADER AKKA Magyar people. Finno-Ugric—Lapp See also: Czechoslovakia; Finno-Ugric; The wife of Mader Atcha, she was responsi- Hungary; Moldova; Romania; Siberia ble for the creation of the body of man, whereas her husband created the soul. MAIN See also: Mader Atcha Siberia —Evenk A hero who returned light to the world after it was stolen by a mighty elk that lived in the MADER ATCHA upper world. The theft plunged mankind, Finno-Ugric—Lapp which lived in the middle world, into dark- The divine creator, husband of Mader Akka. ness. Main put on a pair of winged skis and He created the soul, the life force of man, traveled to the upper world, where he shot whereas his wife created the body. If the the elk with an arrow, released the sun, and child to be born was a boy,then Mader Atcha returned light to the middle world. Main sent it to his daughter Uks Akka for comple- himself did not return to the middle world tion and placement in a human woman; if it because every day the elk returns to life and was a girl, he sent it to another daughter, Sar steals the sun, and every night Main has to Akka, for the same purpose. kill it again to ensure that daylight will return See also: Mader Akka; Sar Akka; Uks Akka to mankind in the morning.

MAGYARS MAJAHALDAS General Slav The Magyars are the largest single ethnic One of the various alternate names for the grouping in Hungary. Of mixed Ugric and domovoi. Turkic origin, the Magyars arrived in See also: Domovoi Hungary from western Siberia toward the end of the ninth century.They are general- MAJAS KUNGS ly regarded as a Finno-Ugric–speaking Latvia people due to their place of origin, though God of the home, the Latvian version of the their language today more closely resem- Lithuanian Zemepatis. bles a Turkic language. Hungary was over- See also: Zemepatis MAL, PRINCE 177

MAJASGARS signs that the pagan gods had accepted the Slav inevitability of Christianity. The credulous One of the various alternate names for the were thus more readily converted than they domovoi. might have been by verbal persuasion alone. See also: Domovoi References: Matorin 1931

MAKAR'EVSKAIA MAKOSH Russia Finno-Slavic Religious icon of the Virgin Mary found near Simple variant of Mokosh. a pagan sacred spring in 1442. Between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries many such MAL, PRINCE icons “miraculously” appeared. It has now Russia been generally accepted that the Christian The peaceful leader of the Derevliane, he clergy placed the icons at various sites where courted the widowed Olga in an attempt to they could be “found,” thus indicating the marry her and thus to acquire the Kievan potency of the Christian faith and particu- kingdom.What happened then is related in a larly of the Virgin Mary. When the icons folktale known as Olga’s Revenge. appeared at pagan sacred sites, such as springs Upon hearing the suit of Prince Mal, or groves, the people understood them as Olga sends messengers to the Derevliane asking them to send royal envoys to her so that they might discuss a possible marriage alliance.When those envoys arrive, however, Olga has them immediately thrown into a deep trench and buried alive. Next Olga sends for further envoys to visit her, inviting them to a great feast at which the proposed alliance would be discussed. When these envoys arrive, Olga invites them to refresh themselves in the bathhouse. Then she has her men set fire to the bathhouse with her guests inside. Now Olga turns her thoughts against Prince Mal and the Derevliane. She and her entourage travel to the grave of Igor, her husband, which happens to lie within the realm of the Derevliane.There she invites the Derevliane to a feast in honor of Igor, and when all her guests are drunk, her men hack them to pieces. She assumes command of the army of the Derevliane and demands three pigeons and three sparrows as tribute from every household. When these have been delivered, she fixes firebrands to their claws This fourteenth-century religious icon,“The Virgin of and sets them free so that they might fly back Tlog,” is one of many such as the Makar'evskaia that to their homes and burn the homes of the appeared between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries. Derevliane. Olga proceeds to vanquish It is now on display in a Russian Orthodox church. Prince Mal and to assume rule over the lands (Sovfoto/Eastfoto/PNI) of the Derevliane. 178 MARENA

See also: Derevliane; Igor; Kiev; Olga he flew away with Marfida and her sisters to References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor their homeland. 1953 See also: Ivan the Mare’s Son; Ivan the Moon’s Son; Ivan the Sun’s Son; Underworld,The MARENA Russia MARFUSHA “Winter” or “Death,” the name given to the Russia tree used in the ceremonies of Kupalo. The eldest daughter of an aging peasant, See also: Kupalo stepdaughter to his second wife, and stepsis- ter to the couple’s two younger daughters. MARFA VSESLAV'EVNA Although she was her father’s favorite, Russia Marfusha was hated by her stepmother, who The mother of Volkh Vseslav'evich. Volkh called her lazy and idle and made her do all was conceived when Marfa stepped on a ser- the household chores, though her own two pent, which wound itself around her and daughters did nothing from morning to impregnated her. Born in Kiev, he became a night. Finally the stepmother decided that great wizard. Marfusha should marry. One winter’s morn- See also: Kiev;Volkh Vseslav'evich ing she made the girl carry all her belongings out to the sleigh and told her browbeaten MARFIDA husband to take the girl out into the forest Siberia—Tungus and leave her to her future husband—the The wife of Ivan the Mare’s Son. One of husband she had in mind being Morozko, three sisters with whom she used to fly, the frost demon. wearing heron skins, to decorate the arrows Saddened by the thought of what would of Ivan the Mare’s Son and his two become of his daughter, the man obeyed his “adopted” brothers, Ivan the Moon’s Son wife and left Marfusha in the middle of the and Ivan the Sun’s Son. When Ivan the forest. Growing colder by the minute, Mare’s Son hid their heron skins, she swore Marfusha heard Morozko approaching.As he to marry him. Her sisters married the other arrived he asked her three times if she was two Ivans. warm enough, and each time, although All was well until a serpent started to visit frozen half to death, she replied that she was their home during the day and suck their quite warm. Finally Morozko took pity on blood. All three Ivans were killed during a the girl, wrapped her in warm furs, and gave battle with the serpent, who carried Marfida her wondrous gifts. and her sisters off to its underworld lair. Ivan The following morning Marfusha’s father the Mare’s Son was restored to life by his reappeared, certain that he would find her mother along with his two brothers. frozen. To his delight, he instead conveyed Lowered into the underworld, Ivan the the still living and wondrously clothed Mare’s Son killed the serpent and rescued the Marfusha back to the house.The stepmother three maidens. However, Ivan the Moon’s was horrified that her plan had backfired; but Son and Ivan the Sun’s Son left Ivan the seeing the finery that Morozko had be- Mare’s Son in the underworld and made off stowed on Marfusha, she insisted that her with all three women. Ivan the Mare’s Son own daughters must now be left in exactly was restored to life once more and rescued the same place. from the underworld by his mother. He This they were; but when Morozko came killed his false brothers, and having made to them, they both bitterly complained about himself wings from feathers he had plucked the cold, and so he froze them to death. Of from the heron skins he had hidden earlier, these two girls only the name of the eldest is MARIA 179 known—Parakha. When the father brought father, who told him that although his arrow their bodies home, his wife berated him for had been retrieved by a frog, Ivan was killing her daughters; but the man could no honor-bound to marry her. longer stand her scolding, and he finally All three brothers were married at the made her realize that it was all her fault. same service followed by a banquet at which From that day forth, his wife treated the beauty of the two human wives was Marfusha lovingly and did all the work the praised and was made the unfortunate girl had been made to do before. butt of many cruel jokes. Ivan the Young and Marfusha finally married the son of a his new bride left the banquet early to the neighbor and lived happily for many years on sounds of hilarity and hurried to their new the gifts Morozko had given her, which home. became her dowry. Some time later the tsar decided to put his See also: Morozko; Parakha three daughters-in-law through a series of tests to discover which was the best.The first MARIA test was to embroider a rushnik (a towel—pl. Ukraine rushniki ).The two human wives set to work The shape-changing daughter of the Sea with needle and thread, while the frog King. She is known in Russia as Vasilissa the princess told Ivan to sleep soundly and not Wise and appears in a story that is basically worry about the fact that his wife was a frog. the same as that of Vasilissa,though the way The following morning Ivan awoke to see her husband reclaims her is markedly dif- the rushnik his wife had embroidered with ferent. the help of the animals of the forest, and An unnamed tsar had three sons who all knew that she was no ordinary frog. The came of age and asked their father, as was the rushnik was the finest anyone had ever seen, custom, for his permission to seek wives. He and Ivan’s wife was easily adjudged the best agreed, saying that the sons should each fire seamstress of the three wives. a single arrow, and where that arrow landed The tsar then decided to see which of his they should seek their wife. The eldest son three daughters-in-law was the best baker. went first. His arrow fell into the courtyard He told his three sons to tell their wives to of a neighboring ruler. The ruler’s daughter bake him a loaf of bread. Convinced that the picked up the arrow and agreed to the young wife of Ivan the Young had had magical assis- prince’s proposal. tance in completing the first test, the two The second son went next. His arrow fell human wives watched through the kitchen into the courtyard of a rich merchant, where window this time. They saw the frog open that merchant’s daughter found it and picked the door and step outside to call the animals it up. Thus the second prince became of the forest to her assistance. However, as she betrothed. The youngest son, whose name stepped outside, the frog princess caught the was Ivan the Young, went next. His arrow aroma of the two women’s perfume; and so flew through the clouds, so no one saw she mixed flour, water, and soot together and where it landed, and Ivan had to set out to placed the mixture in the oven. Certain that look for it. For three days Ivan looked for his they had her secret, the two human wives arrow without any success. He was about to went home and copied what they had seen. head for home when he passed through a Meanwhile the frog princess had thrown swamp, and there, sitting on a lily pad, he saw away the foul mixture and with the help of a large green frog holding his arrow.The frog her forest friends, had produced the most spoke to Ivan saying that she would return exquisite loaf of bread any had ever seen. the arrow only if he agreed to marry her. Thus, while the two human wives were Ivan was horrified and hurried back to his cleaning out their ovens and starting over 180 MARIA again, Ivan was presenting the loaf to his travel to the Thrice-Ten Kingdom and enlist father, who again judged in favor of Ivan’s the help of Baba-Yaga, her aunt. unusual wife.When the two human brides As the sun rose, a dark cloud gathered produced their best results, the tsar imme- around the home of Ivan and Maria. Maria diately sent the bread to his swineherd to was suddenly transformed into a cuckoo and be fed to the pigs, but even they would not flew away. Ivan the Young pined for his beau- eat it. tiful wife, unable to either eat or sleep. At Finally the tsar decreed that he must find length he decided to go in search of his out which of his daughters-in-law was the beloved. After almost a year’s travel, Ivan best dancer, and he announced that a ban- came to the Thrice-Ten Kingdom and the quet and grand ball would be held in seven forest in which Baba-Yaga lived. Fighting his days. Now the two human wives felt certain way through the thick undergrowth, Ivan that they would get the better of Ivan’s wife, came to a clearing as the sun began to set; as they saw no way on earth that a frog could and there, on four chicken’s legs,stood Baba- do more than hop, let alone dance. However, Yaga’s little house. Entering the house, he Ivan’s wife told him that on the night of the found the witch asleep on her stove, woke ball, he was to go alone and tell his father her, and told her the purpose of his visit. that his wife would arrive late.Then, she told Maria had already told her to expect him, him, they would hear three loud claps of and she had slept a whole year on the stove thunder. On the third he was to leave the ball for fear of missing him. Ivan stayed the night and escort her inside. Ivan did as he was with Baba-Yaga, and in the morning she instructed, and after enduring almost two gave him a ball of thread with instructions to hours of cruel jokes, he left the hall on hear- follow it wherever it went and to stop ing the third clap of thunder. whenever it stopped. Ivan thanked Baba- Outside he stopped dead in his tracks. At Yaga and set off in pursuit of the ball of the foot of the steps sat a magnificent car- thread. At length the thread came to rest riage from which the most beautiful woman beside the sea. Ivan settled down to rest in a was stepping down. He hurried down the thicket and soon fell asleep. A bit later he steps to her. She told him that she was his was awakened by the rustling of feathers. wife, the Princess Maria, the daughter of the Sitting up, he saw thirty swans land on the Sea King.As Ivan the Young led her into the beach, discard their feathers, and start to hall and introduced her to his father, all eyes bathe in the sea. Ivan saw that his wife was fell on Maria, and the hearts of all the men among them, and when their backs were present ached with jealousy. turned, he hurried out of his hiding place Ivan, however, knew that his wife had and hid Maria’s feathers. taken off her frog skin. Making some excuse, When the maidens had finished bathing, he hurried home, found the skin, and burned they changed back into their feathers and it, because he thought that if the skin were flew away, leaving only Maria standing on gone when his wife returned, she would not the beach. Ivan made himself known to his be able to become a frog again and would wife, who embraced him and told him that always be beautiful. However, when Maria he must come to the undersea kingdom of returned from the ball and found her frog her father that night, and when the Sea King skin burned, she told Ivan that she had been asked him what he wanted, he should say placed under a spell by her father, and if Ivan that he simply wanted to see what the bot- had waited only a little while longer, the spell tom of the ocean looked like. would have been broken. Now he would Thus, as the sun sank below the horizon, have her only until daybreak; and if he ever Ivan the Young walked into the sea and con- wanted to find her again he would have to tinued walking until he came to the palace of MARINKA 181 the Sea King. There, when the Sea King As Ivan the Young spoke, the Sea King asked Ivan what he wanted, Ivan replied as scowled and grew angry, banging his fists on he had been instructed, and the Sea King his throne. As his anger grew, the seas began invited Ivan to stay.In his room in the palace, to boil. Maria took Ivan by the hand, and the Ivan was visited by Maria, who told him that pair fled along the seabed and upward until the next morning her father would offer they fell exhausted on the beach. Behind Ivan the choice of thirty black fillies, each of them the storm raged, but they had escaped which would be identical, and she would be the fury of the Sea King and were free to the one that tapped one hoof. return to their home in Ivan’s kingdom. The following morning the Sea King led See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Ivan the Ivan into a paddock in which thirty black fil- Young;Sea King; Sea Tsar;Thrice-Ten lies were lined up.The Sea King told Ivan to Kingdom,The;Vasilis(s)a the Wise choose one as a gift. Ivan walked around the fillies, but not one of them moved. He MARIA MORENA walked around them a second time, and Russia again they all remained motionless. Ivan The bride of an unnamed youth. When walked around them a third time, and this Maria Morena is taken prisoner by an time he noticed an almost imperceptible unnamed captor, her husband is told that he movement of a hoof, and he immediately must travel to Baba-Yaga’s home to secure a indicated his choice. horse that will help him release his bride. That night Maria came back to Ivan and When the young man arrives at the witch’s told him that her father would again give home, he is startled by the bone fence that Ivan a choice, this time of thirty white doves, surrounds it. On closer inspection, however, twenty-nine of which would be her sisters he sees that one spike on the fence has no and the thirtieth herself. All would look skull on top.As he examines the fence more identical, but she would be the one that closely, he is confronted by Baba-Yaga, who turned its head to the left. informs him that the last picket has been Just as she had said, the Sea King led Ivan reserved for his skull. However, he can escape the Young to a dovecote and gave the prince death and obtain what he came for if he the choice of thirty beautiful birds. Ivan completes a simple task—controlling the walked around the dovecote once, but not witch’s forty mare-daughters for twenty-four one bird stirred. He walked around a second hours. Needless to say, the hero of this story time, and they all remained motionless. Ivan completes the task, receives a supernaturally then walked around the dovecote a third empowered steed from the witch, and suc- time, and this time one bird moved its beak ceeds in his quest to free his bride. a fraction to the left, and Ivan immediately See also: Baba-Yaga, (-Jaga, -Iaga) made his selection. References: Afanas'ev 1957 Yet again Maria visited Ivan in the mid- dle of the night and told her husband that MARINKA the Sea King would give him the choice of Russia thirty maidens, each the image of herself, A powerful sorceress who assumed the guise and that she would be the one upon which of Princess Evpraksiya in Kiev, where she a fly alighted.Thus it was that Ivan was given came to the attention of Dobrynya Nikitich. his choice the following morning, and the Although he had been warned by his mother third time he walked around the thirty iden- that she was a powerful witch, Dobrynya tical maidens, he saw the small fly and took no notice of the warning, and he soon immediately chose the real Maria, claiming fell under Marinka’s spell.Dobrynya returned her as his wife. to his mother to ask her permission to marry, 182 MARKO, PRINCE but his mother withheld her blessing. Marko became, like many other Serbs, a vas- Dobrynya nevertheless married Marinka and sal of the Turkish invaders, fighting for the was soon transformed by her sorcery into a Sultan against the Christians at the Battle of golden bull. Rovine in Romania in 1394. Popular legend This magical transformation triggered a says that before that battle he prayed to God great battle between Marinka and Do- to give the Christians the victory,even if that brynya’s mother—a battle not fought with meant he would lose his life. conventional weapons but rather with Legend tells of his death in this manner. magic. Dobrynya’s mother finally overcame One morning he was riding Sarac along a Marinka and released her son from the spell. road when the normally surefooted horse According to some sources, Dobrynya then stumbled and wept, omens that Marko tore Marinka in two. immediately recognized as evil. Instantly a See also: Dobrynya Nikitich; Evpraksiya (~ia), vila appeared and told him that because none Princess; Kiev could kill Marko and none should own Sarac References: Evgen'eva and Putilov 1977; but Marko, the time had come for both Gil'ferding 1949 horse and rider to die. Marko recognized this as a message from MARKO, PRINCE God. He had attained the age of 300, and Serbia Sarac was 160; they accepted that their time A historical figure who became a legendary had come. Marko killed Sarac and gave his hero of the Serbs. A man of enormous trusted friend an elaborate burial. He then strength (the mace he wielded in battle broke his sword and spear and threw his weighed more than 180 pounds) and cun- mace over the mountains and far out to sea ning, Marko had an inexhaustible capacity before lying down to die. for alcohol. He was chivalrous, fearless, and A continuation of this legend says that a passionate, though he was also capable of the priest found his body and took it to Mount most ruthless brutality, even to women. Athos for burial. A more popular belief says Marko was in league with the supernatural that Marko never died but instead, like King mountain nymphs, the vile, and owned a Arthur, sleeps in a cave in the mountains, to horse named Sarac that was the fastest in the rise again in a time of great need. One world and had the power of speech. Sarac, Bulgar variant embroiders this idea, saying like his master, had a considerable liking for that Marko sleeps in the cave with his beard alcohol and Marko often shared his wine wound several times around him. with the horse. See also: Arthur, King;Athos, Mount; Marko is traditionally depicted as a very Romania; Sarac;Vila large man, with very dark, almost black eyes and a black mustache as large as a six- MARTHA (~FA) month-old lamb. He wears a kalpak, a fur Russia hat, and a cloak made of wolf-skins. His The sister of Mary in the biblical story. spear is slung across his back, and a dama- scened sword hangs from his belt. From MARTIROS Sarac’s saddle hangs Marko’s huge mace and Armenia a large wineskin. A young merchant from Yerevan who had In poetry and popular tradition Marko promised his father as the old man lay dying was identified with the resistance against the that he would never trade in Aleppo. invading Turks. He was the exemplar of However, finding that he could not get a fair heroic valor and the embodiment of the price for his wares and hearing that the peo- spirit of true independence. In historical fact ple of Aleppo paid exorbitant prices, espe- MARUSYA 183 cially for boxwood, he asked for his mother’s Martiros that he had once lived with the blessings, bought forty bales of boxwood, and young merchant and his family, and that set off toward Aleppo. Late in the evening when Martiros had lost an eye, he had gladly and still some distance from Aleppo, Martiros given him one of his. Now that he was old stopped at a tavern for the night. he needed it back. Martiros was astonished. After the merchant went to sleep, a thief Thinking quickly, he suggested that they go stole one of the bales of boxwood, piled half to the local magistrate the following morn- of it in the fireplace, and liberally spread the ing and have him decide.That night Martiros rest around the tavern. When the merchant again listened at his wall, and when they saw came down to eat, the thief asked the mer- the magistrate the next day he told the offi- chant what he was traveling to Aleppo to sell. cial that he would give up his eye if it When Martiros said that it was boxwood, the weighed the same as the one-eyed thief’s thief pointed to the wood lying all around other eye. them and offered Martiros seven pots of gold The thief fled from the court, realizing for the wood, which was so common there that the only way this could be accomplished that the people used it as firewood. was if they took out his one good eye. He Martiros was not to be put off, realizing returned to his two thieving friends, and that if he sold the boxwood without actually when they heard what had happened, they traveling to Aleppo, he would not be able to all fled the area. Martiros took his boxwood tell his mother what he had seen there.Thus into Aleppo and sold it for a large amount of Martiros entered the city the following day gold before returning home to live a life of and was told that boxwood was so scarce luxury. there that it could bring a king’s ransom. See also: Aleppo Hearing this, Martiros told an old shop- References: Khatchatrian 1933 keeper what had happened to him at the inn. The shopkeeper advised him to ask the cook MARUSYA at the inn for help. Martiros did this and was Ukraine told to listen at his wall that night, for the Marusya and her young brother Vasilko lived room next to his was occupied by three far out on the steppes with their trapper thieves. father and mother. One day, in order to sell Martiros did as he was advised and learned the furs they had trapped during the long that he could only get out of his predicament winter months, the parents set off for a fair, if he demanded a really unusual payment for leaving Marusya in charge of her young the boxwood. The following morning the brother. They instructed Marusya to stay merchant offered to sell his bales of boxwood indoors with Vasilko at all times, as a flock of for seven pots of fleas—a price that the wild geese had been carrying off small chil- thieves had no ability to pay. Thus they dren and they feared for Vasilko’s safety. decided to deceive Martiros a different way, At first the two children obeyed their par- so they hired a man to learn all he could ents, but soon the house became so hot and about the young merchant. When the one- stuffy that Vasilko had his sister open the eyed thief met Martiros as he walked door, saying that if they heard the geese through the streets of Aleppo, he was able to coming they could easily close the door. Still inquire after Martiros’s mother and neigh- the house remained hot and sultry, and it bors, and to speak of many other subjects wasn’t long before Vasilko was asking his sis- that only Martiros himself could possibly ter whether they could sit outside, saying that have known. if they heard the geese coming they could When Martiros asked the thief how he easily hurry back inside. Marusya agreed, and came to know these things, the thief told the two sat down in the hot sunshine. Before 184 MARUSYA long Vasilko asked Marusya if she would the stove if it knew which way the geese had fetch a pitcher of water. Marusya agreed and flown with her brother, and when the stove went into the house. While she was filling replied that it did, Marusya ate some of the the pitcher, she heard the honking of geese cold, hard buckwheat biscuits and then and Vasilko’s scream. cleaned the stove and cleared away all the Marusya ran out of the house and saw the rubbish.The stove then pointed out the par- geese flying away with her little brother. ticular mountain where the geese had their Carefully locking the door behind her, nest and told Marusya to hide in the bushes Marusya set off after the geese.Although she until all the geese were fast asleep, and then soon lost sight of the geese, Marusya contin- make away with her brother as fast as she ued in the direction she had last seen them could. flying, and after some time she came to a Marusya thanked the stove and ran to the river of honey with banks made of kisel' (a mountain and hid and waited until she was pudding of puréed fruit thickened with quite certain that all the geese had fallen cornstarch). Marusya asked the river if it had asleep. She then crept into their nests and seen the geese. The river replied that it had found Vasilko, and the pair made away as but it would not tell Marusya the direction quickly as they could. When day broke, the in which they had flown until she had drunk geese discovered that Vasilko was gone, and some of its honey and eaten her fill of the they set off in hot pursuit. As Marusya and kisel'. Marusya did this, and then tidied up Vasilko heard the geese honking behind the riverbanks.The river then told the young them, they came to the stove, which told girl the direction the geese had taken, and them to climb into its oven. This they did. Marusya hurried off after she had thanked They sat quite still inside while the stove the river for its assistance. pointed the geese in the wrong direction. At length Marusya came to a forest, but When the geese had flown away, Marusya she did not know where to look. In the mid- and Vasilko climbed out of the oven, thanked dle of the forest stood an ancient apple tree the stove, and hurried off toward the forest. laden with sour, green apples, its branches As they reached the apple tree in the cen- crawling with hundreds of caterpillars. ter of the forest, they again heard the honk- Marusya asked the tree if it had seen the ing of the geese, which had realized they geese and her brother Vasilko, which it had. were headed the wrong way.The apple tree Yet when Marusya asked the tree to tell her told the two children to stand close to its where they had gone, the tree refused, saying trunk. Then it shook its branches and cov- that Marusya must first taste its sour apples. ered them in a pile of leaves.When the geese Marusya ate several of the apples until her arrived, the tree pointed them in the direc- eyes streamed and her toes began to curl, and tion opposite to the one that Marusya and then she cleared all the caterpillars from the Vasilko would be taking.When the geese had tree and swept up all the fallen leaves. The left, the two children shook off the leaves, tree then told Marusya which path to follow. thanked the tree, and hurried toward the Thanking it, Marusya hurried after her river. brother. Just as they reached the banks of the The path took her far out onto the steppe, honey river, Marusya and Vasilko heard the toward a range of mountains in the far dis- geese approaching. The river told them to tance. As she began to wonder if she was jump in, and then it covered them with kisel' indeed following the right path, she came to so that they were well hidden when the an old stove beside the path—a stove that geese arrived.The river sent the geese in the was filthy, covered in rubbish, and full of wrong direction, and Marusya and Vasilko hard, cold buckwheat biscuits. Marusya asked climbed out, thanked the river, and made it MASHEN'KA 185 home just as the geese were swooping down MARZAN(N)A on them.They managed to close the wooden Poland door in the nick of time, and the geese thud- The goddess of fruit and fruit trees, though ded into it. in some parts of Poland she is seen as the That evening their parents came home, goddess of death. Every year during Lent, chased away the geese that were circling the in a ceremony resembling the dismember- house, and listened to the story their children ment of Goik, an effigy of the goddess told them.The following morning the family would be made in the house where the awoke to three carts coming toward the most recent death had occurred.This effigy house, the first laden with wonderfully sweet would then be carried on the end of a pole biscuits; the second with delicious, ripe, red to the outskirts of the village, where it apples; and the third with two huge pots, one would either be burned or thrown into a full of honey and the other full of kisel'. For pond. This ceremony, known as “carrying many weeks the family feasted on those out Death,” was meant to protect people foods, and no one was ever again troubled by against sudden, untimely death—though the geese. they could do nothing to save themselves See also: Vasilko from the inevitable death of old age and References: Oparenko 1996 natural causes. See also: Goik MARY (~IIA) Russia MASHA Sister of Martha.The two women, both wid- Russia ows, met each day on the road between The wife of Petrushka, she appeared to her Byzantium and Murom. One night as they future husband as a Dove Maiden. Petrushka slept, an angel appeared to them both, giving wounded the bird but took pity on it and gold to Mary and silver to Martha and brought it home to nurse it back to health. instructing them to give the gold and silver Petrushka patched up the broken wing and to the first three men they met on the road set the bird on his windowsill so that it might the next day as they traveled to see each rest. As the bird fell asleep, Petrushka tapped other. Both women did exactly as they were it with a finger, as he had been instructed, instructed, telling the men to use the gold whereupon the bird fell from the sill and and silver to build the church dedicated to instantly became the most beautiful maiden Archangel Michael in Murom, which they in all of Russia. For the remainder of the did. This church later housed the Golden story see the entry for Petrushka. Cross given to the city by Byzantium. See also: Dove Maiden; Petrushka This story is generally accepted as a para- ble of the political union between Murom, a MASHEN'KA well-known pagan city, and Byzantium, and Russia thus also for the conversion of the pagan city An eight-year-old girl who was abducted by to Christianity. a lonely bear.Though her parents feared she See also: Byzantium; Martha (~fa); Murom had been eaten, the bear simply wanted References: Gudzii 1962 someone to live with him and keep him company.The bear felt sorry for Mashen'ka MARYSHIA as she pined for her parents. He told the Russia young girl to bake some pies for her parents Alternative name sometimes applied to and he would deliver them for her. Vasilissa the Beautiful. Mashen'ka baked the pies and then hid her- See also: Vasilis(s)a the Beautiful self in the bottom of the basket, after warn- 186 ing the bear not to sneak any pies for himself feast was seen as feeding the goddess, and the because she would see him. sledding was a means of securing the plea- On his way to the village where Ma- sure of the goddess, who would then ensure shen'ka’s parents lived, the bear sat down to the fertility of the ground and a good crop. eat one of the pies. From inside the basket Having been serenaded and fed, the straw came Mashen'ka’s voice, warning him that doll would be taken out into the fields, she could still see him; so the bear put the pie where it would be torn apart. Food would back and hurried on his way.Three times this spill from the doll, which would then be happened.At last the bear reached the village burned. The ashes would be scattered over and left the basket outside Mashen'ka’s house the fields to further the influence of the god- before running back into the forest. As dess.This tearing apart of the doll and burn- Mashen'ka’s parents opened the basket, their ing of its remains has been seen as a way of daughter leaped out. scaring away winter with the warmth of For some time Mashen'ka would not spring—the fate of the doll perhaps demon- leave the house for fear that the bear would strating what the village people would do to return. When the bear came back one day, winter if he stayed too long. however, it was only to say goodbye and to References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Propp 1963; tell Mashen'ka he forgave her for tricking Tereshchenko 1848;Vsevolodskii-Gerngross him. As he left, he threw a leather bag into 1929; Zemtsovskii 1970 the house. For several days neither Ma- shen'ka nor her parents would touch the MATERGABIA bag; but in the end curiosity overcame fear. Slav When they opened the bag, a large quantity Female spirit who directed the housekeeping of gold and silver coins poured out. From and who was always offered the first piece of that day on, Mashen'ka and her parents lived bread from the kneading trough. Failure to a life of ease. make this offering would lead to certain dis- aster. MASLENITSA Russia MATI-SYRA-ZEMLYA A festival held at the end of February, mark- Slav ing the start of Lent.The name comes from Also: Zemes Màte; Zemyna maslo (butter or fat). A celebration of the The earth goddess whose name is literally earth’s awakening, Maslenitsa involved the “Moist Mother Earth.” She is not often making of a straw doll, or the dressing of a referred to by name in the myths of ancient young woman to play the role of the doll, Russia, nor was she ever given form, being and the decorating of a tree. Following a feast worshiped simply as the earth itself. She was of traditional foods, the ceremonies would often called upon to witness oaths and con- culminate with newly married couples sled- tracts, a common method being the placing ding down artificially constructed slopes. of a handful of soil on the head before tak- Those who slid the farthest would be assured ing a vow. This made the vow sacred, for the best crops in the coming year.The spin- Mother Earth could not be cheated. Her cult ners in the community also sledded down dated from very early times, as in most agrar- the hills, and the one that slid the farthest ian cultures; however, relative to similar cults, would be assured the best crop of flax for her hers was undeveloped. spinning. The Slavs once believed that they could Maslenitsa also was the name given to the communicate with the goddess by digging a goddess of spring, whom the festival wel- hole in the ground, speaking into it, and comed at her return from winter exile. The then listening for her reply. It also was com- MATUSHKA ZEMLIA 187 mon practice to kiss her before setting out Matriona (affectionate form of “mother”): In on a journey, and then again at journey’s its traditional, feminine form, the matrioshka end. Beneficent to all, the goddess was par- may be seen as a representation of Mother ticularly benevolent to women. She oversaw Russia, whose maternal love for her people, the fertility of the world every spring, at especially the humblest, is expressed by a doll which time bread was buried for her to eat that bears more dolls and thus ensures the and wine or beer was poured into a hole for continued existence of not just the people her to drink. She was also the patroness of but also the country itself. the harvest. In times of plague, she could be References: Pronin and Pronin 1975 called upon to keep a household free of the pestilence if a furrow was dug around the MATUSHKA house at night—a furrow that Mati-Syra- Russia Zemlya would fill with her potency, pre- Matushka is a Russian term of endearment venting the infection from entering the meaning “dear mother.”The Russian word is home. applied not only in its literal sense to human See also: Mother Earth mothers but also figuratively, as a poetic epi- thet indicating affection for and emotional MATRIOSHKA attachment to natural phenomena, such as Russia the river Volga. Traditional Russian nested doll, hollow and See also: Volga made of wood, with the largest, exterior doll concealing a smaller one inside it, which in MATUSHKA KOZMA-DEMIAN turn conceals an even smaller one, and so on. Russia The matrioshka is usually brightly painted in One of the names given to the feast of traditional peasant garb—a head kerchief, an 1 November, an important agricultural festi- embroidered peasant blouse, and a dress sim- val also known as Kuz'ma and Dem'yan Day. ilar to a jumper, called a . The first syl- Traditionally on this day unmarried women lable of the doll’s name is aptly derived from would go out and search for a husband. See also: Dem'yan, Saint; Kuz'ma, Saint

MATUSHKA KRASNOGO SOLNTSA Russia “Mother of the Red Sun,” the personifica- tion of the mother of the sun god Dazhbog, and by association, possibly the wife of the sky god Svarog. See also: Dazhbog; Sun; Svarog

MATUSHKA ZEMLIA Russia “Mother Earth,”the literal Russian name for the goddess of the earth who usually remains unnamed in the myths and legends. When she is named, she is usually called Mati-Syra- Zemlya,“Moist Mother Earth.” “Matrioshka,” or Russian stack dolls (Russell See also: Mati-Syra-Zemlya; Mother Earth Thompson/Archive Photos) References: Levin 1967 188 MAVKI

MAVKI married the Weaver of the Stars—although Russia he might also have had earlier marriages, as One of many names applied to russalki. did Menuo. See also: Faraony; Navki; Rus(s)alki (~ulki); See also: Menuo; Moon;Weaver of the Stars Vodianiani References: Pomerantseva 1975 MENUO Lithuania MEDEINE The moon god, known in Latvia as Meness. Lithuania Wearing a starry robe, he traveled across the Goddess of the forest whose name is only night sky in a chariot drawn by gray horses. known from thirteenth-century texts. He married Saule but later fell in love with Ausrine, the Morning Star, for which he was MEKHITHAR GOSH punished by Perkunas, who broke him into Armenia two pieces. Instead of learning from this Born c. 1140 in Gandzak (modern Kiro- punishment, Menuo continued his affair vabad), Mekhithar Gosh was a jurist and with Ausrine, as a consequence of which he monk of the Getik and New Getik monas- suffered the same fate each and every teries. The contemporary of Vardan of month. Aygek, he collected and wrote a great num- See also: Ausrine; Meness (~ulis); Moon; ber of Armenian fables before his death in Morning Star; Perkunas; Saule 1213, several of which are described in this book. Like Vardan, Mekhithar often incorpo- MESYATS rated contemporary historical figures, such as Slav Alexander the Great, into his fables.The fable Also: Myesyats in which Alexander the Great is mentioned Mesyats, the moon god, appears widely went as follows: throughout Slavic mythology and legend, Having had a new palace built for himself, though later stories tend to leave him name- Alexander the Great rewarded the blacksmith less. In Ukrainian myth, Mesyats marries the far more generously than the carpenter and sun goddess, although the sun is almost the gardener. Envious of the smith, the car- always thought of as masculine (perhaps this penter and the gardener complained to the is why later storytellers left the name out). emperor that they had both done far more Later Russian belief only adds to this gender work on the palace than the blacksmith. confusion. Alexander the Great consulted his advisers, Early Russian belief said that Mesyats was who told him that before the carpenter could the old, balding adviser to Dazhbog, the sun. do his work he needed the of the black- Later belief changed the gender of Mesyats smith, and before the gardener could do his and made him a young moon goddess who work he needed the skills of both the car- married Dazhbog in the summer, left him in penter and the blacksmith. Thus the black- winter, and was reunited with him the fol- smith deserved the greatest reward. The car- lowing spring. She and Dazhbog were penter and the gardener readily accepted this believed to be the parents of all the stars, and reasoning and were no longer jealous. their marital spats were thought to cause See also: Alexander the Great;Vardan earthquakes. See also: Dazhbog; Moon; Sun; Ukraine MENESS (~ULIS) Latvia METHODIUS, SAINT The moon god, the Latvian equivalent of the Slav Lithuanian Menuo. Meness was said to have See Cyril and Methodius, Saints. MIKULA SELYANINOVICH 189

METSIK Lighting a candle, Mikhail sat down Estonia beside the body of his wife. Around mid- “Wood spirit,” the personification of the night he saw many snakes entering the spirit of the woods and forests, patron deity tomb, one of which turned into a dragon of cattle and herds. Once a year, on the eve spouting fire and smoke. Unafraid, Mikhail of , an effigy of the metsik drew his saber and cut off the beast’s head, would be fashioned of straw,or sometimes of which he rubbed onto his dead wife’s body; stalks of grain. In alternating years the effigy magically she was brought back to life. would represent either the male aspect of the Mikhail and Avdot'ya rang the bell and were spirit, and thus be dressed with a man’s hat released from the tomb to spend many and coat, or the female aspect, dressed in a happy years together. hood and petticoat.Then, fastened to the end See also: Avdot'ya; Bogatyr' of a pole, the effigy of the metsik would be carried out of the village and affixed to the MIKHAILO, PRINCE top of a tall tree where it could watch over Russia the people and warn them of impending A Muscovite prince who married against his danger.The effigy would remain at the top of mother’s wishes.While he was away on busi- the tree for a whole year, every day being ness, his mother lured his wife to the bath- given prayers and votive offerings that were house and boiled her to death.When Prince thought to strengthen the metsik’s protection Mikhailo returned home and learned of his over the village and its herds. wife’s death, he died of shock, and his mother realized that through her intolerance MIDNIGHT she had killed her entire family,including her Slav unborn grandchild. The unnamed sister of Zorya Utrennyaya References: Chadwick 1964 and Zorya Vechernyaya. All three were daughters of Dazhbog; however, only the MIKOLA MOZHAISKI, SAINT goddesses of dawn and of dusk were referred Russia to by name, Midnight being a shadowy char- See Nikolai of Mozhaisk, Saint. acter who appears only in a few references. See also: Dazhbog; Zorya Utrennyaya; Zorya MIKULA SELYANINOVICH Vechernyaya Russia A legendary plowman, favorite of Mati- MIKHAIL POTYK Syra-Zemlya, who imbued him with great Russia strength and allowed him to ride across her Also: Mikhailo Ivanovich Potok faster than anyone else. His association with A knight, or bogatyr', who made a pact with Mother Earth indicates that he possibly owes his wife Avdot'ya at their wedding feast that his origins to Volos. His story appears fairly when one of them died the other would fol- late, possibly as late as the fifteenth century. low into the tomb. Soon after the wedding However, its foundation seems much older Avdot'ya died, and Mikhail, true to his word, and might have some historical basis, though had himself lowered into the tomb beside Mikula started his life in legend as a god and her. However, Mikhail took with him a rope was only later (after the advent of the that was attached to the church bell, so that Christian era) downgraded to a bogatyr'.The if he changed his mind, he could ring the story of Mikula Selyaninovich illustrates bell and summon assistance. Some versions quite clearly how peasants regarded their say that he provided himself a secret exit and rulers, for the prince in this story, Vol'ga took his horse with him. Sviatoslavovich, is much less a hero than the 190 MIKULA SELYANINOVICH

A Russian lacquer painting of Prince Sviatoslavovich’s soldiers straining to move a massive plow as Mikula looks on (Sovfoto/Eastfoto/PNI) humble Mikula—though Mikula is by no ders.A light bay mare pulled the plow,which means an ordinary peasant. was made of maple and had a coulter of Vol'ga Sviatoslavovich was the nephew damask steel, a share of silver, handles of red and godson of Prince Vladimir Bright Sun, gold, and traces made of silk. Mikula himself grand prince of Kiev. His uncle had given is described as a man of tremendous mascu- him dominion over three towns, along with line beauty, with eyes as keen as a falcon’s, the peasants who lived on the surrounding hair in tight ringlets, and brows as black as lands. As was his right, Vol'ga periodically sable. He wore a black velvet tunic, a soft felt demanded and collected taxes from his sub- cap, and boots of green Morocco leather jects, and on one such trip around his with extremely pointed toes and very high domain he encountered Mikula. heels. As they rode through the countryside, Mikula and Vol'ga exchanged greetings. Vol'ga and his entourage heard the sounds of When Vol'ga told Mikula the purpose of his a plowman whistling and calling to his horse journey, the plowman warned the prince and of the plow cutting its furrow, and the that a band of robbers were camped along his grating of the plowshare as it struck a stone. chosen route.These robbers lay in wait by a However, no matter how fast they rode, they bridge over the river Smorodina, the planks were unable to catch up with the plowman. of which they had sawn through so that trav- For two and a half days they rode hard, chas- elers would fall into the water and drown. ing the elusive sounds, until they finally came Mikula told the prince that he had been that upon him. way just three days before and that these rob- Whistling as he went, the plowman bers had attempted to waylay him as he trav- Mikula tore up tree stumps that lay in his eled home carrying two skins filled with salt path, roots and all, and cast aside huge boul- that weighed 100 poods (roughly 3,600 lbs, MISFORTUNE, THE IMPS OF 191 or 1,638 kg) each.When the robbers had de- hill of the sky (some authorities equate manded money from Mikula in return for Dausos with the moon).This was one of sev- safe passage, he simply mowed down 1,000 eral routes by which the departed could of their men. make their journey, other options being to Hearing this, Prince Vol'ga invited Mikula climb up the slippery high hill of the sky, to to join his party.Mikula willingly agreed and ride on horseback, to travel in the smoke of unharnessed his horse. However, after a short the cremation fire, or to travel in a boat such ride, Mikula began to worry about his plow, as that used every day by the sun as it for he had left it in the open where it might returned home for the night. easily be stolen. Vol'ga sent five of his men See also: Bird’s Way,The; Dausos; Moon; Sun back to hide the plow, but they could not even begin to move it.Ten men went back, MILOSERDNIA and they had no more success than the orig- Russia inal five. Finally Vol'ga’s entire company Post-Christian name given to one of the attempted to move the plow, but it still three female spirits that oversaw all the func- would not move. Seeing this, Mikula walked tions of human life—the Russian equivalents into the field, lifted the plow from the of the Greek Fates. Her companions were ground with one hand, and hid it himself Alleluiah and Miloslaviia. Popular legend of behind a willow bush after he had carefully the flight from Jerusalem of Mary the cleaned it off. Mother of God says that she placed the With the plow safe, Mikula urged his lit- infant Jesus in the care of an elderly woman tle mare forward.When the mare broke into called both Miloserdnia and Miloslaviia.This a trot,Vol'ga had to urge his steed into a gal- woman had a child of her own, whom she lop. When Mikula gave his mare her head, sacrificed in order to hide the baby Jesus. Vol'ga was left far behind. Calling out for When Mary returned for Jesus, the generous Mikula to stop,Vol'ga caught up with him. woman found that her own child had been Having been duly impressed with Mikula’s resurrected. strength and prowess, the prince made See also: Alleluiah; Miloslaviia Mikula lord of his three towns and bade him References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Bezsonov collect the taxes in his place. 1861; Haase 1939 See also: Kiev; Mati-Syra-Zemlya; Mother Earth; Smorodina;Vladimir Bright Sun, MILOSLAVIIA Prince;Vol'ga Sviatoslavovich;Volos Russia References: Chadwick 1964; Nechaev and Post-Christian name given to one of the Rybakov 1959 three female spirits that oversaw all the func- tions of human life—the Russian equivalents MILKY WAY,THE of the Greek Fates. Her companions were Slav Alleluiah and Miloserdnia. Russian peasants believed that the souls of See also: Alleluiah; Miloserdnia their departed loved ones crossed the celes- References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Bezsonov tial bridge of the Milky Way to reach the 1861; Haase 1939 moon, which was to be their eternal abode. A similar belief existed in Lithuania, where MISFORTUNE, THE IMPS OF the Milky Way was known as the Bird’s Way, Ukraine and was believed to be a bridge across which Invisible spirits that arbitrarily choose a vic- the souls or spirits of the dead traveled to tim and cause that person bad luck through- reach their eternal abode, the realm of out their life, going so far as to climb into the Dausos, which lay beyond the slippery high coffin of their victim after they have died so 192 MISHA that they might continue their influence in might once again turn to ill. However, when the afterlife.Their influence is recorded in a the rich brother released the Imps of story concerning two brothers, one a car- Misfortune, they refused to return to their penter who had a large number of children former victim because he had tried to kill and grew steadily poorer, and the other a them, and instead decided to stay with the rich merchant who had no children and rich brother, who soon became as poor as his grew steadily richer. brother had once been. However, when he One year, as Christmas approached, the called on his brother and asked for charity,he poor brother went cap in hand to his rich was received warmly,and from that day forth brother and asked for charity, but his brother could always rely on his brother when the would not help him. However, as he made need arose. his way home again, he started to sing in This story should be compared with that order to keep up his spirits, and he heard of Misha, which—apart from a few minor many voices join his in song.When he asked differences—is identical. who was there, the voices told him that they See also: Misha were the Imps of Misfortune, whose goal was to ruin a man’s life and ensure that whatever MISHA he did would end in failure. Having learned Russia exactly what was causing his life of misery, The poorer of two brothers who lived in a the man returned home and made himself a village near Smolensk. The name of Misha’s coffin, telling his distraught wife and family brother is unknown. The two brothers had that he had decided to end his life.The Imps been left equal riches by their late father; but of Misfortune told the man that even then for reasons not recorded, Misha steadily he would not escape them, for they would lie became poorer while his brother grew ever in his coffin with him.That was exactly what richer.At length Misha was forced to go cap he had hoped. in hand to his brother, but the only help Bidding his family farewell, the man took Misha got was to be invited, along with his his coffin into the fields and dug a hole, into wife and family, to a great banquet that his which he lowered the open casket.Then the brother was hosting. man asked the Imps of Misfortune to test the Misha and his wife duly went to the party, coffin for him, especially to make certain that and there Misha sang; but when he sang, his the lid fit tightly enough. The Imps of voice sounded like two voices. Finally it Misfortune climbed into the open coffin, dawned on him that he was being accompa- whereupon the man screwed down the lid nied by Sorrow,who swore that from that day and filled in the hole. Then he returned to forth they would be constant companions. his wife and family and told them what had Returning from the party, Sorrow asked happened. From that day forth their fortunes Misha for vodka, but Misha had none, nor changed, and within a year they had amassed did he have the money to buy any. Sorrow a considerable fortune and had built them- simply shrugged and told Misha that they selves a fine new home. could sell Misha’s fur coat, as in six months it The rich man was traveling through his would be summer and he would no longer brother’s village one day and was astonished need it. Thus they took Misha’s fur coat to to see the riches he had managed to amass. the market the following day and sold it for He stopped to call on his brother and was enough to buy two bottles of vodka. That told what had transpired. Jealous of his night, with the vodka gone, Sorrow told brother’s good fortune, he hurried out into Misha that the following day they would sell the countryside to release the Imps of his sled, for in six months, when summer Misfortune so that his brother’s good fortune came, he would have no need for it. So it MOCKER KING, THE 193 went, day after day, until Misha had nothing He then carried the wheel down to the river left that they could sell. and cast it adrift; and from that day forth nei- Sorrow told Misha to go to his neighbor ther brother saw Sorrow again. They were and borrow his ox and cart. Misha did so, and soon reconciled and lived ever after as broth- before long he and Sorrow were stopped in ers should. a field in which a huge boulder lay. Sorrow See also: Misfortune,The Imps of; Sorrow and Misha climbed down from the cart, and after much exertion, moved the boulder MOCKER KING, THE aside, uncovering a huge cache of money. Armenia When they loaded the money onto the cart, The title given to an unnamed ruler of an it was filled to the brim. As Sorrow made unnamed realm who took great delight in ready to climb up onto the cart, Misha asked laughing at those less fortunate than himself. him to have one last check in the hole; and One day,seated at his window,he beheld the Sorrow,thinking only of the vodka he might most hideously deformed woman he had miss if even one coin were left behind, gladly ever seen, and almost split his sides in ribald climbed down.As he did so, Misha leaned all laughter.The old woman heard his mockery, his weight against the rock and rolled it over and there and then she determined that she the hole, trapping Sorrow inside. would have the last laugh. Misha then drove home, unloaded the The old woman was a powerful witch, money,and returned the cart to his neighbor. and that evening she transformed herself into Before long Misha had built a beautiful new a beautiful maiden and found employment at home and was living a life of luxury and the palace as one of the queen’s maids.When leisure. It was then that his brother came to she touched the queen as she stepped from call on his new, rich neighbor and found to her bath, the queen changed into a deformed his surprise that it was none other than his old crone. The maid then disappeared, and brother who had, not six months before, the queen had to call out to the king for come to him for money. When Misha told assistance. He did not know which way to his brother what had happened, the brother turn or where to look for the witch, and so became green with envy and set out to he sat comforting his wife, though he found release Sorrow so that Misha might once her repulsive. again have his company. The witch left the couple to reflect on However, when the brother moved the their misfortune for a couple of days before rock to one side, Sorrow leaped out and she returned to the palace. The king recog- clung to his hair, sneering and saying that he nized the old woman as the one he had would never be free of him. Sorrow laughed mocked from his window. The witch loudly and called the brother a liar when he explained to the king that his mockery had attempted to tell Sorrow that he was not rebounded on him, and promised that if he Misha. Thus the greedy brother was stuck would hold his mockery in check, she would with Sorrow, who soon started to whittle restore his wife.The king readily agreed, and away at his fortune. The brother thought pleaded with the witch to restore his wife. long and hard about his predicament, and The witch laughed and touched the queen, then he invited Sorrow to play a game of who immediately became as she had been hide and seek with him. Sorrow agreed, and before. From that day forth, the king only he easily found the brother.The brother then laughed when it was appropriate to do so, challenged Sorrow to hide in the hub of a and never again mocked the afflictions of wheel. Sorrow agreed. No sooner had others. Sorrow squeezed into the open hub of a References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, cartwheel than the brother plugged the hub. vol. 10 194 MODEINA

MODEINA nal range, as she was the most widespread of Poland all the Russian Slavic deities. In Novgorod, One of the two patron deities of the forest, for example, she was worshiped as the god- the other being Siliniets. dess of spinners, childbirth, animals, the See also: Siliniets moon, and rain. After the advent of Christianity her office was handed over to MOISEI the Virgin Mary or Saint Paraskeva. Russia See also: Black Sea; Finno-Ugric; Great One of two boyar brothers (the other was Goddess; Mati-Syra-Zemlya; Moksha; Luka) who passed the test put to them by Paraskeva, Saint; Simorg (~argl, ~urg) Vasilii Buslayevich in an attempt to discover References: Boba 1967; Brückner 1823; whether they were worthy of joining his Gimbutas 1971; Grekov 1959; Haase 1939; Ivanov and Toporov 1965; Matorin 1931 druzhina. The two men joined twenty-seven other members, completing Vasilii Buslaye- vich’s band of thirty. (Vasilii himself was the MOKSHA thirtieth.) General See also: Boyars; Luka;Vasilii Buslayevich The southern branch of the Mordvin peo- ple, their northern counterparts being the MOKOSH Erzya. Finno-Slavic See also: Erzya; Mordvins Also: Makosh A fertility goddess widely worshiped in the MOLDAVIA regions immediately north of the Black Sea. General Close to Mati-Syra-Zemlya, possibly serving One of the six provinces of which Romania as her handmaiden, Mokosh, whose name is comprised, the others being Transylvania, comes from mokosi or mokryi, both meaning Bukovina,Walachia,Banat, and Dobruja.The “moist,” ensured that men’s semen was rich former principality of Moldavia is situated in in sperm, and protected women and sheep northeastern Romania and extends from and their offspring during labor and birth. Transylvania to the Prut River along the She was unique in the earliest pantheon, border with Moldova (the former Soviet being the only goddess; and she appears to republic). Walachia, in the south, stretches have been the oldest of the deities in this from the southernmost mountains to the pantheon. Mokosh is usually represented in Danube. Banat, in western Romania, extends the company of the bird-dog Simorg. The from the western mountains to Yugoslavia dog’s name is of Iranian origin, which sug- and Hungary. gests that Mokosh too may have originated See also: Danube; Hungary; Moldova; in that region. Romania;Transylvania Many authorities, however, rely on the sound of the word Mokosh to determine her MOLDOVA origins, as with the Finno-Ugric tribes, and General perhaps even with the Finno-Ugric Moksha. Not to be confused with the Romanian However, such etymological reasons are province that is also called Moldova or extremely thin, and it now seems increas- Moldavia. A country in south-central ingly certain that Mokosh should be regard- Europe, bordered by Romania in the west ed as an autochthonous goddess of the and by Ukraine on its other sides, formerly Poliane and other Slavic peoples from the known as Bessarabia. From 1940 to 1991, Kievan region. Mokosh, however, developed Moldova was a republic of the Soviet Union, into a Great Goddess with a truly phenome- when it was called the Moldavian Soviet MONTENEGRO 195

Socialist Republic, or simply Moldavia.With In 1990 the Moldavian Supreme Soviet the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the declared that its laws took precedence over republic declared its independence. those of the Soviet Union, and changed the From c. 700 B.C. until c. A.D. 200, the name of the country from Moldavia to region that is now Moldova was under the Moldova. In August 1991 Moldova and sev- control of from central eral other republics declared their indepen- Asia—first the Scythians and later the dence, which was confirmed by the dissolu- Sarmatians. From about A.D. 200 until the tion of the Soviet Union at the end of that thirteenth century, various other peoples year. from the west and east invaded and ruled See also: Avars; Bessarabia; Carpathian the area, including the Goths, Huns, Avars, Mountains; Mongols; Romania; Sarmatians; and finally the Mongols or Tatars.The peo- Scythia;Tatars; Ukraine ple of Moldova gradually united, and by the mid-fourteenth century they had formed MONGOLS an independent state under a single ruler. General The state was called the principality of Pastoral people now found in east-central Moldavia and included present-day Asia, including parts of China and Russia, Moldova—then called Bessarabia—as well who speak one of the Altaic languages.Their as an area between the Moldavian Carpa- written language, Mongolian, dates from at thian Mountains and the Prut River in least the eleventh century.The Mongols are modern Romania. thought to have been a loose confederation The Ottoman Empire gained control of of peoples until the Mongol conqueror the principality of Moldavia by the early six- Genghis Khan united them into one formi- teenth century and ruled the region until dable nation in the early thirteenth century. 1812, when Russia took control of Under his leadership, they developed a pow- Bessarabia.The Treaty of Paris that ended the erful army that swept west into Europe and Crimean War in 1856 gave southern east into China, eventually forming a wide- Bessarabia to the principality of Moldavia, spread Eurasian empire. The descendants of following Russia’s defeat in that war. In Genghis Khan ruled large areas of China, 1861, the principality of Moldavia united East Asia, Russia, Iran, and Turkey for long with the principality of Walachia to form the periods of time. The Mongols were subse- new nation of Romania. Russia regained quently overcome, and they returned to rel- southern Bessarabia in 1878. ative political obscurity. The Mongols now After World War I (1914–1918), all of number approximately one million, with Bessarabia became part of Romania. most of the population practicing Buddhism However, the Soviet Union refused to rec- and the remainder embracing shamanism. ognize Bessarabia’s unification with They are still largely a nomadic people, and Romania, and in 1924, the Soviets estab- their wealth consists of sheep, horses, cattle, lished the Moldavian Autonomous Soviet camels, and goats. Socialist Republic (ASSR) in the Trans- See also: Genghis Khan; Golden Horde,The Dniester region. In 1940, during World War II, the Soviet Union seized Bessarabia MONTENEGRO and merged most of Bessarabia with part General of the Moldavian ASSR to form the Montenegro is one of the two republics of Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic. present-day Yugoslavia, Serbia being the Bessarabia became part of Romania again other. Montenegro’s name in Serbo- in 1941, but the Soviet Union regained it Croatian, the republic’s language, is Crna in 1944. Gora, which means “black mountain.” 196 MOON

Present-day Montenegro became part of doing and what they had seen. Sometimes, the Roman Empire in about 11 B.C. Slavs however, the moon would be angry with her settled the region in the seventh century,and brother and would block out his light. (Early Montenegro became part of Serbia in the peoples thought the moon had eaten the sun late twelfth century. The Ottoman Empire and then spat him out.) Such occurrences defeated the Serbs at the Battle of were usually short-lived, for the moon could Polje in 1389, and from that date until 1516, not remain angry long. The sun and the local nobles ruled the country on behalf of moon both feature in the story of Raven the Ottomans. That year, Serbian Orthodox Ravenson, though this story has more to do bishops of the monastery at Cetinje began to with man’s stupidity than with either celes- rule part of Montenegro, and by the late tial object. eighteenth century their rule extended to The moon is also widely regarded as an the entire country. In 1852, Montenegro’s eternal abode for the souls of the dead, each ruler took the title of prince, and the posi- soul crossing the celestial bridge of the Milky tion of bishop reverted to a separate office. In Way to reach its final resting place. 1878, the Congress of Berlin formally recog- The Russians believed that the moon was nized Montenegro as independent and the realm of the dead, as did the ancient granted the state new lands that almost dou- Lithuanians, who believed that the souls of bled its size. Prince Nicholas took the throne the departed crossed the Bird’s Way (the in 1860 and declared himself king in 1910. Milky Way) to reach their eternal abode. As In the early twentieth century a move- the realm of Dausos was also considered the ment to unite Serbs and other Slavic peoples land of the dead, positioned as it was beyond gathered strength in the region, and in 1918 the slippery high hill of the sky, this has led townspeople deposed the king, and Monte- to conjecture that Dausos was the Lithuanian negro became part of the new Kingdom of name for, though not a deification of, the the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. In 1946, moon. The latter honor was reserved for Montenegro became one of the six republics Menuo, who is described as traveling across of Yugoslavia. the night sky in a chariot drawn by gray In 1990, Montenegro held its first multi- horses and wearing a starry robe. He married party elections, and between June 1991 and March 1992, four Yugoslav republics— Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, and Bosnia- Herzegovina—declared their independence. In April 1992, Serbia and Montenegro formed a new, smaller Yugoslavia. See also: Bosnia; Croatia; Herzegovina; Macedonia; Serbia; Slovenia

MOON Slav and Baltic Like the sun and forces such as frost or wind, the moon is not usually given a name in later Russian folktales. Earlier tales call him (or her, for the moon is sometimes described as feminine) Mesyats. Some say that the sun and the moon were brother and sister, and that every spring they would come together to talk about what they had been View of the moon, taken from Apollo 11 (NASA) MOROZKO 197

Saule, the sun goddess, but later fell in love tume of profusely embroidered jackets and with Ausrine, the Morning Star, for which he skirts, elaborate coiffures, large earrings, and was punished by Perkunas, who broke him numerous necklaces.Although Christianity is into pieces (the ancient explanation for the common, ancient forms of lunar phases). The Latvian equivalent of the are still practiced. The chief divinity of the Lithuanian Menuo was Meness, who was non-Christian faith is Shkay, a sun god.The said to have married the Weaver of the Stars. moon, trees, water, frost, and thunder are also See also: Ausrine; Bird’s Way,The; Dausos; deified, and altars are sometimes built in Frost; Meness (~ulis); Menuo; Mesyats; Milky homes for the purpose of animal sacrifice. Way,The; Morning Star; Perkunas; Raven See also: Erzya; Finno-Ugric; Moksha; Shkay Ravenson; Saule; Sun;Weaver of the Stars; Wind MORNING STAR Slav and Baltic MORAVIA The Slavic personification of the Morning General Star, the planet Venus when seen in the dawn Moravia was an Avar territory from the sixth sky, was called Zvezda Dennitsa, one of the century until it was conquered by the Holy two Auroras. She and her sister Zvezda Roman Empire of Charlemagne. In 874 the Vechernyaya, the Evening Star, were daugh- Slavic prince Sviatopolk founded the king- ters and attendants of the sun god Dazhbog, dom of Great Moravia, which he ruled until with the specific task of grooming their 894. The Magyars invaded and conquered father’s horses.They were sisters of the two, or Great Moravia in 906, and the kingdom three, Zoryi, though the Zoryi and Zvezdy became a fief of Bohemia in 1029. In 1526 it may be interchangeable. The Morning Star was passed to the Habsburgs; and in 1849 it was believed to give birth to Dazhbog each became an Austrian crown land. Moravia was morning, whereas the Evening Star wel- incorporated into the new republic of comed him to his death. Czechoslovakia in 1918, remaining a prov- The Latvian personification of the Mor- ince of that country until 1949. Today ning Star was Ausrine, and her Lithuanian Moravia is a region in the eastern Czech counterpart was Auseklis. Republic. See also: Auroras; Dazhbog; Evening Star; See also: Avars; Bohemia; Czechoslovakia; Sun;Venus Magyars MOROZKO MORDVINS Russia General The frost demon who features most notably People speaking one of the Finno-Ugric lan- in the story of Marfusha, on whom he took guages and forming a large part of the pop- pity when she was left to be his bride, ulation of the Mordvinian autonomous although he froze her two spoiled stepsisters region, an internal division of Russia. The to death when they complained of the cold. Mordvins number about one million and are Another story concerning the frost does divided into two groups with different not name Morozko directly. In this tale a dialects—a northern branch called the Erzya, peasant pays homage to the Wind, who and a southern branch known as the appears as a man with tousled hair, dis- Moksha. Their chief occupation is agricul- heveled clothing, and a swollen face and lips. ture, but carpentry, the manufacture of This homage paid to the Wind offends both wooden vessels, and beekeeping are also the Sun, who appears as a chubby man with important to their economy. Many of the rosy cheeks, and Frost, who appears as a thin women wear a distinctive traditional cos- man with gray hair and bushy white eye- 198 MORSKOI brows. The Wind, however, promises the tal of his principality. During the fourteenth peasant that neither shall ever harm him. century,under the rule of Alexander Nevski, That winter the peasant feared because of Ivan I, and Dmitri Donskoi, the city became the frost to venture from his home; but he the foremost political and religious center in was forced to go out when he ran out of fire- Russia.The city was burned in 1571 by the wood. As he walked through the forest, he khan of the Crimea and ravaged again by fire felt Frost attacking him, so he broke into a in 1739, 1748, 1753, and 1812. In the last run. Soon he was warm and thanked Frost instance the fire might have been deliber- for making him move more quickly to keep ately set in an attempt to stop Napoleon’s himself warm. Angered by this, Frost swore troops from taking the city.In 1918 Moscow that he would make the man suffer horribly; became the capital of the RSFSR (Russian so when the peasant removed his hat and Soviet Federated Social Republic), and in gloves in order to chop wood, Frost froze 1922 it was named the administrative capital them solid. Returning to his garments, the of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist man saw that they were frozen, so he began Republics). to pound them with the blunt edge of his See also: Crimea; Khan; Mongols; Russia; St. . Frost barely managed to escape the Petersburg onslaught, and he crept away badly beaten and bleeding. The Wind stayed quiet MOTHER EARTH throughout this episode, for it knew that Russia Frost was not really dangerous without his Mother Earth, personified as Mati-Syra- collaboration. Zemlya, is essential to Russian legend. In the The Wind also helped the peasant the fol- story of Dobrynya Nikitich, the hero calls lowing summer when the Sun tried to upon her to open up and swallow the vast scorch him—blowing gentle, cooling breezes lake of dragon’s blood he finds himself and making small clouds scurry across the stranded in after he slays a hideous, twelve- sky to blot out the Sun and drop a quench- headed she-dragon. ing rain on the man. Neither Frost nor Sun Mother Earth came into existence, so the ever bothered the peasant again. legends tell us, when a little duck laid an egg See also: Frost; Marfusha; Sun;Wind on a small island that rose out of the primeval ocean. The egg rolled off the island and MORSKOI broke into two, the lower half forming the Russia earth and the upper half the sky.This legend The Russian name of the Sea Tsar with bears comparison with the remarkably simi- whom Sadko had dealings, and from whom lar Finno-Ugric story of Ilmater Luonnotar that merchant managed to escape only with and the duck that laid its eggs on the god- the help of Saint Nikolai of Mozhaisk. dess’s knees in the primeval ocean. See also: Nikolai of Mozhaisk, Saint; Sadko; See also: Dobrynya Nikitich; Dragon; Finno- Sea Tsar Ugric; Mati-Syra-Zemlya; Matushka Zemlia References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Fedotov 1960, MOSCOW 1966; Matorin 1931; Pilnyak 1968;Tokarev General 1957 Capital of Russia, located about 400 miles (640 km) southeast of St. Petersburg. MOTHER OF THE SEAS Founded as the city-state of Muscovy in Latvia 1127, it was destroyed by the Mongols dur- Respectful name by which Juras Màte, the ing the thirteenth century and rebuilt in sea goddess, was known. 1294 by Prince Daniel (d. 1303) as the capi- See also: Juras Màte MUZEM-MUMI 199

MOTOVUN the merchant would drive away with the Croatia gold and leave the young man to be killed Town on the peninsula of Istria (in northern by the crows. Croatia) that was the home of Veli Joze, a See also: Grishka. giant who, in a fit of temper, shook the town tower with such force that it was badly MOZHAISKI, MIKOLA, SAINT cracked and began to lean—a condition in Russia which it remains to this day. Alternative name of Saint Nikolai of See also: Croatia;Veli Joze Mozhaisk. See also: Nikolai of Mozhaisk, Saint MOUNTAIN OF GOLD Russia MUKYLIN A mountain made of solid gold that lay on Votyak an island that was the home of a greedy The Votyak earth mother. According to one merchant who would hire men from a Votyak village tale, Mukylin ensured that mainland town, ship them out to the island, particular village a good harvest after she and then, after they had put in a hard day’s married Keremet. However, because the labor at the top of the insurmountable marriage was made against her will, she mountain, leave them there to die. The brought bad harvests on all the villages that merchant, however, met more than his had acquiesced to her marriage without try- match when he hired a young man by the ing to protect her virgin status. name of Grishka. The merchant’s daughter See also: Keremet fell in love with Grishka at first sight, and she gave him a magical tinderbox to help MUROM him escape the difficulties she knew he Russia would encounter. Russian city famous for its fervent paganism As the mountainsides were too sheer to and resistance to missionaries and Chris- permit an ascent on foot, the merchant had tianity. Situated to the east of Moscow and devised a clever means of transporting his southwest of Gorky,the city was the home of laborers to the top: He gave the young Il'ya Muromets (whose epithet literally men a drink that was drugged, and when means “of Murom”). they had fallen asleep, he sewed them up See also: Il'ya Muromets; Moscow inside the carcass of a horse. Two enor- mous black crows would then alight, pick MUXDI up the carcass, and carry it to the top of Siberia—Tungus the mountain, where they would pick the Alternative name for Dzuli. bones clean, leaving the young man with- See also: Dzuli in the bare bones, hopefully to awaken before the crows pecked his body clean as MUZEM-MUMI well.The merchant would then promise to Votyak bring the young man down in return for a The name given by the Votyak to Mother cartload of gold dug from the mountain. Earth. However, when the day came to a close, See also: Mother Earth;Votyaks

request Evpraksiya’s hand for Prince Vladimir Bright Sun, Nastas'ya was away hunting.When she returned to find that her sister had been taken away, she followed them, vowing to bring her sister home or to die in the attempt. She quickly caught up with Dunai Ivanovich, Dobrynya Nikitich, and her sister; however, for some unknown reason she did not attack them and instead turned NADANOJLA and rode away. She was followed Slav Nand unseated from her horse by Dunai The leader of the vile. Her headdress and Ivanovich. Her courage so impressed Dunai wings were stolen by Prince Marko. that he asked her to be his wife. Nastas'ya Nadanojla and Prince Marko were married rode with the party to Kiev, and she and and lived happily together until Marko fool- Dunai were married at the same ceremony ishly boasted that his wife was a vila. as Vladimir Bright Sun and Evpraksiya. Nadanojla immediately gathered up her During the wedding feast Nastas'ya’s new headdress and wings and flew away.After she husband boasted that there was no finer was recaptured by Marko, she remained his archer in all of Kiev than he. Nastas'ya rose wife forever, reacting only with laughter to this bait and challenged her husband, when her husband boasted of her supernat- proposing that a silver ring be set up on the ural origins. head of one and that the other fire an arrow See also: Marko, Prince;Vila along the blade of a knife and then through the ring. Dunai Ivanovich invited his wife to NAINAS try first. Three times she successfully per- Russia formed the feat. However, as Dunai Ivan- The personification of the northern lights, ovich prepared to take his turn, Nastas'ya the aurora borealis. He was betrothed to implored him not to pursue their dangerous Niekia, the daughter of the Moon, but he game and to forgive her foolishness. Dunai never married her, due to the intervention of Ivanovich refused to listen. Nastas'ya again Peivalké and his father, the Sun. begged him to abandon the contest—if not See also: Aurora Borealis; Moon; Niekia; for her sake, then for that of their unborn Peivalké; Sun child, whom she said would be the most wondrous babe ever born: He would have NASTASIIA arms of pure gold from the shoulders to the Russia elbows and legs of pure silver from the hips Alternative spelling of Nastas'ya. to the knees; stars would cluster around his temple; the moon would shine from his NASTAS'YA, PRINCESS back; and the sun would radiate from his Russia eyes. Daughter of the king of Lithuania and sister Dunai Ivanovich still refused to listen. of Princess Evpraksiya (some sources iden- Dipping the tip of his arrow in snake venom, tify both as daughters of the Tatar khan). he let it fly.The arrow accidentally pierced When Dunai Ivanovich and Dobrynya Nastas'ya’s heart. As she lay dying, the child Nikitich traveled from Kiev to Lithuania to was cut from her womb. He proved to be

201 202 NASTAS'YA NIKULICHNA just as Nastas'ya had described him. Grief- three days he brooded there in silence as they stricken, Dunai Ivanovich planted his spear rode across the steppes. On the fourth day, in the ground and threw himself onto its the woman’s horse stumbled and complained point.Where the two died, two rivers sprang that it could no longer continue to carry a up: the Nastas'ya and the Dunai, the latter of polianitsa and a bogatyr'. which is better known today as the river The woman immediately climbed down Danube. from her horse and took Dobrynya out of In another version of the legend, Nastas'ya her pouch, demanding to know who he was, was chosen as a suitable bride for Dunai and saying that if he was older than her, she Ivanovich by his mother; but in order to win would kill him; if he were younger, she Nastas'ya’s hand, he had to defeat her in bat- would consider him her brother; and if they tle. Instead, Nastas'ya triumphed over Dunai. were the same age, she would marry him. She placed him in her bag, stating that if he Dobrynya refused to tell the woman any- were younger than she, then he would thing. However, her horse recognized him become her brother; if he were older, she and told the woman that his name was would kill him; but if he were of the same Dobrynya Nikitich and that he was the same age, she would marry him. Dunai was the age as the woman. The latter then told same age as Nastas'ya, and the two were sub- Dobrynya that her name was Nastas'ya sequently married. Nikulichna, and that as they were the same In later times the story of Princess age, they should marry. Dobrynya agreed, Nastas'ya became linked with that of Na- and the two of them rode back to Kiev. stas'ya Nikulichna, although the two stories Dobrynya’s mother, the widow Amelfia had separate origins. Timofeyevna, welcomed Nastas'ya to their See also: Danube; Dobrynya Nikitich; Dunai home. Before long, a huge wedding was Ivanovich; Evpraksiya (~ia), Princess; Khan; arranged which was attended by Prince Kiev; Lithuania; Nastas'ya Nikulichna;Tatars; Vladimir Bright Sun and his wife Ev- Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince praksiya. For three days and three nights References: Astakhova 1961; Evgen'eva and the wedding feast wore on, and afterward Putilov 1977; Khudiakov 1964 Dobrynya and his new wife Nastas'ya returned to live with Amelfia Timofeyevna. NASTAS'YA NIKULICHNA Thereafter Nastas'ya stayed at home like Russia any other Russian wife. When Dobrynya A polianitsa whom Dobrynya Nikitich came left to wage war in behalf of the king of across as she spurred her jet-black horse Lithuania, his wife promised that she would across the plains. Dobrynya quickly strung an wait faithfully for him. However, after arrow in his bow and fired at the maiden, the many years had passed and news of her arrow flying straight and true and striking husband’s death had reached Kiev, Nastas'ya her on the side of her helmet. agreed to marry Alyosha Popovich—even However, rather than hurting the rider, though she had promised Dobrynya that the arrow simply fell to the ground and the Alyosha would be the last man she would woman rode on as if nothing had happened. ever consider marrying. Dobrynya let a second arrow fly,with exactly Dobrynya Nikitich heard of the wedding the same result. The third arrow struck the plans and rode quickly back to Kiev, where he woman on her helmet, causing her to stop disguised himself as a minstrel and sang for the and look around. She caught sight of wedding guests. When his identity was Dobrynya and rode up to him, lifted him revealed, Dobrynya forgave his wife for her from his saddle by his hair, and thrust him errant ways but made ready to kill Alyosha into a deep pouch she carried with her. For Popovich—his sword being stayed by Il'ya NEMAL CHELOVEK 203

Muromets. Dobrynya and Nastas'ya lived the when the russalki moved from their watery rest of their lives in peace and happiness and winter homes to spend the summers in the never again spoke of (or to) Alyosha Popovich. trees of the woods and forests. See also: Alyosha Popovich;Amelf(i)a See also: Radunitsa; Rus(s)alki (~ulki) Timofe(y)evna; Bogatyr'; Dobrynya Nikitich; Evpraksiya (~ia), Princess; Il'ya Muromets; NAVKI Kiev; Lithuania; Polianitsa;Vladimir Bright Russia Sun, Prince One of the various names applied to the rus- References: Astakhova 1961; Evgen'eva and Putilov 1977; Gil'ferding 1951; Rambaud 1879 salki, which appears to owe its origins to Nava, the name of the underworld sea. Other NASTAS'YA OF THE names for the russalki include mavki, faraony, GOLDEN BRAID and vodianiani. See also: Faraony; Mavki; Nava; Rus(s)alki Russia (~ulki); Underworld,The;Vodianiani Wife of Bel Belyanin and mother of Peter References: Snegirev 1837–39 Belyaninovich,Vasilii Belyaninovich, and Ivan Belyaninovich. She was abducted by Whirl- NAZARIEV, FOMA wind and rescued many years later by her Russia youngest son Ivan, although Peter and Vasilii See Foma Nazariev. tried to claim the credit for themselves. See also: Bel Belyanin; Ivan Belyaninovich; Peter (Belyaninovich);Vasilii Belyaninovich; NEDELIA, SAINT Whirlwind Russia One of the two saints commonly associated NAUI with Saint Paraskeva, the other being Saint Russia Sreda. Saint Nedelia was also linked with A great, mythical bird into which Vol'ga Saint Anastasia. The three saints—Paraskeva, Buslavlevich turned himself in order to drive Nedelia, and Sreda—are considered Christian all the birds in a forest into the nets strung up personifications of the pagan goddesses of by his men.The exact shape and form of the fate. They were worshiped either as a triune Naui bird are not revealed, but some have entity or individually and interchangeably. suggested that it was a cross between an eagle See also: Anastasia, Saint; Nedelia, Saint; and a dragon. Paraskeva, Saint; Sreda, Saint See also: Dragon;Vol'ga Buslavlevich References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Bezsonov 1861; Haase 1939; Ralston 1872 NAVA Russia NEMAL CHELOVEK A name for the underworld, the land of the Russia dead (a land also known as Rai, or Peklo). “The Big Man,”a sorcerer who, in the guise Also the name of a sea in the underworld of a rich merchant, kidnapped the only that the dead must cross in order to reach daughter of an unnamed tsar and his wife by their eternal abode. luring the young woman onto his ship with See also: Peklo; Rai; Underworld,The promises of untold riches, such as a self- References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Haase 1939 playing lute, a talking cat, a self-laying table- cloth, and a host of other objects never NAVII DEN' before seen. The tsar immediately offered Russia half his kingdom and his daughter’s hand in A festival day shortly after Easter and marriage to whoever could find her and Radunitsa that marked the time of the year return her home again. 204 NESTOR

Many men tried and failed, and gradually mansion totally unguarded, for the sorcerer the tsar grew more and more despondent. never imagined anyone would be foolish Then one night a lowly guard named Ivan enough to enter his domain. Ivan entered was standing watch in the tsar’s garden the mansion and quickly located the tsar’s when he overheard two crows talking. daughter, who told him that Nemal Che- These crows talked about a sorcerer named lovek intended her to become the bride of Nemal Chelovek who had once visited the the Gorynich, a terrible dragon that was realm and made off with the daughter of also the nephew of the sorcerer. Ivan told the tsar. In the course of their conversation, her not to worry, for he would deliver her. the crows named the kingdom in which the When she heard these brave words, the sorcerer lived and described how he might princess gave Ivan her ring as a token of be defeated. their betrothal. Ivan listened intently, and when his watch Just then Nemal Chelovek returned to his had come to an end, he went to ask permis- mansion and stormed into the great hall sion of the tsar to search for his daughter.The where Ivan was standing with the princess. tsar was less than responsive to the idea of a When the sorcerer saw Ivan, he cast a spell humble soldier going to look for his daugh- that made him grow until his head brushed ter, especially when so many valiant and the ceiling, and then he rushed at Ivan. Ivan noble men before him had failed.When Ivan simply lifted the Samosek Sword, which flew assured the tsar that he would not fail, the through the air of its own volition and neatly tsar relented and provisioned and equipped decapitated the oncoming giant. Then the Ivan for his journey. However, the tsar sword went through the mansion and killed warned the soldier that if he failed he would all of Nemal Chelovek’s servants before pay with his life. returning neatly to Ivan’s hand. Ivan and the Two days later Ivan set sail for the princess then went home, and no one in the Southern Seas. En route he made a detour world was ever troubled again by Nemal and came ashore at a small island on which Chelovek. two leshie lived who had jointly inherited See also: Dragon; Gorynich; Ivan the Guard; the self-cutting Samosek Sword some thirty Leshii (~y); Samosek Sword years before. As Ivan the guard stepped onto the island, he heard the two leshie fighting NESTOR over whose the sword truly was, and seeking Russia the two out, he offered to act as their judge. A monk of the Pechersky cloister in Kiev Ivan thought for a moment, and then pro- who was once considered the author of the posed that he should hold the sword himself. Nachal'naya ', one of several extant He would shoot an arrow into the woods, versions of the Primary Chronicle. However, it and the leshii that brought the arrow back to is now generally accepted that Nestor was him would be awarded ownership of the simply an editor of or a contributor to the sword.The leshie readily agreed and gave the chronicle. sword to Ivan. Ivan then shot an arrow far See also: Kiev; Primary Chronicle into the woods, and the two leshie ran off. References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor They quickly found the arrow but then 1953;Vernadsky 1948 began fighting over whose it was. Ivan laughed to himself as he reboarded his ship NICHOLAS, SAINT and set sail with the Samosek Sword for the Russia kingdom of Nemal Chelovek. Anglicized name for Saint Nikolai of Two days later the ship landed and Ivan Mozhaisk. stepped ashore to find Nemal Chelovek’s See also: Nikolai of Mozhaisk, Saint NIKITA ROMANOV 205

NIEKIA brigand, which struck him in the temple, Russia knocking him senseless and dislodging him The daughter of the Moon, betrothed to from his perch. Il'ya Muromets then bound Nainas. Because the Sun wanted her to the brigand and took him back to Kiev, marry his son Peivalké, the Moon sent her where he paraded him before Prince daughter to be raised on earth by an elderly Vladimir Bright Sun. Then he took Solovei couple. Eventually the Sun discovered the out onto the steppe, where he was beheaded. whereabouts of Niekia and took her up to See also: Chernigov; Il'ya Muromets; Kiev; meet his son, a journey that left her badly Smorodinka; Solovei (~y) Rakhmatich; burned. She refused to marry Peivalké. In his Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince fury, the Sun threw the unfortunate Niekia back into her mother’s arms. The Moon NIKITA pressed Niekia to her breast, leaving an Russia imprint that is still visible to this day on the The husband of Amelfia Timofeyevna and lunar surface. father by her of Dobrynya Nikitich. Legends See also: Moon; Nainas; Peivalké; Sun indicate that Amelfia Timofeyevna was also married at one time to Buslai, and it would NIGHT thus appear either that Buslai died and Russia Amelfia Timofeyevna subsequently married There are no Slavic legends specifically Nikita, or vice versa. devoted to Night; however, the legends of See also: Amelf(i)a Timofe(y)evna; Buslai (~y); Baba-Yaga the witch describe him as being Dobrynya Nikitich under her command, like Sun and Day. In these tales Night is described as a horseman NIKITA ROMANOV with a black face, dressed from head to foot Russia in black, and riding a horse of the deepest The brother-in-law of Ivan Groznyi. He is black imaginable, complete with a black sad- featured in a story by the title of The Tsar dle and harness. Night is the brother of Resolves to Kill His Son. This bylina opens Day—his exact opposite—but Night’s rela- during a feast held in Moscow in honor of tionship to Sun is never revealed. Some say the state’s male and female warriors. During that Sun may be the father of both Day and the course of the feast, Ivan Groznyi learns Night, but this idea is not confirmed by any that his son Ivan Tsarevich has conspired of the stories in which Night appears. against him, and the tsar immediately has this See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Day; Sun son arrested and dragged off to the banks of the Moskva River where the executioner’s NIGHTINGALE block awaits him. The tsarina, Ivan Tsar- Russia evich’s mother, rushes to the house of her A brigand, half bird and half man, whose brother and tells him what has occurred.The Russian name was Solovei Rakhmatich. brother, named Nikita Romanov, hurries to Solovei lived in a nest, in a tree beside the the banks of the river, where he stops the stream called Smorodinka. For thirty years he execution. He then seeks out the informer had controlled the road between Chernigov who betrayed his nephew,and kills him. Ivan and Kiev, killing any who tried to pass with Groznyi acknowledges his mistake and his shrill whistle.When Il'ya Muromets trav- rewards Nikita Romanov for preventing the eled down this road, Solovei tried to unseat death of his son. However, it is this very the great knight but only succeeded in mak- tsarevich whom history records as having ing his horse stumble. Quickly regaining his been killed by his father in 1581. Regardless balance, Il'ya Muromets shot an arrow at the of Nikita Romanov’s success in warding off 206 NIKITICH, DOBRYNYA disaster, Ivan Groznyi eventually accom- ents, especially at Christmas. His feast day is plishes the evil deed by his own hand. 6 December. See also: Bylina; Ivan Groznyi; Ivan Tsarevich; Saint Nikolai is featured in the story of Moscow; Nikita Romanov Sadko.The saint was credited by Sadko with References: Chadwick 1964; Chistov 1967 having helped him escape imprisonment beneath the sea by the Sea Tsar. As a gesture NIKITICH, DOBRYNYA of thanks to Saint Nikolai, Sadko—the rich- Russia est merchant in Novgorod—built a magnifi- See Dobrynya Nikitich. cent cathedral in Novgorod and dedicated it to him. NIKITIN, KOSTIA The protective nature of Saint Nikolai is Russia also well demonstrated in the story of Ivan See Kostia Nikitin. the merchant’s son. Ivan was placed under the protection of Saint Nikolai of Mozhaisk NIKOLAI OF MOZHAISK, SAINT and then made to keep vigil over the body of Russia the local tsar’s daughter, who was a witch. By One of the patron saints of Russia and a reading the Psalms, and with the help of patron saint of sailors, as well as one of the Nikolai, Ivan captured the witch when she most popular saints worldwide. He is known rose from her coffin and made her pray to in English as Saint Nicholas. Very little is God for absolution. Even though she did this known about the true Saint Nicholas other and was resurrected, she was still possessed by than that he was a bishop of Myra in Lycia evil. Seeing this, Saint Nikolai pushed the (southwest Turkey) during the fourth cen- girl into a bonfire and pulled her burning tury. As the patron saint of children, Saint body apart. Hordes of frogs, snakes, and other Nicholas became inextricably linked with reptiles—the source of her evil—crawled the tradition of giving and receiving pres- from her severed limbs and were burned in

Detail of Saint Nikolai of Mozhaisk, from a mosaic in Cappella Palatina, Palazzo Reale, Palermo, Italy (Alinari/Art Resource, NY) NOVGOROD 207 the fire. Saint Nikolai then restored the with No Bigger than a Finger to crawl out of princess to life, baptized her, and married her his stomach.The boy agreed on condition that to Ivan. Many years later, after his father-in- the wolf take him home. Back at the village, law died, Ivan ascended to the throne. No Bigger than a Finger crawled out of the See also: Nicholas, Saint; Novgorod; Sadko; wolf and took hold of it by the tail.Too weak Sea Tsar to run away, the wolf was easily killed by No References: Magarshack 1968 Bigger than a Finger’s old parents, with whom the boy was then reunited. NIKULICHNA, NASTAS'YA Russia NOBODY See Nastas'ya Nikulichna. Russia The name of the invisible being commonly NO BIGGER THAN A FINGER known as I-Know-Not-What, who lived at Russia I-Know-Not-Where and who was brought A tiny boy who was born when his mother thence by Petrushka. cut off her little finger while baking an apple See also: I-Know-Not-What; I-Know-Not- pie.When the boy went out to the fields to Where; Petrushka help his father plow, he told his father that should anyone offer to buy him, he should NOVAYA ZEMLYA be sold for as high a price as his father could Russia get.Then the boy told his father to rest.The A group of Russian islands in the Arctic little fellow climbed up to the horse’s ear to Ocean that separate the Barents Sea from the whisper instructions as he quickly finished Kara Sea. The Russian name, which means the plowing. “new land,” most commonly refers to the Just then a rich landowner came by and two largest islands. The northernmost of was amazed to see the horse plowing the these covers about 20,000 square miles field, apparently by itself. When the father (52,000 square kilometers) and is blanketed explained that his diminutive son was giving by glaciers.The Soviet Union tested nuclear it instructions, the landowner paid a very bombs here in the 1950s, and the island still high price for him and put the tiny boy in registers harmful levels of radiation today. his pocket. No Bigger than a Finger gnawed The large, southern island has an area of a hole in the pocket, jumped to the ground, about 15,000 square miles (38,800 square and started for home. kilometers), most of which is a treeless plain. That night, resting behind a blade of grass, Early Russians first discovered Novaya he overheard three thieves who were planning Zemlya between the eleventh and twelfth to steal a bull. He persuaded them that he centuries, but the islands remained uninhab- could be of help, so they took him along to ited until 1877, when the Samoyeds estab- the bull pen. No Bigger than a Finger entered lished the first permanent settlements there. the pen and led out the finest bull, which the Today a few Russians and Samoyeds live on thieves then shared among themselves, leaving the southern island. only the offal for No Bigger than a Finger, See also: Samoyeds who lay down to sleep beside it. During the night a hungry wolf came along and swal- NOVGOROD lowed the offal and the tiny fellow. Russia Alive in the wolf’s stomach, No Bigger than City on the Volkhov River in northwest a Finger gave it a very hard time, for each time Russia.A major trading city in medieval times it stalked a flock of sheep, a tiny voice rang out and the original capital of Russia, Novgorod to warn the shepherd. Finally the wolf pleaded was founded by the Viking chieftain Riurik 208 NOVOTORZHENI, KOSTIA in 862.The Viking merchants who went there NOVOTORZHENI, KOSTIA quickly became fully assimilated into the Russia native Slav population. The Russian capital See Kostia Novotorzheni. was moved to Kiev in 912, but this did little to harm the prosperity of Novgorod. It NUM developed a strong municipal government Samoyed that was run by the leaders of the various God of the sky, who had no form other craft guilds, and until the thirteenth century, than that of the air.The very first being, he it flourished as a major commercial center— subsequently created the universe from a a fact illustrated by the legend of Sadko. beak full of mud that one of the birds he Novgorod became a principal member of sent out over the primordial ocean brought the Hanseatic League, but by then its eco- back to him. nomy had started to decline.This decline was hastened by the rule of the boyar nobles who NYA wrested power away from the guilds in 1416. Slav In 1476 Novgorod came under the control God of the dead and ruler of the underworld of Ivan the Great, and it was sacked in 1570 realms of Rai, Peklo, and Nava. His name by Ivan Groznyi. comes from the root ny, which expresses the See also: Hanseatic League; Ivan Groznyi; idea of death. Ivan the Great; Kiev; Riurik; Sadko;Vikings See also: Nava; Peklo; Rai; Underworld,The From that day forth, Odz-Manouk had to be fed with maidens at the rate of one a day. Every morning the palace guards would go out into the countryside and drag back an unsuspecting maiden who would be lowered to her death through a hole in the roof of Odz-Manouk’s chamber. One day the guards brought back the most beautiful maiden in all the land, a girl by the name of Arevhat, OBIDA whom they lowered through the roof of Russia Othe chamber before they hurried away. A swan-maiden whose appearance was sup- Later that day the king went to look in on posed to be the precursor of bad times for his son and was astonished to find the girl the people and a barren period for agricul- still alive. His astonishment turned to bewil- ture. She is connected with Div and the per- derment when he saw that Odz-Manouk sonification of grief as a triune deity. Unless was no longer a dragon but had been trans- Obida was invoked and appeased with the formed into a handsome prince. This trans- correct rituals, she would fly over the land, formation came about because Arevhat had laying it to waste. spoken kindly to him and had not been See also: Div frightened by his appearance. Released from References: Mann 1979; Zenkovsky 1963 the chamber, Odz-Manouk and Arevhat soon were married. OBIN-MURT Some days later, Odz-Manouk asked his Votyak new wife exactly who she was. She told him “Rain man,” the god of rain. that she was an orphan and had not always been the radiant woman he saw before him. OD(LEK) Once she had been an ordinary girl. One Mongolia day, while she sat on a hillside sewing, her Variant name(s) for Tengri. bobbin fell down a narrow ravine. She reached down into the crevice but could not ODZ-MANOUK reach the bobbin. Then she saw an old Armenia woman standing at the bottom.The woman “Serpent Child,” the dragon born to an told her how she could enter and retrieve unnamed king and queen. One week after the lost item. his birth the child, who had been born as a Once Arevhat was inside, however, the snake, became a dragon, and had to be entrance disappeared. The girl realized that locked away in a special chamber for fear of she was in the presence of a witch.The witch what he might do if allowed to roam free. first asked Arevhat to clean her home, which Odz-Manouk was offered all the finest foods she did, and then to comb her hair. Arevhat in the kingdom, but he did not touch any of performed these tasks with kindness. Then it, and before long his roars of hunger threat- she allowed the old woman to rest her head ened to shake the very palace apart.Then, by in her lap while she slept, having first given chance, the daughter of the king’s chamber- Arevhat instructions to wake her when she lain went to see Odz-Manouk, who saw yellow water flowing.Arevhat did as she snatched her up and quickly ate her. was instructed; and when the old woman

209 210 OHAN awakened, she took Arevhat by the ankles the throne passed to Igor, his son-in-law,and and plunged her into the yellow water.Then then to his daughter Olga after the murder of she sent her on her way, transformed into a Igor. radiant beauty; and it was thus that she had See also: Kiev; Olga; Riurik been brought to the palace. References: Chadwick 1964; Cross and See also: Arevhat Sherbowitz-Wetzor 1953;Waliszewski 1926 References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, vol. 1 OLGA Russia OHAN The wife of Igor, and the daughter of Oleg. Armenia Following the murder of her husband, Olga The laborer father of an unnamed youth was courted by Prince Mal, the peaceful who became known as the Apprentice. leader of the Derevliane, who sought her See also: Apprentice,The hand in an attempt to acquire the Kievan kingdom.What happened then is related in a OKA folktale known as Olga’s Revenge. Russia Upon hearing the suit of Prince Mal, A river that barred the passage of Il'ya Olga sent messengers to the Derevliane ask- Muromets on his journey from Murom to ing them to send envoys so that they might Kiev.He was able to cross the river only after discuss a possible marriage alliance. When he asked her permission and thanked her for those envoys arrived, however, Olga immedi- the fertility she brought to the surrounding ately had them thrown into a deep trench land. That alone would not have been and buried alive. Next Olga sent for further enough: The Oka allowed him passage also envoys to visit her, inviting them to a great because his mother had blessed his journey feast at which the proposed alliance would and because he was riding his wondrous horse, Borushka Matushka or Kosmatushka. See also: Borushka Matushka; Il'ya Muromets; Kiev; Kosmatushka; Murom

OLEG Russia Historical prince of Kiev who died in 912. He was successor to Riurik and had a daughter named Olga. According to the Russian chronicles, Oleg asked his wizards how he would meet his death.They told him that he would be killed by his favorite horse. Reluctantly Oleg banished the animal from the court and had it released far out on the steppe. Many years later Oleg heard that the horse had died and rode out to the place, where he was shown the animal’s skeleton. Dismounting, he placed one foot onto the skull of the animal—upon which a poi- sonous viper shot out of one eye socket and bit him on the ankle. Several days later Oleg An undated illustration of Prince Oleg (RIA- died, fulfilling the prophecy. After his death Novosti/Sovfoto) OSSETES 211 be discussed. When these envoys arrived, plete the tasks set by Elena the Fair, which Olga invited them to refresh themselves in revealed the treachery of Ivan’s brothers Peter the bathhouse and then had her men set fire Belyaninovich and Vasilii Belyaninovich. to the bathhouse with her guests inside. See also: Ivan Belyaninovich; Lame; Peter Now Olga turned her wrath directly (Belyaninovich);Vasilii Belyaninovich; upon Prince Mal and the Derevliane. She Whirlwind and her entourage traveled to the grave of Igor, her husband, which happened to lie OPSIKION within Derevlian territory.There she invited Slav the Derevliane to a feast in Igor’s honor. Slav colony that was at one time under the When all her guests were drunk, her men governorship of Methodius, the brother of hacked them to pieces. Then she assumed Saint Cyril. command of the army and demanded three See also: Cyril and Methodius, Saints pigeons and three sparrows as tribute from every Derevlian household.When these were ORSEL delivered, she fixed firebrands to their claws Slav and set them free so that they might fly back Variant name for Ursula. to their homes and burn the Derevlian houses. Olga went on to vanquish Prince ORT Mal. Not only did the Derevliane fail to gain Finno-Ugric—Cheremiss the Kievan kingdom, but Olga conquered Cheremiss word for the spirit or soul with the Derevlian land. which all things, animate and inanimate, are See also: Derevliane; Igor; Kiev; Mal, Prince; imbued.Among the Votyaks this soul is called Oleg the urt. References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor See also: Cheremiss-Mordvin; Urt;Votyaks 1953 OSSETES ONCE A WOLF,ALWAYS A WOLF Russia Armenia People descended from the ancient Alans, A wolf once walked the hills above a flock of who speak Ossetic, a language of the Iranian sheep and called down his blessings on them. branch of the subfamily of Indo-Iranian lan- The oldest sheep of the flock listened to the guages. Ossetic has two dialects, Iron and blessing and then turned to the remainder of Digor, both of which are written using the the flock and warned them not to listen, for Latin alphabet (previously, the Armenian a wolf would always be a wolf, no matter alphabet was used).The Ossetes traditionally what he said or did to the contrary. inhabited Ossetia, a region in the central One of the fables of Vardan. Caucasus (part of Caucasia), the northern See also: Vardan areas of which are in Russia and the south- References: Marr 1894–99 ern areas in the republic of Georgia. Os- setians presently number about 600,000.The ONE-EYE northern Ossetians are Sunnites. They Russia export timber and cultivate various crops, One of the two servants of Whirlwind. He especially maize.The southern Ossetians are and his companion, Lame, are so called Eastern Orthodox Christians and are chiefly because that is exactly what they were. pastoral, herding sheep, goats, and cattle. Endowed with magical powers, they helped Traditional industry includes the manufac- Ivan Belyaninovich to return home after he turing of leather goods, fur caps, daggers, killed Whirlwind, and once there, to com- and metalware. Christianity was introduced 212 OSTYAKS to Ossetia in the twelfth century.The region OVERTURN MOUNTAIN was conquered by Russia in 1802–1806. Russia These people tell a very similar story to that A giant who appears in the story of Ivan the of the passing of King Arthur—a story that Mute. During Ivan’s flight from home to might have been carried to the area by the escape his unborn sister, who he had been Romans, though this connection has not told would be a terrible witch, Ivan sought been proved. to live with Overturn Mountain. The giant See also: Alans;Arthur, King; Caucasus; told Ivan that he would take him in if it were Georgia not for the fact that the giant did not have long to live; he would die as soon as he had OSTYAKS overturned the mountain range he was General working on. Ancient indigenous people from western Later, as Ivan returned home from the Siberia closely related to the Voguls. They sanctuary given him by Sun’s Sister, he found speak Ostyak, a language of the Ugric that Overturn Mountain only had two branch of the Finno-Ugric language family, mountains left to topple. As Ivan the Mute and inhabit the upland valleys of the Ural did not want to see his friend die, he threw Mountains, principally the basin of the Ob' down a brush that Sun’s Sister had given River.The name is also applied to a group of him, which caused a huge mountain range to peoples of different languages, the so-called spring up from the earth. These mountains Ostyak-Samoyeds, living between the Urals Overturn Mountain later toppled into the and the Yenisey River. Ostyaks live chiefly by path of the witch as she chased Ivan back to hunting and fishing. Their handicrafts the home of Sun’s Sister, thus delaying the include carving in wood, bone, and birch witch long enough to allow Ivan to reach bark. As with many early peoples of Asiatic safety. Russia, very little remains of the customs and See also: Ivan the Mute; Sun’s Sister beliefs of these people. They were almost totally assimilated by the invading and con- OVINNIK quering Russians. Slav See also: Finno-Ugric; Samoyeds; Siberia; The spirit of the barn—from ovin (barn)— Ural Mountains;Voguls who looked like a large black cat with fiery eyes but had a fierce bark like a dog. If fed, the Ovinnik would protect the barn and its General occupants. If forgotten, the spirit would A concept common to many cultures. To become malevolent and help itself to the some it is the land of the dead; to most it is livestock housed in the barn. a spiritual land where strange beings and creatures abide. It can usually be reached by OVSEN' the living after a long, torturous journey; but Russia only those of extreme cunning—or luck— “Garden,” an archaic name for the festival of ever return. In that respect it is a sort of the Koliada in the Volga region, along with limbo, a land between life and death through Vinograd. Ovsen' may have been named which all must pass and from which only after the goddess of spring,. those with the knowledge, ability, or help of See also: Koliada;Vesna;Vinograd;Volga the gods can ever hope to return. References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Potebnia 1865 when Vol'ga Buslavlevich gathered together his bogatyri and marched into Turkey.Volga and his bogatyri killed the sultan and his men, released Queen Pantalovna, and then divided the rich spoils equally among themselves. See also: Bogatyr';Vol'ga Buslavlevich

PARAKHA Russia The eldest of the two stepsisters of PANNONIA Marfusha, and the only one of the two to General Pbe named. Unlike Marfusha, she and her Ancient country of Illyria, bounded on the unnamed sister died when they were left north and east by the Danube River, on the to be married to the frost demon south by Dalmatia, and on the west by Morozko. Noricum and parts of upper Italy. Pannonia See also: Frost; Marfusha; Morozko included parts of modern Austria, Hungary, Croatia, and Slovenia. It received its name PARASKEVA, SAINT from the Pannonians, a people probably of Russia Illyrian origin, who lived there in ancient Apocryphal saint who appears to have times. Octavian, who later became the adopted many functions of Mokosh. One of Roman emperor Augustus, invaded Pan- the few truly Russian saints, Paraskeva is of nonia in 35 B.C. but was unable to subdue pagan origin. She was usually referred to in the country until 9 B.C., when he made it a her dual identity as Paraskeva-Piatnitsa, or part of Illyricum, a colony established by the “Saint Friday.” The epithet of “Friday” Romans in 168 B.C. The Pannonians moved applied to this most popular Russian saint to the north of the region after an insurrec- appears to have come from the translation of tion in A.D. 6 was suppressed, and in A.D.10 the Greek word paraskeva, meaning the day this area became the separate Roman before the Sabbath, or Friday. Friday was province of Pannonia. In the early second sacred to the goddess Zhiva, and it would century the Roman emperor Trajan divided seem that the connection being sought by the province into Upper Pannonia and Christian missionaries was again one of Lower Pannonia, but by the end of the assimilation by association. fourth century the region was abandoned by Celebration of Saint Paraskeva, however, Rome. Subsequently Pannonia was held suc- remained pagan, being condemned in 1589 cessively by the Huns, Ostrogoths, Lom- by the patriarch of Constantinople. Twelve bards, Avars, and Slavs. The Magyars took Fridays throughout the year were believed possession of most of the area at the end of sacred to Paraskeva, and on these days, men the eleventh century. and women, both young and old, would See also: Avars; Croatia; Danube; Hungary; strip naked and jump and shake, saying that Magyars; Slovenia they had seen Saints Paraskeva and Anastasia and had been ordered to honor them with PANTALOVNA, QUEEN their lascivious dances.The Stoglav Council, Russia set up during the latter half of the sixteenth At one time held captive by a sultan of century by Ivan Groznyi, also condemned Turkey, Queen Pantalovna was released the festivals, calling them orgies. However,

213 214 PARASKEVA GRIAZNAIA the cult continued, especially in Ukraine, Christianity came into direct conflict where Friday was considered the Sabbath through the cult of Paraskeva, giving way over Sunday until well into the eighteenth eventually to an uneasy coexistence of the century. two, called “double faith” (dvoeverie). Only The Stoglav Council issued a decree, after many generations did Paraskeva’s pagan known unsurprisingly as the Stoglav docu- influence begin to wane, giving the advan- ment, denouncing Saint Paraskeva as the tage to the Orthodox rite. Paraskeva was not goddess of fate connected with two other only worshiped as a saint but was also saints with pagan roots—Saints Sreda and remembered in folklore, where she has two Nedelia. All three were seen as the triune names—Paraskeva Griaznaia, “Muddy Fates, spinners who wove the course of Paraskeva” or “Dirty Paraskeva,” and Para- mankind’s life, and as mistresses of the cosmic skeva L’nianitsa,“Flaxen Paraskeva.” In these order. This, of course, the Christian church two guises she was identified with Mother could not accept, as it would place the three Earth and the bounty she provided. saints on the same plane as God. See also: Anastasia, Saint; Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, Paraskeva was represented in folklore and -Iaga); Constantinople; Dvoeverie; Ivan icons as a tall, thin woman with long, flow- Groznyi; Mokosh; Moscow; Mother Earth; ing hair, the hair being an uncharacteristic Nedelia, Saint; Paraskeva Griaznaia; Paraskeva trait in a country where long hair was usu- L'nianitsa; Paraskeva-Piatnitsa; Sreda, Saint; Tree of Life,The; Ukraine; Underworld,The; ally plaited. She was surrounded by her Zhiva twelve “apostles”—another aspect of her References: Afanas'ev 1916 and 1865–69; cult that brought it into direct conflict with Bezsonov 1861; Chicherov 1957; Dal' 1957; the Stoglav Council. The members of the Haase 1939; Kologrivof 1953; Meyer 1931; Council considered the cult a mockery of Potebnia 1865; Ralston 1872;Warner 1976 the Christian faith and an unveiled attempt to assimilate Christianity with paganism, PARASKEVA GRIAZNAIA rather than the other way around. Para- Russia skeva’s icons were even said to have been “Muddy Paraskeva” or “Dirty Paraskeva,” a “miraculously” discovered, as various name given to Saint Paraskeva in popular Christian icons had—claims that were again Russian belief that seems to identify this an open challenge to the Orthodox faith aspect of the pagan goddess-saint as Mother because they explicitly identified Paraskeva Earth. with the Tree of Life. So widespread and See also: Mother Earth; Paraskeva, Saint well integrated was her cult that at one time, References: Chicherov 1957; Dal' 1957; right in the heart of the Russian Empire, in Potebnia 1865 Red Square in Moscow,there stood a chapel dedicated to Paraskeva that was open only to PARASKEVA L'NIANITSA women, who came there to worship on Russia Fridays. “Flaxen Paraskeva,” a name given to Saint Worship of Paraskeva was perhaps the Paraskeva that identifies the pagan goddess- most entrenched pagan tradition of all and it saint with the bounty provided by Mother proved the most difficult for the Orthodox Earth, who is represented by Paraskeva church to eradicate, particularly among the Griaznaia. peasantry. The saint was as feared as Baba- See also: Mother Earth; Paraskeva, Saint; Yaga, being associated with death and the Paraskeva Griaznaia underworld, but at the same time was as References: Chicherov 1957; Dal' 1957; revered as the Virgin Mary. Paganism and Potebnia 1865 PEASANT,THE PRIEST,AND THE GOLD,THE 215

PARASKEVA-PIATNITSA See also: Dark Princess,The; Devil,The; Russia Fevroniia; Murom; Peter of Murom Dual aspect of Saint Paraskeva in which she References: Zenkovsky 1963 represented the duality of Paraskeva Griaznaia and Paraskeva L'nianitsa, at once Mother PEASANT,THE PRIEST,AND THE Earth and the bounty she provided. As the GOLD,THE mistress of animals, she granted mankind the Russia right to hunt, provided that they did not vio- A very poor, very old peasant who had no late the sanctity of Friday,her day.She was the money to bury his beloved wife went cap in patroness of marriage as well as the provider hand to his neighbors to ask them to help of children, acting as a protectress of women him dig a grave. No one would help, so the during childbirth, thus ensuring her continu- peasant went to the local priest to ask him to ing popularity among women long after bury his wife. The priest was a greedy man Christianity had been adopted and accepted and he immediately asked the old peasant by most. who was going to pay for the service. The See also: Mother Earth; Paraskeva, Saint; peasant replied that he had no money but he Paraskeva Griaznaia; Paraskeva L'nianitsa would gladly work for the priest in repay- References: Chicherov 1957 ment. The priest laughed and told the old man to bury his wife himself. PATRIMPAS As the snow fell, the old man wielded his Slav spade against the frozen soil. Hour after hour The god of rivers, streams, and springs, but he toiled, until his spade hit something hard not of lakes. in the ground, something that shone in the light of the old man’s lantern. Minutes later, PAUL his tools discarded, the old man hurried Russia home with a chest of gold under his thin The Christian ruler of Murom. His wife, cloak. euphemistically referred to as the Dark The very next day the old man went back Princess, was visited by the Devil in the form to the priest and this time was able to pay of a serpent, though only she could recog- him a gold coin to bury his wife. After the nize the Devil and those around her saw the funeral service, the priest and his retinue image of Paul.When she told her husband of went to the humble home of the peasant for the visit she had received in her bedchamber, the pominki (the name given to the tradi- Paul advised her to discover from the Devil tional Russian feast in memory of the dead), the manner of his death. She did as he asked, and there the peasant told the priest what he and found out that Paul’s brother Peter of had found. Greed flashed across the face of Murom would kill him. However, when the priest, who immediately made plans to Peter came to do the dirty deed, he only suc- deprive the old man of his gold. ceeded in killing the serpent that had When the priest returned home, he had assumed Paul’s guise. Even though Peter only his wife kill and skin their goat, making sure managed to kill the semblance of his brother, that the horns remained attached to the pelt, all reference to Paul disappears from the leg- and then he had her sew him up inside it. end at this point; perhaps by killing his Satisfied that he could never be recognized, brother’s image Peter did indeed manage to the priest made his way to the home of the dispatch Paul himself. peasant and introduced himself as the Devil, For a full account of this legend see the come to reclaim the gold that he had buried entry for Fevroniia or Peter of Murom. in the graveyard. The peasant gave up the 216 PECHENEGS chest and the priest hurried home, sure that became aware of Niekia’s existence and car- he had become a very rich man. However, ried her up to meet his son, but she was when his wife came to cut away the severely scorched and adamant that she goatskin, she could not, for it had become would not marry Peivalké. Furiously,the Sun part of the priest, and every time she cut the flung Niekia back into the arms of the skin, she cut her husband as well. Moon, her mother, who pressed her to her The priest prayed for forgiveness and heart.Tradition has it that Niekia’s face is vis- returned the gold to the peasant, who lived ible to this day on the surface of the moon. the rest of his life in comfort. The priest See also: Moon; Nainas; Niekia; Sun remained trapped in the goatskin and was thus punished by both God and the Devil, as PEKLO he had offended both. Russia See also: Devil,The One of many names applied to the under- world, Peklo is associated with pech' (a verb PECHENEGS meaning “to bake,” and a noun meaning General “oven” or “furnace”). In ancient times this An ancient, warlike, nomadic tribe of the word evoked the comforting warmth of par- Black Sea steppes. adisal realms rather than the scorching heat See also: Black Sea of hell—the modern, post-Christian inter- pretation. PECHERSKAIA LAVRA See also: Nava; Rai; Underworld,The Russia References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Haase 1939 The very first Russian monastery, built dur- ing the tenth century, in Kiev. Pecherskaia PERKONIS Lavra consisted of a series of caves connected Prussia by a honeycomb of tunnels bored into the The thunder god, the Prussian version of limestone cliffs above the city.The site was the Lithuanian Perkunas. His sanctuaries thought to be guarded by the Virgin Mary. contained a fire that was never allowed to See also: Kiev go out. References: Bezsonov 1861 See also: Perkunas

PEIVALKÉ PERKONS Russia Latvia The Sun’s son. When he announced to his The Latvian thunder god, the equivalent of father that he had attempted to find a bride, the Lithuanian Perkunas and the Prussian his father replied that he had heard that the Perkonis. Moon had just had a daughter and that he See also: Perkonis; Perkunas would approach the Moon about a betrothal. The Moon was horrified at the prospect and PERKUNAS protested that the Sun would scorch her del- Lithuania icate daughter, but the Sun simply waved the The thunder god who was known as Moon’s objections aside. She then told the Perkons in Latvia, Perkonis in Prussia, and Sun that her daughter was already betrothed Perun in Russia and the Czech lands. to Nainas. At this the Sun became so angry Perkunas was perceived as a vigorous red- that everyone on earth had to take cover. bearded man brandishing an ax as he rode To protect her daughter, the Moon sent across the sky in his rattling chariot drawn by her to be raised on earth by an elderly cou- a billy goat. These attributes are remarkably ple who called her Niekia. Finally the Sun similar to those of the Norse god of thunder, PERUN 217

Thórr, which leads to the conjecture that Peron (“curse”) in Slovakia, and Perun in Perkunas is a Lithuanian variant of that deity. Russia and the Czech lands. His name is Perkunas lives in a castle on the top of the possibly cognate with that of Paranjanya, an slippery slope of the sky (see Dausos), where epithet of the Hindu storm god . Perun as the agent of good and justice, he attacks was depicted with a head of silver and a gold the Devil with his . He also dis- mustache. In the tenth century an idol of penses justice on mankind, either striking Perun stood in Novgorod near Lake Il'men', down evil men with his thunderbolt or strik- around which six eternal fires burned. ing their homes with lightning. The thun- Regarded as the lord of the universe, Perun derbolt of Perkunas is, as in many other lived in the sky and had absolute control mythologies, conceived of as a symbol of fer- over the weather. When he was angry, he tility, and in spring the thunder of Perkunas caused thunderstorms and sent lightning to is believed to purify the earth of the evil spir- strike down people who had offended him. its of winter and bring it back to life. Belemnite fossils, which formed around the See also: Dausos; Devil,The; Perun arrow-like internal bone of a creature simi- lar to the cuttlefish, traditionally were PERMYAKS regarded by those who found them as mis- General siles flung down by Perun, and they were Indigenous people from a region to the east thus called “thunder arrows.” Perun’s thun- of the Ural Mountains, related to the Votyaks derbolts also were considered a potent fertil- and Zyrians, who have been almost totally ity symbol because they were thought to assimilated by the Russians. Their Finno- awaken the earth in spring from its death- Ugric language is still spoken in a few iso- like winter sleep. lated places, but virtually nothing remains of God of war as well as thunder, Perun was their ancient traditions and beliefs. believed to ride across the sky in an iron See also: Finno-Ugric; Ural Mountains; chariot pulled by an enormous billy goat and Votyaks; Zyrians to carry a bow and arrows as well as a heavy cudgel, a spear, and a battle-ax that always PEROM (~N) returned to his hand after it was thrown.The Slovakia protector of soldiers, the god could bestow Literally, “Curse.” The Slovak name for victory on those he favored. For this reason, Perun, the god of thunder and rain. when military or commercial treaties were See also: Perun concluded, it was by their naked swords and by Perun that the Russians swore to keep PERPERUNA their word. Very much an exclusive deity, Russia Perun had no priests, his rites being per- Virgin goddess who invokes rain. Perperuna formed by princes and military leaders. is identified as a feminine personification of However, the common populace did regard the great god Perun. him as necessary to their everyday existence, See also: Perun for without his intervention every morning, References: Frazer Darkness would hold the Sun prisoner in a cell whose door was impregnable to every- PERUN thing but Perun’s lightning. Slav Cockerels and other animals were offered Also: Perom; Peron; Pikker; Piorun; Pyerun as votives to Perun, and human sacrifices in The god of thunder and rain, known as his honor also were common. One recorded Perkonis in Prussia, Perkons in Latvia, example of the latter was a Viking living in Perkunas in Lithuania, Perusan in Bulgaria, Kiev who was chosen by Vladimir I to be the 218 PERUSAN sacrificial victim following a successful raid. PERUSAN The Viking, a Christian, refused to be the Bulgaria votive for a pagan god, but he was nonethe- The Bulgar name for Perun, the god of less sacrificed as Vladimir I had ordered. thunder and rain. Perun was especially honored in pre- See also: Perun Christian times at a spring festival where young maidens would dance themselves to PESEIAS death in his honor, a practice that later Slav became the inspiration for Stravinsky’s The One of the two patrons of domestic animals, Rite of Spring. Over time, the rite was modi- the other being Krukis. fied to become a ceremonial ring-dance in See also: Krukis which all the virgins of a village or a no- madic group took part. PETAR LONZARIC In 988, when Vladimir I made the polit- Croatia ical decision to accept Christianity as part A notorious gambler from the thirteenth of a pact with the Byzantine emperor Basil century who was playing cards outside the II,Vladimir ordered that all the pagan idols church of St. Vid in Rijeka (Vid being the be destroyed.The statue of Perun that stood Slav form of Vitus) and losing badly.Enraged outside his palace in Kiev was tied to a by his bad luck, he began to blaspheme, horse, beaten with metal rods, and finally blaming the saint for his misfortune. cast into the waters of the Dnieper. Even Throwing yet another losing hand of cards though Christianity was the new official onto the ground, he raced into the church faith in Russia, Christian missionaries found and began hurling accusations at God. Not it enormously difficult to stamp out wor- content with that, he snatched up a large ship of this . In Novgorod stone and hurled it at the crucifix hanging he was apparently tolerated well into the above the altar.The figure on the cross began Christian era, as records show that the statue to bleed, and Petar Lonzaric suffered divine of Perun was solemnly flogged each year to retribution for his actions: As he left the rid it of demonic forces. In other areas church, the ground opened up and swal- Perun was simply amalgamated with the lowed him, except for one hand, which prophet Elijah—or Il'ya, as he was known in remained thrust from the ground in a spasm Russia—because according to the Old of death. The governor of the city ordered Testament, Elijah shared many of Perun’s the hand cut off and cremated. powers, including the ability to call down This legendary event is commemorated in rain or fire from heaven. Some say that the church of St.Vid by a bronze hand dan- Perun became Il'ya Muromets, the bogatyr', gling from the cross above the altar and by a although separate legends of Perun and Il'ya stone, attached to the figure of Christ, bear- Muromets appear to have sprung up side by ing an inscription to the effect that Petar side. Lonzaric’s attack took place in 1296. Perun and two other ancient gods, Khors and Mokosh, together form a trinity. PETER (BELYANINOVICH) Russia See also: Anna; Basil II, Bulgaroctonus; Bogatyr'; Darkness; Dnieper; Il'men', Lake; Son of Bel Belyanin and Nastas'ya of the Il'ya; Il'ya Muromets; Khor(s); Kiev; Golden Braid, and brother to Vasilii Mokosh; Novgorod; Perkunas; Sun;Vikings; Belyaninovich and Ivan Belyaninovich.After Vladimir I Ivan rescued their mother from Whirlwind, References: Gimbutas 1971; Ivanov and Peter and Vasilii left their young brother Toporov 1965; Potebnia 1865 stranded and returned home to claim credit PETER OF MUROM 219 for the rescue.The truth eventually came out long before and that she would cure him of and their father wanted to have them exe- his affliction on the condition that he marry cuted, but Ivan interceded. Peter then mar- her. Peter immediately agreed; and no sooner ried the tsaritsa of the Silver Kingdom and had he done so than his sores disappeared and Vasilii the tsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom, his strength was renewed. However, Peter and Ivan married Elena the Fair, the tsaritsa now saw no reason to marry the maiden, and of the Golden Kingdom—all three maidens he made to leave the cottage.As he did so, his having been rescued by Ivan Belyaninovich strength sapped away and the sores again when he freed his mother. erupted. Convinced that he had no choice in See also: Bel Belyanin; Copper Kingdom, the matter, Peter agreed to the union, and the The; Elena the Fair; Golden Kingdom,The; couple were duly married. Ivan Belyaninovich; Nastas'ya of the Golden At their wedding the woman told Peter Braid; Silver Kingdom,The;Vasilii that her name—or rather the name she had Belyaninovich;Whirlwind chosen to use as his wife—was Fevroniia. Together Peter and Fevroniia traveled back PETER OF MUROM to Murom, where the influential boyars, Russia angered that Peter had married a mere peas- The brother of Paul, who was a Christian ant, accused Fevroniia of bad manners at the ruler of the city of Murom. Paul’s wife, feast thrown in honor of their prince. euphemistically referred to as the Dark Fevroniia retaliated by performing a series of Princess, was visited by the Devil in the form miracles, such as turning crumbs from the of a serpent. Only she could recognize the table into frankincense and myrrh. These Devil in this serpent, whereas those around acts, however, did not alleviate the anger of her saw only the image of Paul. When she the boyars, who demanded that she be ban- told her husband of the visit she had received ished from court because she was a powerful in her bedchamber, Paul advised her to dis- sorceress and would hold their wives in her cover from the Devil the manner of his power. Fevroniia agreed to leave Murom, death. She did as he asked, and found out provided Peter accompany her. that Paul’s brother Peter would kill him. So Peter, Fevroniia, and their retinue set However, when Peter came to do the dirty out from Murom by boat. As they made deed he succeeded only in killing the serpent camp that evening, Peter expressed worry that had assumed Paul’s guise. It is worth about their exile. Fevroniia assuaged his fears pointing out that at this point in the legend by performing another miracle: She picked all references to the Dark Princess stop, and up the branches that had been cut to fuel the it can only be assumed that she was, in fact, cooking fire and blessed them, saying that by a servant of the Devil, and when she had morning they would be great trees. True accomplished her purpose, she returned to enough, the following morning Peter and his eternal damnation. coterie awakened to find themselves in the Peter, however, had been tainted by the middle of a great forest, whereas they had blood of the serpent. Covered in sores, he set been on the edge of a small wood the night out in search of a cure for himself and his before. Peter and Fevroniia remained there kingdom, which had been struck down as a until news was brought to them of a fratrici- result of his apparent fratricide.Traveling with dal war that had broken out among the a large coterie, Peter arrived at a village called boyars in Murom, who were asking Peter Charity, where he was carried to an isolated and Fevroniia to return and rule over them. cottage in which a very beautiful, half-naked This they did; but while Peter was the fig- woman sat spinning. The spinner told Peter urehead, the true ruler of Murom was that she lived alone as her family had died Fevroniia. 220 PETROV DEN'

Many years passed, and the couple ruled See also: Lado; Petrovki; Rus(s)alki (~ulki); Murom wisely. After Peter died and was Underworld,The buried in the cathedral, Fevroniia died by her References: Snegirev 1837–39; Sokolov 1945; own will on the feast of Kupalo. She was Zabylin 1880 buried outside the city walls, in emphasis of her pagan and peasant origins; but the fol- PETROVKI lowing morning the boyars discovered her Russia grave was beside that of her husband, inside Popular name for the pagan festival held on the cathedral grounds. Petrov Den', Saint Peter’s Day, just before Fevroniia, as symbolized by her legendary harvest time. transformation of the cut branches into a See also: Petrov Den' fully grown forest, is a personification of the pagan tree goddess. This story, which was PETRUSHKA recorded by the fifteenth-century monk Russia Ermolai-erazm, demonstrates the willingness The favorite archer of an unnamed tsar, he of the Christian faith to accept certain cen- was relied upon to supply the finest meat for tral aspects of the ancient pagan religions and the tsar’s table. One day, however, Petrushka shows that the two belief systems lived hap- was having no luck at all.All day long he had pily side by side so long as Christianity was neither seen nor heard any prey suitable for demonstrably the more potent (as was well his master. Trudging wearily back to the illustrated by the burial of Peter in the cathe- palace, thinking about the punishment the dral and Fevroniia outside the city walls).The tsar might mete out, Petrushka saw a white magical movement of Fevroniia’s grave to dove seated in a tree. Carefully notching an the cathedral demonstrates that no matter arrow to his bow, Petrushka shot and whether pagan or Christian, God accepts all wounded the bird, which fell to the ground. into his kingdom after death. Petrushka ran up to the bird, picked it up, See also: Boyars; Charity; Dark Princess,The; and was about to wring its neck when the Devil,The; Fevroniia; Kupalo; Murom; Paul bird cried out to Petrushka to spare its life in References: Zenkovsky 1963 return for a wondrous reward. Petrushka agreed, and the dove gave him instructions PETROV DEN' on how he might obtain this reward. Russia Petrushka took the bird home, patched up Saint Peter’s Day, the Christianized festival its broken wing, and set it on his windowsill that preceded the harvest and thus welcomed so that it might rest. When the bird fell the degenerative powers of autumn.The fes- asleep, Petrushka tapped it with a finger as he tival was popularly referred to as “Petrovki.” had been instructed, whereupon the bird fell Women, married and single, were central to from the sill and instantly became the most the festival. On the eve of Petrov Den' the beautiful maiden in all Russia. Petrushka whole village would stay up to welcome the stared in amazement at the apparition before sun, called Lado, as it appeared from beneath his eyes. Masha the Dove Maiden (for that is the horizon, born again.The women would how she was known) said they should then gather and swing beneath trees, in imi- immediately marry, and Petrushka agreed. tation of the russalki. As they swung, they Their life together was extremely happy, would sing about the declining power and though the tsar paid Petrushka little and the vitality of the sun, about the ancestral spirits couple lived a life of abject poverty. in the underworld, and about the departure Petrushka’s entire life savings amounted to a of the water and woodland spirits, who were mere hundred rubles. One day Masha told leaving for their winter homes. her husband to take those hundred rubles PETRUSHKA 221

would not name a price. Finally, hearing the commotion, the tsar’s counselor came to see the carpet and immediately offered Petrushka five thousand rubles for it. Petrushka accepted the money, and the counselor set off for the palace with the carpet under his arm. At the palace the counselor showed the tsar the new carpet. The tsar immediately recognized it as a woven tableau of his king- dom. So impressed was the tsar with the car- pet that he bought it from his counselor for fifty thousand rubles.The counselor decided that there was a great deal of money to be made from dealing with Petrushka.After the tsar retired to admire his new acquisition, the counselor rode to Petrushka’s lowly home and knocked on the door. However, when Masha opened the door, he was so dumb- struck by her beauty that he could not utter a single word, and so Masha closed the door, thinking that an idiot had called on her. The counselor rode back to the tsar and reported the beauty of Petrushka’s wife to his master. The tsar decided to see whether his A 1990 ballet depicting the story of Petrushka by the counselor was speaking the truth, and he Kirov Opera Company in 1996 (Sovfoto/Eastfoto) rode out to Petrushka’s home. He was equally stunned by Masha’s beauty. That evening the tsar summoned his counselor and buy her one hundred skeins of silk. and promised him half his kingdom if he Petrushka did as his wife asked; and while could dispose of Petrushka so that the tsar Masha worked the silk, Petrushka went to could make Masha his wife. bed. The following morning he awoke to The counselor pondered the problem, and find his wife asleep at the table, and the most was still pondering it when he was beautiful silk carpet he had ever seen approached by a rough peasant who offered stretched out in front of her. The work on his assistance in return for a goblet of wine. the carpet seemed to live, and Petrushka The counselor gave the peasant the required embraced his wife. payment, whereupon the peasant told the She told him to take the carpet into the counselor to advise the tsar to ask Petrushka city and sell it for the first price he was to travel to the underworld to see how the offered, warning him not to ask any price but tsar’s father was faring in that land—for there to let those interested give what they thought was never any return from the land of the was fair. Petrushka did not question his wife, dead.The counselor so advised the tsar, who as he knew there were forces afoot that he did commanded the hapless Petrushka to do as not understand. He simply gathered up the bidden or be put to death. Petrushka could carpet and went to the market.There he was do nothing but agree. He went home to tell soon surrounded by a good number of peo- Masha the news. ple who marveled at the carpet. Many asked She told him to sleep soundly. The fol- him what price he would take, but Petrushka lowing morning she gave him a gold ring, 222 PETRUSHKA which she told him to roll along the ground: Masha woke him in the morning and gave It would take him straight to the under- him three felt hats, a pair of pincers, and world. She also advised him to take the tsar’s three metal rods. Petrushka followed Masha’s counselor along as a companion because advice to the letter.As he drew near the cat, otherwise the tsar would never believe he put the three felt hats on his head and Petrushka’s report. Thus Petrushka set out, grasped the first metal bar in one hand and accompanied by the tsar’s counselor. the pincers in the other. The cat hissed and Together they followed the gold ring all the clawed viciously at Petrushka; but the hats way to the underworld. As they entered that protected him, although they were torn to dark realm they encountered an old man shreds. Shortly before the cat tore away the pulling a cart laden with wood, goaded by third hat, Petrushka managed to catch the two red-horned demons. flaying leg in the pincers and started to beat Petrushka recognized the old man as the the animal with the first metal rod, which tsar’s father. He called to the demons to allow was made of iron. When that bar broke, he the old man ten minutes to talk with him. picked up the second bar, made of brass, and The demons agreed, but only if the coun- continued to beat the cat; and when that bar selor took his place; so for ten minutes the broke, he took the last one, made of tin, and old tsar talked with Petrushka, while the continued the punishment. This bar grew counselor hauled the cart under a relentless hot and bent, but it did not break, and in the beating by the demons. end the cat begged mercy and promised to Petrushka and the counselor then re- go with Petrushka to his tsar. turned to the tsar’s palace and met with the When he stood again before the tsar, tsar, who was furious to see Petrushka back Petrushka bowed and told his ruler that he in his realm. At first the tsar refused to had accomplished his mission. The tsar believe Petrushka’s story,especially when the looked at the cat and asked Petrushka how he latter told him that his father advised him to could be sure that this was indeed Kot Bayun. be kinder to his subjects.The tsar was on the Petrushka released the cat, which immedi- verge of ordering his guards to take ately bared its teeth, arched its back, spat, and Petrushka away, when the counselor re- flew at the tsar’s throat.The tsar called out for vealed the marks from the beating he had help, whereupon Petrushka simply bran- received at the hands of the demons.The tsar dished the pincers and the tin bar, and the cat reluctantly allowed Petrushka to return returned to his side. Petrushka then locked home, and then set about berating his coun- the cat in a cage within the palace and selor for failing him, demanding that he returned to the arms of Masha his wife. devise a new plan. The tsar nursed his wounds and then Once more the counselor sought the called for his counselor, telling him that if he advice of the old peasant, who again ac- did not rid him of the troublesome Petrushka cepted a goblet of wine in payment for his once and for all, the counselor would lose his counsel. The peasant told the counselor to head.The counselor immediately sought out instruct the tsar to send Petrushka to the the rough peasant and bought a plan from Thrice-Ninth Kingdom, which lay in the him as he had done twice before, the pay- Thrice-Ninth Land, to capture Kot Bayun, ment once again being a single goblet of the talking cat, and bring him back. wine.The peasant this time advised the coun- The tsar followed his counselor’s advice, selor to tell the tsar to send Petrushka to I- and once again Petrushka returned crest- Know-Not-Where, with instructions to fallen to his wife, who told him to sleep return with I-Know-Not-What. soundly for in the morning she would equip The counselor relayed the plan to the tsar, him to safely undertake his task. Sure enough who in turn passed on these instructions to PETRUSHKA 223

Petrushka, who again returned home and the oldest living creature. The marsh stirred told Masha of his plight. This time Masha and the frog appeared. Baba-Yaga asked the was at a loss; but she sent her husband off the frog if it knew the place I-Know-Not-Where following morning with an embroidered and the thing I-Know-Not-What; and when towel and a ball of wool that he was to roll the frog replied that it did, the witch asked it on the ground and follow to the home of the to take Petrushka there. only person in all the world who might help. Babushka-Lyagushka-Skakushka said that Petrushka did as he was instructed and fol- she would do so, provided Petrushka first lowed the ball of wool. After a long journey carried her in a jug of fresh milk to the River the ball of wool came to rest beside the fence of Fire; for she was old, and without the reju- that surrounded a curious hut that stood on venating powers of that river, she would not chicken’s legs, a hut that Petrushka immedi- have the strength to undertake the journey. ately recognized as the home of the witch Baba-Yaga agreed and took the frog back to Baba-Yaga. her home in her pestle and mortar.There she As Petrushka entered the compound that prepared a jug of fresh milk, placed the frog surrounded the hut, it stopped revolving in in the jug, and woke her son-in-law and told the wind, and the witch came out to see who him what to do. had dared enter her dominion.When she saw Petrushka took the jug with the frog in it, Petrushka she cackled and sang about the mounted Baba-Yaga’s swiftest horse, and fine meal of Russian man she would dine on within a matter of a few minutes, stood that night. Unperturbed, Petrushka faced the beside the River of Fire. There Petrushka witch and told her that she would not enjoy took the frog out of the jug and placed her him as he was, grimy from his journey, and on the ground. Placing one foot in the River perhaps she would at least allow him to wash of Fire, Babushka-Lyagushka-Skakushka before she ate him. Baba-Yaga led him to a started to grow until she was the size of barrel of water, and Petrushka washed off the Petrushka’s horse.The frog told the archer to grime of the journey, taking out the towel climb on her back and hold tight, which Masha had given him to dry himself on. Petrushka did, waiting while the frog contin- When Baba-Yaga saw the towel, she asked ued to grow until it was higher than the Petrushka where he had come by it; and tallest tree in any forest.The frog made cer- when he said that Masha his wife had given tain that Petrushka was holding on tightly it to him, Baba-Yaga embraced Petrushka and then leaped high into the air.When they and welcomed him as her son-in-law, for came to earth, they found themselves in a Masha was Baba-Yaga’s daughter. Baba-Yaga foreign land. The frog slowly exhaled until led Petrushka into her unusual home, and she resumed her normal size. there she laid out a feast fit for any tsar.After Babushka-Lyagushka-Skakushka informed they had eaten, Petrushka explained his mis- Petrushka that they were now in I-Know- sion to his mother-in-law.She knew nothing Not-Where. The frog then told Petrushka of I-Know-Not-Where or of I-Know-Not- that he should go to the lowliest hut in a What, but she told Petrushka that he should nearby village and hide there behind the sleep and she would work on the problem stove, for within that hut lived I-Know-Not- that night. What. Petrushka thanked Babushka-Lya- As soon as Petrushka had fallen asleep gushka-Skakushka and set out. He found the Baba-Yaga took her pestle and mortar and hut with little difficulty and hid himself sailed through the night sky to the boundaries inside, as instructed. of the Green Marsh. There she stood on the A short time later an old man came in and edge and called out to Babushka-Lyagushka- told Nobody to bring him food. Instantly a Skakushka (“Grandmother Hopping Frog”), banquet appeared. The old man called out 224 PIKKER again, this time for drink, and a jug of wine the palace and asked a local woodsman appeared. After the old man had eaten and whose it was. When he was told that the drunk his fill, Petrushka crept out from owner of the palace was Petrushka, the tsar behind the stove and called to Nobody to commanded ten of his men to enter the accompany him. Then he left the hut with palace and drag Petrushka and his wife out; his mysterious companion and started back but when the tsar’s men advanced, the club toward the kingdom of the tsar and the arms flew from a window and quickly killed all of his beautiful wife. ten.The tsar then called out his entire army, After a short walk they came across a ban- but Petrushka saw what was happening, dit who owned an enormous club.The bandit opened the gusli, and plucked the first string. asked Petrushka for food, whereupon Pe- A vast sea appeared between the palace and trushka ordered Nobody to supply the bandit the tsar’s army. Petrushka then plucked the with food and drink. The bandit was so second string, and a fleet of ships appeared. impressed that he offered his club to Petrushka He then plucked the third string time and in exchange for Nobody, adding that his club, time again, and within a few short minutes unaided, would kill anyone its master ordered the tsar’s army was no more. it to kill. Petrushka agreed to the exchange and The tsar, horrified by these events, called then continued on his way.After he had gone out to Petrushka to stop, whereupon Pe- a short distance, he commanded the club to trushka closed the gusli, and the ships and the kill the bandit, which it did; and then he ocean vanished.Then Petrushka called out to ordered Nobody to return to him. the tsar to have his counselor put to death, A distance farther on, Petrushka came for it was his evil that had led to their prob- across a second bandit, this one carrying a lems; but when the counselor heard this, he gusli slung over his shoulder. Again Nobody took to his heels and fled. Petrushka sent his fed the man, and again Petrushka agreed to club after the counselor, and the latter fell as the exchange of Nobody for the gusli, which he ran for cover, his head caved in. had the power to create a vast sea when the From that day on, the tsar and Petrushka first string was plucked and a huge fleet of were close friends. The tsar gave his old ships when the second was plucked; and to archer half the kingdom in recompense for cause those ships to fire their cannons when- his service. Great banquets were often held ever the third string was plucked. However, a in the palace of Petrushka and Masha.When short distance away, Petrushka ordered his Petrushka was asked where Nobody came club to kill the bandit and to return Nobody from, he would reply “I-Know-Not- to him. Then he continued his journey Where,” and when asked what kind of homeward. being he was, he would reply “I-Know- After many weeks of travel, Petrushka Not-What.” returned home. To his dismay, he found the See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Babushka- door broken from its hinges and his wife Lyagushka-Skakushka; Dove Maiden; Green gone. Cursing the tsar, Petrushka saw a white Marsh; I-Know-Not-What; I-Know-Not- dove fly down toward him, and then before Where; Kot Bayun; Masha; Nobody; River of his eyes, change back into Masha, his wife. Fire,The;Thrice-Ninth Kingdom,The; Thrice-Ninth Land,The; Underworld,The The couple embraced. Masha told him that she had been forced to hide from the tsar. Petrushka then commanded Nobody to PIKKER build him an impenetrable palace, which Russia Nobody did with amazing speed. One of the variant names applied to Perun, Some weeks later the tsar was traveling the god of thunder and rain. through his kingdom when he came across See also: Perun POLAND 225

PIORUN Subbota coincides on the modern Christian Russia calendar with the Harvest Festival. One of the variant names applied to Perun, See also: Pokrov the god of thunder and rain. See also: Perun POLAND General PLENKOVICH, CHURILO Poland is a large central European nation that Russia borders the Baltic Sea and is bounded to the See Churilo Plenkovich. east by Russia, to the south by the former Czechoslovakia, and to the west by Ger- POKROV many. It is named for the Poliane, a Slavic Russia tribe that lived more than a thousand years The veil or dress of the Virgin Mary,allegedly ago in what is now Poland.The name Poliane brought from Jerusalem to Byzantium some- comes from a Slavic word meaning “inhabi- time during the fifth century and placed in a tants of the fields,” which aptly describes a church specially dedicated to it. On Pokrov country that is mostly covered in flat plains Day (Pokrovskaia Subbota) in October, and gently rolling hills. Poland has had a long which was inextricably linked to pagan fertil- and varied history. ity worship, it was believed that peasant girls Slavic tribes probably lived in what is of marriageable age would be granted favors now Poland as early as the second millen- by the Virgin Mary as she wandered through nium B.C. The various tribes were first unit- the countryside. In some areas, the day would ed under one ruler in the tenth century A.D., be marked by these young women coming under the Christian prince Mieczyslaw. In together to weave a veil to adorn the local 1025, Boleslaw was crowned the first king of icon of the Mother of God, behind whom stood Saint Paraskeva, associated with the pagan goddess of childbirth, Mokosh. By thus invoking the matriarchal powers of the Virgin, the young women would be assured a suitable marriage, protection from the tirades of their future husbands, and most important- ly, children. It was also a time when the women would ask for a good harvest, though this was not the primary function of the fes- tival of Pokrov Day. See also: Byzantium; Mokosh; Paraskeva, Saint; Pokrovskaia Subbota References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Haase 1939; Kondakov 1914–15; Potebnia 1865

POKROVSKAIA SUBBOTA Russia Literally,“Sabbath of Protection” or “Sabbath of Intercession.” The true name of Pokrov Day, a festival in October at which women (in the main) paid homage to the veil of the Virgin Mary and were thus ensured fertility Engraving of Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a Polish patriot and a good, safe marriage. Pokrovskaia (1746–1817), in battle (Archive Photos) 226 POLEL

Poland, but after his death later that year, In 1815 a small, self-governing Kingdom Poland went through periods of warfare and of Poland was created under Russian control. disunity. By the mid-twelfth century, it had In 1830, Poles in the Kingdom of Poland broken up into several sections, each ruled rebelled against the Russians, but Russia by a different noble. Mongols devastated the crushed the revolt. Other unsuccessful revolts country in 1241. Some time later, German were launched against Austria and Prussia, and Jewish refugees began to migrate into and after a second revolt in the Kingdom of Poland and settle among the Slavic indi- Poland in 1863, Russia tried to destroy genes. In 1386, Queen Jadwiga of Poland Polish culture by making Russian the official married Wladyslaw Jagiello, the Grand Duke language there. After 1871, when Prussia of Lithuania—a move that combined both formed the German Empire, Poles under countries’ rule under a single monarch, Prussian control were forced to adopt the though each remained largely self- . Not until after World War governing. Jagiellonian kings ruled Poland I did Poland regain its status as a sovereign for nearly 200 years, and under their leader- state. ship Poland expanded its territory and made See also: Baltic; Belorussia; Czechoslovakia; important advances in its cultural, eco- Lithuania; Mongols; Prussia; Ukraine nomic, and political development. The Polish empire reached its height during the POLEL sixteenth century, when it covered a large Russia part of central and eastern Europe, including One of the twin offspring of Lada, the other Ukraine and Belorussia. In 1493, the first being Lel. These twins have been identified national parliament of Poland was estab- with the divine twins Castor and Polydeuces lished, and in 1569, Poland and Lithuania of classical Greece—or Castor and Pollux, as were united under a single parliament. At they were known in Rome. that time, Poland was the largest country in See also: Lada; Lel Europe. It would not long be so. In 1648, References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Znayenko 1980 Poland lost much of its territory in Ukraine as a result of a rebellion there, and in 1655, POLEVOI (~IK) Sweden won control over most of Poland’s Slavic Baltic provinces. The dramatic decline of Masculine spirit of the fields whose ap- Poland continued into the eighteenth cen- pearance varied according to geographical tury. In 1772, Austria, Prussia, and Russia location. Sometimes he was dressed all in took advantage of Poland’s weakness and white, sometimes he had grass for hair, and partitioned Polish territory among them- sometimes he was a with skin the selves. Austria seized land in the south, color of the earth. Drunkards or travelers Prussia took land in the west, and Russia who slept in his fields were likely to be took land in the east.As a result, Poland lost attacked or even murdered, for the polevoi around one-third of its territory and half of jealously guarded the sanctity of his home. its population. In 1793, Prussia and Russia seized additional territory in eastern and POLIANITSA western Poland, which led to an uprising Russia among Poles in 1794. Polish forces under (pl. polianitsy) Word describing a female war- Thaddeus Kosciuszko fought Russian and rior in the byliny, related to pole (field). She Prussian troops but were defeated, as a result was the feminine counterpart of the bo- of which Austria, Prussia, and Russia divided gatyr', rivaling or even bettering the bogatyri what remained of the country among them- in every respect, from skill in weapons han- selves in 1795. dling to guile, speed, intuition, and other leg- PRIMARY CHRONICLE 227 endary attributes. Many polianitsy are POTOK, MIKHAILO IVANOVICH described by ancient legends, among them Russia the Princess Nastas'ya. See Mikhail Potyk. See also: Bogatyr'; Bylina; Nastas'ya, Princess References: Barker 1986 POTYK, MIKHAIL Russia POLUDNITSA See Mikhail Potyk. Russia Also: Pudnitsa (pl. poludnitsy) The goddess(es) of the fields PRIGIRSTITIS (from polden' or poluden', meaning “mid- Slav day”). Represented as a tall, beautiful woman A spirit whose hearing was so acute that he dressed in white, she was attended by the could distinguish even the faintest whisper. polevoi. Although she was a patron deity of He so loathed shouting that if he was near agriculture, the poludnitsa was also a mis- someone who was speaking too loudly, he chievous spirit who would punish those who would immediately retaliate. worked in the fields at midday, an hour sacred to her, for she had decreed it a time of PRIMARY CHRONICLE rest. She would pinch them and pull their Russia hair; and if the workers failed to greet her Eleventh-century chronicle that is an cordially, then she would lure the young invaluable source of early Russian myths children of the workers into fields of grain, and legends. Recorded within 150 years of where they would lose their way.In Ukraine, the adoption of Christianity as the state poludnitsy were considered moon maidens religion, the Primary Chronicle relates the who directed the rays of the sun to ensure legends in the spirit of dvoeverie; thus, the fertility of the fields. although the legends obviously reflect a See also: Polevoi (~ik); Ukraine Christianized view of pagan religious beliefs, they retain enough of their original POPOVICH, ALYOSHA character to enable the pagan elements to Russia be reconstructed. The Primary Chronicle is See Alyosha Popovich. also considered an extremely useful source of early Russian history. There are several POREVIK (~IT) versions of the text. One, Povest' vremennykh Baltic Coast let, is known as the Laurentian. Another, Literally, “Power”; an alternative name for called Nachal'naya Letopis', is known as the Svantovit, used in the cult in which the god’s Nestorian Chronicle due to an earlier belief iconography depicts him with five faces that it was composed by the monk Nestor rather than the usual four. of the Pecherskaia Lavra in Kiev. It is now See also: Svantovit (~dovit) generally accepted that Nestor was simply an editor of or a contributor to the chroni- POTANIA, TINY cle.The most important extant versions are Russia the Laurentian, of the late fourteenth cen- One of the druzhina of Vasilii Buslayevich, tury, and the Hypatian, of the early or mid- and the man placed to guard the stem of the fifteenth century. pirates’ ship while they sailed the waters of See also: Dvoeverie; Kiev; Nestor; Pecherskaia Lake Il'men'. Lavra See also: Il'men', Lake;Vasilii Buslayevich References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor 1953;Vernadsky 1948 228 PRINCE AND THE FLEA, THE

PRINCE AND THE FLEA, THE 1947, after World War II, when the Allies Armenia divided its territories among East and West A prince was tormented by a flea, the tor- Germany, Poland, and Russia. ment continuing until the prince managed See also: Poland; Silesia to catch the offending insect under his shirt. The flea begged for mercy, saying that the PSKOV ICON, THE harm it had done the prince was very small. Russia The prince replied that the flea had done all A cherished icon that was found floating on the harm that it was in his power to do, and a lake in 1420. It was one of many Orthodox then squashed him. icons “miraculously” discovered in nature. One of the fables of Vardan. Modern thinking attributes the appearance See also: Vardan of these holy relics to the early clergy who References: Marr 1894–99 recognized the importance of associating the Virgin Mary with the nature goddesses that PRIPARCHIS pervaded pagan religious belief. They might Slav have reasoned that icons found near pagan Usually coupled with Kremara, Priparchis holy trees and water bodies would be readily was the patron of piglets who ensured that accepted by the folk and revered even by they were safely born and successfully those least likely to convert to Christianity. weaned, whereupon responsibility passed to The available evidence suggests that this ruse Kremara, who ensured their continued good was successful. health until it was time for them to be References: Matorin 1931 slaughtered. Unlike Kremara, no cult or cer- emonial tradition developed around Pri- PTITSY-SIRINY parchis. Russia See also: Kremara Magical maidens, half human and half bird— perhaps best described as a cross between the PRUSSIA classical Greek harpies and sirens. General This northern German duchy founded in PU-ORT 1525 became a state in 1618 when it was Cheremiss united with Brandenburg. Prussia became a The soul of the tree. Ort is the name given kingdom in 1701 under Frederick I, around by the Cheremiss people to the soul that which time the Baltic language of Prussian they believe everything, animate or inani- fell into disuse. Silesia, East Frisia, and West mate, possesses. Prussia were annexed by Frederick II See also: Cheremiss-Mordvin; Ort between 1740 and 1786, the lost territory being restored after the Congress of Vienna PUCHAI in 1815, along with lands in the Rhineland Russia and . A war in 1864 with Denmark An extremely fast-flowing river that rose in resulted in the acquisition of Schleswig- the Sorochinsk Mountains and above which Holstein. In 1867 Prussia became a domi- a terrible twelve-headed she-dragon, who nant power in the North German Con- lived in the mountains, liked to fly so that federation, and in 1871, the core of the she could pick off unsuspecting people who German Empire, under the Prussian king bathed in the river. On one such occasion Wilhelm I.After World War I,Prussia became the dragon attacked Dobrynya Nikitich, but a republic, but it soon lost its independence he almost killed her. Later, after the dragon in 1932. Prussia ceased to exist as a state in had broken her pact with Dobrynya and PURTO 229 abducted the Princess Zabava, the knight Meanwhile Kayen, or Cain, the ruler of came to her lair and killed her, thus releas- Kilikia, or Cilicia, who had his palace in ing the princess and all of the dragon’s other Adana (in south-central Turkey, above the captives. “tail” of ), had fallen ill with terrible See also: Dobrynya Nikitich; Dragon; ulcers all over his body that were slowly eat- Sorochinsk Hill; Zabava (Putyatichna), ing him away.The king called his most trusted Princess doctor to his side and asked him if there was any cure for his illness. The doctor knew of PUDNITSA Purto, and by magic means, also of his associ- Russia ation with Shah-Mar. He told the king that Variant form of poludnitsa. only the power of Shah-Mar could cure him and that he would see to it that Purto PURTO brought the king of snakes to his assistance. Armenia The doctor had Purto brought to him and A young hunter who at the age of fifteen told him to bring Shah-Mar to the palace. happened to stray into the cave of Shah- Purto refused, whereupon the doctor had Mar, the king of snakes, to seek shelter from Purto flogged. Still Purto refused, so the doc- the rain. The king of snakes was a strange tor had Purto’s ears sliced open and salt and being with the head of a man but the body pepper rubbed into the wounds. Still Purto of a huge serpent.Trying to ignore his situ- remained resolute, so the doctor set to the ation, Purto lit a fire and sat down to dry unfortunate hunter with pincers, tearing off himself, and he did not feel the king of large chunks of his flesh until finally Purto snakes reach out and place his mark on the consented. young man’s back. Purto placed some of his Purto made his way painfully to the cave catch on a spit and roasted it over his fire, of Shah-Mar, who already knew of the tor- and having only taken a small portion for ment his adopted son had suffered. Shah- himself, offered the rest to the king of snakes Mar quickly consented to travel with him and his four serpent attendants. to Adana. On the way they came to Mount After he had eaten, the king asked Purto Nauriz, where Shah-Mar plucked a flower for some water. Purto left the cave and and told Purto to swallow it. Then he returned a short time later with a basin of picked a whole bunch of different flowers water from a nearby spring. Then Purto set and told Purto to make a brew of them, to work, and six days later he had finished which would imbue him with the power of digging a channel from the spring so that telling the properties of every flower and clear water now flowed into a basin he had herb. Purto did as he was told and then fell prepared in the cave. Thanking him for his asleep. When he awoke, he found that he kindness, Shah-Mar gave Purto a small stone did indeed know the healing qualities of of great value and then adopted the young every plant in existence. hunter as his son. Shah-Mar then told Purto that he must Purto thanked Shah-Mar and went his now make him drunk on red wine that was way, sold the stone for a great price, settled exactly seven years old. Then he was to cut all his debts, and built himself a fine man- off his head, bury his body, and make two sion.Then he bought a flock of forty sheep —one from the brains in the left side and returned to the cave, where he regally of his head, and one from those in the right entertained Shah-Mar and his attendants. In side, the former being healing and the return Shah-Mar gave Purto another stone latter poisonous. Purto did as he was of great value and an escort back to his instructed and then set out for the palace mansion. with the two potions.There Kayen told the 230 PUSKAITIS doctor to test the medicine, so Purto gave man. However, knowing that his secret was him the concoction made from the right- out and that his life was in peril, the assistant hand brains of Shah-Mar.As soon as the doc- took to his heels and hid, and no matter how tor tasted the brew, he screamed the most hard Loqmân searched for him, he could not hideous scream anyone had ever heard, and find him. he died before his body hit the floor. The Many years later, as Loqmân grew old and king was petrified; but when Purto explained knew death was close at hand, he called for what had happened, the king was happy to the youth’s mother to come to him and per- drink the other potion. He was immediately suade her son to give himself up, for Loqmân cured of his vile illness. From that day forth, meant him no harm. Several days passed. he decreed, Purto would be known as Finally the assistant came back, and the two Loqmân the Wise, the Father of Medicine. were reconciled. Then Loqmân had the All went well for a while, but then one of youth brew a potion that would restore his the snakes that had once attended Shah-Mar life, but the assistant managed to pour only learned of the king of snakes’ death, and he one drop into Loqmân’s mouth. Loqmân sent word to all the snakes of the world to gasped, and then died. come together and attack Adana. When the Thereafter the assistant was beset with king heard what was happening, he sent for haunting nightmares of Loqmân and took to Loqmân the Wise, who promised to quickly wandering the countryside. For twenty-five settle the situation. Loqmân the Wise then years he wandered sleeplessly, until he came made a potion from the liver of Shah-Mar to a richly appointed house, the home of a and set out to visit the snakes, wearing the bishop whose wife was in labor but could prayer beads that had once belonged to not deliver. The youth went to her aid, and Shah-Mar. When they saw these beads and with the knowledge he had gained from received the potion made from Shah-Mar’s Loqmân, delivered the baby. Having thus liver, the snakes accepted Loqmân the Wise proved his worth, the young man conquered as their king and made their peace. his nightmares, and from that day to his death Loqmân the Wise took a deaf and dumb he slept peacefully. youth as his assistant. Unsure that the youth See also: Cain; Cilicia; Kayen; Kilikia; King of was really afflicted as he appeared, Loqmân Snakes; Loqmân the Wise; Shah-Mar made sure that the youth did not learn any of References: Hakyuni 1901 his secrets, at the same time as he attempted to trick him into talking. For seven years the PUSKAITIS youth remained dumb, but Loqmân contin- Latvia ued to try to make him speak. A subterranean deity who lived beneath an One day they were summoned by a man elder bush and ruled over the barstukai and who suffered intolerable headaches. Loqmân kaukai. He rewarded those who worshiped brewed the man a potion that rendered him him and left him votive offerings, sending his unconscious and then removed the top of subjects to his worshipers with gifts of grain. the man’s head.There he saw an eight-legged See also: Barstukai; Kaukai creature crawling inside the man’s brain; but try as he could, he could not get a grip on it PUTYATICHNA, ZABAVA, with his pincers.The young man, forgetting PRINCESS his subterfuge, told Loqmân to heat the Russia tongs, which Loqmân did and so cured the See Zabava (Putyatichna), Princess. The egg in both cases symbolizes rebirth: It was a seemingly inert or dead object from which life would eternally emerge—life that would later be reborn in a future egg, and so on, with the cycle being endlessly repeated. See also: Babii Prazdnik; Rus(s)alki (~ulki) References: Mansikka 1922; Snegirev 1837–39

RAI RADIGAST Russia Baltic Coast ROne of various names applied to the A deity whose attributes and characteristics underworld, others being Nava and Peklo. are similar to those of Svantovit. Radigast is Rai was believed to be the home of only known through the writings of Saxo Alkonost', a terrible bird-woman whose Grammaticus, the Danish chronicler who song tortured the souls of the dead and lived between c. 1150 and c. 1220. Radigast gave them no rest. It was also the place was the god of good advice, sound thinking, where the sun set each evening and and the honoring of promises. He carried a whence it was reborn the following morn- two-headed battle-ax and wore two impor- ing, and the abode of those who had died tant symbols—a swan on his head, symboliz- and were to be reborn. ing thought, and a bull’s head on his chest, The underworld appears, through the symbolizing unshakability. three names given to it, to have been orga- See also: Saxo Grammaticus; Svantovit (~dovit) nized in much the same way as the classical Greek realm of , with definite regions RADUNITSA allocated to the various classifications of Russia dead. Peklo was a paradisal realm that could Ancient spring feast occurring the day after be associated with the Elysian Fields of Easter that commemorated the dead and Hades. Nava could be equated with the was dedicated to the russalki. The name rivers of Hades, while Rai would seem to be appears to be related to rad, meaning “glad- closest to Tartarus. However, from the latter ness,” or to rod, meaning “birth” or “off- infernal region there was never any possibil- spring.”Celebrated in the main by women, ity of return—a trait not shared by the realm Radunitsa was concerned with the damag- of Rai, the inhabitants of which had a hope ing aspects of fertility and rebirth, and was of achieving eternal peace and blessing, per- held in direct contrast to, and to counteract haps after a number of earthly lives. the effects of, the Rusaliia, which was held See also: Alkonost'; Nava; Peklo; Underworld, slightly later in the year. It has been argued The that russalki, with whom the festival is References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Haase 1939 closely linked, were once known as radu- nitsy. RAKHMAT In Kievan Rus', Radunitsa was also Russia called Babii Prazdnik (“Old woman’s holi- The father of Solovei Rakhmatich, the half- day”). During the festival it was customary man, half-bird brigand known in English as to paint eggs, a practice that was later trans- Nightingale. ferred to the Christian festival of Easter. See also: Nightingale; Solovei (~y) Rakhmatich

231 232 RAKHMATICH, SOLOVEI

RAKHMATICH, SOLOVEI Legend has it that Riurik, or Rurik, came to Russia rule Russia at the invitation of the people, See Solovei (~y) Rakhmatich. and that is how he became the first Va- rangian ruler of a kingdom that embraced RATAINITSA both Novgorod and Kiev. The Russian Slav chronicles indicate that Riurik was suc- Spirit who looked after the welfare of the ceeded by Oleg. It is generally less known stables and horses. that Riurik was the eldest of three brothers, all of whom settled in Russia. Sineus settled RAVEN RAVENSON at Beloozero, and Truvor in Izborsk—the Russia Primary Chronicle dating their settlement at A raven who, along with the sun and the between 860 and 862.Two years later Sineus moon, helped an old peasant pick up a mea- and Truvor died and Riurik became the sole sure of rye grain after he had carelessly ruler, being assigned various regencies, spilled it. As a reward, each of the three was including those of Polotsk, Rostov, and to receive one of the man’s three daughters Beloozero. The Hypatian Primary Chronicle as his wife. Raven Ravenson chose the gives a different account, saying that Riurik youngest girl, the moon chose the middle first settled at Lake Ladoga, Sineus at daughter, and the sun chose the eldest one. Beloozero, and Truvor in Izborsk. After the After the girls left home to live with their death of Sineus and Truvor, Riurik assumed new husbands, the father set out to see each sole authority and moved his seat of power in turn. to the city he had founded on the banks of First he traveled to see his eldest daughter, the river Volkhov—Novgorod. The Primary who was living happily with the sun. She Chronicle also gives information about the cooked pancakes for her father, using the heat foundation of Kiev, a city that Riuruk is from her husband’s head to cook them.When always popularly believed to have ruled but the old man tried the same thing at home, that might have remained independent until nothing happened. Next he visited his mid- the reign of Oleg. dle daughter and the moon.There he took a See also: Kiev; Ladoga, Lake; Novgorod; Oleg; bath, the light he needed to see by being pro- Primary Chronicle; Rostov; Sineus;Truvor; vided by one of the moon’s fingers.Again he Varangians;Vikings tried the same thing at home, using his own References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor finger, and got the expected result—nothing. 1953 Finally he went to visit his youngest daughter and Raven Ravenson. There he spent the RIVER OF FIRE, THE night securely tucked under the wing of the Russia raven.When he tried the same thing at home, The river to which Petrushka carried sleeping in the chicken coop, he was all right Babushka-Lyagushka-Skakushka in a jug of while he stayed awake but he immediately fresh milk.There Petrushka let the frog out crashed to the ground when he fell asleep. of the jug and placed her on the ground. This story serves but a single purpose—to Placing one foot in the River of Fire, illustrate the stupidity of man. Babushka-Lyagushka-Skakushka started to See also: Moon; Sun grow until she was the size of Petrushka’s horse. The frog told Petrushka to climb RIURIK onto her back and hold tight, which he did, Scandinavia and Russia while she continued to grow until she was Viking chieftain who founded the city of higher than the tallest tree in any forest. Novgorod, the original capital of Russia. The frog made certain that Petrushka was ROMANIA 233 holding on tightly, then leaped through the the hand of the young girl’s mother. The air, landing in a foreign land and breathing girl recognized the hand by the ring that out slowly until she resumed her normal still adorned one finger. She followed the size. Thus Petrushka was carried to I- eagle to the river, and there she found the Know-Not-Where, the home of I-Know- remains of her mother, which she gathered Not-What. up and buried. At that point some of the See also: Babushka-Lyagushka-Skakushka; I- legends end, whereas others say that the Know-Not-What; I-Know-Not-Where; mother was resurrected and accepted the Petrushka Christian faith.The latter variants obviously owe their origins to the continuing struggle ROD(Ú) the state was having in converting women Slav from pagan ways. Also: Chur See also: Moscow An ancient rain and fertility god who, along References: Ukhov 1957 with his female counterparts, the rozhanitsy, and the spirits of dead ancestors, protected ROMANIA the home. Rod was originally the god of General husbandmen, though his attributes went far Country in southeastern Europe on the beyond this role. He was a universal deity,the Black Sea, bounded to the north and east by god of heaven, rain, and the thunderbolt, Russia, to the south by Bulgaria, to the who had created the world and all forms of southwest by the former Yugoslavia, and to life in it. He created man by sprinkling dust the northwest by Hungary. The earliest or gravel over the surface of the earth, estab- known inhabitants of Romania merged with lished the importance of the family,and unit- invaders from Thrace to form an indigenous ed his devotees into a unified nation. His people who became subject to Rome when wife was called Rozhanitsa (also spelled their land was conquered by Emperor Trajan Rozanica). The frequent use of the word around A.D. 106 and became the Roman with the plural ending -y (rozhanitsy) implies province of Dacia. Most of the inhabitants, that Rod had many wives; appropriately, known as Daci, had originally emigrated polygamy was a common trait among pagan from Thrace in northern Greece. Following Slavs. Later, Rod was toppled from his posi- the withdrawal of the Romans in 275, tion at the head of the pantheon by Perun Romania was occupied by Goths. Later, and was reduced to his role as protector of between the sixth and the twelfth centuries, the home and guardian of ancestors. Rod is it was overrun by Huns, Bulgars, Slavs, and the Eastern Slavic equivalent of the Baltic others. Through intermarriage and gradual deity Svantovit. assimilation with Slavic tribes, these people See also: Perun; Rozanica; Rozhanitsa; developed into a distinct ethnic group called Svantovit (~dovit) Walachians, or in Slavonic, Vlachs. Their References: Ivanov and Toporov 1965 nomadic habits and warlike conduct made them a constant threat to the neighboring ROMAN VASIL'EVICH Byzantine Empire. Russia Under Bulgarian rule, in the ninth cen- Legendary despotic ruler of Moscow who tury,the Orthodox form of Christianity was murdered his unnamed wife. When his introduced to Dacia. Around the end of the young daughter, also unnamed, came to ask thirteenth century, Hungarian expansion by him where her mother was, he refused to Magyars drove many of the people from the tell her. She went into the gardens, and western provinces to settle south and east of there an eagle swooped down and dropped the Carpathians. There they established the 234 ROSSIYA principality of Walachia and later that of Phanariot system was ended, and Russia Moldavia, each ruled by native princes or became the unacknowledged suzerain of (from the Russian voevoda, “leader the two states—a situation disapproved of of an army”), many of whom acknowledged by the great European powers, which had the suzerainty of the kings of Hungary or begun to intervene in Balkan affairs during Poland. With the defeat of the Hungarians the Greek war. by the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of The country has existed within its current Mohács in 1526, Moldavia and Walachia borders since 1859. came under Turkish rule, which lasted three See also: Bessarabia; Black Sea; Boyars; centuries. At the close of the sixteenth cen- Bulgaria; Byzantine Empire; Dacia; Hungary; tury, Moldavia, Transylvania, and Walachia Magyars; Moldavia; Poland; Russia; were temporarily united by Prince Michael Transylvania;Walachia of Walachia, who made continual war on the Turkish sultan in an attempt to gain and ROSSIYA maintain independence. For a time Michael General successfully opposed the Ottomans, con- “Land of the Rus',”the Russian name for the quering Transylvania in 1599 and Moldavia country of Russia. in 1600, but he was assassinated the follow- ing year, and the spirit of independence ROSTOV waned thereafter. General The Ottomans restored their control over Port on the river Don in southwest Russia, the principalities after Michael’s death, some 14 miles (23 kilometers) east of the Sea imposing severe political restrictions. Finally of Azov. Modern Rostov dates from 1761 the Romanians turned to Russia for help. In and is linked by river and canal to Volgograd an effort to fend off the growing influence of on the river Volga. Russia in the early eighteenth century, Moldavia and Walachia were ruled by ROT Turkish-appointed hospodars (Old Slav Lapp gospodî, “lords”), usually members of Greek The god of the underworld and the dead. families from the Phanar district of Con- See also: Underworld,The stantinople. Russian influence became preeminent ROZANICA after 1750 and remained so for a century.In Slav 1774 Russia defeated Turkey, which was The wife of Rod.After Rod was displaced as then forced to promise lenient treatment of the head of the pantheon by Perun, Ro- Moldavia and Walachia. In 1802 Russia zanica appears to have been replaced— obtained a voice in the appointment of especially in Russia—by the rozhanitsy hospodars. In 1812, having defeated Turkey (plural form of Rozanica). in the Russo-Turkish War of 1806–1812, See also: Perun; Rod; Rozhanitsa Russia obtained Bessarabia, which had pre- viously been part of the principality of ROZHANITSA Moldavia. The weakening of Turkish influ- Russia ence became more evident after the start of Usually referred to in the plural form the Greek War of Independence in 1821.By (rozhanitsy). A group of female deities who the Treaty of Adrianople, which ended the along with Rod and the spirits of dead Greek war in 1829, Moldavia and Walachia, ancestors protected the home. They also while remaining nominally under Turkish presided over the birth of children and ani- control, became more autonomous. The mals and ensured that the land was always RUSALIIA 235 fertile, in this respect resembling the god- RUKHS-AS desses of fate. At their festival in September, Russia offerings of bread or porridge, honey-mead, A tribe of the Alans of southern Russia.The and cheese were made to them in a cere- tribal name is believed by some to be the mony similar to today’s harvest festival. origin of the word Rus', which is in turn the In the Balkan states, right up to the twen- root of the modern name of Russia. tieth century, the cult of the rozhanitsy See also: Alans; Russia involved a ceremony in which three women (usually elderly) drank from a horn, or rhy- RUS' ton, and predicted the fate of a newborn General child. One of the names applied to the early See also: Rod Scandinavian traders who helped the Slavs References: Arbatskii 1956; Zabylin 1880 develop the first Russian state (the native peoples of Russia are reported to have invited RUGAVIT (~IEVIT) Riurik, a Scandinavian chief, to become the Baltic Coast ruler of Novgorod in A.D. 862). From Rus', A deity whose attributes and characteristics which some believe comes either from are similar to those of Svantovit. He is Rukhs-As (the name of a tribe of Alans in known only through the writings of Saxo southern Russia) or from ruotsi (the Finnish Grammaticus, the Danish chronicler who name for ), comes the modern name lived between c. 1150 and c. 1220, and Rossiya, or Russia, which means “land of the would appear to be the same as Radigast, Rus'.”The word Rus' is still used to describe who is similarly described. Rugavit was an the first true Russian state (Kievan Rus'). ancient god of war who was especially asso- See also: Kiev; Novgorod; Riurik; Rossiya; ciated with the island of Riigen. Saxo Rukhs-As; Slavs Grammaticus wrote that Rugavit was chiefly remembered for his savagery—a trait RUSALIIA that was visually evidenced by depictions of Russia the god’s savage glances from his seven faces Part of a weeklong cycle of rituals that lasted and of his wearing seven swords while bran- from Whitsun to the Intercession of the dishing an eighth. Trinity that was known as Trinity Week, or See also: Saxo Grammaticus; Svantovit (~dovit) Zelenie Sviatki.The other two parts were the Semik, the central part of the week’s cere- RUGIU BOBA monials, and the Troitsa, which occurred on Lithuania the Christian festival of . A female votive made from the last sheaf of During the Rusaliia, worship of Lada was the harvest. Her name means “Old One of performed, and the potent powers of the rus- the Rye.” She was the guest of honor at a salki were invoked by young women. During feast held during the harvest festival. She the festival, two straw dolls would be made, would then be kept for a year until a new representing the russalki, and then taken out figure was made to replace her.What became into the fields by the women of a commu- of the old figure is unknown; but one scholar nity.There the women would split into two has suggested that this figure was buried in groups—the mothers and the unmarried the last field to be harvested. women. The young, unmarried women would protect the dolls, while the married RUJEVIT women would “attack” them in a series of Baltic Coast dances, khorovody, that mimicked war. Finally Simple variant of Rugavit. the dolls would be captured from their pro- 236 RUS(S)ALKI (~ULKI) tectors, torn to pieces, and then scattered appearance; but they were severely limited in across the fields to ensure the land’s fertility. this ability, for they could only change into The young women would lament the animals that lived in the water, such as fish or “death” of the dolls, let their hair down and toads and frogs. Some accounts say that dur- wail, and finally fall to the ground as if dead. ing the winter the russalki lived in the water, The Rusaliia was essentially a female cer- coming ashore during the summer to live in emony. In Ukraine no woman would dare the forest. bathe on the eve of the Rusaliia for fear of The russalki are spinners who weave the offending the spirits, the punishment for cycle of the seasons and the weather and which might be floods, or plagues spreading who regulate human and animal fertility. among their cattle. They are mistresses of the woodland; See also: Lada; Rus(s)alki (~ulki); Semik; guardians of streams, lakes, and other water- Troitsa; Ukraine; Zelenie Sviatki ways; and representatives of Mother Earth. References: Propp 1963; Ralston 1880; They were the goddesses of the horse, and Snegirev 1837–39;Vsevolodskii-Gerngross could change their shape at will into that of 1929; Zabylin 1880; Zemtsovskii 1970 any animal—though if they were not in human form, they would most commonly RUS(S)ALKI (~ULKI) appear as a horse. In the underworld they Slav were said to inhabit Nava, the ocean that the Water nymphs, sometimes malevolent, some- dead had to traverse upon entry into the times benevolent, who, like the leshie, lived afterlife. Depending on the region, the rus- in the forest. Although they principally lived salki had various names, such as mavki, navki, in the waters that flowed through the forest, vodianiani, and faraony; but no matter what they would quite often climb out and lie on name they were known by,they shared com- the banks of the river or lake, or climb a tree mon attributes, if not appearance.They were that hung over the still waters below.Their inextricably linked to the festivals of favorite pastime was combing their flowing Radunitsa and Rusaliia, and they may be golden or green hair while admiring their equated with the Germanic Lorelei, the beauty in the water. On clear, moonlit nights French Ondine, and the classical Greek sirens they would assemble to dance and sing, and harpies. weaving garlands out of the forest flowers. A Often represented as sad and lonely fig- russalka could not live long out of the water; ures, russalki might well attempt to find but as long as she carried her comb, she was human companions who could be lured to not in danger, for her comb gave her the their deaths and thus join the russalki in their magical ability to conjure up water when she underwater crystal palaces. Young children needed it, no matter where she was. were fair game, and legends describe the rus- Russalki were thought to be the spirits of salki as attempting to lure them into the drowned girls, so they were depicted as water with baskets of fruit and nuts or bis- almost human, though their characteristics cuits. However, what every russalka really depended on their surroundings: Russalki of desired was a young man. In order to lure soft and sunny southern rivers were de- young men into their power they would scribed as nubile and attractive, while those leave the water and call out young men’s from the cold north were stern, cruel, and names at random. If a young man in the for- ugly.Their skin was exceptionally translucent est was foolish enough to call out in reply, and pale, and they sometimes had tails; the then the russalka had him in her power.The latter characteristic indicates that they might russalka would then make him join her in have originated as . Like leshie they her games and eventually would drown him possessed the power to transform their in the water. If this did not work—for some RUSSIA 237 men appeared to have a resistance to the some time beneath the waters of that river, charms of a russalka—the russalka would but in the end he began to long for home. tease and tickle him until he fell down out of Remembering that anyone could be pro- exhaustion and then she would drag him tected from the charms of the russalka by the down into the water. Peasants who believed holy cross, he made the sign and was imme- in the existence of russalki always remem- diately transported back home—though bered to wear a cross, or to cross themselves having crossed himself, he would never be when swimming or crossing a stretch of able to return to his love. In the words of water, for this would render the russalka (1799–1837) in his poem powerless to harm them. Russalka: Some stories tell of men who were capti- vated by the unearthly beauty of russalki and She looked at him and shook her hair, who tried to live an ordinary life with them. Threw kisses, laughed One such story concerns a young seal hunter And like a child, by the name of Ivan Savel'evich, who came Cried to the monk:“Come to me, from Arkhangel'sk. Spending the winter seal here....” hunting on the bleak island of Novaya Zemlya, in the Arctic Circle, he spent many Some authorities have sought to connect nights alone in his hut playing his balalaika. the russalka with Rosa, the Latin for “rose,” One night the oil in his lamp ran out and he and thus say that the name is a reflection of continued to play in the dark. As he played, the wedding garlands worn by newly mar- he heard the sound of someone dancing ried women. inside his hut. Knowing that he was alone, he See also: Arkhangel'sk; Faraony; Ivan became frightened and quickly refilled and Savel'evich; Leshii (~y); Mavki; Mother Earth; Nava; Navki; Novaya Zemlya; Radunitsa; relit his lamp. He was indeed alone.The fol- Rusaliia; Underworld,The;Vodianiani lowing night, the same thing happened. References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Branston 1980; Finally he hid the lit lamp behind a thick Gimbutas 1982; Haase 1939; Mansikka 1922; curtain, and as soon as the sound of dancing Moszynski 1967; Oinas 1969; Paulson 1971; started, he drew back the curtain, revealing a Pomerantseva 1975; Pushkin 1964; Ralston young girl. 1880 and 1872; Snegirev 1837–39;Vasilenko This girl explained to Ivan that she was a 1960 russalka but that as she had a human father, she was able to remain out of the water as RUSSIA long as she liked, so long as she was only in General the presence of one person. Ivan fell hope- The Russian Empire in the nineteenth cen- lessly in love with the russalka and they spent tury comprised parts of Europe and western the winter together. However, when spring and northern Asia—a vast territory that was came Ivan had to return to his home to sell inherited by the Bolshevik regime after the his catch. On parting the russalka gave him revolution of October 1917 and subse- instructions on how he might find her again. quently renamed the Union of Soviet So- Some time later Ivan found he could not cialist Republics (USSR).Today Russia com- live without the russalka. Remembering monly refers specifically to the Russian what the russalka had told him, he sought Federation, the largest and most influential of out her home, climbed a tree that hung the fifteen former constituent republics of above the water, and on the stroke of midday, the USSR, and an independent nation since dived into the water. As he reached the bot- Christmas Day 1991.The term Russia also is tom of the river, his love rushed out from the used more broadly to denote the former weeds and embraced him. Ivan stayed quite Russian Empire. At its greatest extent, in 238 RUSSIA

1914, the Russian Empire included about Croats, Slovenes, and Bulgars; and the eastern 8.5 million square miles (22 million sq km), tribes as Russians, Ukrainians, and an estimated one-sixth of the land area of the Belorussians. The Eastern Slavs became earth, divided into four general regions: renowned traders and established a number Russia proper, comprising the easternmost of trading posts, notably the cities of Kiev in part of Europe and including the Grand the south and Novgorod in the north. Duchy of Finland and most of Poland; the The political organization of the Eastern Caucasus; Siberia; and Russian Central Asia, Slavs was largely tribal. According to which was further subdivided into the steppe Russian tradition recorded in the Primary regions of the southwest and Russian Chronicle, internal dissension and feuds Turkestan in the southeast. It is roughly this among the Eastern Slavs around Novgorod historical area that is represented within this became so violent that they voluntarily book, along with a few fringe areas that have chose to call upon a foreign prince who come under, or exhibit, Slavic and/or could unite them into one strong state.Their Russian influences. choice was Riurik, a Scandinavian chief, During the pre-Christian era the vast ter- who in 862 became ruler of Novgorod.Two ritory that became Russia was sparsely other Scandinavians, Dir and Askold— inhabited by groups of wandering, nomadic possibly legendary figures—gained control tribes, many of which were described by of Kiev; A.D. 862 is thus considered the Greek and Roman writers. The largely beginning of the Russian Empire. From the unknown north, a region of extensive forests, Scandinavians, called Varangians, or Rus', was inhabited by tribes later known collec- came the name Rossiya, or Russia, meaning tively as Slavs—the ancestors of the modern “land of the Rus'.” The establishment of Russian people. Far more important was the Riurik and the dynasty he founded initiated south, where the indeterminate region a period of consolidation and expansion of known as Scythia was occupied by a succes- Slavic populations, notably toward the sion of Asian peoples, including the Cim- northeast and northwest, where indigenous merians, Scythians, and Sarmatians. Finnic groups were largely absorbed or In the early centuries of the Christian era, replaced by Slavs. the Asian peoples of Scythia were displaced Riurik was succeeded in 879 by his son by the Goths, who established a kingdom on Igor (reigned 912–945), a child for whom the Black Sea. In the fourth century A.D. the Oleg ruled as regent. Prince Oleg, realizing invading Huns conquered and expelled the the value of the Kiev region, had the Goths, destroying Scythia.The Huns held the Varangian rulers of that city killed in 882 and territory constituting present-day Ukraine united the two centers, establishing his capi- and the region of Bessarabia until their defeat tal at Kiev. He extended Russian rule con- in western Europe in 451. Later came the siderably, subduing neighboring tribes, and Avars, followed by the Magyars and the led his raiders as far south as Constantinople, Khazars, who remained influential until where he concluded a treaty with Byzantium about the mid-tenth century. in 911—the first event in Russian history Meanwhile, during this long period of that bears a date verified by non-Russian successive invasions, the Slavic tribes dwell- sources. In the years that followed, Russian ing northeast of the Carpathian Mountains relations with the Byzantine Empire became had begun a series of migratory movements. continually closer. Igor assumed power in As these migrations took place, three distinc- 912, and in 945 he was succeeded by his tive subdivisions evolved.The western tribes widow, Olga, who became a Christian in evolved as the Moravians, Poles, Czechs, and 955. In 964 Olga abdicated in favor of her Slovaks; the southern tribes as the Serbs, son, Sviatoslav, the first prince of the house RUSSIA 239 of Riurik to bear a Slav name.With his gov- him was moved to a larger principality, end- ernment centered in Kiev,Sviatoslav devoted ing with the throne of Kiev. himself to strengthening the Russian posi- Although this unique pattern of prece- tion in the south. He led his troops against dence was nominally practiced, Yaroslav’s the Khazars in the southeast, against the death in 1054 signaled Kiev’s decline. One Pechenegs, and against the Bulgars. Sviatoslav final attempt was made to unite the country built a great empire, and commerce and by Yaroslav’s grandson, Vladimir II Mono- crafts increased under his reign. machus; but his death in 1125 ended efforts The empire was divided among the to form an alliance, and the division contin- prince’s three sons, causing dynastic conflicts ued, with other states challenging Kiev’s that were ended in 980 when the youngest supremacy. Russia became a loose federation son,Vladimir I, later known as Vladimir the of city-states held together by a common Great, became sole ruler. The most signifi- language, religion, traditions, and customs cant event of his reign was his conversion to and ruled by members of the abundant Christianity (the Byzantine rite) in 988 and house of Riurik, who were usually involved the institution of that religion as the official in internecine wars. religion of the Russian people. After casting In the early thirteenth century a greater off his several pagan wives,Vladimir married danger than any that Russia previously had Anna, a sister of the Byzantine emperor Basil faced came from the east. In 1223 the II. Early Russian monasteries and churches Mongol armies of Genghis Khan appeared in were built in the Byzantine style, and the southeast, and in the Battle of the Kalka Byzantine culture ultimately became the River (now Kalmius River), completely predominant influence in such fields as routed Russian forces. For twelve years after architecture, art, and music. this Mongol victory, however, the khan’s Upon the death of Vladimir in 1015, his armies remained in their homelands. In dominions were divided among his sons, and 1237, Batu Khan, grandson of Genghis strife immediately developed. Vladimir’s Khan, led the Mongols again to eastern eldest son, Sviatopolk, called The Accursed Russia; this time, on their march northward, (reigned 1015 and 1018–1019), held the they captured and destroyed most of the supreme power; but in order to secure his major cities on their route. position, he murdered his brothers Boris and In 1240 Batu Khan swept the southwest, Gleb. Sviatopolk in turn was defeated and destroying Kiev despite the city’s desperate deposed by his brother Yaroslav the Wise, effort at self-defense, and in 1242 he estab- prince of Novgorod. Yaroslav attempted to lished his capital at Sarai on the lower Volga re-create the empire of his grandfather (near modern Volgograd), where he founded Sviatoslav, and by 1036 he had succeeded in the khanate known as the Golden Horde. making himself ruler of all Russia. During Although the Mongols did not attack his reign, the state of Kiev reached its great- Novgorod, northwestern Russia was men- est power. Yaroslav made Kiev an imperial aced by invaders from the west at the same capital with magnificent buildings, including time. In 1240 a Swedish army landed on the the notable Hagia Sophia. Schools were banks of the Neva. Prince Alexander opened; and the grand duke revised the first Yaroslavevich led a Russian army to meet Russian law code, the Russkaia pravda. To them, and his forces so completely defeated consolidate the position of his heirs,Yaroslav the Swedes that he was thenceforth known devised a system of precedence, grading the as (the epithet means “of various principalities from the smallest to the Neva”). Two years later the Teutonic Kiev, the most powerful, so that when a Knights advanced from the west, but again grand duke of Kiev died, each vassal below Alexander’s troops routed the enemy. Faced 240 RUSSIA with continuing danger in the west, first Zemsky Sobor (National Assembly), and Alexander adopted a policy of loyal acquies- in December 1564, Ivan left Moscow and cence to the Golden Horde and conciliation announced that he had abdicated. He with the khan. In 1246 Alexander succeeded returned the following January, however, his father as grand prince of Novgorod, and having agreed to resume the throne after in 1252 he was invested by the khan as grand receiving absolute powers. He then seized prince of Vladimir and Suzdal'. half of Muscovy as his personal property—a In 1263 Alexander Nevsky gave Moscow territory called the oprichnina, which was a to his younger son, Daniel, the progenitor of separate administrative unit ruled directly by a line of powerful Muscovite dukes, who as the tsar. Ivan distributed these holdings Mongol favorites, gradually extended their among his supporters as rewards for military lands by annexing surrounding territories. In and personal service, thereby establishing a 1328 Daniel’s son Ivan I became duke of new service corps of oprichniki who acted as Muscovy. Beginning with Ivan, the dukes of Ivan’s personal police. In 1552 Muscovite Muscovy styled themselves “princes of all armies conquered and annexed the Tatar Russia.” kingdom of Kazan', while Astrakhan' became In the mid-fourteenth century internal a Russian territory in 1556. dissension weakened the power of the Ivan’s son,Fyodor I, was sickly and feeble- Golden Horde. Taking advantage of this minded, and during his reign (1584–1598) weakness, Grand Duke Dmitrii led the first he was dominated by his brother-in-law, the successful revolt against the Mongols. boyar .In 1598, when Fyodor Dmitrii’s important victory over the Mon- died childless, ending the house of Riurik, gols on the banks of the Don River in 1380 Boris was elected tsar by a Zemsky Sobor. won him the honorary title Donskoi (of the Although he ruled with ability, his hold on Don) and marked the turning point of the throne was uneasy because of the widely Mongol power. held belief that he had murdered Dmitrii When Constantinople fell to the Otto- Ivanovich, a son and legal heir of Ivan the man Turks in 1453, Moscow became the Terrible. Dmitrii’s mysterious death in 1591 center of Christian Orthodoxy. The grand made possible the subsequent appearance of duke Ivan III Vasilevich, who added to pretenders to his name and ranks, inaugurat- Muscovy the states of Novgorod in 1478 and ing a period of unrest and revolt known in Tver' in 1485, began to regard himself as the Russian as the smutnoe vremia (Time of tsar. In 1480 he refused to pay the annual Troubles). tribute to the Golden Horde, a date that is In 1604 a pretender to the throne calling regarded as the end of Tatar domination. himself Dmitrii I, and known as the False Once free of Tatar rule, Ivan invaded Dmitrii, gained the support of a number of Lithuanian territory,in 1492 and 1500. Ivan’s Polish and Lithuanian nobles and Cossacks. son and successor, Basil III Ivanovich, fol- Three months after the death of Boris in lowed his father’s aggressive policy of expan- 1605, Dmitrii I entered Moscow and was sion to the west—he annexed Pskov in 1510, crowned tsar. He was murdered by boyars captured Smolensk in 1514, and absorbed who subsequently elevated Prince Basil the grand duchy of Riazan' in 1521. Shuisky to the throne. This move was Ivan IV Vasilevich, better known as Ivan opposed by the Cossacks and rebellious peas- Groznyi (“the Terrible”), became ruler in ants who supported a second pretender, 1533 at the age of three. In 1547 Ivan Dmitrii II, who was already advancing on assumed the throne and became the first Moscow. At the same time King Sigismund Muscovite grand duke to be formally III of Poland invaded from the west.At Basil’s crowned as tsar. In 1549 he convened the request, Sweden sent in armed support.After RUSSIA 241 a long period of fighting and intrigue, in 1610, Basil was deposed and the country fell into a state of anarchy.The situation was at last resolved in 1613 when a Zemsky Sobor elected Michael Romanov, grandnephew of Anastasia Romanovna, as tsar. Michael founded the ruling . Under the first two Romanovs—Michael and his son Alexis I, who succeeded him as tsar in 1645—Russia advanced to the status of a European power. In 1654 the Cossacks of Ukraine, rebelling against Polish rule, offered their allegiance to Tsar Alexis; and in the resulting war with Poland (1654–1667) Russia regained Smolensk (lost in 1611) as well as eastern Ukraine, including Kiev. Alexis was succeeded by his son Fyodor III, and he in turn was replaced in 1682 by his half brother, Peter I (the Great). Peter’s older half sister Sophia Alekseyevna suc- ceeded in having her own brother, the weak-minded Ivan V, declared senior co- Peter the Great of Russia (1672–1725) (Archive regent with herself acting as regent. Sophia Photos) was forced to resign all power in 1689 after an attempt to deprive Peter of his right to the throne and to assassinate both him and formally proclaimed emperor in 1721, and his mother. the Muscovite state was renamed the Rus- The accession of Peter I to the tsardom in sian Empire. 1682 marked the beginning of a period dur- Peter left no direct heir. His son Alexis ing which Russia became a major European had been charged with treason and died in power. Peter was greatly attracted by the cul- prison in 1718. The throne thus went to ture of western Europe, and in 1697 he led a Peter’s second wife, Catherine I. After her technical and diplomatic mission to the West. death in 1727 the accession passed to a suc- He was absent from Russia for eighteen cession of rulers. Peter II, the son of Alexis, months. On his return, Peter attempted to was chosen emperor after Catherine, and transform Russia into a Western society and was succeeded in 1730 by Anna Ivanovna, to make the Russian state a major power in daughter of Ivan V.Anna ruled as a despot Europe. Moreover, during his reign Russia and was succeeded by Ivan VI, an eight- began a series of great territorial acquisitions. week-old grandnephew.A palace conspiracy In 1703 Peter began construction of a new the next year placed Elizabeth Petrovna, capital city, St. Petersburg, on marshy terri- youngest daughter of Peter the Great, on the tory taken from Sweden.The seat of govern- throne, and under her rule (1741–1762) a ment was moved there from Moscow in national revival took place. Her nephew and 1714. By the terms of the Treaty of Nystad successor, Peter III, was swiftly deposed and (30 August 1721), Russia acquired Livonia, murdered. His wife, a German princess by Estonia, Ingria, part of Karelia, and several birth, ascended the throne as Catherine II, Baltic islands. Having achieved Russian and became better known as Catherine the dominance in northern Europe, Peter was Great. 242 RUSSIA

Catherine successfully carried out ambi- tious plans for Russian expansion. In the Russo-Turkish Wars of 1768–1774 and 1787–1792, Russia acquired territory in the Crimea. Catherine II also looked to the west: As a result of the three partitions of Poland (1772, 1793, and 1795), Russia gained 180,000 square miles (468,000 sq km) of land and around six million inhabitants. Catherine II was succeeded in 1796 by her son Paul I. A despotic and unbalanced ruler, he was assassinated in his palace in 1801, the same year that Russia annexed Georgia. Paul was succeeded by his son Alexander I, who had been Catherine’s favorite grandson. In 1805 Russia joined Great Britain, Austria, and Sweden against Napoleon I, but switched sides in 1807. After the Russo- Turkish War of 1806–1812, Russia received Bessarabia from Turkey, and in 1813 Russia acquired Dagestan and other areas. In 1815, at the Congress of Vienna, most of the duchy of Warsaw was awarded to Russia.

Tsar Nicholas II with his three daughters, under arrest after his abdication (Popperfoto/Archive Photos)

When Alexander died in 1825 without an heir, the throne passed to his youngest brother, Nicholas I.After the revolutions that occurred throughout Europe during 1848, Nicholas began a vigorous campaign against liberal ideas in education and in intellectual circles in general. Nicholas also made some efforts to expand his empire.A war with Iran began in 1826 and ended two years later with the Russian acquisition of part of Armenia, including the city of Yerevan. During the Crimean War (1853–1856) Russia was faced by British, French, Sar- dinian, and Turkish troops and was utterly defeated. Nicholas died in 1855, and peace was concluded a year later by his son and suc- cessor, Alexander II. Alexander was assassi- Catherine II (“the Great”) of Russia (1729–1796) nated in 1881 by a bomb thrown by revo- (Archive Photos) lutionaries. Alexander II was succeeded by RUSSIAN AND THE TATAR, THE 243 his son, Alexander III, who was, in turn, As night fell, the two made camp. After they succeeded by his eldest son Nicholas II, in ate, they argued over who should keep watch 1894. Nicholas proved a weak ruler, out of over their horses.The Russian argued that he touch with his people and easily dominated had no need to watch his horse, because it by others—most notably Grigory Yefimo- was white and therefore easy to see; so it was vich Rasputin. only fair that the Tatar should guard his own On Sunday, 22 January 1905, thousands mount. The Tatar, hoping to get the better of petitioners, led by Georgy Apollonovich end of the bargain, exchanged his horse for Gapon, a priest, marched to the Winter the Russian’s—whereupon the Russian said Palace to present their demands to the tsar that he had no need to watch over a black and were fired on by imperial troops. horse, which could not be seen at night.The Hundreds were either killed or wounded on Tatar stood guard and fumed. that day,which subsequently became known After a while he led the Russian’s horse to as Bloody Sunday. The massacre acted as a a nearby swamp and pushed it in before catalyst for revolution—a process only tem- returning to their camp and falling asleep. porarily halted by the outbreak of World The Russian had only been pretending to War I, in 1914. sleep, and as soon as the Tatar fell asleep, he In February 1917, riots began in Moscow, led that man’s horse to the swamp, rescued and when the imperial troops were ordered his own, and pushed the Tatar’s horse in. He to fire on rioters, they instead joined in the then returned to the camp and went to sleep. rioting. The abdications of Nicholas II and At dawn the Tatar shook the Russian awake his son were announced on 15 March, and and said that he had had a dream in which the imperial government was replaced by a the Russian’s horse had wandered into a temporary provisional government. In swamp and drowned.The Russian countered October, the Bolshevik coup put an end to that he had dreamed that the Tatar’s horse this transitional state; and a few years later, had broken loose and died in a swamp. The the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Tatar rushed to the swamp, but the horse had (Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Res- been dead several hours. publik) was formed. Feigning compassion, the Russian sold his See also: Alans;Avars; Batu Khan; Bessarabia; horse ostensibly so that they would be equal, Black Sea; Bulgaria; Byzantine Empire; and the two continued on their way on foot. Crimea; Croatia; Desna; Dnieper; Don; Before long the Tatar suggested that they Estonia; Finland; Gleb, Saint; Golden Horde, should take turns carrying each other. The The; Hanseatic League; Karelia; Kiev; Russian agreed and suggested that to mea- Lithuania; Livonia; Magyars; Moldova; sure the distance, the one being carried Mongols; Montenegro; Moravia; Pechenegs; Poland; Primary Chronicle; Prussia; Riurik; should sing a lullaby,and when the singer fell Sarmatians; Scythia; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; asleep, it would be time to trade places.Thus Sviatopolk;Tatars;Teutonic Knights; the Tatar climbed onto the Russian’s back Turkestan;Varangians;Volga and began to sing a sweet lullaby in his fine baritone, and before long, he had fallen fast asleep. RUSSIAN AND THE TATAR, THE The Russian put the Tatar down; and Russia—Tatar when the Tatar awakened, he climbed onto An unnamed Russian and an unnamed Tatar his back and began to sing.Though he had a had become traveling companions as they fine voice, the Russian sang in a raucous made their way across the southern steppes voice that sent the birds fluttering from the of Russia. The Russian was riding a thin trees and would have awakened the dead.All white horse and the Tatar a sturdy black one. day long he sang, and all day long the Tatar 244 RUSSKAIA PRAVDA carried the Russian, until the time came to RUSSKAIA PRAVDA make camp. Russia However, when they went to prepare Eleventh-century legal code compiled by their meal, they discovered that they had Vladimir Monomakh that reflected the con- but one small chicken.The Tatar suggested tinuing significance of matrilineal and that they both go to sleep, and whoever had matrilocal custom in Kievan society. the best dream should have the chicken all See also: Vladimir II;Vladimir Monomakh to himself. The Russian agreed, and they both settled down.While the Tatar thought RUTHENES up his story, the Russian ate the chicken General and then fell fast asleep. An hour later the The inhabitants of Ruthenia, or Carpathian Tatar shook the Russian awake and told Ukraine, a region of central Europe on the him that he had dreamed that he floated up southern slopes of the Carpathian Moun- to the heavens, where he was greeted by tains. Dominated by Hungary from the tenth beautiful angels who led him straight into century, the Ruthenes remained under the paradise. influence of Austria and Hungary until The Russian replied that he had had pre- World War I. cisely the same dream, and thinking that the See also: Carpathian Mountains; Hungary; Tatar would never return, he had naturally Ukraine eaten the chicken. The Tatar had, by now, had enough of the Russian’s trickery. He RYURIK packed his bag and took to the road; and Scandinavia and Russia from that day forth, he always traveled Variant spelling of Riurik, the name of the alone. Scandinavian chieftain elected to become See also: Tatars the ruler of Novgorod. been eaten and all the beer had been drunk. The bones of the birds would then be given to the dogs; and if they left anything, the remains would be buried under the dung in the cattle stall. All this was done to celebrate and give thanks for the harvest and to ensure a similarly good harvest in the coming year. This complex ritual was performed in December to rekindle the fertility of the earth at a SAAMI time when everything would appear Lapp Sdead and thus to ensure that the following The name the Lapp people use to refer to year the earth would spring back to life.The themselves. ritual was widely practiced until about the start of the nineteenth century, and a variant SABARIOS of it is still practiced in rural areas today. Lithuania Harvest celebration that occurred after all the SADKO grain had been gathered and threshing had Russia just begun.The farmer would take nine hand- Originally an ancient water deity, Sadko fuls of grain, one of each type of crop gath- reemerged after the advent of Christianity as ered—wheat, barley, oats, and so on—and a poor musician from Novgorod who played then divide each handful into three smaller the gusli, a stringed instrument similar to a portions. Each of the twenty-seven portions psaltery—essentially, a flat wooden box that would then be thrown into a heap and mixed was laid across the knees and plucked with together. Half of this mixture would be the fingers. Sadko earned his living by play- ground into flour and made into small loaves, ing at banquets. One day he fell into disfa- one for each member of the family. The vor, for a reason that is not given. Saddened remainder would be mixed with more barley and worried by this, he went to the shores of and brewed into beer.Then, on an evening at Lake Il'men', where he began to play. He the beginning of December, when farmers played all day long and into the dusk—until could expect that they would not be inter- he saw a huge wave forming out on the lake. rupted, they would celebrate the harvest. Greatly frightened, he ran all the way back to First the farmer would pour a jug of the Novgorod. beer over the bung of the barrel and take the Three days later, still out of favor, he beer through to where his wife and family returned to the shores of Lake Il'men' and sat were waiting with a black, white, or speckled down to play.Again a huge wave formed on (never red) cock and hen. With the jug of the lake and he ran away. Another three days beer in his hand, the farmer would kneel and passed before Sadko had plucked up enough give thanks for the harvest. Then he would courage to return to the lake. Once more he take a wooden spoon and beat the cock and played until the huge wave appeared, and hen to death. His wife would then boil the this time he did not turn and run but sat and birds in a new pot, and the cooked meat and waited. small loaves would be set out.The farmer and Out of the wave came the Sea Tsar—per- his family would then drink the beer and eat haps the personification of Lake Il'men'—to the flesh and the loaves, until everything had thank Sadko for so regally entertaining his

245 246 SADKO

The following day, just as he had been told, Sadko was invited to play at a magnifi- cent banquet. As the rich men began to become drunk, they started to boast. In a loud voice Sadko made the boast he had been told to. When the rich men poured scorn on Sadko, he challenged the men as he had been instructed to, wagering his head against the men’s shops and merchandise. Six men took Sadko up on his wager. Having procured a silken net, Sadko led the men to the shores of Lake Il'men', where he cast the net three times into the waters, each time hauling it in with a fish with golden fins struggling in its mesh. The men were obliged to keep their end of the wager, and soon Sadko became one of the richest merchants in all Novgorod. In keeping with his wealth, Sadko decided to hold a banquet for all the merchants and free men of the city.As the meal ended, the cus- tomary time came for those present to boast. Sadko was the first to do so, boasting that he had sufficient wealth to buy up everything that was for sale in the city of Novgorod, wagering thirty thousand rubles should he fail to do so. The wager was accepted by Foma Nazariev and Luka Zinoviev, gover- nors of the city. For three days Sadko’s men bought up everything in the city; but as they cleared the shops and stalls, more goods arrived from Moscow,and Sadko began to realize the folly Olga Markova-Mikhailenko performs in a Kirov of his boast. Thus he settled his wager of Opera production of Sadko at the Edin Festival in thirty thousand rubles and set sail in a fleet of Scotland, 1995. (Robbie Jack/Corbis) thirty boats to sell all the goods he had bought. He sailed from Novgorod to the River Volkhov, and from there to Lake guests. As a reward, he told Sadko, the very Ladoga. From Lake Ladoga the fleet sailed to next day he would be invited to play at a the River Neva, and thence across the sea to banquet at which some of the richest men of the land of the Golden Horde. Novgorod would be present.At this banquet As Sadko was returning from this long sea the rich men would start to boast about their voyage, during which he had sold all of his wealth and their possessions. The Sea Tsar merchandise and had reloaded his fleet of told Sadko that he too should make a boast, ships with gold, silver, precious gems, and stating that he could tell them where to find pearls, the fleet became strangely becalmed a fish with golden fins swimming in the on the open sea.Although the sails flapped in waters of Lake Il'men'. the wind and the waves lapped against the SADKO 247 ships’ hulls, the ships did not move forward. Seeing that Sadko could no longer play Sadko immediately guessed what was wrong because his gusli had been ruined, the Sea and ordered that a barrel filled with red gold Tsar tried another way of keeping Sadko for- be thrown into the sea as a tribute to the Sea ever beneath the sea. He offered him a wife Tsar, whom they had forgotten to honor on from hundreds of beautiful maidens. As their countless previous voyages. instructed by the old man, Sadko chose the Still the ships did not move, even after very last maiden, a beautiful girl by the name they had tossed numerous other barrels filled of Chernava—though some sources name with valuables over the side. Finally Sadko this maiden as Volkhof—and did not con- suggested that they draw lots and make a summate the marriage but instead fell into a human sacrifice; but Sadko tried to trick his deep sleep. men by writing his name on a twig while the When he awoke, Sadko found himself on men wrote theirs on gold coins.The human the banks of the river Chernava, his fleet sail- sacrifice would be the name that was on the ing toward him down the river Volkhov into first lot to reach the bottom of the sea. Sadko Novgorod. Released from the grip of the Sea fully expected his lot to float, but to his dis- Tsar, Sadko kept a promise to the old man may it sank while the gold coins floated. who had appeared to him on the ocean bed, Realizing that the Sea Tsar wanted him and built a cathedral in honor of Saint alone, he called for writing materials so that Nikolai of Mozhaisk, in Novgorod, for it had he could write his will.Then, having lowered been none other than the saint himself who an oak raft into the sea and taking only his had appeared to and had helped Sadko.This gusli with him, he bade farewell to his men was the last time Sadko ever sailed the seas, and was cast adrift. Immediately the ships for he had decided instead to stay safely at were released and sailed off toward Nov- home in Novgorod. Some sources say that gorod, leaving Sadko alone. Sadko not only built a cathedral to Saint Having nothing else to do, Sadko lay back Nikolai but also built another in honor of on the raft and quickly fell asleep.When he the Virgin Mary; but this assertion appears to awoke, he found himself on the seabed close be a much later addition. to a white palace that was the home of the An alternative version of events says that Sea Tsar. As soon as the Sea Tsar had chided the storm created when the Sea Tsar danced Sadko for having failed earlier to pay him to the music of Sadko’s gusli sank Sadko’s tribute, he ordered Sadko to play his gusli. As ships, and that when Sadko escaped from the Sadko played, the Sea Tsar began to dance undersea palace he found himself penniless. until the sea was whipped into a frenzy,caus- As a result he had to take work as a barge ing many people to die. Soon people began hand, a job he stayed in for twelve years, eat- to pray to Saint Nikolai of Mozhaisk, the ing nothing but bread and salt. Then Sadko patron saint of sailors, also called Mikola decided that the time had come to return Mozhaiski, to save them. home; but recalling the Sea Tsar’s wrath, this Beneath the sea Sadko continued to play time Sadko remembered to give thanks to and the Sea Tsar continued his frenzied the spirit of the river that had provided his dance.As he played, Sadko was confronted by livelihood for the past twelve years.The river an old man who bade him stop; but Sadko spirit responded by asking Sadko to take a could not stop, as he was under the spell of message to his brother, the spirit of Lake the Sea Tsar. The old man then instructed Il'men'. Sadko agreed and dutifully carried Sadko to break the strings and the pegs of his the message to the lake.The lake responded gusli so that it would be impossible to con- by telling Sadko to take a boat to its center tinue playing.This Sadko did, and the storms and to cast out a net three times there. Sadko abated. did as he was instructed, hauled in three nets 248 SAFAT teeming with fish, and then returned to plained, the rock began to slide toward him, shore.As soon as the keel of the boat touched as though it might crush him. dry land, the fish turned into silver coins, and Once more the fox called out to the saint Sadko once again found himself a rich man. for help, this time promising to burn one and The story of Sadko is best known outside a half ounces of incense, and again the saint Russia in the version presented in Rimsky- plucked him from the jaws of death.Again, as Korsakov’s opera Sadko. soon as he had recovered from shock, the fox See also: Chernava; Foma Nazariev; Golden began to complain about the saint, saying that Horde,The; Il'men', Lake; Ladoga, Lake; Luka martyrdom had done nothing to lift the saint Zinoviev; Mikola Mozhaiski, Saint; Moscow; beyond the enticement of a bribe, and if he Nikolai of Mozhaisk, Saint; Novgorod; Sea wanted incense then he could buy it himself. Tsar As he moaned, a group of hunters came References: Barker 1986; Gil'ferding 1951; across the fox and set their dogs on him. Ukhov 1957 This time, when the fox called out to Saint George, the saint stood by and watched SAFAT as the dogs set about the fox, and then as the Russia hunters flayed him for his pelt and threw his River near the banks of which Dobrynya bloody carcass away. When the hunters had Nikitich and his bogatyri did battle with a left, Saint George appeared and scolded the heathen army and encountered a supernat- fox, saying that as it had broken its oaths, it ural power that could not be defeated. This would never be a martyr and would die final battle of the last of the bogatyri is unabsolved. described in the poem Why There Are No One of the fables of Vardan of Aygek. More Bogatyri in Holy Russia, which explains See also: George, Saint;Vardan that the knights became too confident of their abilities.Their overconfidence led them SAITE (~VO) to attack a large supernatural army—a force Lapp that is identified in some versions of the Alternative names for the sacred sejda stone. story as the Kams. Every time a supernatural warrior fell to the bogatyri, two more sprang SALTYK up to take his place. At last the bogatyri Russia admitted defeat and fled to the mountains, In the legend of Volkh Vseslav'evich, the king where they were turned to stone. of India who was killed by the hero of the tale. See also: Bogatyr'; Dobrynya Nikitich; Kams See also: India;Volkh Vseslav'evich

SAINT GEORGE AND THE SAMOSEK SWORD DECEITFUL FOX Russia Armenia A self-cutting sword that was jointly inher- A fox was swimming across a swiftly flowing ited by two leshie who lived on a small river when he was caught in the current and island. The leshie constantly argued over swept away. He cried out to Saint George to whose the sword truly was. Their argument rescue him, promising to burn an ounce of had lasted thirty years since the sword came incense in his honor. Saint George immedi- into their possession and was still raging ately plucked the fox out of the river and set when Ivan the Guard visited the island. Ivan him down on the bank beneath a huge rock. sought out the leshie and offered to act as There the fox began to complain and berate their judge. He proposed that he should hold the saint for only responding to prayers in the sword and then shoot an arrow into the return for a bribe. However, as he com- woods, and that ownership of the sword SAMSON 249 would be awarded to the leshii that brought SAMSON the arrow back to Ivan. The leshie readily Armenia agreed and gave the sword to Ivan the The hero of a post-Christian legend who Guard. He shot an arrow far into the woods, obviously owes his origins to the biblical and the two leshie ran off and quickly found hero of the same name. Samson was the son it but then fell to fighting over whose it was. of a poor, unnamed peasant who saw a Ivan the Guard laughed to himself, reboard- maiden in a dream and fell in love with her. ed his ship, and set sail with the Samosek At the same time, the maiden, who actually Sword for the kingdom of Nemal Chelovek. existed, had a dream in which she saw Ivan used the sword to great effect at the Samson, and she fell in love with him. For a mansion of the giant Nemal Chelovek, who whole month Samson pined for the mysteri- as soon as he saw Ivan, cast a spell that made ous maiden he had dreamed of. One day he himself grow until his head brushed the ceil- fell asleep briefly,and when he awoke, he felt ing.The giant then rushed at Ivan, who sim- imbued with tremendous strength. Feeling so ply lifted the Samosek Sword, which flew empowered, Samson first went into the vil- through the air and neatly decapitated the lage near his home where he floored an ox oncoming giant. The sword then flew with which several men were struggling by through the mansion and killed all of Nemal taking hold of a horn in one hand and Chelovek’s servants before returning neatly punching it with his other fist. to Ivan the Guard’s hand. Then Samson went to the local black- See also: Ivan the Guard; Leshii (~y); Nemal smith and had him make a sword weighing Chelovek thirty litr (a litr is an indeterminate weight that varies between twelve and twenty SAMOYEDS pounds, so this sword might have weighed General anywhere between 360 and 600 pounds). People inhabiting the extreme north of Thus armed, Samson set off on foot, and Russia between the Kanin and Taymir after many days’ travel met a lone man trav- peninsulas. They live in small communities eling in the opposite direction. After they around the Ob' and Yenisey Rivers or in scat- had exchanged the customary greetings, each tered nomadic clans.The settled groups gen- wishing the other good health and a long erally subsist by farming; and the nomads, by life, Samson told the man that he was en fishing, hunting, and trapping. Samoyeds route to Anatolia in search of his “dream breed reindeer to provide themselves with maiden.”The man told Samson that he could food, clothing, and skins for shelter. Until not possibly accomplish the journey on foot. recent times, all Samoyeds believed in and Rather, Samson should buy a bridle and practiced a form of shamanism.Their ancient make his way to the sea.There, under a tree, language, known as Samoyed, is part of the he would find a fountain. Every evening a Uralic language family and is related to the horse that lived beneath the sea came to the Finno-Ugric languages. However, Russian fountain to take a drink. While it was thus and various Turkic dialects have replaced the engaged, Samson should place the bridle Samoyed tongue in much of the region. over its head, and it would become his. Scholars hypothesize that the Samoyeds Samson followed this advice to the letter, originated in southwestern Siberia. They and snared the horse. At first, the animal appear to have reached northernmost Russia threatened to dash him to death under its by the twelfth century,migrating there under hooves, but Samson sat steadfastly on its pressure from various other peoples moving back, and before long the horse consented to into their original homeland. do Samson’s bidding. Samson told the horse See also: Finno-Ugric; Siberia to take him where his heart most desired, 250 SAMSON and immediately the horse leaped upward peeping out from his hiding place, Samson and flew swiftly through the sky until its path saw the Tapagöz returning, driving a mixed was blocked by two mountains. The horse flock of bison, sheep, cows, and oxen in front told Samson to strike its belly with his stir- of him, using an uprooted tree as his staff. rups, and as he did so, the horse reared up The Tapagöz entered the cave, made a vast and cleared the peaks, losing only a few hairs meal of the animals he had driven before from its tail. On and on the horse and him, and then went to sleep. As his snores Samson flew until they came to a magnifi- filled the cave, Samson crept out and was cent garden where the horse alighted to amazed by the size of the Tapagöz. Samson graze. As Samson sat eating his own meal, a estimated that his head weighed fifty poods, gardener came up to him and told him that his nose fifteen poods, and each tooth he had settled in the private garden of the between four and five poods.Taking the spit king of the and that he should be gone from the Tapagöz’s fire, Samson climbed onto before the king found out. the giant’s nose, and gathering all his Samson replied that he would welcome strength, thrust the point of the spit into the the attention of the king and all his army,and single eye in the middle of the Tapagöz’s then gave the gardener a shove. Some time forehead. With a mighty sigh, the giant later the gardener regained consciousness keeled over and died. and ran to his master, who drew his army Setting out on the back of Samson’s fly- around him and marched toward Samson. ing horse, Samson and Gulinaz flew for sev- Samson saw them coming, drew his sword, eral days until they alighted in a beautiful mounted his horse, and killed each and every palace garden. While Samson and Gulinaz demon, including the king of the devils him- rested in the shade of a tree and the horse self.Then Samson flew onward. fed on the lush grass, a gardener discovered After several days Samson saw a huge them and asked them what they thought stone slab blocking the entrance to a cave— they were doing. Samson calmly replied that a cave in which Samson knew his beloved he was the one who would put out the eye “dream maiden” was captive. Samson had the of the gardener and the king. The gardener horse land, easily moved aside the stone slab hurried to the king and gave him the mes- that a hundred normal men could never have sage. Worried, the king called for his lala (a hoped to move even a fraction of an inch, Turkish tutor or servant that has charge of a and entered the cave.There, seated on a car- young prince or gentleman). The lala sug- pet, he saw his “dream maiden,”and he knew gested that the young man’s anger had been that his journey had come to an end. The brought about by hunger, so the king had two embraced, and the maiden told Samson the lala take the young man and the young that her name was Gulinaz (a Persian name lady some food. Samson responded by draw- denoting a young rose), adding that she had ing fifteen camels laden with gold on a piece been carried off and imprisoned in that cave of paper, and he sent the picture back to the by Tapagöz. king with the lala. Samson had never heard of Tapagöz, The king realized that the young man was though Gulinaz actually refers to this crea- demanding fifteen camels laden with gold in ture as a Tapagöz, rather than the Tapagöz, exchange for leaving the palace gardens. He signifying that there was a race of giants and responded by sending his lala back with two her captor was just one example of that race. eggs, signifying that he would put out the Gulinaz told Samson how he might kill the young man’s eyes for being so insolent. Tapagöz, and then she asked her beloved to Samson responded by sending the lala back replace the stone slab and hide in the cave.As with two walnuts to show that he was as hard night fell, the ground began to shake, and a nut to crack. SARACEN HILL 251

Knowing that he was being toyed with, then that task was carried out by Sar Akka’s the king sent the lala back with a handful of sister, Uks Akka. grain. Samson knew this meant that the king See also: Mader Akka; Mader Atcha; Uks had an army as numerous as grains of wheat. Akka Thus he responded by sending the lala back with a chicken, to show that no matter how SARAC large the army was, this chicken would soon Serbia gobble them up. Seeing that reasoning was Prince Marko’s horse. The name means hopeless, the king assembled his army and “piebald.” Described as the fastest horse in marched out to do battle with the impudent the world, Sarac had the gift of speech and a young man. capacity for alcohol equivalent to that of his Samson saw the army approaching.Taking master, whose wine he always shared. Sarac up his sword, he leaped onto his horse and was 160 years old when he was killed by completely decimated the unfortunate sol- Marko, who was 300 years old at the time. diers. Seeing his army dead on the battle- Marko gave the horse an elaborate burial field, the king summoned three demons that before lying down to die. lived within his kingdom and sent them See also: Marko, Prince against Samson. Within minutes the three demons lay dead; so the king assembled all SARACEN HILL his advisers and asked them how he might Russia overcome or escape this violent youth. A mountain, also called Sorochinsk, that lay One of these counselors advised the king on an uninhabited island.The place was vis- to consult a local sorcerer.The king immedi- ited by Vasilii Buslayevich and his men, who ately summoned the sorcerer, who divined climbed the mountain. Halfway up the the situation and told the king that the mountainside,Vasilii Buslayevich came across young man had slain the Tapagöz and res- a pile of human bones and idly kicked the cued the daughter of King Aslan.When the skull aside.As he did so, the skull warned him king heard this, he sent thirty camels laden that he would die on that very mountain. with gold to Samson, and news to King Vasilii refused to believe this, kicked the skull Aslan of the safe return of his daughter. King to one side, and continued to climb. At the Aslan hurried to the palace and was reunited top of the mountain the men came to a huge with his daughter. He then took Samson and stone slab that had an inscription on it saying his daughter back to his own kingdom, that any who dived across it would surely where he married his daughter to her rescuer die.This slab is described by some sources as and then abdicated in favor of his new son- being three fathoms high (24 feet), three in-law. arshins and a quarter wide (an arshin equals See also: Aslan; Gulinaz;Tapagöz 28 inches), and a whole ax-throw across. References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, Vasilii and his men read the words, laughed at vol. 4 them, and then crossed the stone, though none dared to dive across. However, since SAR AKKA they found nothing else on that island, they Lapp returned to their ship and set their course One of the daughters of Mader Atcha and again toward Jerusalem. Mader Akka. If an unborn child—created Vasilii Buslayevich and his men visited the by Mader Atcha and Mader Akka—was to island again, on their way back to Novgorod. be a girl, Sar Akka completed the child’s Again Vasilii Buslayevich and his men creation and placed the fetus in the womb climbed the mountain and crossed the stone of its human mother. If it was to be a boy, slab at the top, although this time Vasilii 252 SARMATIANS decided he would take a risk and dive head- which light was poured, her daughters long from one side to the other. He took a washing it every evening in the sea. Saule good run up and leaped into the air. was closely associated with the moon god However, as his legs crossed the edge of the Menuo, or Meness, and the unnamed sons of stone, one foot caught on the lip, and Vasilii Dievas, known as the Dievo suneliai. Buslayevich crashed down onto the slab, General Baltic belief (as opposed to purely splitting his head open and spilling his brains. Lithuanian) holds that Saule became the Vasilii’s men gave him a Christian burial and consort of the moon and that the stars and then returned home to Novgorod, where the earth are their offspring. However, they went their separate ways. because Saule spent every day with the sky, See also: Novgorod; Sorochinsk Hill;Vasilii the marriage is not a happy or peaceful one. Buslayevich Eclipses were interpreted as the rare occa- sions when Saule and the moon made up SARMATIANS and hung a cloth over themselves to hide Russia their lovemaking. An ancient barbarian people who inhabited See also: Dausos; Dievas; Dievo suneliai; Russia during the Roman epoch. Their Meness (~ulis); Menuo; Moon; Sun descendants, the Ossetes, still inhabit the Caucasus. The Ossetes have a story about SAVEL'EVICH, IVAN their hero Batradz that bears great similarity Russia to the tale of the passing of King Arthur—a See Ivan Savel'evich. story that was possibly brought to them by Roman soldiers. SAXO GRAMMATICUS See also: Arthur, King; Batradz; Caucasus; General Ossetes Danish chronicler (c. 1150–c. 1220) who compiled the Gesta Danorum, a Latin history SAULE of the legendary and historical kings of Lithuania Denmark up to 1186, in sixteen volumes The sun goddess who was believed to live that were probably written between 1185 with her daughters in a castle located either and 1216. The writings of Saxo Gram- at the far end of the sea or beyond the tops maticus and other obscure contemporary of the slippery high hill of the sky (see chroniclers contain the only known histori- Dausos). Every day she would drive her cal references to several Baltic coast deities, gleaming copper chariot, drawn by tireless such as Svantovit. fiery steeds, across the sky. As evening See also: Baltic; Svantovit (~dovit) approached, she would rest her horses and wash them in the sea before retiring to her SBRODOVICH castle home. Sometimes she would ride Russia down the slopes of the slippery high hill of A family of seven brothers, all of whom the sky to her apple orchard in nine chariots passed the tests set by Vasilii Buslayevich drawn by one hundred horses. The red, set- and as a result became members of Vasilii’s ting sun was said to be one of her precious thirty-strong druzhina. Other members of apples slipping from her hand, the goddess this group were Kostia Novotorzheni, the weeping fiery red tears that would shine first to pass; the brothers Luka and Moisei; from the mountainside and fall to earth as and the men of Zalyoshen. Twenty-nine red berries. members of the druzhina were picked Sometimes Saule was described as sailing through the tests,Vasilii Buslayevich himself the seas in a golden boat, or as a jug from being the thirtieth. Those who failed the SEJDA 253 tests were killed and simply thrown over a becalmed, even though the wind still filled wall. their sails and the waves still lapped at their See also: Kostia Novotorzheni; Luka; Moisei; hulls. Vasilii Buslayevich; Zalyoshen Set adrift on an oak raft, Sadko fell asleep, only to find himself under the sea in the SCHEK presence of the Sea Tsar when he awoke.The Slav Sea Tsar ordered Sadko to play his gusli (a The Primary Chronicle says that Kiev was stringed musical instrument), which he did. founded by three Viking brothers named Kiy, The Sea Tsar began a frenzied dance, which Schek, and Khoriv. Kiy, Schek, and Khoriv whipped the seas into a fury. Many people might actually have existed, but this is not drowned in the storm, while those who sur- certain. However, the Primary Chronicle vived prayed for salvation to Saint Nikolai of places them in Kiev before Riurik founded Mozhaisk, the patron saint of sailors. Saint Novgorod, and reports that by that time, the Nikolai helped Sadko to escape from the Sea descendants of these three were living in the Tsar by telling him to break his instrument. city as tributaries of the Khazars. These The Sea Tsar then attempted to hold onto descendants were killed when Oleg seized Sadko by having him marry one of his power in Kiev, in 882. daughters. As instructed by Saint Nikolai, See also: Khoriv; Kiev; Kiy; Novgorod; Oleg; Sadko chose the very last maiden offered to Primary Chronicle; Riurik; Schek;Vikings him, a girl by the name of Chernava.Also as References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor Nikolai had directed him, Sadko did not 1953 consummate the marriage, and when he awoke the morning after his wedding he SCYTHIA found himself on the banks of the river General Chernava near his home city of Novgorod. Region to the north of the Black Sea See also: Chernava; Il'men', Lake; Nikolai of between the Carpathian Mountains and the Mozhaisk, Saint; Novgorod; Sadko river Don, the original inhabitants of which, after the middle of the fourth century, were SECOND ALMAFI slowly superseded by the Sarmatians. Hungary—Magyar See also: Black Sea; Carpathian Mountains; See: Almafi. Don; Sarmatians SEJDA SEA KING Lapp Russia Also: Saivo, Saite Alternative name for the Sea Tsar. A sacred stone that also acted as a .A sorcerer named Lompsalo once owned a SEA TSAR sejda that enabled him to catch copious Russia quantities of fish. On the opposite bank of Also: Sea King the river lived another sorcerer who stole The god of the oceans, in one account Lompsalo’s sejda, and thus obtained the equated with the spirit of Lake Il'men'.The power of the sejda and the ability to catch Sea Tsar also features in the story concern- large quantities of fish. Lompsalo countered ing the poor musician Sadko, who became the theft by procuring a more powerful the richest merchant in Novgorod, with his sejda; so once more the fish returned to his help. No matter how often Sadko sailed the side of the river—until his rival destroyed the open seas, he forgot to pay tribute to the Sea new sejda. Tsar. One day his ships were strangely See also: Lompsalo 254 SELYANINOVICH, MIKULA

SELYANINOVICH, MIKULA See also: Kumstvo; Rusaliia;Troitsa Russia References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Propp 1963; See Mikula Selyaninovich. Rimsky-Korsakov 1951; Zemtsovskii 1970

SEMIK SENMURV Russia Slav Festival that was central to the weeklong Alternative name for the Simorg. cycle that started with the Rusaliia and ended with the Troitsa (from Whitsun to SERAPION Trinity Sunday). The root of Semik is sem', Russia which associates the festival with the words Historical thirteenth-century bishop of Vla- for “seed,”“sperm,”“family,”and “seven.”The dimir who vociferously denounced women festival was celebrated on the seventh for clinging to pagan beliefs, calling them Thursday after Easter, and was immediately witches. However, he opposed the drowning preceded by a ritual called kumstvo. During of witches, as he saw this as confirming their this prelude, a birch tree known as the power over the natural world. “Semik Birch” would be dressed with rib- bons like a goddess to preside over the com- SERBIA ing festivities. This ritual and others were General designed to confirm the unity of the com- During the sixth and seventh centuries A.D., munity and reconfirm its link with deceased various groups of Slavs, including the ances- ancestors and the society of the past.Young tors of the Serbs, settled on the Balkan girls were central to kumstvo, during which Peninsula in the area of present-day Serbia they would wear garlands woven from birch (then the Roman province of Moesia), at the twigs, representing their fertility, which they invitation of the emperor Heraclius. These would retain unsullied until they married. people adopted Christianity about two hun- The girls would embrace, signifying the sol- dred years later. Each group had its own idarity of the village, and pledge their eternal leader until the late twelfth century (c. 1169), blood ties. These rituals of kumstvo com- when Stefan Nemanja, a warrior and chief, pleted, the festival of Semik could begin. formed the first united Serbian state. During Once the kumstvo was completed, the the fourteenth century, Emperor Stefan birch tree would be cut down and brought Dusan (1331–1355) led the country in suc- into the village, where its boughs would be cessful wars against the Byzantine Empire, used to decorate every house. Then the tree but the began to break up would be feasted as a goddess of the dead. after his death in 1355.The Ottoman Empire Then, having been well fed, the tree would be conquered Serbia in the carried down to the banks of a local river Field in 1389, annexed the country in 1459, where it would be ceremonially “undressed” and subsequently ruled Serbia for more than and cast into the water to drown. During this three hundred years, throughout which time time the unmarried women of the village the Serbs never lost their national pride. would select their future husbands, and having Djordje Petrovic, a Serbian peasant nick- done so, would cast their birch-branch gar- named Black George, led an uprising against lands into the water.If a garland sank,its owner the Ottomans in 1804, while another was fated to die; but if it floated, she would Serbian peasant leader, Milos Obrenovic, led marry, be happy, and bear healthy children. a second revolt in 1815, after which Turkey Semik lasted two days, Thursday and recognized Serbia as an autonomous princi- Friday, and was followed by Troitsa, which at pality. Serbia regained independence in 1878 that time was celebrated on Saturday. following the Ottoman Empire’s defeat by SHKAY 255

Russia in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877– name to their priestly magicians and seers 1878. who practiced a form of what is now popu- During the early twentieth century, vari- larly known as “charismatic religion.” The ous economic and political conflicts devel- female counterpart of the shaman is the oped between Serbia and Austria-Hungary. shamanka. The word means “one who is In June 1914, the heir to the throne of excited” or “one who is exalted.”The priest Austria-Hungary, Archduke Francis Ferdi- or priestess on whom the title was bestowed nand, was assassinated by Gavril Princip, a was said to have the power of entering the Serbian student. The assassination sparked spirit world at will and to bring its denizens World War I, which began a month later under his or her command. In some when Austria-Hungary declared war on instances the journey of the shaman is sym- Serbia. After the war ended in 1918, Serbia bolized by his climbing a tree or a ladder, a spearheaded the formation of the Kingdom symbology that connects the rites of the of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which was shaman to the . In others he or she renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. is spoken of as flying, usually in bird form, or Following World War II, Tito and the riding on a magical horse.The shaman is also Communists founded the socialist state of believed to have the ability, like the gods he Yugoslavia with a new federal system of or she could communicate with, to send his government, and Serbia became one of the or her spirit out at will to summon other country’s six republics. A bloody conflict in spirits and to exorcise those who caused ill- the late 1980s led to the breakup of ness or other harm. Yugoslavia, and in April 1992 Serbia and Though in certain cases the role of Montenegro formed a smaller Yugoslav shaman might be inherited from genera- confederation. tion to generation, the shaman was usually See also: Bosnia; Byzantine Empire; “chosen” by a spirit that would inhabit the Herzegovina; Montenegro body of the unwilling individual until it could be driven out. While the spirit was SERGIUS OF RADONEZH, SAINT within its host, that person would take to Russia living in the woods, until at length he or National hero and patron of the fourteenth- she underwent an ecstatic enlightenment century monastery named in his honor—the during which the secrets of the universe Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra at Sergiyev Posad were revealed. These individuals then ac- (Zagorsk)—which became the center of cepted their particular roles in life and Muscovite religious life. acknowledged their spirit aids. The spirits References: Kazanskii 1855 inhabiting their bodies then return to the spirit world, where they wait to be con- SHAH-MAR tacted by the new shamans. Armenia See also: Shamanka; Siberia;Tungus;World King of the snakes, a strange being with the Tree head of a man and the body of a huge ser- pent.The legends connected with Shah-Mar SHAMANKA are outlined in the entry for Purto. General See also: King of Snakes; Purto A female shaman.

SHAMAN SHKAY General Mordvin The term shaman originated with the Tungus The sun god, head of the non-Christian pan- people of the Siberian Arctic, who gave the theon of the Mordvin people. 256 SHUNDI-MUMI

SHUNDI-MUMI of Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake, with Votyak depths up to 5,315 feet (1,620 meters).The “Mother of the sun,” the sun goddess. East Siberian Uplands consist of a series of mountain ranges between the Lena River SIBERIA and the Pacific coast and contain Siberia’s General highest point—an active volcano named A vast, thinly populated region in northern Klyuchevskaya that rises to 15,584 feet Asia that accounts for about three-quarters (4,750 meters). of the total area of Russia but contains only People were living in Siberia by about about 20 percent of Russia’s population. Ice 30,000 years ago. Asian nomads called Ta- and snow cover most of the region about six tars, under the Mongolian emperor months a year, and the temperature some- Genghis Khan, conquered the southern times drops below –90 degrees F (–68 steppes during the early thirteenth century degrees C). Siberia covers about 4,929,000 and drove many of the original tribes into square miles (12,766,000 square kilometers) the northern forests. In the late sixteenth and includes three different primary geo- century a band of Cossacks led by Yermak graphic regions—the West Siberian Plain, the defeated the Tatars, and by 1700, the Central Siberian Plateau, and the East Russians controlled almost all Siberia. Siberian Highlands.The West Siberian Plain, Siberia is perhaps best known for its labor the largest level region in the world, extends camps, to which the Communist regime of from the east side of the Ural Mountains to the old USSR exiled political dissidents the Yenisey River. The Central Siberian and criminal prisoners. Plateau lies between the Yenisey and Lena See also: Cossacks; Genghis Khan; Lena, Rivers.The plateau’s southern edge is the site River; Mongols;Tatars; Ural Mountains

People walking in a snowy street, Siberia (Archive Photos) SILVER ROAN 257

SICKSA SILVER KINGDOM,THE Slav Russia A mischievous forest spirit that could alter its One of the three kingdoms of Whirlwind, shape at will, and was thus akin to the leshii. located on a plateau at the top of tremen- See also: Leshii (~y) dously high mountains. The tsaritsa of this kingdom, a prisoner of Whirlwind, lived in a SIELA silver palace that was guarded by dragons. Baltic She was set free by Ivan Belyaninovich, along The living spirit, or power of life, that does with her sisters, the tsaritsas of the Copper not depart with the dead spirit, or vele, but Kingdom and the Golden Kingdom, when instead is reincarnated in animals or plants, he killed Whirlwind and released his mother especially trees. Nastas'ya of the Golden Braid. She married See also: Vele(s) Peter Belyaninovich, one of the two brothers of Ivan. Her sister the tsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom married Vasilii Belyaninovich, and SILESIA her other sister Elena the Fair, the tsaritsa of General the Golden Kingdom, married Ivan. A region of southwestern Poland, eastern See also: Copper Kingdom,The; Golden Germany, and the northern part of the Kingdom,The; Ivan Belyaninovich; Nastas'ya Czech Republic, Silesia includes the upper of the Golden Braid; Peter (Belyaninovich); Oder river valley and the Sudeten Moun- Vasilii Belyaninovich;Whirlwind tains. The region became part of Poland in the tenth century. Austria took over Silesia SILVER ROAN in 1526, and Prussia seized northern Silesia Russia from Austria in 1742. In 1919 Germany and A magical horse whose eyes spark fire and Poland divided northern Silesia, and south- whose nostrils breathe fire.An old man once ern Silesia became a part of Czechoslovakia. instructed his three sons to guard his grave Poland gained control of the entire north- for three nights after his death. When the ern part in 1945, and in 1993 the Czech- time came, the two eldest sons ignored his oslovak section became a part of the Czech instructions and sent their younger brother, Republic. Ivan the Fool, to take their place. At mid- See also: Czechoslovakia; Czechs; Poland night on the third night, the old man rose from his grave and rewarded Ivan the Fool SILINIETS with Silver Roan. Poland Shortly afterward the local tsar announced One of the two forest spirits, the other being that he would marry his daughter to any Modeina. man who could snatch her veil from a great See also: Modeina height. Ivan the Fool muttered a spell to Silver Roan, climbed into its ear, and SILVER CITY,THE emerged as a handsome youth. At the third Armenia try he snatched the veil and won the contest. One of the succession of cities that the He then returned home and changed back princess wife of Habërmani traveled through into his normal, squalid self.The tsar looked on her quest to find her husband and restore high and low for the youth. Finding no trace him to her side. of him, he arranged a feast and ordered the See also: Habërmani entire local population to attend. Ivan the References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, Fool sat in a corner in the banqueting hall vol. 4 and remained unnoticed until he wiped the 258 SIMIZAR rim of his glass with the veil and was recog- dess Ishtar. In Ukraine, Simorg was depicted nized. The tsar welcomed him as a man as seated on a tree, on an island guarded by would welcome a lost son, and duly married voracious fish. In the tenth century,especially him to his daughter, much to the displeasure in Ukraine, Simorg was a popular embellish- of Ivan’s brothers. ment on women’s jewelry. See also: Dragon; Mokosh;Tree of Life,The; SIMIZAR Ukraine Armenia References: Afanas'ev 1957; Ivanov and Toporov 1965 The daughter of King Zarzand who was abducted by Tapagöz, the oldest of the demons, who carried the maiden to his lair, SINEUS the Devil’s Castle, and there, for forty days Scandinavia and Russia and forty nights, besought her to become his One of the two younger brothers of Riurik, wife. She refused, whereupon Tapagöz went the other being Truvor. When Riurik was mad for three days, calling her name end- chosen as the first Varangian ruler of lessly, and then had the maiden handed over Novgorod, Sineus settled at Beloozero and to his mother, who was a witch. The latter Truvor at Izborsk, the Primary Chronicle dat- imprisoned Simizar in a cave, allowing her to ing their settlement at between 860 and 862. wander outside only at midnight. It was on Two years later Sineus and Truvor died and one of these occasions that she encountered Riurik became the sole ruler.The Hypatian Aslan, who promised to free her. Primary Chronicle gives a different account, For the remainder of the legend see the saying that Riurik settled first at Lake entry for Zurab. Ladoga. After the deaths of Sineus and See also: Aslan; Devil’s Castle;Tapagöz; Truvor, Riurik assumed sole authority and Zarzand; Zurab moved his seat of power to the city on the banks of the river Volkhov—Novgorod. SIMORG (~ARGL, ~URG) See also: Ladoga, Lake; Novgorod; Primary Slav Chronicle; Riurik; Rostov;Truvor;Varangians Also: Senmurv References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor Possibly having originated with the ancient 1953 Persian Simarghu, Simorg was a dragon, a hybrid bird-dog that guarded the Tree of SIRIN Life, on which could be found the seeds of Russia every living plant on earth.There was, how- A water nymph that may be directly equated ever, one problem:The Tree of Life looked with the classical Greek siren and the like any other tree, and Simorg was invisi- Germanic Lorelei. She was a paradisal bird ble, a ruse that was meant to protect the with the face of a beautiful young maiden. Tree of Life from the attentions of Unlike her Greek and German counterparts, mankind. Thus, the act of cutting down a the sirin was not known for luring unsus- tree was fraught with danger, lest one fell pecting travelers to a watery death through the Tree of Life.To alleviate this danger, an their enchanting song: The russalka ade- elaborate ritual was performed, propitiating quately filled that role. Instead the sirin was a Simorg, who in response would ensure the and beauty who rewarded safety of the tree. the virtuous by flying down from heaven and Often mentioned alongside the goddess singing to these fortunate few. Any who Mokosh, Simorg was described as the pro- heard the song of the sirin would instantly tector of the home and the family and has forget everything and die. been linked with the ancient Sumerian god- See also: Rus(s)alki (~ulki) SLAVS 259

SIVUSHKO The were farmers and herders Russia living in the marshes and woodlands of what The wondrous horse of Il'ya Muromets that is now eastern Poland and western Russia, galloped like the wind and according to Belorussia, and Ukraine. From about A.D. some sources, cleared mountains in a single 150 the Slavs began to expand in all direc- leap.These sources state that a single leap of tions. To the north they followed the rivers this wondrous animal covered fifty versts—a through the forests of Russia, occupying ter- distance approximately equivalent to thirty- ritory populated by Finnish and Baltic peo- three miles. ples, many of whom they absorbed. To the See also: Il'ya Muromets west they encountered Germanic and Celtic groups as they occupied much of central SJADAEI Europe. By the seventh century the Slavs had Siberia—Samoyed reached as far south as the Adriatic and A wooden or stone idol that had a human Aegean Seas. During the next two centuries (sja) or semihuman appearance. The sjadaei they settled in most of the Balkan Peninsula, were dressed in reindeer skins and decorated then part of the Byzantine Empire, dislocat- with scraps of colored cloth. ing indigenous populations or slavicizing newcomers, such as the Bulgarians. To the SKAZKA east, by the end of the sixteenth century, the Russia Russians had already secured a permanent (pl. skazki) One of the three major categories foothold beyond the Ural Mountains in Asia; of Russian legend, along with the bylina and and by the nineteenth century,Slavic culture the bylichka. Unlike the byliny, the skazki are had reached the Pacific Ocean. pure fantasy. The commonest name for the Whereas the ancient Slavs probably hero in these stories is Ivan, one of the most exhibited considerable racial and cultural widespread of Russian proper male names. No homogeneity, the modern Slavic peoples are matter whether the hero comes from a royal or united mainly by their linguistic affinity and noble family or is a peasant or even the off- a sense of common origins. Extensive con- spring of an animal,he is always brave and kind tact with a variety of peoples has profoundly and is usually beset with some personal mis- influenced the racial and cultural develop- fortune that he ultimately overcomes. See also: Bylichka; Bylina

SLAVS General The most numerous of the various European peoples, with a vast population of more than 250 million distributed principally in eastern and central Europe. The Slavic language group with its many dialects is a part of the Indo-European language family and can be divided into three linguistic subgroups: the East Slavic branch, consisting of Russian, Belorussian, and Ukrainian; the West Slavic branch, including Polish, Czech, and Slovak; and the South Slavic branch, including A woman cries over the grave of her husband, who Slovenian, Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian, and was killed by a grenade in downtown Sarajevo. Bulgarian. (Reuters/Corinne Dufka/Archive Photos) 260 SLOVAKIA ment of the Slavs. Today, the Slavic groups With the exception of the Czechs, the Slavs show a far greater range of diversity in phys- remained a predominantly agrarian people ical type and in culture than other European until the mid-twentieth century.After World ethnic groups. War II most of the Slavic nations came under Christianity was initially introduced to the Soviet sphere of influence, and their the Slavs by Greek missionaries during the Marxist governments embarked on ambi- ninth and the tenth centuries.Their religious tious programs of industrialization and development, however, was altered by the urbanization. In the late 1980s and early separation of the Eastern and Western 1990s, with the breakdown of the Soviet churches in 1054.The Slavs quickly became Union, the various East European nations the focus of intense rivalry between Roman moved toward setting up independent Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.Cathol- democratic governments. In some areas, par- icism and Western culture triumphed among ticularly the former Yugoslavia, this transition the Poles, Slovaks, and Czechs; later, howev- ignited conflict among Slavs of different er, the Czechs were significantly affected by national and religious groups. the Reformation, and because of this, they See also: Belorussia; Bosnia; Bulgaria; are today the only Slavic people with a large Byzantine Empire; Croatia; Cyrillic alphabet; Protestant minority. In the Balkans, the Czechs; Herzegovina; Macedonia; Slovenes and Croats also gave their allegiance Montenegro; Poland; Russia; Serbia; Slovakia; to Roman Catholicism and fell into the Slovenia; Ukraine; Ural Mountains sphere of central European civilization. Serbs, Macedonians, Bulgarians, and a major- SLOVAKIA ity of the Eastern Slavs (Belorussians, General Russians, Ukrainians) joined the Orthodox A newly independent country in central Church and adopted many aspects of Europe that is bordered by Poland to the Byzantine culture, including an adaptation of north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the the Greek alphabet—what is known today as south, and Austria and the Czech Republic the Cyrillic alphabet. to the west. A Slavic people called Slovaks During the fourteenth century the make up most of Slovakia’s population. Ottoman Turks conquered much of south- From 1918 until 31 December 1992, eastern Europe. Parts of what are now Bosnia Slovakia and the Czech Republic were part- and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the for- ners in the larger nation of Czechoslovakia. mer Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia Hungary had ruled Slovakia from the tenth and Montenegro, and Slovenia remained century until 1918 when the Slovaks joined under Ottoman rule until 1912. Centuries of with the Czechs and other local groups to Turkish domination had a profound effect form Czechoslovakia. In mid-1992, Czech on the Balkan Slavs, many of whom were and Slovak leaders decided to split Czecho- forced to convert to Islam.Today the major- slovakia into two nations, one for Czechs and ity of Slavic Muslims are in Bosnia and one for Slovaks; and on 1 January 1993, the southern Bulgaria. Czech Republic and Slovakia were created Although the Slavs created a number of to replace Czechoslovakia. medieval kingdoms between the ninth and See also: Czechoslovakia; Czechs; Hungary; the eleventh centuries, much of their subse- Poland; Ukraine quent history was characterized by subjuga- tion within foreign states.The present Slavic SLOVENIA nations are to a great extent the results of the General dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian and Under the Roman Empire (27 B.C.–A.D. Ottoman Empires following World War I. 476), Slovenia was part of the provinces of SNOWSTORM, GRANNY 261

Pannonia and Noricum. During the sixth SMORODINA century A.D., the region was invaded by the Russia Mongolian Avars, and later, by Slavs who River that Vol'ga Sviatoslavovich was threw off Avar domination. A period of intending to cross in order to collect the Bavarian rule ensued, during which most of taxes due him. However, Mikula Sel- the people converted to Roman Cathol- yaninovich warned him of a band of rob- icism. In A.D. 623, the chieftain Franko bers that lay in wait under the bridge over Samo created the first independent Slovene the river, watching those who crossed state, which stretched from Lake Balaton through the cracks between the planks. (now located in Hungary) to the Med- Instead of crossing the river,Vol'ga Sviato- iterranean. It lasted until late in the eighth slavovich sent Mikula Selyaninovich in his century, when the region became part of place. the Frankish Empire. In the tenth century it See also: Mikula Selyaninovich;Vol'ga was reorganized as the duchy of Carantania Sviatoslavovich by Holy Roman Emperor Otto I. From 1335 until 1918, except for a brief interlude SMORODINKA from 1809 to 1814, Slovenes were governed Russia by the Habsburgs of the Austro-Hungarian A stream that ran across a road that led from Empire in the Austrian crown lands of Chernigov to Kiev. Beside this stream lived Kärnten (Carinthia), Carniola, and Steier- the brigand Nightingale, who killed all who mark (Styria), except for a minority in the attempted to pass with his whistle. Having republic of Venice. During the Napoleonic blocked free passage on the road over this Wars, the region was taken from Austria by stream for thirty years, he was finally de- France and reorganized as the Illyrian feated by Il'ya Muromets. Provinces from 1809 to 1814. This brief See also: Chernigov; Il'ya Muromets; Kiev; period of liberal rule fostered the Slovene Nightingale and South Slav nationalism that triumphed at the close of World War I in 1918 in the SNOWSTORM, GRANNY formation of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Ukraine Croats, and Slovenes (renamed Kingdom of A personification of Mother Earth as a Yugoslavia, which means “Land of the benevolent fertility deity who controls not South Slavs,” in 1929). In 1941, during only the fertility of the soil but also the World War II, Germany, Hungary, and Italy weather, especially in winter. None of the divided the territory among themselves. In characters in the most popular legend that spite of forced transfers of populations dur- concerns Granny Snowstorm are named, as it ing the war, since 1945 most Slovenes have is the moral of the legend that is the most lived in the Slovenian republic, which important point—a moral that is immedi- became autonomous in 1946, and a year ately apparent from the story. later also acquired Slovenian-speaking dis- An aging couple, each of whom had a tricts on the Adriatic Sea (in Istria) from daughter from a previous marriage, married Italy. Slovenia voted to secede from Yugo- and moved into a single house on the edge slavia in 1989. of a village. The woman grew to hate her The term Slovene refers to the Slavic stepdaughter, who was far more beautiful inhabitants of Slovenia and parts of the than her own, and treated her increasingly Austrian alpine provinces of Styria and like a servant, while her own daughter was Carinthia. allowed to laze away the days. One day the See also: Avars; Croatia; Mongols; Pannonia; old man’s daughter dropped the bucket Serbia down the well and had to tell her step- 262 SOLOVEI (~Y) RAKHMATICH mother.The stepmother flew into a terrible chagrin of her stepmother, who had rage and made the unfortunate girl climb thought the girl gone for good. She was so down the well to fetch it. jealous of the young girl’s good fortune The girl climbed over the lip of the well that the very next morning she decided and dropped into the water, where she that her own daughter should descend into sank to the bottom.There she saw a door, the well so that she too might return with which she opened, and walked into a a bucket of gold. beautiful garden, where all the flowers Deliberately dropping the bucket down were in full bloom and the sun shone in a the well, the old woman’s daughter climbed brilliant blue sky, even though the village down and was soon in the employment of she had left had been gray and wet. Right Granny Snowstorm. However, the girl did in the middle of the garden was a small not know how to do any of the household house, and standing in the doorway was a chores she was assigned, and Granny woman dressed all in white.The girl asked Snowstorm grew increasingly tired of her. this woman if she had seen her bucket.The After just a few days, she told the girl that woman replied that she had, and if the girl she could go.The girl asked to be paid for wanted it back she would have to work to the work she had done, though in fact she earn its return. had not done any—whereupon Granny The girl agreed, as it did not matter to Snowstorm took her to a storeroom full of her where she worked, and she settled down gold, silver, diamonds, and pearls. The girl to do the chores the old woman assigned took her bucket and started to fill it, then her. One of these was to shake the old stopped and asked Granny Snowstorm woman’s mattress. While she was shaking what was the most valuable thing in the the mattress, she looked out the window room. Granny Snowstorm told her that it and saw her home and the well in her gar- was a single, immense pearl.The girl emp- den. All around the snow was falling, and tied her bucket and put the pearl in it.Then the people of the village seemed pleased to she climbed back up the well, took the see it settling on the ground. The old pearl out of the bucket, and ran to show woman walked into the room and saw the her mother and all the people in the vil- puzzled expression on the girl’s face. She lage. However, as she ran the pearl began to explained that she was Granny Snowstorm; melt: It was nothing more than a large and each year, if she was pleased, she sent a snowball. hard winter so that the following year From that day on the woman’s daughter would produce a good harvest, the snow was the laughingstock of the village.The old ensuring the fertility of the soil. man’s daughter, on the other hand, was soon Three weeks passed, and the young girl being courted by the son of a nobleman; and worked for Granny Snowstorm and com- as the village gathered in the harvest, the pletely forgot about her real home. couple married—the riches of Granny However, one night she dreamed that her Snowstorm acting as the young girl’s dowry. father was grieving for her, and the follow- See also: Mother Earth ing morning she asked Granny Snowstorm References: Oparenko 1996 if she might take her bucket and go home. Though she was sad to see the young girl SOLOVEI (~Y) RAKHMATICH leave her, Granny Snowstorm said she Russia could go, and gave the girl her bucket, The name literally means “Nightingale, Son which she had filled with gold coins. The of Rakhmat.”This brigand was described as young girl climbed back up the well and half man, half bird. was reunited with her father, much to the See also: Nightingale; Rakhmat SORROW 263

Defender of Orthodoxy. Moscow became the capital of the new state. See also: Ivan the Great; Moscow

SOROCHINSK HILL Russia Alternative name for the Saracen Hill, lo- cated on a remote island and climbed by Vasilii Buslayevich and his men, and the place where Vasilii Buslayevich, in at least one ac- count, met his death. See also: Saracen Hill;Vasilii Buslayevich

SOROCHINSK MOUNTAINS Russia Mountain range that was the home of a twelve-headed she-dragon that was killed by Dobrynya Nikitich after she had abducted the Princess Zabava from the court of Prince Vladimir Bright Sun in Kiev.The mountain range was the source of the Puchai, an Mosaic image of the Madonna from the Cathedral of extremely fast-flowing river above which the Saint Sophia in Kiev, Ukraine (Konstantin dragon liked to fly and pick off unsuspecting Starodub/Art Resource, NY) people who foolishly bathed in its waters. See also: Dobrynya Nikitich; Dragon; Puchai; Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince; Zabava SOPHIA, SAINT (Putyatichna), Princess Russia The patron saint of a great number of SORROW churches throughout Russia, notably the Russia great cathedral in Kiev where a sixteen-foot- The personification of bad luck that attached high image of the Mother of God, with her itself to Misha and refused to leave him. arms upraised in a strikingly pagan gesture, Misha finally tricked Sorrow and buried him hangs over the altar. Sophia, whose name is in a hole from which a great quantity of gold Greek and means “wisdom,” symbolized had been dug. When Misha’s unnamed both the feminine aspect of God and the brother found out about his brother’s new- continued importance of matriarchy in found wealth, jealousy got the better of him Russian Christianized peasant society. and he dug up Sorrow in the hope that See also: Kiev Misha would again fall on hard times. Instead Sorrow attached himself to the brother, and SOPHIA PAL(A)EOLOGUE Misha continued to live a life of luxury.The Russia brother was as resourceful as Misha, and he A niece of Constantine XI Palæologus, she managed to capture and seal Sorrow in the married Ivan III (better known as Ivan the hub of a wheel, which he threw into a river. Great) in 1472, whereupon he assumed the From that day forth neither brother saw title “Ruler of All Russia” and adopted the Sorrow again. They were soon reconciled symbol of the Byzantine basileus, the two- and lived thereafter as brothers should. headed eagle, and the mantle of the See also: Misha 264 SREDA, SAINT

SREDA, SAINT 1991, the people of the city voted to restore Russia the name St. Petersburg—a decision offi- The patron saint of Wednesday, who was cially approved in September of that year. associated with Paraskeva-Piatnitsa and Saint See also: Baltic Nedelia. See also: Nedelia, Saint; Paraskeva-Piatnitsa STAND YOUR GROUND References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Bezsonov Armenia 1861; Marr 1894–99 A lame warrior once went to war with his able-bodied compatriots. One of his com- ST. PETERSBURG rades asked him what he thought he was General doing in a battle he could not hope to run Russia’s second largest city,St. Petersburg is a away from if things turned against them.The major port situated in northwestern Russia, old warrior replied that in battle one should at the eastern end of the Gulf of Finland, an stand his ground and not run and hide at the arm of the Baltic Sea.The city has had three first hint of defeat. names:Tsar Peter I (the Great) founded it in One of the fables of Vardan. 1703 as Sankt-Peterburg (St. Petersburg). See also: Vardan After Russia went to war against Germany in References: Marr 1894–99 1914, at the start of World War I, the name was changed to Petrograd in order to get rid STARINA of the Germanic ending -burg. In 1924, the Russia Communist government renamed the city Alternative name for the bylina, the plural Leningrad in honor of V.I. Lenin. However, form being stariny. when the Communist state disintegrated in See also: Bylina

Colored engraving of the view of the Imperial Bank and environs, St. Petersburg (Nationale, Paris, France; Giraudon/Art Resource, NY) STAVR GODINOVICH 265

STAVR GODINOVICH and thirty minstrels, and set off for Kiev to Russia free her unfortunate husband, feeling honor- During a great banquet at the palace of bound to do so as his plight resulted from his Prince Vladimir Bright Sun in Kiev it was boasting about her prowess. noticed that one bogatyr', Stavr Godinovich, A short distance from the walls of Kiev, was sitting quietly and not joining in the Katrina and her retinue made camp, Katrina custom of boasting. When asked what was herself to go alone into the city, disguised as the matter, Stavr replied that he had nothing a man. So it was that a short time later she to boast about.All the company laughed, say- entered the hall of Prince Vladimir Bright ing that everybody had something to boast Sun and announced that she was the Am- about, and if he could not think of a boast bassador of the King of Greece, whom she about himself, then why not boast about his named as Kalina, and that she had traveled to wife. Kiev to exact tribute from Prince Vladimir Stavr rose to the bait. His wife, so he said, Bright Sun under threat of a terrible war. was as brave and skillful as any polianitsa. She Vladimir asked for three days and three was the best archer in all the land, the finest nights to reflect on the demands of Kalina; gusli player, and a master at chess. The boast but Katrina, in her disguise, refused, and went on to say that even Prince Vladimir instead said that “he” would accept the hand Bright Sun himself would find it hard to of the Princess Zabava in marriage in lieu of outshine his young wife. the tribute. Again Vladimir asked for time to The room fell silent as Stavr made the last think. Katrina said he could have twenty- part of his boast.The silence lasted only a few four hours, and then she returned to her seconds before Vladimir commanded his camp. guards to seize Stavr Godinovich and throw However, as she returned to her camp she him into a dungeon for his impudence. Stavr was secretly observed by Zabava and sat in the cold stone dungeon pondering his Evpraksiya,Vladimir’s wife, and they guessed fate and the foolishness of his boast.As he sat that the Ambassador from Greece was a there, a face appeared at the window—a face woman. Thus, when Vladimir came to everyone in Kiev knew well, for it was that Zabava to tell her the news and to ask her to of Zabava Putyatichna, better known simply marry the Ambassador to save them from a as Princess Zabava, the favorite niece of terrible war, Zabava and Evpraksiya told Prince Vladimir Bright Sun. Vladimir they suspected a ruse. They sug- She asked how the brave bogatyr' had gested the fraud might be exposed by chal- come to be thrown into the dungeons.When lenging the Ambassador to “manly” contests. he told her his sorry tale, she took pity on The following day the Ambassador him and went out to get a basket of fine food returned to Kiev and asked Vladimir for his and mead, which she lowered down to him. reply.Vladimir stalled and asked for more She then went to her chambers and told her time, whereupon the Ambassador grew pet raven the story, telling the bird to fly to very angry and demanded Zabava as his the home of Stavr Godinovich and tell his wife there and then. Vladimir remained wife, Katrina Ivanovna, the sorry news. The calm and suggested that while the wedding raven did as it was commanded and flew preparations were being made, they should straight to the chamber of Stavr’s wife and sit a while and play the gusli. Katrina told her the story. divined Vladimir’s intent and said that it Katrina Ivanovna was not crestfallen, as had been a long time since “he” had played might have been expected, but rather she the gusli but agreed to sit and play, as “his” rose to the challenge and gathered her ret- players were weary from the long journey inue of thirty archers, thirty chess masters, from Greece. 266 STEEL CITY,THE

Vladimir was astounded.The Ambassador guards to release him and arm him for com- could not possibly be a woman. But he bat against the Ambassador from Greece. Stavr decided to put the Ambassador to another rode out from Kiev, and hidden by the dust challenge—this time, a game of chess. The thrown up by their horses, Stavr and his wife Ambassador replied that his chess masters were reunited.The pair then returned to Kiev, were weary from the journey to Kiev, but where Katrina Ivanovna revealed her true that he had played chess as a child. Quickly identity to Prince Vladimir Bright Sun.Then, Katrina outplayed every chess master laughing together, Stavr Godinovich and his Vladimir could produce, beating Vladimir wife Katrina Ivanovna rode away from Kiev, himself in so few moves that the prince leaving Prince Vladimir Bright Sun musing could not help but think that he was playing that Stavr had not made an idle boast. the greatest chess master in all the world. See also: Bogatyr'; Evpraksiya (~ia), Princess; Convinced that the Ambassador was a man, Kiev; Polianitsa;Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince; Vladimir nonetheless continued with his Zabava (Putyatichna), Princess plan and challenged the Ambassador to an archery contest. Again Katrina said that the STEEL CITY,THE archers in “his” camp were weary from the Armenia journey but that “he” would be glad to try One of the succession of cities that the his hand. princess wife of Habërmani traveled through Three times Vladimir fired his arrow at the on her quest to find her husband and restore target, a ring and a knife, and on each occa- him to her side. sion missed.Then the Ambassador aimed and See also: Habërmani let fly a single arrow, which flew straight References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, through the ring and split itself in two on the vol. 4 knife blade. Vladimir knew that he was beaten. The Ambassador turned to Vladimir STEFAN and told the prince to either produce the Slav tribute required by Kalina, or to have the Peasant who became engaged to Katya, who Princess Zabava taken to the cathedral in on the night before their wedding, was stran- readiness for their marriage. With a heavy gled in bed with her own hair by her jealous heart Vladimir went to his niece and com- dvorovoi lover. manded her to prepare herself for her wed- See also: Dvorovoi; Katya ding to the Ambassador.Then he went back to where the Ambassador waited to say that STEPHEN (OF HUNGARY), SAINT the bride was on her way. Hungary The Ambassador himself then issued a The patron saint of Hungary, whose feast day challenge, saying that Vladimir and “he” is 16 August. Born c. 975 in Asztergom, should ride out onto the steppes and test Stephen was the son of Geza, the duke of the their strength together.Vladimir Bright Sun Magyar community that had recently settled in replied that it would be a waste of time, as Hungary. At least partially Christianized, there was none in all Russia who could Stephen was baptized along with his father in compete. The Ambassador taunted Vladimir, Prague by Saint Adalbert in 985.Ten years later saying that if the prince could not produce a he married Gisela, sister to Duke Henry III of champion and refused to compete himself, Bavaria, and in 997 he succeeded Geza as ruler then perhaps there was one in the palace of the Magyars. Although he faced some dungeons who would compete. opposition, Stephen consolidated his position Vladimir remembered Stavr Godinovich and implemented the of his and his idle boast, and immediately he told his people. He had himself crowned the first king SUKHMAN 267 of Hungary in 1001, a title sanctioned by Pope sidered the god of wealth, which he spread as Sylvester II, who sent a crown for the corona- far as his winds blew. In areas with harsh win- tion. This crown was captured by the U.S. ter weather, also came to be considered Army during World War II and not returned the winter king, whose gusts carried the snow until 1978. and chilled the bones of Mother Earth. During his reign, King Stephen concen- See also: Mother Earth trated on establishing an independent Hun- gary and converting his people to Christianity, SUAIXTIS even going so far as to make it illegal to blas- Prussia pheme or to marry a pagan. In 1031 his son The god of light, but not the sun god. His and heir, Emeric, was killed in a hunting acci- name probably means “Star.” dent, and the latter years of his reign were marred with ill health and squabbles over the SUKHMAN succession. Stephen died in 1038. His relics Russia were enshrined at the Church of Our Lady in Knight at the court of Prince Vladimir Buda in 1083, and he was canonized by Pope Bright Sun. During a feast, Sukhman boasted Gregory VII the same year. that he would catch for his prince a snow- See also: Adalbert of Prague, Saint; Hungary; white swan without harming it. Riding away, Magyars he was disappointed to find that where the wild fowl usually gathered, on that day there STRENGTH DOES NOT ALWAYS was not even the smallest duck to be found. COME IN NUMBERS Riding on farther, to the Dnieper, he was Armenia surprised to find that the river, usually a rac- Once, all the stars in the heavens held a ing torrent, was meandering at a snail’s pace, meeting to discuss why they were outshone its waters silted up with sand. When by the sun and the moon.The eldest star said Sukhman asked the river the meaning of it was because they were not united, and so this, the river replied that a Tatar army some they decided to come together to outshine forty thousand strong was camped upstream the sun as it rose the following morning. and continually tried to build bridges across However, as they did so they found that their the river, and that she had used up almost all light was obliterated by that of the rising of her strength washing these bridges away. moon. They reluctantly went back to their Sukhman realized that if the Tatar army original places in the sky,as they realized that managed to cross the river, then Kiev would if they did not have the power to outshine be lost. Goading his horse into an enormous the moon, they stood no chance of compet- leap, he cleared the river in a single bound. ing with the sun. There he uprooted a huge tree—said in A fable of Mekhithar Gosh, the moral of some accounts to have weighed ninety poods which is that even though a group may con- (a pood roughly equals 36 lbs or 16.38 kg), sist of many members, if the members are all which he wielded as a huge club as he deci- weak, they cannot hope to overcome an mated the Tatar army, killing all but three enemy who is strong. warriors. These three hid and ambushed See also: Mekhithar Gosh Sukhman as he rode back toward Kiev, their arrows striking him in his side. Pulling the STRIBOG shafts out, Sukhman killed the three Tatars Russia and then plugged his wounds with leaves and “Wind Lord,” the god of air, or more specifi- herbs before riding back to Kiev. cally of wind, and the grandfather of all partic- There he was greeted by Vladimir Bright ular winds. In some areas Stribog was also con- Sun, who asked for his swan. Sukhman related 268 SUN what had happened, but Vladimir thought he witch Baba-Yaga say that the Sun is under her was simply making excuses, so he had him command, along with Day and Night, and in thrown into a deep dungeon. Nevertheless he these stories the Sun is described as a scarlet sent Dobrynya Nikitich to investigate Sukh- horseman, dressed from head to foot in that man’s claims. When Dobrynya Nikitich color and riding a scarlet stallion. He starts his returned with conclusive proof of their truth, journey from Baba-Yaga’s cottage, and returns Vladimir Bright Sun released Sukhman and there when his day’s work is done. apologized to him. Sukhman refused to accept Lithuanian legend held that at the end of the apology, and riding away from Kiev, the Sun’s daily journey across the sky, he unplugged his wounds, from which his blood would travel from west to east in a boat across gushed to form the fast-flowing river that the night sky in order to be ready for the fol- bears his name. lowing day’s journey. Other Lithuanian leg- See also: Dnieper; Dobrynya Nikitich; Kiev; ends assign a feminine gender to Sun, naming Tatars;Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince Saule as the sun goddess. Others still say that the new sun was forged every morning by SUN the divine smith Kalvaitis. Slav On the Baltic coast, the god of the sun Though many Russian folktales are told remains unnamed but is said to be the off- about the sun, none refer to Dazhbog, the spring of Svantovit. This bears comparison ancient god of the sun.As paganism was for- with the Lithuanian sun goddess Saule, who gotten, the sun had become connected with in this context might be seen as the daugh- death, as had the moon. Russians would ter of Svantovit. always try to bury their dead just before sun- See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Day; set so that the sun on its downward journey Dazhbog; Kalvaitis; Lithuania; Moon; might carry away the departing soul. Morozko; Night; Saule; Svantovit (~dovit) One Russian folktale describes the sun as a beautiful maiden with wings like an angel. SUN’S SISTER This story says that a peasant once came to a Russia cottage at the end of the world, where the Given no specific name, Sun’s Sister appears earth and the sky meet. He asked whether he in the story of Ivan the Mute, which tells could stay the night. Welcomed into the how she helped the young tsarevich escape house, he retired before sunset but awoke in from the cannibalistic clutches of his sister, a the night, hearing the old woman talking to fearsome witch. Though in this story Sun’s her daughter. Peering through a crack in the Sister lives on earth, the story also tells of a curtain, he saw the maiden sitting at the table palace she has in the heavens—the sun itself. eating her supper, her dress radiating a brilliant See also: Ivan the Mute light that warmed the room. After her meal, the girl hung up her dress and her mother SUPREME DEITY covered it with a thick cloth, and darkness General immediately fell. The following morning the The head of any pantheon; usually—though maiden put on her dress and left the house, not always—a celestial deity, such as and as she did so, the night became day. Dazhbog. In other Russian folktales the Sun marries See also: Dazhbog human girls, while in others he either warms men who have honored him or tries to scorch SUREN men who have offended him. In one such Armenia story (see Morozko) he appears as a chubby The young son of an old peasant couple, he man with rosy cheeks. However, stories of the was driven from his home by his mother SUREN 269 after he told his parents that he had seen his The dragon asked Suren if he would be infant sister Koknas stealing the family’s kind enough to comb her mane and look for food; his parents did not believe her old nits. Suren, suspecting a trick—for the enough to be capable of such an act. Suren dragon had hunger in her eyes—said that he traveled for some time until he came to a would, and he invited her to join him under tumbledown house where he found an old, the tree. Placing the dragon’s head on his blind couple. The couple marveled that he knee, Suren pretended to search for nits had managed to make his way to their home while the dragon lay there sharpening her past the three vicious vishaps (dragons) that teeth. In reality,however, Suren was tying the lived in the area and kept all the local people dragon’s mane to the tree.When he was sure prisoner so that they could eat them one by that the dragon could not jump after him, one. Only the old couple remained free Suren got up and said that he had to fetch a because they milked the goats and sheep goat that was wandering away.The dragon let belonging to the dragons. The dragons had him go, and then tried to spring after him, plucked out their eyes and hidden them so only to find herself unable to. that they would not run away. Suren gathered up the goat that was Suren said he would live with and help indeed about to wander, and then stood a the old couple, who immediately adopted short distance from the dragon, which him as their own. From that day on, Suren seemed perplexed as to why Suren had tied led the sheep and the goats out to pasture her to the tree. Suren told the dragon that he every day and brought them home again in would let her go if she told him where she the evening. One day, while sitting in the and her sisters had hidden the eyes of his shade of a tree, Suren saw a huge lion adoptive parents.The dragon told Suren that approaching. He leaped to his feet, club in she could not, for her big sister held the key. hand, ready to protect the sheep and goats. Hearing this, Suren set Zangi and Zarangi The lion, however, spoke to Suren, telling on the dragon with the command that not him that he meant no harm and that he had one drop of her blood should fall to the come to Suren only to give him two lion ground. Zangi and Zarangi tore the dragon cubs, which he did, and then departed. The to pieces, and within minutes there was no cubs grew in one day as much as a normal evidence that she had ever existed. lion would grow in a month.Within fifteen Several days passed before Suren saw the days, they had grown into enormous, mature second dragon coming his way.This dragon, lions. Suren called the two lions Zangi, or too, asked Suren to check her mane for nits, “Blackie,” and Zarangi, or “Goldie.” and Suren tied her to the tree. Once more One day, while Suren, Zangi, and Zarangi the young man gathered up a goat that was were sitting in the shade of a tree watching about to stray and then asked this dragon for the sheep and goats, Zangi and Zarangi sud- the eyes of his adoptive parents. When the denly leaped to their feet and ran off toward dragon replied that her little sister had the a huge shape that was slithering toward the key,Suren told her that her little sister was no tree. Suren rightly guessed that this was one more, whereupon the dragon told Suren that of the three vishaps that were holding the her big sister held the key. Suren then set people captive. The dragon spoke to Suren, Zangi and Zarangi on the dragon, and asking him to call off his lions, as she meant within minutes there was nothing left of the youth no harm and had a favor to ask. her—not so much as a single drop of blood. Suren called to Zangi and Zarangi, who set- Two months passed before Suren encoun- tled down beside their young master, while tered the third dragon. She was so large that remaining poised to spring into action her form blocked the light of the sun, and should the need arise. the earth trembled as she walked. Again 270 SUREN

Suren made a pretext of combing the while she went to feed his horse. In the sta- dragon’s mane looking for nits, while he bles Koknas tore off one of the horse’s legs actually tied her to a tree and then went off and ate it. She then returned to the house after one of his goats.With the dragon firm- and asked Suren if he had really ridden a ly tied to the tree and thus unable to move, horse with just three legs. When he replied Suren was finally able to obtain from her the that he had, Koknas returned to the stable, keys to the caskets in which the eyes of his tore the remaining three legs from the horse, adoptive parents had been locked away, as and ate them. Returning once more to the well as the key to the storehouse in which house, Koknas asked Suren if he had ridden the three dragons had locked all the people on a horse with no legs. Suren knew what of the city.With the keys safely in his posses- was going on, and replied that he had. sion, Suren set Zangi and Zarangi on the Koknas returned to the stable and devoured dragon, and within minutes there was noth- what was left of the horse before returning ing left to indicate that there had ever been a to the house and asking her brother if he had dragon tied beneath the tree. walked. Suren took the three keys and went to Suren said that he had; then, saying that he find the home of the dragons. Before long he had to stretch his legs, Suren went out of the came to two huge buildings. In the first he house, locked the door behind him, and found two small caskets, and unlocking these climbed up onto the roof, where he pon- with the smaller two of the three keys, he dered his predicament—for he knew that his removed the eyes of his adoptive parents. sister surely intended to eat him next. Suren Then he went to the other building and devised a plan and removed his trousers. He freed all the people, who immediately then tied the bottom of each leg and filled elected Suren to become their new ruler, them with handfuls of ashes scooped from their true king having been one of the first the chimney. So stuffed, he dangled the eaten by the dragons. Suren accepted their trousers down through the skylight. offer, but said that he had a couple of other When Koknas found the door locked, she matters to attend to first. When these tasks knew that she could get out of the house had been completed, he would return. through the skylight.When she walked over First Suren returned to his adoptive par- to the skylight, she saw the stuffed trouser ents and restored their eyesight.Then he set legs dangling. Thinking these to be Suren, out for his true home village, wondering she leaped up and took them in her teeth, what had become of his real parents and his whereupon they exploded in a shower of little sister. He took along a single hair from ashes that left Koknas reeling, coughing, and each of his two lions. It did not take many gagging. Furious, Koknas started to break days to ride back to his old home village; down the locked door; but as she did so, but when he arrived, he found it deserted. Suren took the hairs of Zangi and Zarangi Remembering where he had once lived, from his pocket, and as soon as he did so, his Suren made his way to the house of his lions appeared beside him. Then, as Koknas true parents, and after stabling his horse, finally managed to hack the door down, went in.There, in front of the stove, was his Zangi and Zarangi leaped on her, and within sister Koknas, who had become a ghovt, or seconds all that was left of the ghovt was a she-devil. single drop of blood on the ground. Koknas turned around as Suren entered Suren cleaned up the blood with his the house, and greeted her long-lost brother, handkerchief, and then, with Zangi and asking him if he had come on horseback. Zarangi by his side, he set off to return to When Suren said that he had, his sister told the city he was due to become the ruler of. him to sit by the stove and warm himself En route he came across a group of people SVAREVICHI 271 gathered around a log that was filled with sword and war banner. The stallion, like the gold.When he asked what they were doing, wine, was a means of , being Suren was told that the gold could be driven by the god’s priests through a twisting released from the log only if the name of the course made up of spears stuck into the tree could be guessed. Suren tried a couple ground.The forecast for the coming year was of guesses, but to no avail.Then he wiped his good if the horse did not disturb any of the forehead with his handkerchief, and seeing spears, but bad if any spears were dislodged— the blood, sighed for his sister Koknas.This the degree of bad luck depending on the time when the log was struck, it split open number of spears uprooted. The statue and and the gold spilled out, for the tree was the inner shrines of Svantovit’s temple were so yellow fir, or Köknar (the Turkish name for sacred that they were guarded day and night, the yellow fir). and even the high priests—who were the Thus, when Suren finally arrived at his only people ever to be allowed past the new home city,exhausted from his travels, he armed guards—had to hold their breath was able to restore the inhabitants’ fortunes. while inside. The people then chose Suren the most beau- Early chroniclers, such as Saxo Gram- tiful maiden in the city to become his wife, maticus, are the only sources of testimony and Suren settled down to rule the city, his regarding the cult of Svantovit, and the faithful lions Zangi and Zarangi ensuring its information they provide is sketchy at best. safety from attack. Similar deities—Radigast, Rugevit, and Ya- See also: Dragon; Ghovt; Koknas;Vishap; rilo—also are described in these early texts. Zangi; Zarangi While each has attributes like Svantovit’s, References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, they are all plainly different, and might be vol. 4 understood as the various, contrasting aspects of Svantovit. SVANTOVIT (~DOVIT) One statue of Svantovit, discovered in the Baltic Coast nineteenth century near the river Zbrucz on Also: Sventovit, Iarovit (“wrath”), the Russo-Galician border, shows an aspect (“power”), Rujevit (“rutting time”), that appears female, having breasts. No other “Energy,” the principal deity of the peoples statue of the god with this aspect has been inhabiting the Baltic coastal districts, con- discovered; and it may well be that this was a troller of the fertility of the world, lord of later representation of the deity designed to prophecy and war, god of gods and father of show acceptance, or at least tolerance, of all gods, particularly Sun and Fire. His chief women within the god’s sanctuary. temple was at Arcona, with another on the See also: Arcona; Baltic; Iarovit; Porevik (~it); island of Riigen containing a statue some Radigast; Rugavit (~ievit); Rujevit; Saxo eight meters high, depicting Svantovit in Grammaticus; Sun;Triglav;Yarilo four aspects, one for each cardinal point, on References: Grammaticus 1886 a carved wooden pillar.The god held a bull’s horn cup in his right hand that was annually SVAREVICHI filled with wine, which would seep away or Russia evaporate.The amount left in the cup at the A group of deities identified as the sons of end of the year was believed to portend the Svarog. The Svarevichi are linked with the coming year’s prosperity. No wine left in the powers of fire and sunlight, and are generally cup spelled disaster. assumed to be of Iranian origin. Today the A white stallion, sacred to Svantovit, was word is used as a collective name for Dazh- kept in his temple, and beside his statue hung bog and Svarozhich. its saddle and bridle along with Svantovit’s See also: Dazhbog; Svarog; Svarozhich (~gich) 272 SVAROG

References: Gimbutas 1971; Ivanov and SVENTOVIT Toporov 1965 Baltic Coast Variant of Svantovit. SVAROG Russia SVETOZAR “Very Hot,” god of the sky, his name is cog- Russia nate with the Sanskrit svar (meaning “bright,” The father of Vasilissa of the Golden Braid, “clear,” or “shining”).The father of the two her two unnamed brothers, and of Ivan the most important elemental deities, Dazhbog, Pea. The latter was conceived when Sve- the god of the sun, and Svarozhich, the god tozar’s wife, the tsaritsa, inadvertently swal- of fire, Svarog traditionally was considered the lowed a small pea. Tsar Svetozar was suc- father of all gods. His position as head of the ceeded after his death by Ivan the Pea. pantheon was later inherited by his two sons, See also: Ivan the Pea;Vasilis(s)a of the Golden while Svarog himself became a remote albeit Braid benevolent presence. Svarog is the equivalent of the Baltic deity Svantovit. Many temples SVIATKI dedicated to Svarog once existed, in which Russia the standards of armies would be laid after Solstice ceremony, from svet (light), that military campaigns. These temples were also along with the Koliada took place each year the sites of animal sacrifices by Svarog’s around 12 December. For all intents and priests, and—some records suggest—human purposes, Sviatki and Koliada were one and sacrifices as well. the same. See also: Dazhbog; Sun; Svantovit (~dovit); See also: Koliada Svarozhich (~gich) SVIATOGOR SVAROZHICH (~GICH) Russia Russia Also: The god of fire and prophecy, the son of The last of the giants. His name is a com- Svarog, and the brother of Dazhbog, god of pound of two roots: sviat, or “holy”; and gor, the sun. He and his brother were considered or “of the mountains.”There are two accounts the two most important elemental deities, for, of how Sviatogor met his end. In the first, his in a land where it is cold many months of the strength was put to the test by Il'ya Muromets, year,the sun and fire provided the people with who rode to the Holy Mountains to find the warmth and light. As Dazhbog retired for the giant, for he had heard that Sviatogor was one night, Svarozhich would take his place, warm- of the mightiest of men. ing the people and lighting their homes. As he neared the Holy Mountains, Il'ya Svarozhich lived in an oasthouse where a Muromets saw a huge man, larger than any fire burned in a deep pit over which sheaves he had ever seen before, riding toward him. of grain had been laid to dry prior to thresh- Realizing at once that this was the giant ing. Grain was the usual votive offering to Sviatogor, Il'ya spurred on his horse and Svarozhich until well into the nineteenth struck the giant a mighty blow with his huge century. Another custom that survived well mace. Sviatogor did not even wince and rode after paganism had died out was the lazily on. Again Il'ya struck him, and again on anyone cursing while the domestic fire the giant did not even flinch.The third time was being lit, for it was believed that as Il'ya struck, however, the giant jerked upright Svarog had given fire, he could also take it in his saddle. Seeing who had hit him, he away. deftly picked Il'ya up by the hair and See also: Dazhbog; Sun; Svarog dropped him into his pouch. SVIATOGOR 273

Some time later, Sviatogor’s horse stum- a stranger carrying a small bag slung over one bled and complained that carrying two shoulder; but no matter how hard he spurs knights was too much, even for him. his mount, he cannot catch up with the Sviatogor took Il'ya out of his pouch, and stranger. Finally, Sviatogor calls out to the seeing that he was a knight of Holy Russia, stranger, who stops and waits for the giant to suggested that the two of them ride together catch up. as brothers.This they did for many days, until When the two finally meet, Sviatogor asks they came to a huge stone coffin lying beside the stranger where he is going in such a a tree. hurry and what he is carrying.The stranger Il'ya leaped off his horse and lay down in places the bag on the ground and tells the coffin. It was much too large for him, Sviatogor that if he wants to see what is in but it fit Sviatogor perfectly. Even though the bag, he should lift it up and take a look. Il'ya Muromets pleaded with him not to put Sviatogor accepts the challenge, climbs down the lid on, Sviatogor did just that. However, from his horse, and takes hold of the bag. when he asked Il'ya to remove the lid, Il'ya However, no matter how hard Sviatogor found it far too heavy.Three times he hit it strains, he cannot move the bag even a frac- with his mace, but each time he hit it a steel tion of an inch. Sviatogor admits defeat and band closed around the coffin, securing the asks the stranger what is in the bag. The lid. stranger replies that the bag contains the Sviatogor blew some of his strength into weight of the world. Il'ya so that he could use the giant’s own Sviatogor is impressed and asks the sword; but this just made matters worse, for stranger his name. The stranger replies that two steel bands closed around the coffin his name is Mikulushka Selyaninovich but every time it was hit with the sword. that most people call him Mikula. Sviatogor Resigning himself to his fate, Sviatogor had has heard of Mikula, and asks him how he Il'ya tie his horse to the tree, to die there might learn his fate. Mikula tells the giant to beside its master. Il'ya did as asked and sadly ride to the Northern Mountains, and there rode away from the coffin, knowing that under the tallest tree he will find a smithy Sviatogor, the last of the giants, would where the blacksmith will tell him all that shortly be no more. will come to be. The second account of Sviatogor’s demise Sviatogor thanks Mikula and rides as hard is possibly the older of the two: Sviatogor as he can toward the Northern Mountains. often boasted of his great strength, going so When he reaches the mountains, he finds the far as to say that he could even lift Mother blacksmith hard at work in his smithy, forg- Earth. One day while he was out riding, he ing two thin hairs. Sviatogor asks him what came across a small bag lying in his path. he is doing, and the smith replies that he is Unable to move it with the tip of his staff, forging the fates of all those destined to Sviatogor dismounted, and with tremendous marry. Interested, Sviatogor asks whom he is effort, managed to raise the bag as high as his destined to wed; but the reply he receives is knees. In doing so, he sweated so heavily that not what he expects.The smith tells him that his sweat became blood. Sinking deep into his bride lives in the Kingdom by the Sea, the earth under the weight of the bag, he dwelling in the City of the King, where she could not save himself. has lain for the past thirty years on a Interestingly,there is a further legend con- dunghill. cerning Sviatogor and his attempt to lift Although he is disgusted by the thought, Mother Earth. In this story, Sviatogor is out Sviatogor quickly seeks out the woman fate riding, trying to find a means by which to has decreed he will marry. When he finds test his great strength.While riding, he spots her, the sight repulses him. There, in a poor 274 SVIATOPOLK and lowly hut, the woman lies on a dunghill, See also: Bogatyr'; City of the King,The; Il'ya her skin as black and as thick as the bark of a Muromets; Kingdom by the Sea,The; Mikula fir tree. Sviatogor cannot imagine marrying Selyaninovich; Mother Earth the maiden; so instead he takes five hundred References: Chadwick 1964 rubles from his purse and lays them on a table before drawing his sword and stabbing SVIATOPOLK the maiden through the breast. Russia As Sviatogor rides away, the maiden stirs Also: Svyatopolk from her deep sleep; and as she stands up, the The brother of Boris and Gleb, both of bark that has protected her for the past thirty whom willingly submitted to their deaths at years falls away, revealing her true beauty,the his hand—so history records—in 1015. likes of which have never been seen before— See also: Boris, Saint; Gleb, Saint or since. Finding the money on the table, she References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor quickly sets herself up as a merchant and 1953 amasses a great fortune, sailing all over the then-known world, trading as she goes. SWAN WOMAN Finally her ships land at the edge of the Holy Tatar Mountains, and Sviatogor comes to see the A mysterious bird-woman who appears in a woman that everyone is talking about. As poem along with the hero Kartaga. For soon as he sees her, he is smitten, and before many years the couple wrestled, neither long he has persuaded her to marry him. On gaining the upper hand. Kartaga owned two their wedding night Sviatogor notices the horses, one piebald and one black, and they scar on her breast and asks his new bride knew that the Swan Woman did not carry what caused it. her soul with her but kept it in a golden She replies that she had slept for thirty casket. That casket was hidden in a black years on a dunghill in the City of the King chest beneath a copper rock, a rock that that lay within the Kingdom by the Sea. rose from the earth to the heavens, marking When she awakened from her deep sleep, she the point where the nine seas of the under- found five hundred rubles on a table, the scar world met and became one, rising to the on her breast, and that she was no longer surface of the earth. covered in fir bark. It is then that Sviatogor The horses ran to the place where the realizes that this is the woman he was des- copper rock emerged from the underworld, tined to marry and that there is no way of dug up the black chest, and removed the avoiding the fate decreed by God. golden casket. Then the two horses carried Later accounts seem to confuse the rela- the casket back to where Kartaga and the tionship between Sviatogor and Il'ya Mu- Swan Woman were still fighting. There the romyets, tending to make the two one and the piebald horse transformed itself into a bald same—Sviatogor being the pre-Christian per- man, opened the casket, and killed the seven sonification, and the bogatyr' the post- birds that flew out.These birds held the soul Christian one. Evidence does not, however, of the Swan Woman,who fell dead as the last support these theories, which appear to be due bird was killed. to confusion caused by the passage of time. See also: Kartaga; Underworld,The 275

A Kholui lacquer miniature by N. Kurchatkina depicts the Swan Woman befriending two swans during a banquet. (Sovfoto/Eastfoto/PNI)

one of the six brothers of the Tapagöz killed by Aslan. If this is the case, then it is safe to assume that Tapagöz was a family name rather than a personal one. The Tapagöz in the legend of Aslan and Simizar had three heads, but that in the legend of Samson and Gulinaz had just one. Both had a common attribute, however: a single eye in the cen- ter of the head. One need only put out that eye to kill the giant. The legend TALKING MOUNTAIN, THE also contains an allusion to the size of Hungary—Magyar Tthe Tapagöz, with estimates that the head A magical mountain to which Third Almafi weighed fifty poods, his nose fifteen poods, journeyed in order to obtain directions to and each tooth between four and five poods. the well of the sorcerer called Deceit.Third See also: Aslan; Devil’s Castle; Gulinaz; Almafi traveled to a vast forest in the middle Simizar; Zarzand; Zurab of which rose a lofty mountain, on which he References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, found a cave. Within that cave he found a vol. 4 marble slab that gave him instructions on how to awaken the voice of the mountain. TATARS Third Almafi went out of the cave and tore General up twelve tall pine trees from the forest A Turkic, mainly Muslim people who are the below, dragged them into the cave, and set descendants of the followers of Genghis fire to them as the instructions told him to. Khan. They live mainly in Tatarstan and Then he waited until the last embers died Uzbekistan, having been deported there away, whereupon the mountain spoke, telling from the Crimea in 1944, and in southwest- Third Almafi how to find the well of Deceit. ern Siberia. Their language belongs to the See also: Almafi; Deceit Altaic grouping. See also: Crimea; Genghis Khan; Siberia; TAPAGÖZ Uzbekistan Armenia A terrible, three-headed giant who was one TAWALS of seven, all apparently called Tapagöz (as Poland Gulinaz refers to the giant as a Tapagöz One of the three gods of the field, the other rather than the Tapagöz). However, in the two being Datan and Lawkapatim. legend of Zurab, who later became known as See also: Datan; Lawkapatim Aslan, there is just one giant—though that giant does have six brothers who remain TENGRI unnamed. In this legend, where Tapagöz Mongolia abducts Simizar, the daughter of King Also: Od(lek) Zarzand, and carries her off to his lair, the The creator of the universe, which before his Devil’s Castle, he is confronted and killed by intervention existed only in a state of utter Aslan. . He created people from fire, wind, In the legend of Samson and Gulinaz, it is and water, and then breathed life into them. Samson who kills a Tapagöz, but which His wife was Itugen, Mother Earth, or Tapagöz is never made clear. Perhaps it was Umai, Mother of All, and his children, who

277 278 TEUTONIC KNIGHTS

Engraving of a battle scene showing a Tatar invasion (Archive Photos) were all known as Tengri, came to live on lands that later became known as Prussia, earth as the spirits of everything in the Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. In the four- world—from visible objects such as trees and teenth century the Teutonic Knights lost the flames of a fire, to abstract notions such much of their power, and finally the Poles as law, order, and human nature.Tengri him- and Lithuanians overthrew them. In 1525, self still rides across the surface of the earth the Grand Master, Albert of Hohenzollern, on his storm horses, and storms announce his became a Protestant and changed the order arrival to right wrongs and to punish those from a religious to a civic organization; and who have broken the law. in 1618 the order’s territory passed to the See also: Itugen; Mother Earth; Umai Hohenzollern elector of Brandenburg. See also: Estonia; Latvia; Lithuania; Prussia TEUTONIC KNIGHTS General THIRD ALMAFI The name of an organization of German Hungary—Magyar crusaders that arose in Europe during the See: Almafi. twelfth century.The Teutonic Knights were organized for service in the Holy Land, and THRICE-NINTH KINGDOM, THE modeled their organization after two earlier Russia crusading orders—the Knights Templars and An unidentified kingdom that according to the Knights Hospitalers. In the thirteenth some sources was (at least partly) the land of century the Teutonic Knights shifted their Tsar Afron. The Thrice-Ninth Kingdom, activities to central Europe, where they tried unsurprisingly, lay within the Thrice-Ninth to convert and control the people in the Land—a land that is equally unidentified and TO EACH ITS OWN 279

Bayun. Some sources have sought to identify the Thrice-Ninth Land with Turkey, but this seems dubious. See also: Kot Bayun;Thrice-Ninth Kingdom,The

THRICE-TEN KINGDOM, THE Ukraine According to the legend of Maria, the Thrice-Ten Kingdom was the homeland of the witch Baba-Yaga. See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Maria

TIME Armenia Personified as an old man sitting on a stone throne at the foot of Mount Biledjan. Time controlled Death and could, if so disposed, free men of their fear of Death and enable them to live a full life. See also: Death

TIMOFE(Y)EVNA, AMELF(I)A Russia See Amelf(i)a Timofe(y)evna.

TIPI Armenia The name Aslan gave his horse. Tomb of Konrad von Thueringen, Grand Master of See also: Aslan; Zurab the Order of Teutonic Knights, 1240–1245, Elisabeth Church, Marburg, Germany (Erich TO EACH ITS OWN Lessing/Art Resource, NY) Armenia A wolf once seized a lamb from a pen and unidentifiable.Another distinguishing feature made off with it.The lamb asked the wolf to of the Thrice-Ninth Kingdom was that it serenade her before he ate her, as her parents was home to the talking cat Kot Bayun, had told her that wolves had the most beau- which Petrushka sought to capture for his tiful voices. The wolf was flattered and tsar.The tsar had assigned Petrushka this mis- immediately began to howl with all its sion in order to get rid of him so as to take might.The noise woke the shepherd’s watch- Petrushka’s wife as his own. dogs, which attacked the wolf and bit it See also: Afron; Kot Bayun; Petrushka;Thrice- severely. The wolf managed to escape and Ninth Land,The crawled away to lick its wounds, blaming itself for thinking that it could succeed in THRICE-NINTH LAND,THE something it had never tried before. Russia One of the fables of Vardan of Aygek. An unidentified country within which lay See also: Vardan the Thrice-Ninth Kingdom, home to Kot References: Marr 1894–99 280 TOAD, DR.

TOAD, DR. but when the dragon let go of the tree,Tobias Armenia was naturally catapulted through the air and A large toad once hung a pestle and a mor- landed in the middle of a large bush under tar around his neck, took a jar of ointment in which a hare was hiding. Before the hare his hand, and proudly announced to all the could run away, Tobias took hold of it and animals that he was a doctor. All the animals held it up, saying that he had seen the hare flocked to him to be treated, including a wily hiding and had leaped over the cherry tree in fox, who after he had a look at the toad, order to catch it. refused to be treated. When the toad asked The dragon was so impressed that he why,the fox replied that if the toad could not invited Tobias to return with him to meet his cure his own warts and spots, then he could family. Shortly thereafter Tobias and the hardly be qualified to treat anyone else.The dragon entered the dragons’ village, and he moral of the story is that many a man gives was soon presented to the dragon’s mother, advice while forgetting his own defects. father, and two brothers. When the dragon One of the fables of Vardan. explained to his family just what Tobias See also: Vardan could do, they immediately invited him to References: Marr 1894–99 stay, and from that day forth Tobias did little more than eat and sleep. The dragons toler- TOBIAS ated their guest’s indolence for a short while, Magyar and then one day they said that it was Tobias’s A poor man who through human initiative turn to fetch water in the family’s huge and ingenuity got the better of not just a bucket made of the skins of twelve oxen. whole family of dragons but a whole region Tricking the dragon into carrying the inhabited by these creatures. huge bucket,Tobias went to the well, picked Having no food to feed his ever- up a spade, and immediately began to dig a increasing family,Tobias set out to see what trench around the well. When the dragon employment he could find to earn their asked what he was doing,Tobias replied that keep. During his travels he stopped in a large he was going to take the well back with field that belonged to a seven-headed them so that they no longer had to fetch and dragon. Instead of showing his fear of the carry their water.The dragon was alarmed, as monster,Tobias challenged the dragon to see the well served the whole village, and so he what they could squeeze out of a rock.The quickly filled the huge bucket and carried dragon went first and quickly reduced a large the water back home. rock to dust.Tobias then bent down to pick The following day the mother dragon up a rock, and with his back turned toward asked Tobias to fetch firewood from the for- the dragon, swapped it for a lump of cheese est.Tobias went down to the forest with his he had in his pocket. Thus, when Tobias dragon brother. There he wove a rope and squeezed the “rock,” whey ran out of it.The began to stretch it around the whole forest. dragon was so impressed that he suggested When the dragon asked what he was doing, that the two become friends. Tobias agreed Tobias replied that he intended to take the on condition that the dragon treat him as his entire forest home so that they no longer had elder brother. to fetch and carry their firewood.The dragon Thus the two set off across the field was horrified, as the forest supplied the needs toward a cherry tree. There, as Tobias di- of seven villages of dragons; so he quickly rected, the dragon held down the tree so that pulled up enough trees to serve their his elder brother might eat his fill. When requirements and hurried home with them. Tobias could eat no more, he said that he When they arrived home, the mother would hold the tree down for the dragon; dragon was furious to see that her son was TRANSYLVANIA 281 again doing the work Tobias had been asked told the dragon that he wished to return to do. She told her son to get rid of the trou- home, provided the dragon would carry him blesome human, so the dragon suggested that on his back.The dragon was only too happy they should fight. Tobias agreed, and asked to oblige, so that he could finally be rid of how he would be rewarded if he won. The Tobias. Thus it was that Tobias rode the dragon said that he would give Tobias a bar- dragon home like a horse. At the gate to rel of gold if he won; but Tobias would have Tobias’s house the dragon made its farewells to go home if he lost.Then the dragon sug- and set off for home. En route he came across gested that they fight with sticks.The dragon a fox that was rolling on the ground laughing. chose a huge poplar tree, and Tobias a small When the dragon asked what was so funny, sapling. Then Tobias, who had the right by the fox told him that he was laughing at the way of tradition, said that they should fight dragon-horse he had seen the human riding. in the pigsty. There, of course, the dragon The dragon was furious and asked the fox could hardly move, let alone swing his club, what he might do to retrieve the three bar- whereas Tobias set about the dragon with rels of gold.The fox brokered a bargain with ease and soon had him begging for mercy. the dragon, saying that he would help in Having won the fight, and with one bar- return for a cock and nine hens; and the two rel of gold already secured,Tobias thought he set off toward Tobias’s house.Tobias saw them was safe. However, the dragon now suggested coming and shouted to the fox in an angry a sneezing competition, again offering a bar- voice, saying that he had been promised nine rel of gold to Tobias if he won, and again say- dragon skins, so why had the fox brought ing that if he lost, Tobias must go home. him just one? The dragon was so scared that Tobias agreed, and they went indoors. The he took to his heels and ran all the way dragon sneezed first and blew Tobias all home. As for Tobias, he built a fine mansion around the room. Picking himself up,Tobias with the gold and lived in peace and comfort went around the walls and started to plug up for the rest of his natural days. any holes he found.When the dragon asked See also: Dragon what he was doing,Tobias said that if he did References: Biro 1980 not plug up the holes the house would not collapse, and if the house did not collapse, the TONX dragon would not be certain who had Vogul sneezed the best. Collective name for benevolent water spirits The dragon was horrified, begged Tobias who brought men luck when hunting or not to sneeze, and gave him the second bar- fishing, and who could be propitiated to cure rel of gold. Still determined to beat Tobias, illness and disease. the dragon then suggested a shouting com- petition. Tobias immediately agreed and TRANSCAUCASIA asked to be taken to the local blacksmith.The General dragon was naturally curious as to the reason A geographic region that between 1936 and for such a visit.Tobias told him that it was to late 1940 was divided among the republics of have seven hoops made, one for each of the Azerbaijan,Armenia, and Georgia. dragon’s seven heads, as without them his See also: Armenia;Azerbaijan; Georgia shout would crack the dragon’s heads like eggs.The dragon again begged for mercy and TRANSYLVANIA measured out a third barrel of gold for General Tobias. A region of Romania, near the Hungarian Knowing that he had now amassed more border, that covers about 39,000 square miles than enough wealth to last a lifetime, Tobias (101,000 square kilometers).The Carpathian 282 TREE OF LIFE, THE

See also: Carpathian Mountains; Hungary; Romania;Vampire;Vlad (the Impaler), Prince; Walachia

TREE OF LIFE, THE Slav An alternative name for the World Tree, which among the Yakut of Siberia is the world pillar of Yryn-al-tojon, the “white creator lord.” Though the Tree of Life is not given a partic- ular name, it does appear in one Yakut myth when a youth is nourished by Ajysyt from her milk-laden breasts after she has arisen from the roots of the tree.This myth combines the cosmic Tree of Life and the into one sustaining and nourishing entity. See also: Ajysyt; Siberia;World Tree;Yakuts; Yryn-al-tojon

Bela Lugosi as the fictitious Count Dracula in 1931 TRIGLAV (The Museum of Modern Art Film Stills Archive) Slovenia Name by which Svantovit was worshiped in Slovenia, his iconography there having just Mountains and Transylvanian Alps separate three faces rather than the usual four. the region from the rest of Romania. For See also: Svantovit (~dovit) years, Romanians and Hungarians quarreled over Transylvania. Magyars conquered the TRIGLAV, MOUNT region in the tenth century, and from 1526 Slovenia to 1699, Transylvania was part of the The highest mountain of the Julijske Alps in Ottoman Empire. It was under Hungarian northeastern Slovenia, and the highest peak control from 1699 to 1867, when it again in the former Yugoslavia. Mount Triglav lies became part of Hungary.After World War I, about eight miles south of the Austrian bor- Transylvania became part of Romania, and der, to the east of Bled. It was considered by after World War II it lost its political identity. the Slovenes the home of the gods, a sort of Transylvania is the main site of the legend on which the legendary about the famous vampire Dracula. The chamois with golden horns, Zlatorog, was character of Dracula is based on Vlad Tepes,a hunted. cruel prince of the fifteenth century who See also: Slovenia; Zlatorog lived in Walachia, a region south of Transylvania.Vlad executed many of his ene- TROITSA mies by driving a sharpened pole through Russia their bodies and thus earned the common The final day of a weeklong cycle of festivals epithet of “the Impaler.”A belief in vampires that started at Whitsun. The other festivals formerly held by many Romanian peasants that made up the week were the Rusaliia and added details to the legend, and Dracula the Semik. On the Orthodox calendar, (1897), a novel by English author Bram Troitsa became Trinity Sunday,though it was Stoker, made the legend internationally more usually referred to as Mother Troitsa. famous. On this day a young woman would stand TURKESTAN 283 inside a marked ring and make predictions Kiev, during a banquet, he was insulted by regarding marriage and fertility, complain, Alesha, whom he then attempted to kill by and listen to complaints about misfortune. throwing his knife at him. Ekim, Alesha’s The unmarried women of a community squire, caught the knife. Tugarin then chal- would then sing about relinquishing their lenged Alesha to meet him out on the carefree youth for the responsibilities of mar- steppe. riage and a family. Alesha went out on the steppe in the guise See also: Rusaliia; Semik of a pilgrim.Tugarin thought he would have References: Snegirev 1837–39 the upper hand, for he had made himself a pair of wings out of paper on which he flew TRUVOR while sitting astride his powerful horse. Scandinavia and Russia Alesha, however, prayed for rain. The rain One of the two younger brothers of Riurik, indeed came, ruining the giant’s wings. the other being Sineus. When Riurik was Crashing to the ground, Tugarin rushed at chosen as the first Varangian ruler of Alesha on horseback, fully intending to Novgorod, Sineus settled at Beloozero and trample him into the ground; but Alesha hid Truvor at Izborsk, according to the Primary in the horse’s flowing mane and struck Chronicle, which dates their settlement at Tugarin’s head from his shoulders with the between 860 and 862.Two years later Sineus heavy staff he was carrying.Alesha then stuck and Truvor died and Riurik became the sole Tugarin’s head onto the end of the staff and ruler. (The Hypatian Primary Chronicle says rode back into Kiev on Tugarin’s horse. that Riurik first settled at Lake Ladoga.) Tugarin is a prime example of the way the After the deaths of Sineus and Truvor, Riurik traditional dragon developed in the later epic assumed sole authority and moved his seat of stories, the byliny, for he was human in form power to the city he founded on the banks but had the power to fly like a dragon— of the river Volkhov—Novgorod. albeit on paper wings. See also: Ladoga, Lake; Novgorod; Primary See also: Alesha; Bylina; Dragon; Ekim; Kiev; Chronicle; Riurik; Rostov; Sineus;Varangians Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince References: Cross and Sherbowitz-Wetzor 1953 TUNGUS Siberia TSMOK Ancient indigenous people from one of the Belorussia coldest regions on earth, who endured the The personification of the domovoi in the rigors of life in the tundra of Siberia. Only form of a snake that depended on the bless- one of the major Tungus legends has sur- ings of a house, and in particular on that of vived—which is unfortunate, as this story, the women of the house, for its sustenance, that of Ivan the Mare’s Son, is particularly and thus for its life. fine. See also: Domovoi See also: Ivan the Mare’s Son; Siberia

TUGARIN TURKESTAN Russia General A vile, heathen monster who is described as A vast region in Asia that has no definite a giant with the girth of two fully grown oak boundaries. The name refers to the Turkic- trees. His eyes were set wide—some accounts speaking tribes that have lived in this region say a full arrow’s length apart—and his ears since as early as the fifth century A.D. were almost eight inches long.While he was Turkestan (also spelled Turkistan), stretches at the court of Prince Vladimir Bright Sun at from Siberia on the north to Iran, Pakistan, 284 TURKMENISTAN

India, and Tibet on the south. The Turkestan. During the 1920s and 1930s, Mongolian Desert lies to the east, and the Western Turkestan was divided into five sep- Caspian Sea to the west. arate states of the Soviet Union: the Kazakh, Turkestan consists of three primary Kyrgyz, Tajik, Turkmen, and Uzbek Soviet regions: Western Turkestan, formerly also Socialist Republics. In 1991, following the called Soviet Turkestan, lies between the dissolution of the Soviet Union, each of the Caspian Sea and the Tian Shan mountain five republics became independent. range and includes the countries of See also: Caspian Sea; Kazakhstan; Siberia; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turk- Turkmenistan; Uzbekistan menistan, and Uzbekistan. Chinese Turkestan, also called Eastern Turkestan, in TURKMENISTAN the heart of Asia, extends eastward from General Western Turkestan to the Gobi Desert and A mostly desert country in west-central Asia. Tibet, and forms part of China’s Xinjiang Russia began a conquest of the region in the region. This region is bordered by the Tian mid-1870s, and by 1885, all Turkmen lands Shan range on the north and by the Kunlun were under Russian control. In 1924, after Mountains on the south.Afghan Turkestan is much resistance from local tribes, Turk- bounded on the north by the Amu Darya menistan became a republic of the Soviet (Oxus River) and on the northwest by Union and was named the Turkmen Soviet Western Turkestan. Socialist Republic, or Turkmenia. In 1990, Russia began to extend its rule to Western Turkmenistan declared that its laws over- Turkestan soon after the conquest of Siberia, ruled those of the Soviet Union; and in during the seventeenth century, and most of October of the following year the republic Western Turkestan was Russian territory by declared its independence. That December, the nineteenth century.The government cre- after the Soviet Union was dissolved, ated the province of Turkestan and made Turkmenistan became independent and Tashkent its capital. In 1887, an Anglo- joined a loose association of former Soviet Russian commission established the bound- republics called the Commonwealth of ary between Afghanistan and Russian Independent States. horse-riding Cimmerians, occupied the region. The Scythians conquered the Cim- merians about 700 B.C., and between 700 and 600 B.C., Greek colonies appeared on the northern coast of the Black Sea, although the Scythians con- trolled most of the region until c. 200 B.C., when it fell to the Sarmatians. The region was invaded by Ger- manic tribes from the west in A.D. 270 and by the Huns in 375. UKKO During the ninth century a Slavic Estonia Ucivilization called Rus' sprang up around The supreme being, consort of Maan-Eno, Kiev, the resultant East Slavic state being and the joint creator of man. known as Kievan Rus'. Scandinavian mer- See also: Maan-Eno chant-warriors known as Varangians, or Vikings, played an important role in organiz- UKRAINE ing the East Slavic tribes into the Kievan state. General Vladimir I, the ruler of Novgorod, con- A constituent republic of the Soviet Union quered Kievan Rus' in 980, and under his since 1923, the capital of which is Kiev. rule the state became a political, economic, Ukraine is the second-largest European and cultural power in Europe. In 988, country in area, exceeded only by Russia, its Vladimir became a Christian and made neighbor to the east. The Ukrainian lan- Christianity the state religion. In 1240,Tatars guage is a member of the Slavic branch of swept across the Ukrainian plains from the the Indo-European family and is closely east and conquered the region. After the fall related to Russian. of Kievan Rus', several principalities emerged During the ninth century A.D., Kiev in the region. The state of -, became the center of a Slavic state referred in what is now western Ukraine, grew in to as Kievan Rus'. In the fourteenth century, importance. In the fourteenth century, most of Ukraine came under Polish and Poland took control of Galicia, while Lithuanian control. Cossacks freed that por- Lithuania seized Volhynia, and later, Kiev. By tion of Ukraine from Polish rule in 1648 1569, Poland ruled the entire region. In (eastern Ukraine was absorbed by Russia in 1648, a Cossack named Bohdan Khmelnitsky 1667) and liberated the remainder of the led an uprising that freed Ukraine of Polish country from Austrian rule in 1793. control, and in 1654 he formed an alliance In 1923, Ukraine became a constituent with the Russian tsar against Poland. republic of the Soviet Union and was Ukraine was divided between Poland and renamed the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Russia in 1667, with Poland gaining control Republic. In 1991, Ukraine declared its of lands west of the Dnieper River, while political independence, and later that year, Ukrainian lands east of the Dnieper came after the breakup of the Soviet Union, under Russian protection but retained self- received diplomatic recognition as an inde- rule. By 1764, Russia had abolished pendent country. Ukrainian self-rule, and in the last decade of Human settlement in Ukraine began the eighteenth century, it gained control of almost 300,000 years ago. By about 1500 B.C., all of Ukraine except Galicia, which Austria nomadic herders, including the warlike, ruled from 1772 until 1918. Ukraine became

285 286 UKS AKKA one of the four original constituent republics UMILENIE of the Soviet Union in 1922, and it did not Russia return to independent status until the disso- “Lady of Tender Mercy,” one of the three lution of the Soviet Union in 1991. most representative styles of popular iconog- See also: Black Sea; Cossacks; Dnieper; Kiev; raphy of the Virgin Mary. The other two Lithuania; Novgorod; Poland; Rus';Tatars; were “Mary Orans” and the Christianized Sarmatians; Scythia;Varangians;Vikings; pagan goddess shown surrounded by her Vladimir I human and animal creations. Each of these three forms declares the panoptic oversight UKS AKKA of the Mother of God over all creation, from Lapp the heavens to the underworld. One of the daughters of Mader Atcha and Mader Akka. If an unborn child—created by UNDERWORLD,THE Mader Atcha and Mader Akka—was to be a General boy, Uks Akka completed the creation and Though the underworld is not a recognized placed the fetus in the womb of its human domain of the dead in Russian legend, it mother. If it was to be a girl, then that task does appear in the Siberian Tungus story was carried out by her sister, Sar Akka. about Ivan the Mare’s Son. There it is See also: Mader Akka; Mader Atcha; Sar Akka described as the realm of a huge serpent who feeds on the blood of Marfida and her sisters. ULGAN Three days after the serpent is wounded by Siberia and Lapp Ivan the Mare’s Son, it returns, riding in a The sky god, known as Yryn-al-tojon among cloud of fire surrounded by its army of the Yakuts,who created the earth by setting a demons. huge saucer of land on the backs of three fish Some Russian legends connect the witch that he found frisking about in the waters of Baba-Yaga with the realm of the dead, though the primordial ocean.The three fish did not this is never specifically called the under- take kindly to having the weight of the earth world. Some authorities go so far as to say that on them, and their violent movements as they her cottage, with its chicken legs, stands where tried to shake it off caused earthquakes. As a the land of the living meets that of the dead. result, the earth fractured, and pieces both In this context Baba-Yaga may be seen as pro- large and small floated off and continued to tecting the entrance to the underworld, her move freely around until Ulgan anchored role being similar to that of the Greek them to the seabed. One of the smallest Cerberus. However, instead of keeping out- specks he found floating on the surface of the siders from entering the underworld, she is waters startled Ulgan when it spoke to him, there to stop the dead from escaping. In the complaining that it did not want to be per- story of Ivan the Mare’s Son,her role seems to manently fixed, nor did it have any intention have been replaced by the heroic Ivan; for his of letting plants grow on it. Ulgan took the house, and that of his false brothers, also stands small speck, and rather than turning it into an in a clearing in the middle of a forest. island, created Erlik, the first being. In Lithuanian folklore the underworld is See also: Erlik;Yakuts;Yryn-al-tojon described as the realm of Puskaitis and the subterranean barstukai and kaukai.Though it UMAI was not necessarily considered the land of Mongolia the dead, it certainly was considered a realm Mother-of-All, the wife of Tengri, though whose occupants affected the fertility of the some sources name his consort as Itugen. ground, for the barstukai were believed to See also: Itugen;Tengri influence the harvest. URT 287

See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Barstukai; URAL MOUNTAINS Ivan the Mare’s Son; Kaukai; Lithuania; General Marfida; Puskaitis; Siberia;Tungus The Ural Mountains extend about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) through the western UPINIS part of Russia and run south from near the Lithuania Arctic Ocean to around the Kazakhstan bor- The god of rivers to whom white suckling der.The highest peak of the Ural Mountains pigs were sacrificed to ensure the purity of is Mount Narodnaya (6,217 feet, or 1,895 the waters. meters).

UPIR URSA MAJOR Russia General A fantastical creature described as either a Familiar constellation of the northern celes- vampire or a werewolf, which connected the tial hemisphere that is perhaps better known creature with wise women and witches, and as the Great Bear. It is also known as the Big possibly with the moon goddess, as wolves, Dipper, the Plow, Charlie’s Wain, and the werewolves, swans, vampires, and serpent Wagon.Ursa Major is a circumpolar constel- women all were thought to issue from the lation that can be seen from northern lati- goddess. Some sources theorize that the tudes all night, every clear night. It can never word vampire derives from upir, though the be seen from southern latitudes. multiple attributes of the upir do not seem to The five central stars are part of an associ- support this theory. ated group that also includes stars from other See also: Vampire;Werewolf parts of the sky.These stars form an open clus- References: Dontenville 1973; Perkowski 1976 ter that is approximately 75 light-years away— and is the nearest open cluster to Earth. UPROOT OAK See also: Great Bear Russia A giant who appears in the story of the URSA MINOR young tsarevich Ivan the Mute. When Ivan General flees his home (for he has discovered that his Constellation of the northern celestial hemi- sister, who is about to be born, will be a can- sphere that is also known as the Little Bear. nibal witch), he asks Uproot Oak to take him The constellation contains the Pole Star, in. Uproot Oak would have done so, but he Polaris, which lies very close to the celestial was due to die when he had cleared the for- north pole. est he was working on. Later, after Ivan found See also: Little Bear sanctuary with Sun’s Sister, he was returning home to find out what had happened to his URSULA family. On the way, he met up with Uproot Slav Oak, and seeing that he had but two trees left Also: Horsel and Orsel to topple, Ivan threw down a comb that had Goddess of the moon, feasted on 21October. been given him by Sun’s Sister, from which a Following the advent of Christianity her huge forest of sturdy oak trees sprang up. importance continued to be recognized, and These trees later delayed the witch as she pur- she became Saint Ursula. sued Ivan, for Uproot Oak blocked the road with a huge pile of their trunks, and the URT witch had to gnaw her way through them Finno-Ugric—Votyak before she could continue the chase. The Votyak name for the concept or belief See also: Ivan the Mute; Sun’s Sister that all things, animate and inanimate, possess 288 UZBEKISTAN a soul or spirit. Among the Cheremiss this century, and in the late fourteenth century soul is called the ort. the Mongol conqueror Tamerlane founded See also: Cheremiss-Mordvin; Ort;Votyaks the capital of his vast Asian empire in Samarqand. A group of Turkic tribes known UZBEKISTAN as the Uzbeks invaded in the sixteenth cen- General tury,and over a period of time political states A country in central Asia that extends from called khanates were established in the re- the foothills of the Tian Shan and Pamir gion. In the nineteenth century,the khanates Mountains to the land just west of the Aral were either conquered by Russia or came Sea. The country covers 172,742 square under Russian influence; and in 1924, miles (447,400 square kilometers). It became Uzbekistan became a republic of the Soviet an independent state in 1991, after nearly 70 Union. In 1990, the Uzbek government years as a republic of the Soviet Union. declared that its laws superseded those of the In the sixth century, Arabs invaded the Soviet Union, and with the dissolution of the area that is now Uzbekistan and introduced Soviet Union in 1991, Uzbekistan became Islam. Mongols led by Genghis Khan con- an independent country. quered the region in the early thirteenth See also: Genghis Khan; Mongols the blood of the living. The victim of the vampire’s bite in turn would become one of the “living dead.”This is, of course, the source of the famous novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. The vampire seems to have origi- nated as a dragon who ate the moon—such occurrences being believed to bring the dead back to life. The name itself is borrowed from the Serbian vampir, which is in turn related VA-KUL' to the Turkisk word ubir, “undead,” Zyrian Vthough some sources assert an association A malevolent water spirit who was depicted with the Slavic upir. In certain cases the as either a man or a woman with long, vampire had the ability to shift shape at unkempt hair. will, its favorite animal manifestation being the wolf, though bats were also common. VAHAGN These vampires were known as vukodlak, Armenia which literally translates as “wolf’s hair,” a The warrior and creator god who was acci- word that is still in common usage. dentally born at the dawn of creation. Sky and Common superstition still holds that when earth had coupled in an attempt to create life, a werewolf dies, it becomes a vampire. but their violent actions caused a red reed that had been floating on the surface of the pri- mordial ocean to fly up into space. As it flew through space, its motion caused the red color of the reed to concentrate at one end, and a tail of sparks to fly from the other; and thus the comet-like fiery being dubbed Vahagn was created. As he moved through the sky, sparks flew from his tail, filling the night sky with stars. The Milky Way was formed, by some accounts, as slivers of the reed flew off, or from wisps of straw that Vahagn dropped from the bale of straw he had gathered to feed his chariot horses. Vahagn also covered the surface of the earth with all kinds of plants and animals, and then went on to create humankind. Vahagn was married to Astlik, goddess of the stars—a marriage to his own offspring, for the stars were his creation. See also: Astlik; Milky Way,The

VAMPIRE Slav In Slavic demonology the vampire was a Christopher Lee as Dracula bares his fangs. (The corpse that returned to life at night to suck Museum of Modern Art Film Stills Archive)

289 290 VARANGIANS

The origin of the vampire myth is of the longest-lived superstitions of modern obscure, but it may come from ancient Black times. Sea beliefs about ghosts that were persuaded See also: Black Sea; Devil,The; Dragon; to return from the underworld by pouring Underworld,The; Upir;Vlad (the Impaler), warm blood onto the ground. These ghosts Prince;Werewolf then required fresh blood if they were to be References: Perkowski 1976; Summers 1929 kept from returning to the underworld—a trait that was to follow through to the leg- VARANGIANS ends of corpses rising from their graves to General suck the blood of the living and thus to save The name given by the Slavs to the Scan- them from the corruption of death. During dinavian traders who were known as Russes, the sixteenth century a belief arose that Rhos, or Rus' to the Greeks. The traders vampires were the spirits of suicide victims built towns and trading posts such as Nov- and could only be killed if they were gorod and Smolensk in Russia, and Cherni- exposed to daylight, or stabbed through the gov and Kiev in Ukraine.The Scandinavians heart with the sharpened point of a wooden exacted tribute from the Slavs and carried crucifix, after which they would, in a matter many of them off as slaves (the root of the of a few seconds, crumble from a living word indicates how closely Slavic people being to a heap of dust. They were also were identified with servitude). However, believed to be the servants of the Devil and some Scandinavians also settled in Slavic were thought to rape their virgin victims regions, intermarried, and adopted Slavic while they gorged themselves on their customs. More often, the traders were - blood. As a result, suspected victims were patetic and had semipermanent settlements executed just as often as, if not more often without domains or fields. than, suspected vampires. See also: Chernigov; Kiev; Novgorod; Rus'; Modern belief, based to a great degree on Ukraine the novel Dracula, has added a great many aspects to the vampire myth. Bram Stoker VARDAN based the novel not only on local supersti- Armenia tions but also on history,for parts of the story Born (c. 1160) near Aleppo, Syria, and stud- are based on the life and times of the four- ied at Drazark Monastery, near Sis (modern teenth-century Transylvanian warlord named Kozan, Turkey). Vardan then entered the Vlad, better known as “Vlad the Impaler,”for monastery at Aygek, near Antioch (modern the punishment he inflicted on his enemies. Antakya, Turkey), where he remained until These unfortunates would be balanced at the his death (c. 1230).Vardan of Aygek was, in top of a sharpened post and tied by their many respects, the Armenian version of the hands and feet to four more posts.Then they more famous Aesop. He wrote many were slowly rocked back and forth until the Armenian fables in which he incorporated point of the post impaled them gradually local folklore that he had collected. His fables through the stomach. Stoker also added the also concerned contemporary figures from idea that vampires were shape-changers who history, such as Alexander the Great.A num- were in fact half human and half bat and ber of the fables of Vardan of Aygek may be could change from one form to the other at found interspersed throughout this book. will. Since the advent of cinema, and later, That concerning Alexander the Great went television, the vampire has gone through as follows: countless changes; but still the vampire A poor man once went to Alexander the retains the basic elements of ancient Slavic Great and asked him for charity. Being well belief, and as such may be considered as one known for his generosity, Alexander the VASILII BUSLAYEVICH 291

Great gave the man a city and its income. VASILII BUSLA(Y)EV When told by his ministers that the man did Russia not deserve such a gift, Alexander the Great Alternative name for Vasilii Buslayevich, the replied that when one is known for his gen- son of Buslai and Amelfia Timofeyevna. erosity, his gifts must be truly memorable. See also: Aleppo;Alexander the Great; VASILII BUSLAYEVICH Mekhithar Gosh Russia References: Marr 1894–99 The son of Buslai, as his name indicates, Buslayevich simply meaning “son of Buslai,” VARPULIS and the sorceress Amelfia Timofeyevna. Czech Although the legends do not explicitly state The god of the storm wind and an attendant the relationship,Vasilii must have been a half of the thunder god Perun, whose chariot he brother of Dobrynya Nikitich, as Amelfia ran alongside as it galloped across the sky.As Timofeyevna is also said to be the mother of a result Varpulis was often out of breath, and that great bogatyr' and the widow of his panting was perceived in the rumbling of Dobrynya’s father Nikita. thunder. At the age of seven,Vasilii Buslayevich was See also: Perun sent to learn to read and write, which he accomplished with aplomb, and then to VASILII II, GRAND PRINCE write and sing hymns, which he again Russia achieved without equal in all of Novgorod, Historical ruler of Muscovite Russia who his home city. However, when he grew up, adopted the patronage of Saint George in Vasilii began to consort with a drunken and 1415. rowdy crowd, and soon he gained a reputa- See also: George, Saint tion as a lout who would do harm to others References: Cherniavsky 1969 simply for the fun of it.The law-abiding cit- VASILII BELYANINOVICH izens of Novgorod went to see the widow Russia Amelfia Timofeyevna to complain about the Son of Bel Belyanin and Nastas'ya of the conduct of her son, and she, in turn, scolded Golden Braid, and brother to Peter Bel- her son for his behavior. yaninovich and Ivan Belyaninovich. After However, the scolding did nothing to Ivan rescued their mother from Whirlwind, Vasilii Buslayevich other than make him he and Peter left their young brother resolve to live his life as he saw fit. He sent stranded and tried to claim credit for the res- out a challenge to all those in Novgorod that cue themselves. The truth finally came out, if they could pass two tests he would set and their father wanted to have them exe- them, they would become members of his cuted. Ivan interceded; and Peter married the druzhina (retinue) and live a life of luxury at tsaritsa of the Silver Kingdom,Vasilii married his expense. the tsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom, and Ivan Word of the challenge quickly spread, and married Elena the Fair, the tsaritsa of the it was not long before a huge crowd had Golden Kingdom, the three maidens having gathered in front of Vasilii Buslayevich’s been rescued by Ivan when he freed his home.Vasilii faced the crowd and told them mother. that the two tests consisted of drinking, in a See also: Bel Belyanin; Copper Kingdom, single quaff, a cup of green wine—no nor- The; Elena the Fair; Golden Kingdom,The; mal cup, but one holding the equivalent of Ivan Belyaninovich; Nastas'ya of the Golden one and a half vedro. The second test would Braid; Peter (Belyaninovich); Silver Kingdom, be to stand, unwavering, under a single blow The;Whirlwind from Vasilii Buslayevich’s huge mace, which 292 VASILII BUSLAYEVICH was made of elm wood and filled with lead Timofeyevna gave her son a drugged drink, and weighed more than twenty poods (ap- then had her handmaiden lock him in a proximately 720 pounds). strong dungeon with thick iron bars at the The first to take the tests and pass was windows and several locks on the many Kostia Novotorzheni. He was followed by doors between the dungeon and the outside. two boyar brothers by the names of Luka and The battle now turned in favor of the Moisei, then by the men of Zalyoshen, the men of Novgorod, who steadily forced Vasilii seven Sbrodovich brothers, and so on, until Buslayevich’s men back toward the river there were twenty-nine members of the Volkhov. There the handmaiden of the druzhina, Vasilii Buslayevich himself being widow Amelfia Timofeyevna came across the the thirtieth.Those who failed the tests were fight and was beseeched for help by Vasilii killed and simply thrown over a wall. Buslayevich’s men. She immediately cast the Several days later Vasilii Buslayevich heard buckets from the yoke about her neck, and that the men of Novgorod were organizing a brandishing the yoke, plowed into the men large party in honor of one Nikolai, so he of Novgorod, killing a great many and and his men went along to see if they could knocking a great many more senseless.Then, gain entry, which they did when Vasilii with the odds slightly evened, she ran to the Buslayevich paid five rubles for each of them dungeon where she had incarcerated Vasilii and twenty-five for himself. As the evening Buslayevich and set him free. wore on, great quantities of alcohol were Vasilii Buslayevich rushed to the aid of his consumed, and a fight broke out during men, only to find his way blocked by an aged which Vasilii Buslayevich was set upon and pilgrim carrying a huge gold bell that came close to being strangled. He called out weighed over three hundred poods (10,800 for help, whereupon Luka, Moisei, and pounds). The pilgrim warned Vasilii Bus- Kostia Novotorzheni came to his aid, killing layevich to refrain from attacking the men of their ataman’s attackers. Novgorod, for he said that the men of Nov- The fighting continued until the partygo- gorod would be victorious in the end. Dis- ers begged Vasilii Buslayevich and his men interested and disbelieving, Vasilii Buslay- for mercy.Vasilii Buslayevich considered the evich told the pilgrim to stand aside, and problem for a moment and then wagered the when he did not, he struck out at him, townsfolk that his followers could take on whereupon the pilgrim disappeared. the entire city and win. He added that if he Vasilii Buslayevich hurried back into the did win, then the city would pay him and his battle. Soon he and his men once more had men a tribute of three thousand rubles a year, the upper hand. Seeing that they were losing until the very last member of his druzhina the battle, the men of Novgorod went to the was dead; but if he lost, then he would pay widow Amelfia Timofeyevna and told her the city three thousand rubles a year until his that they would accept defeat and gladly pay death. The men of Novgorod accepted the the tribute her son had demanded. Amelfia challenge and agreed that the fight should sent the handmaiden to fetch Vasilii start the very next day. Buslayevich, and over glasses of wine the two Quickly it became apparent that Vasilii sides made their peace. Buslayevich and his men were the more Peace, however, was not what burned in powerful; so several of the leaders of Vasilii Buslayevich’s heart. Still, he had Novgorod went to the widow Amelfia signed a pact with the city of Novgorod, and Timofeyevna and pleaded with her to take so he had to seek adventure farther afield.To her son in hand.The widow considered var- this end he built a sturdy ship, painted it ious courses of action and then had her blood red, and took to a life of piracy on the handmaiden bring her son to her. Amelfia waters of Lake Il'men'.As they sailed, Kostia VASILII BUSLAYEVICH 293

Nikitin guarded the stern and Tiny Potania Sailing on into the Caspian Sea, the ship the stem, while Vasilii Buslayevich paced up came to the island of Kuminsk and docked and down looking for a new target to attack. under the watchful eye of over a hundred At length,Vasilii Buslayevich felt the burden Kazakh pirates.Vasilii Buslayevich paid them of age bearing down on him, and so he and no attention, calmly moored the ship, and his men decided to make a pilgrimage to then leaped ashore, carrying his huge elm Jerusalem to seek divine forgiveness before mace. So intimidated were the Kazakhs by they died. his casual indifference that they scattered to Setting sail from Novgorod, they sailed tell their atamans of the arrival of Vasilii three weeks before sighting another ship. Buslayevich and his druzhina. The atamans When the two ships drew abreast, they asked came out to greet their visitor, who simply the other sailors, who all had heard of Vasilii asked them to point out to him the most Buslayevich and his druzhina, the most direct direct route to Jerusalem. They invited him route to Jerusalem.The sailors told them that to dine with them, which he did, and then, the city they sought lay seven weeks’ sail amazed by his prowess and calm among a away by the most direct route, or a year and company feared by all others, the Kazakh a half by the indirect one.Vasilii Buslayevich atamans provided Vasilii Buslayevich a young told them he would follow the quickest guide and bade him a safe journey—glad to route to his salvation; but the sailors warned see him go and to have escaped his legendary him that this meant they would have to pass wrath. the island of Kuminsk in the Caspian Sea, Vasilii Buslayevich and his men sailed where three thousand Kazakh atamans across the Caspian Sea and entered the con- barred the way, robbing and sinking any ship fines of the river Jordan, where they tied up that attempted to pass. the ship, Vasilii Buslayevich going on into Undeterred, Vasilii Buslayevich and his Jerusalem by himself. There he prayed and men sailed on until they came to an island on took communion in the Church of the Holy which they beached their ship. They began Sepulchre. While he was away, his men to climb the central mountain, which was waited patiently on their ship and bathed in called the Sorochinsk, or the Saracen, Hill. the waters of the Jordan.While bathing they Halfway up the mountainside, Vasilii Bus- were approached by an old woman, who told layevich came across a pile of human bones them that only Vasilii Buslayevich might and idly kicked the skull aside. The skull bathe in the same waters that Jesus Christ warned Vasilii Buslayevich that he would die had been baptized in and that they would on that very mountain; but Vasilii refused to lose their valiant leader before long. believe it, kicked it again to one side, and The men laughed at the old woman’s continued to climb. superstition and continued to bathe in the At the top of the mountain they came to river. Vasilii Buslayevich completed his a huge stone slab that had an inscription on prayers in Jerusalem and returned to his boat, it saying that any who dived across it would and then set sail, retracing his course back to surely die. This slab is described by some Novgorod. On the way he again stopped and sources as three fathoms high (24 feet), three feasted with the Kazakh pirates, and moored arshins and a quarter wide, and a whole ax- his ship again at the island of the Sorochinsk, throw across. Vasilii and his men read the or Saracen, Hill.Again Vasilii Buslayevich and words, laughed at them, and then crossed the his men climbed the hill, and crossed the stone, though none dared dive across. stone slab at the top.This time Vasilii decided However, they found nothing else on that to defy the prophecy engraved on the slab island, so they returned to their ship and and dove headlong from one side to the resumed their course for Jerusalem. other. He took a good run up and leaped 294 VASILII BUSLAYEVICH into the air. However, as his legs crossed the thing was wrong. Quickly he mounted his edge of the stone, one foot caught the lip, own horse and rode across the plain, looking and Vasilii Buslayevich crashed down onto for his comrade. Before long he came to the the slab, splitting his head open and spilling tent of the Tatar, and there he saw the dis- his brains. He died instantly. membered body of Dobrynya Nikitich lying His men quickly gave Vasilii Buslayevich a on the ground. Alyosha roared a challenge Christian burial and then returned to and was quickly met by the Tatar. The two Novgorod, where they broke the news of his fought long and hard until Alyosha managed death to the widow Amelfia Timofeyevna. to unseat the Tatar, leaped upon him, and Vasilii’s mother offered each of his men an made ready to cut out his heart. As he equal share of her dead son’s fortune, but kneeled over the body, knife poised, a black they all refused and drank a simple toast raven swooped down and beseeched Alyosha before going their separate ways. to spare the life of the Tatar, saying that if his This is not the only account of the death life was spared, then the raven would fetch of Vasilii Buslayevich.Another legend, which the Water of Life and Death so that Alyosha is a post-Christian attempt to stamp out the might restore his fallen comrade to life. remembrance of these great heroes and Alyosha agreed, and before long the raven demigods, says that seven bogatyri once returned with two vials of water, one con- assembled to go on a journey together. The taining the Water of Death and the other the seven were Vasilii Buslayevich, Godenko Water of Life.Alyosha first anointed the body Bludovich, Vasilii Kazimirovich, Ivan Go- of Dobrynya Nikitich with the Water of stinyi Syn, Alyosha Popovich, Dobrynya Death, and his body became whole again. Nikitich, and Il'ya Muromets. Setting out Then he anointed the body with the Water together on horseback, the seven rode out of Life, and Dobrynya came back to life and toward the river Safat. At the junction of embraced his comrade. They then set the three roads, not far from the banks of the Tatar free and returned to the banks of the Safat, the seven men made camp and settled Safat to wash and give thanks to God. down for the night. As they rose from their ablutions they saw The following morning Dobrynya Ni- a huge Tatar army approaching the river and kitich was the first to wake and went down called to the other bogatyri to join them in to the Safat to bathe and give thanks to God. the coming battle. For three hours and three As he made to leave he noticed a white tent minutes they rode through the Tatar army, pitched on the opposite bank that he recog- and by the end of that time had killed each nized as belonging to a Tatar—a Muslim,and and every Tatar warrior.As they rode back to thus a sworn enemy of every bogatyr'. the banks of the river to wash off the blood Dobrynya called out a challenge to the Tatar, of the battle, the seven began to boast about who rushed from his tent fully armed and their accomplishments. As they boasted that leaped onto his horse to meet Dobrynya none could ever defeat them, they were con- Nikitich in battle on the plain. For a long fronted by two strange warriors, who chal- time the two fought before Dobrynya was lenged them. toppled from his horse. The Tatar leaped Alyosha Popovich took up the challenge down and cut out Dobrynya’s heart and liver. first and rushed at the warriors, cutting each As Dobrynya Nikitich died, Alyosha in half as he rode past them; but as he turned Popovich rose from his bed and came to the his horse to boast to his comrades, he saw Safat to bathe and make ready for the day. that the two had now become four. There he saw Dobrynya Nikitich’s horse Dobrynya Nikitich was the next to charge, wandering aimlessly, and catching the sad and he too cut all the warriors in half; but as look in the horse’s eyes, he knew that some- he turned, he found that the four had now VASILIS(S)A KIRBIT'EVNA 295 become eight. Il'ya Muromets then charged, was returning home with the Firebird, the but with the same result. For the first time in Horse with the Golden Mane, and Elena the their lives, the seven felt fear, and deciding Beautiful, and killed him. Vasilii won Elena that living was better than certain death, they the Beautiful when he and Dmitrii cast lots, all fled for the mountains. There, as each of while his brother received the Horse with the seven entered the foothills, he was imme- the Golden Mane. They presented the diately turned to stone.That is why,after this Firebird to their father as proof that they had encounter, there were no more bogatyri left completed the quest for the fabulous bird. in all Russia. After Ivan was restored to life with the Water It is interesting to note in this story that of Life and Death and returned to the royal the Water of Life and Death is depicted as palace,Vasilii and Dmitrii were thrown into two separate elements, whereas it is usually the deepest dungeon by their father for their referred to as a single solution. It is also inter- treachery. esting to note that the deaths of the heroes See also: Dmitrii (Vyslavovich); Elena the vary from those described in the tales of their Beautiful; Firebird,The; Horse with the individual lives. Golden Mane,The; Ivan Vyslavovich;Vyslav See also: Alyosha Popovich;Amelf(i)a Andronovich;Water of Life and Death,The Timofe(y)evna; Boyars; Buslai (~y); Caspian Sea; Dobrynya Nikitich; Godenko Bludovich; VASILIS(S)A, PRINCESS Il'men', Lake; Il'ya Muromets; Ivan Gostinyi Russia Syn; Kostia Nikitin; Kostia Novotorzheni; A daughter of the Sea Tsar, sometimes Luka; Moisei; Nikita; Nikolai of Mozhaisk, referred to as Vasilissa the Wise, and described Saint; Novgorod; Potania,Tiny; Safat; Saracen by some as an incarnation of the witch Baba- Hill; Sbrodovich; Sorochinsk Hill;Tatars; Vasilii Kazimirovich;Water of Life and Death, Yaga.In an unnamed realm, an unnamed tsar The; Zalyoshen sought to sacrifice his son to an eagle in References: Speranskii 1916; Ukhov 1957 return for great wealth, but the youth was rescued by Princess Vasilissa.The tsar called VASILII KAZIMIROVICH on the Sea Tsar to return his son to him, but Russia Princess Vasilissa overcame and killed her One of seven bogatyri who once assembled father, married the youth, and ruled in the to go on a journey together. The other six Sea Tsar’s stead. were Vasilii Buslayevich, Godenko Bludo- See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Sea Tsar; Vasilis(s)a the Wise vich, Ivan Gostinyi Syn, Alyosha Popovich, Dobrynya Nikitich, and Il'ya Muromets.This legend, which attempts to explain why the VASILIS(S)A KIRBIT'EVNA bogatyri disappeared from Holy Russia, may Russia be found in the entry for Vasilii Buslayevich. The beautiful daughter of Tsar Kirbit. She See also: Alyosha Popovich; Bogatyr'; lived in a tower with a gilded roof from Dobrynya Nikitich; Godenko Bludovich; Il'ya which she was abducted by Bulat the Brave Muromets; Ivan Gostinyi Syn;Vasilii and Ivan, the latter of whom it had been Buslayevich prophesied she would marry. En route she References: Speranskii 1916; Ukhov 1957 was kidnapped by the terrible Koshchei the Deathless. VASILII VYSLAVOVICH Bulat the Brave and Ivan came to the Russia home of Koshchei to rescue her. With her Son of Tsar Vyslav Andronovich and brother help, they found out where Koshchei had of Dmitrii and Ivan Vyslavovich. He and hidden his soul—for without it, he could not Dmitrii waylaid their brother Ivan when he be killed.After Bulat the Brave and Ivan had 296 VASILIS(S)A OF THE GOLDEN BRAID successfully collected Koshchei’s soul and as he told her this, for he did not believe that killed him,Vasilissa returned with Ivan to his such a person existed. Indeed, at that time, homeland, where in fulfillment of the Ivan the Pea had not yet been born. prophecy, she became his wife. Back at her home, Vasilissa’s mother was See also: Bulat the Brave; Ivan; Kirbit; heartbroken for the lack of news of her chil- Koshchei (the Deathless) dren.Walking in her garden one hot day, she became thirsty and drank from a small stream VASILIS(S)A OF THE GOLDEN that ran through the garden, failing to see BRAID that she also swallowed a small pea that was Russia in the water. The pea started to swell inside The beautiful daughter of Tsar Svetozar. For the tsarina, and after the appropriate time she the first twenty years of her life she lived gave birth to a son, whom she called Ivan the alone, save for her maids and ladies-in- Pea. waiting, in her room at the top of a tall Ivan the Pea grew at a tremendous rate.At tower. She earned her epithet from her hair, the age of ten, he was the strongest and fat- which reached to her ankles and which she test knight in all the kingdom. Learning of wore in a single plait. News of her wondrous the fate of his brothers and sister, Ivan the beauty had gradually spread far and wide, Pea set out to find them.After traveling three and soon offers of marriage were received. days, Ivan the Pea came to a house on chick- Her father was in no hurry and waited until ens’ legs that revolved in the wind. The old the appropriate time to announce that she crone who lived in the house gave Ivan the would choose a husband. Pea directions to the land of the dragon, on As Vasilissa had never been outside her the condition that he bring back some of the room, she longed to see the fields and the magic water owned by the dragon, which flowers that lay beyond the palace. Finally her would make her young again. father agreed to let her out just once. As she After a lengthy journey, Ivan the Pea strolled around, picking the pretty flowers, she arrived at the palace of the dragon. When wandered away from her ladies-in-waiting. Vasilissa found out who he was, she begged Just then, a strong wind sprang up, lifting the him to leave and save his life. Ivan the Pea unfortunate girl from the ground and carry- would not hear anything of the sort. Instead, ing her far away to the domain of a fierce he went to the palace smithy and asked the dragon, who imprisoned her in a golden old smith to make him a mace weighing five palace that stood on a single silver pillar. hundred poods (18,000 lbs or 8,190 kg).The Heartbroken by her disappearance, her mace took forty hours to make, and fifty parents sent her two brothers to find her. men were needed to lift it; but Ivan the Pea After two years they came to the land of the picked it up in one hand and tossed it into dragon and saw Vasilissa behind a barred win- the air, where it disappeared from sight. Ivan dow inside the strange palace. As they the Pea returned to the palace and asked to entered the palace the dragon returned. be told when the mace was sighted. Three Confronted by the two young men, he deftly hours later, a frightened messenger told Ivan picked up one and dashed him against his the Pea that the mace had been spotted, and brother, thus killing both. he deftly caught it in one hand, the impact Vasilissa at first starved herself; but then having no effect on him but making the she vowed that rather than die, she would mace bend slightly. Ivan the Pea simply laid escape from the palace. Pretending to be nice it across his knee and bent it straight again. to the dragon, she learned that there was Shortly afterward the dragon returned to only one who could overcome him, and he the palace, which normally would have was named Ivan the Pea.The dragon laughed begun to revolve on its single silver pillar as VASILIS(S)A THE BEAUTIFUL 297 he approached. This time it did not even Vasilissa, her blessings and a doll, saying that move an inch, warning the dragon that there if ever Vasilissa needed guidance all she had to must be something, or someone, extremely do was feed the doll and it would tell her heavy inside. what to do. A short time later the merchant The dragon, who had the body of a man married for the second time, this time mar- but the head of a serpent, flew in through rying a widow who had two daughters of one of the windows, riding a winged black her own. horse. Spying Ivan the Pea, the dragon leaped Vasilissa’s stepmother and stepsisters were at him, but Ivan the Pea jumped nimbly to jealous of her beauty and did everything they one side. As the dragon crashed to the floor, could to make her life miserable. They gave Ivan the Pea launched his enormous mace at her all the hardest jobs to do and yet were it. As the mace made contact, it smashed the always complaining about her. However, dragon into thousands of tiny pieces. Vasilissa completed each task with ease, for all However, the mace did not stop at that, and she had to do was feed the doll her mother continued through the walls of the palace, had given her, and while she passed the time coming to rest many hundreds of miles away. picking flowers or walking in the meadows, Refusing the requests of the beleaguered the doll did all the work that had been kingdom that the dragon had ruled over to assigned. become their tsar, Ivan the Pea appointed the The years passed and the merchant spent smith who had made his mighty mace. Next, much of his time away from home. On one remembering the promise he had made to such occasion the stepmother moved the the old crone in the forest, he located the entire family to the edge of a very dark for- magic water owned by the dragon, the Water est in the middle of which Baba-Yaga had of Life and Death. He carefully filled a flask her home. Every day some excuse would be with the water and then sprinkled some over found to send Vasilissa into the forest; but the bodies of his dead brothers, who came every time, the doll guided her and kept her back to life, rubbing their eyes as if they had clear of Baba-Yaga’s house. One night in just awakened from a deep sleep. autumn the stepmother and her daughters let All four then returned home, stopping all the fires in the house go out, and order- en route to deliver the flask of the magic ing Vasilissa to fetch light from Baba-Yaga, water to the crone in the forest. Once they pushed her out of the house. home,Vasilissa took a husband, and follow- After talking with her doll, who told her ing the death of their father, Ivan the Pea that no harm would come to her as long as became tsar. she kept the doll with her, Vasilissa left the Even though the crone in the forest in this house and started into the forest.A short way story is not named, most authorities agree down the path, just as dawn was breaking, that she is none other than the witch Baba- she was passed by a galloping horseman Yaga. whose face and clothes were white, as were See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Dragon; Ivan his horse and its harness. Just as the sun was the Pea; Svetozar;Water of Life and Death,The rising, she were passed by a second racing horseman. This time the rider’s face and VASILIS(S)A THE BEAUTIFUL clothes were scarlet, as were his horse and Russia harness. Vasilissa walked deeper and deeper Also: Maryshia. into the forest, well into the evening, until Vasilissa the Beautiful was the only daughter she came to the clearing in which Baba- of a merchant whose wife died when the girl Yaga’s house stood. was just eight years old. As she lay dying her The sight she saw froze her to the spot.A mother gave Vasilisushka, her pet name for high fence of human bones circled the cot- 298 VASILIS(S)A THE WISE tage, which revolved slowly in the slight before handing it to Vasilissa,who then made breeze. Human skulls adorned the fence her way back to the cottage where her step- posts.The gate consisted of a pair of human mother and stepsisters awaited her return. legs, the bolts of a pair of human hands, and Outside the cottage Vasilissa made to the lock of a mouth with razor-sharp teeth. throw away the skull, but it told her not to. As Vasilissa stood there, a third horseman Entering the cottage, Vasilissa was warmly passed her, riding swiftly through the gates, welcomed, because since she had left they which magically opened to admit him.This had been unable to light anything in the rider was entirely black and rode the black- cottage and had spent five miserable days in est horse Vasilissa had ever seen.As horse and the dark and the cold. However, when they rider passed through the gate, they disap- took the skull from Vasilissa,it stared straight peared from view, and night instantly fell. into their eyes. No matter where they hid Light soon returned to the scene, however, the skull managed to fix its gaze on them, for the eyes in the skulls that sat atop the and by morning all three had been burned fence started to glow until the clearing was to a cinder. lit as brightly as it would have been in the Leaving the cottage the next morning, middle of the day. Vasilissa buried the skull and returned to As Vasilissa stood in the strangely lit clear- town to await her father. While she waited, ing, she heard an awful noise coming from her doll wove some spectacular thread, the forest. Suddenly Baba-Yaga herself came which a seamstress took to the tsar.When he into view, riding in a mortar that she rowed saw it he asked for the spinner of such a with a pestle, and brushing away all traces of thread to be brought to him. When he saw her passage with a broom. Stopping at the Vasilissa,the tsar fell instantly in love with her gates, she saw Vasilissa and asked her why she and made her his wife. had come. When Vasilissa told her that she This story, whose theme is well known in had come for a light, Baba-Yaga said that she such stories as that of , shows both would give her one provided she worked for the benevolent and the malevolent nature of her for a time, warning that her failure to the witch Baba-Yaga.Authorities have iden- complete any assigned task would result in tified the mother of Vasilissa as a sister of her being eaten. Baba-Yaga who is jealous of Vasilissa’s beauty, For two days Baba-Yaga assigned Vasilissa or as one of Baba-Yaga’s aspects that is equiv- seemingly impossible tasks, such as extracting alent to the third aspect of the triune god- earth from poppy seeds, or fennel from dess—that of death. Baba-Yaga herself repre- wheat; but each task was carried out with sents the second aspect of the triune ease by the doll. All Vasilissa had to do was goddess—that of fate, neither good nor bad, cook for the witch, a task she enjoyed and and the doll, her first aspect—that of protec- the doll did not, for fear of falling into the tress and life-giver. fire and burning up. On the third evening See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Day; Night; Baba-Yaga told Vasilissa that as her mother Sun;Vasilisushka had blessed her, she was free to leave. First, References: Afanas'ev 1957 however, Vasilissa asked whether she might know the answer to a single question. The VASILIS(S)A THE WISE witch agreed.Vasilissa wanted to know who Russia the three horsemen were whom she had A princess from a remote, unnamed king- seen. Baba-Yaga explained that they were her dom who had the ability to change her shape servants, Day, Sun, and Night. Leading the at will, though she usually chose to assume girl to the gate, she took one of the skulls that of a frog. It was in this guise that Ivan the down from the fence and placed it on a pole Young found her. VASILIS(S)A THE WISE 299

Ivan was the youngest son of an unnamed frog; but each only produced disastrous tsar and one of his three concubines, each of results, while the frog produced the finest whom had presented the tsar with a son. loaf ever seen. Unsure which son should succeed him, the To congratulate each of his daughters-in- tsar told each to go into a field and to shoot law the tsar organized a huge banquet in a single arrow, with the son’s name written their honor. Distraught, Ivan the Young knew on it, each in a different direction.Wherever he would be the laughingstock of the king- the arrow landed, that son would rule, and he dom if he brought a frog to the banquet. would marry the daughter of the house the Telling him to go on ahead,the frog changed arrow landed in. Each prince did as in- into the beautiful maiden and arrived at the structed and set off to find his arrow. banquet in the finest horse and carriage any- Ivan was at first unable to locate his one in that kingdom had ever seen. As the arrow.However, after three days of searching feast drew to a close, Ivan made an excuse he came across a small hut made of reeds, in and left early to arrive home ahead of his the middle of a swamp. Inside sat a large wife.There, in an attempt to keep his wife in green frog with Ivan’s arrow in its mouth. her womanly form, he found and burned her The frog saw Ivan the Young and bade him frog skin. When his wife returned, she told enter, changing the hut into a pretty sum- him that had he waited just a while longer, merhouse so that it was large enough to she would have been his forever. She told accommodate him. him that her name was Vasilissa the Wise and The frog then magically conjured up a that she must now disappear; and she gave table fully laden with food, and when Ivan him instructions on how to travel to the land had eaten, told him that unless he consented of eternal sunlight if he wished to find her. to marry her he would never leave the Ivan the Young set out to find his wife. swamp. Realizing that the frog was an After a long journey he found himself in enchantress, Ivan the Young agreed. With front of a small wooden hut on chicken’s legs that, the frog discarded its skin and stood that revolved slowly in the wind—the home before him in its real form—that of a beau- of the witch Baba-Yaga.Entering the hut he tiful maiden. The maiden told Ivan that she was confronted by the angry witch; but would wear her frog skin during the day but when he explained the purpose of his visit, would appear every night as he now saw her. the witch agreed to help him. She told him When he returned home, Ivan the Young that his wife flew in every day to see her. was at first ridiculed for wanting to marry After she had made herself comfortable, Ivan the frog; but finally his father consented and was to take hold of her firmly and not let go the two were wed.The frog kept her word even when she changed her shape. Finally and appeared as a beautiful woman every she would turn into an arrow, which Baba- night. For a long time Ivan and his wife Yaga told Ivan to break over his knee.Then, lived happily. Then the tsar devised three and only then, would Vasilissa be his forever. tests for each of his son’s wives.The first was Shortly afterward Vasilissa flew in on her to sew a fine shirt.The frog easily won, for . Making herself comfortable, she had had the garment magically made. she did not see Ivan as he leaped out of his The second test was to embroider a tapestry hiding place and caught hold of her. in a single night. Again the frog easily won, Instantly she began to change her shape, for she commanded the winds to bring her and in surprise, Ivan let her wriggle free the finest tapestry from her father’s king- and fly away. Baba-Yaga then advised Ivan dom. Finally the tsar commanded each to the Young to visit Vasilissa’s middle sister, bake him a loaf of bread.This time the two for the witch knew that Vasilissa also visited other wives tried to cheat by spying on the her. Ivan thanked the witch and made his 300 VASILISUSHKA way to the home of Vasilissa’s middle sister. Hills, in families and villages similar to those There the very same thing happened, so they lived in on earth. the middle sister sent Ivan on to visit their youngest sister. There he was told that this time he must Russia not fail, for if he did, he would never see A nature deity who was regarded as the Vasilissa again.After Vasilissa had arrived, Ivan patron of cattle and of merchants. Following pounced on her and hung on with all his the adoption of Christianity by Vladimir I, might. Finally realizing that she could not Veles became Saint Vlasii,who is depicted in escape him,Vasilissa changed herself into an Russian iconography as being surrounded by arrow, which Ivan broke across his knee. sheep, cows, and goats. Instantly Vasilissa assumed her human form See also: Vladimir I;Vlas(i)i, Saint and told him that she was his forever. Together they rode on Vasilissa’s flying carpet VELI JOZE back to the home of Ivan, and there they Croatia lived happily together, Ivan eventually inher- Literally,“Big Joe.”Veli Joze was a giant and iting his father’s domain. a valiant warrior who lived at Motovun, on In the Ukrainian version of this tale, the the Istra peninsula of northern Croatia. shape-changing frog is named Maria and Once, in a fit of fury against a tyrannical feu- identified as the daughter of the Sea King. See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Ivan the dal lord, he wrapped his arms around Young;Maria; Sea King Motovun tower and shook it with all his might.The tower cracked and began to lean VASILISUSHKA to one side—a state it remains in to this day. Russia Veli Joze did not escape unpunished. Two The pet name given to Vasilissa the Beautiful iron rings were fixed to the side of a nearby by her mother. canyon from which Veli Joze was suspended, See also: Vasilis(s)a the Beautiful though whether or not he died there was not recorded. See also: Motovun VASILKO Ukraine The younger brother of Marusya. VELNIAS See also: Marusya Baltic A malevolent spirit of the dead. VED'MA Russia VENUS The Russian word for a witch, which comes General from “to know”—a root that indicates the The nearest planet to Earth.Venus lies nearer importance of witches such as Baba-Yaga, the Sun than does Earth, and thus it appears who were not only the doers of magical in phases. It is most famous as the Morning deeds but also the repositories of all knowl- Star or the Evening Star—the first “star” vis- edge. ible in the dusk sky, or the last star to disap- See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga) pear at dawn. Many cultures around the world have connected the planet Venus with VELE(S) deities personifying the daily death of the Baltic Sun and its wondrous rebirth the following Spirits of the dead.They are believed to live morning. in another world, referred to as the Sand See also: Evening Star; Morning Star; Sun VIKINGS 301

would injure or kill the wizard or devil rid- ing there. See also: Ivan Belyaninovich;Whirlwind

VIKINGS General Also called Norsemen, and known as “Danes” in England and Ireland, the Vikings were Scandinavian sea warriors who raided Europe between the eighth and eleventh centuries. Many Vikings eventually settled in the lands they raided and conquered—for example, the province of Normandy, in France. The Vikings conquered England in 1013 under Sweyn I, whose son Canute was later crowned king of England, Denmark, Full-disc image of Venus, taken by the Pioneer Venus and Norway.In the east they created the first Orbiter, March 3 1979 (NASA) state in Russia (Kievan Rus') as well as either founding the city of Novgorod or helping to establish it on a firm footing. Excellent VESNA mariners, the Vikings sailed as far as the Russia A goddess of spring whose name appears to have given rise to Ovsen', an archaic name used for the Koliada festival in the Volga region—though the inverse might also be the case. See also: Koliada; Ovsen';Volga References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Potebnia 1865

VESNIANKA Russia In certain parts of Russia, this goddess was considered the personification of spring. She might owe her origins to Vesna, or vice versa. See also: Vesna

VIKHOR' Russia The Russian name of the character referred to as “Whirlwind” in English translations of the story of the tsarevich Ivan Belyanino- vich. A wicked enchanter who, in the guise of a whirlwind, abducted either the mother or the sister of the tsarevich. Popular belief Detail of the prow of the ninth-century Viking held that if a knife could be thrust into the Oseberg ship (Museum of the Viking Ship, Oslo, very center, or heart, of a whirlwind, it Norway; Knudsens-Giraudon/Art Resource, NY) 302 VILA

Byzantine Empire in the south, and Ireland, VINOGRAD Iceland, Greenland, and North America in Russia the west. Literally, “Vine” or “Grapes”—an archaic Noted for the barbarity of their raids, name sometimes used to refer to the Koliada the Vikings were able to penetrate far festival in the Volga region of Russia. inland in their shallow-draft, highly See also: Koliada;Volga maneuverable longships. They plundered villages and towns in order to obtain gold VISAPAKLAL and other riches, killing men and children Armenia with abandon before raping the women Vahagn’s name when he is referred to in his and putting them to the sword as well. It dragon-slaying aspect—a function of the god was the need for organized resistance about which nothing further is known. against the Vikings that accelerated the See also: Dragon;Vahagn development of the feudal system. The Vikings actually successfully invaded VISHAP Britain twice: first as Vikings proper, and Armenia second in 1066, under the leadership of Armenian word for dragon. William the Conqueror, as Normans. See also: Byzantine Empire; Novgorod VIXEN AND THE LIONESS, THE Armenia VILA A lioness once gave birth to a cub, and all the Slav other animals came to offer her their con- (pl. vili or vile) A woodland nymph who is gratulations. Into the midst of their gathering possibly similar in characteristics to the walked a vixen that berated the lioness as Baltic vele. In some cases, the vili were seen only being able to produce one offspring at as male versions of the russalki; but more a time, whereas she could produce a whole often the vila and russalka were inter- litter. The lioness retorted that while the changeable. One particular story concern- vixen was indeed telling the truth, at least her ing the vile involves Prince Marko, who saw child was a lion. a group of them singing and dancing. One of the fables of Vardan of Aygek, Marko released his falcon to capture the which possibly owes its origins to the classi- headdress and wings of their leader cal Greek story of Niobe and Leto. In this Nadanojla, who set off in hot pursuit of tale, Niobe boasted that she had six sons and Marko as he rode away with the captured six daughters (some sources say seven of items. Marko explained to all who saw him each), whereas Leto had only produced the that the woman following him was a shep- twins Apollo and Artemis. herdess who was to become his wife. Duly See also: Vardan married, the couple lived for some time in References: Marr 1894–99 peace and contentment, until one day Marko boasted that his wife was a vila, VIZI-ANYA whereupon she put on her wings and flew Magyar away. Only after she was recaptured by The wife of Vizi-ember. Marko did Nadanojla accept her role as Marko’s wife. Thereafter, she reacted only VIZI-EMBER with laughter when her husband boasted of Hungary—Magyar her supernatural origins. An extremely unlikable and unattractive See also: Marko, Prince; Nadanojla; Rus(s)alki water god who lived in rivers and lakes and (~ulki);Vele(s) regularly demanded human sacrifices—the VLADIMIR II 303 counterpart of the vu-murt of the Votyak great-grandson, Vladimir II, amalgamated people.When human sacrifices were slow in into the legendary hero Vladimir Bright Sun. being offered to Vizi-ember, those living See also: Anna; Baltic; Basil II, Bulgaroctonus; along the banks of the rivers in which he Byzantine Empire; Kiev; Lithuania; Livonia; lived would hear his voice, after which some- Novgorod; Olga; Perun; Ukraine;Vladimir II; one was certain to be drowned.Vizi-ember Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince was one of three similar water deities, the others being his wife, Vizi-anya, and his VLADIMIR II daughter,Vizi-leany. Russia See also: Vizi-anya;Vizi-leany;Votyaks; Correctly known as Vladimir Monomakh or Vu-murt Vladimir Monomachus,Vladimir II was born in 1053, the great-grandson of Vladimir I. VIZI-LEANY He became Grand Prince of Kiev in 1113 by Hungary—Magyar popular demand, and therefore became ruler The daughter of Vizi-ember. of Russia instead of the prior claimants of the Sviatoslav and Iziaslav families, thus VLAD (THE IMPALER), PRINCE founding the Monomakhovichi dynasty. A Romania popular, powerful, and peaceful ruler, he A historical prince of the fifteenth century ruled until his death in 1125. Over the whose true name was Vlad Tepes.This tyrant course of time, the popular imagination sub- lived in Walachia, a region south of sequently conflated Vladimir Monomakh Transylvania, and was known for executing with his forebear Vladimir I,creating the leg- his enemies by driving a sharpened pole endary hero Prince Vladimir Bright Sun. slowly through their bodies.Vlad was nick- named Dracula, which in Romanian means “son of the devil” or “son of a dragon,” and he was the prototype for the fictional vam- pire of the 1897 novel Dracula, by Bram Stoker (1847–1912). See also: Transylvania;Vampire;Walachia

VLADIMIR I Russia Also known as Saint Vladimir or , the first Christian sovereign of Russia. Born c. 956, the son of Sviatoslav, Grand Prince of Kiev, and thus grandson of Olga (the daughter of Oleg), he became Prince of Novgorod in 970, and seized Kiev from his brother in 980. Consolidating the Russian realm from the Baltic to the Ukraine, he extended its dominions into Galicia, Lithuania, and Livonia, making Kiev his cap- ital city. Until 987 he, like his people, wor- shiped pagan gods such as Perun; but in 987 or 988, he formed a pact with the Byzantine The fourteenth-century Bran Castle in Romania, emperor Basil II, married Basil’s sister Anna, home of Vlad Tepes (“the Impaler”) (Reuters/Radu and accepted Christianity. He was, with his Sigheti/Archive Photos) 304 VLADIMIR BRIGHT SUN, PRINCE

During his reign,Vladimir Monomakh com- ever organized in a fashion that required a piled the Russkaia pravda, the first code of leader. law in Kievan society, which placed great See also: Bogatyr'; Polianitsa importance on the matriarchal role. See also: Kiev;Vladimir I;Vladimir Bright VLKODLAK Sun, Prince;Vladimir Monomakh Slav Also: Vookodlak VLADIMIR BRIGHT SUN, PRINCE “Wolf hair,” one of the many names applied Russia to a werewolf. A legendary figure created from two histori- cal princes of Kiev,Vladimir I (c. 956–1015) VODIANIANI and Vladimir Monomakh (1053–1125). Russia According to the legends, the bogatyri, or One of the many variant names applied to Holy Russian knights, gathered at his court the russalki, others being mavki, navki, and before setting off on their adventures in faraony. defense of their country. See also: Faraony; Mavki, Navki; Rus(s)alki See also: Bogatyr'; Kiev;Vladimir I;Vladimir (~ulki) Monomakh References: Pomerantseva 1975

VLADIMIR MONOMACHUS VODIANOI (~NIK) Russia Russia Latinized form of Vladimir Monomakh. The chief of the water demons (from voda, meaning “water”) that inhabit any particular VLADIMIR MONOMAKH stretch of water, whether river or lake. He is Russia usually portrayed as a fat, jolly man with a long The name by which Vladimir II,the founder beard and tangled green hair, although he of the Monomakhovichi dynasty and ruler of could assume any shape, from a log to a beau- Russia from 1113 to 1125, was known. tiful maiden. His true form, however, was See also: Vladimir II green-skinned, covered in weeds, slime, bumps, and hideous warts. He was believed to VLAS(II), SAINT live in an underwater home with his wife and Russia children and to have total control over the Saint created from the older pagan patron of other water sprites and demons, such as the sad cattle and merchants,Volos. In Russian reli- russalki, who lived in the same tract of water. gious iconography he was depicted as sur- Sometimes his babies would stray from home rounded by cows, sheep, and goats. and be caught in fishermen’s nets. If the fish- See also: Volos ermen gently returned them to the water, he would reward them with a good catch; but if VLASTA they did not,he would vent his anger on them, Russia tearing their nets and capsizing their boats. The bravest of the polianitsy who lived in a Some legends said that the vodianoi castle on the banks of the river Vltava (a river tended a herd of his own cattle on dry land of the Czech Republic, on whose banks the and would creep out at night to pasture them city of Prague is situated) and remained on the peasants’ land. On these occasions he undefeated by all the bogatyri who chal- would be dressed as an ordinary peasant but lenged her.Thus she came to be regarded as was nonetheless instantly recognizable, for the leader of the polianitsy, though in truth his clothes were always damp and he left a neither the polianitsy nor the bogatyri were trail of wet footprints wherever he went. VOL'GA BUSLAVLEVICH 305

Usually a jolly, benevolent being—his See also: Astrakhan'; Caspian Sea; St. favorite sport being to ride on the backs of Petersburg large fish—the vodianoi could also become angry, such as when humans tampered with VOL'GA BUSLAVLEVICH his possessions or forgot to return his off- Russia spring to the water. Early legends said that a A mighty shape-changing warrior and vodianoi would claim a life in compensation bogatyr' who is the subject of a bylina. Born every time a new water mill was built, for the to unnamed parents,Vol'ga Buslavlevich was vodianoi tended to favor the still waters of obviously destined to be a great warrior from the millpond.To safeguard the mill, the peas- an early age, for when he was just five it is ants would slaughter a chicken or a horse said that even Mother Earth trembled when and throw it into the water.They also crossed he walked and animals fled as he ap- themselves before swimming or stepping proached—though there is no evidence that into the water to bathe, just in case the vodi- he was a giant. For the next seven years Vol'ga anoi was angry and tried to drown them. Buslavlevich traveled throughout the known However, as the story of Kapsirko demon- world and learned everything there was to strates, the vodianoi were not omniscient and learn about people—their history, their lan- might easily be tricked. And although the guage, and everything else.Then he traveled vodianoi were immortal, they aged like to Kiev and gathered a group of twenty-nine humans and were rejuvenated according to other bogatyri around him, himself acting as the phases of the moon. their ataman, or chieftain. See also: Kapsirko; Rus(s)alki (~ulki) Vol'ga Buslavlevich’s first command to his men was to make nets of silk and set them in VOGULS the forest, and then hunt through the forests General and catch him martens, sables, foxes, hares, Ancient indigenous people from western and any other creatures they might come Siberia closely related to the Ostyaks.As with across, driving the animals into the nets. His many early peoples of Asiatic Russia,very lit- men obeyed his command; but no matter tle remains of the customs and beliefs of how hard they hunted, not one animal was these people, as they have been almost totally driven into the nets.Then Vol'ga Buslavlevich assimilated by the invading and conquering himself went into the forest, turned himself Russians. into a lion, and drove just about every animal See also: Ostyaks; Siberia in the forest into the nets. Back in Kiev, Vol'ga Buslavlevich com- VOLGA manded his men to make him more nets, and Russia this time he told them to place the nets The longest river in Europe, the Volga flows between the branches of tall trees, hunt for approximately 2,250 miles, or 3,600 kilome- three days, and drive all the birds of the for- ters. It rises in the Valdai plateau about 200 est into the nets. His men again followed his miles (320 kilometers) southeast of St. commands to the letter; but no matter how Petersburg, drains most of central and eastern hard they hunted, not one bird flew into the Russia, and flows into the Caspian Sea 55 nets. Then Vol'ga Buslavlevich himself went miles or 88 kilometers below Astrakhan'. It is into the forest, turned himself into the great 748 feet (228 meters) above sea level at its naui bird, and drove all the flying animals of source, and 92 feet (28 meters) below sea level the forest into his nets. where it empties into the Caspian. In Russian Once more assembled in Kiev, Vol'ga legends the river is affectionately referred to as Buslavlevich told his men to make him yet matushka, which translates as “dear mother.” more nets of silk and to build him a great 306 VOL'GA SVIATOSLAVOVICH boat from which they were to fish for three This story should be compared with the days on the sea. After three days of intensive story of Volkh Vseslav'evich, which apart fishing, not one fish had been caught.Vol'ga from the numbers and the country involved, Buslavlevich therefore turned himself into a is similar. great pike, and soon he had driven all the fish See also: Bogatyr'; Bylina; Kiev; Mother Earth; for miles around into the nets. Naui; Pantalovna, Queen;Volkh Vseslav'evich Knowing by these tests that his men would do exactly as he commanded, he VOL'GA SVIATOSLAVOVICH told them that he had learned that the sul- Russia tan of Turkey was planning to invade Rus- Nephew and godson of Prince Vladimir sia and that he would travel there to dis- Bright Sun, who had bestowed on him a cover the intentions of that ruler. Vol'ga domain that included three towns and their Buslavlevich turned himself into a fast- surrounding lands, and lordship over all the flying bird, and quickly flew to the palace inhabitants of this domain. He is best known of the sultan. He landed on the windowsill from a legend, possibly dating from as late as of the throne room, whence he could hear the fifteenth century, that describes him as the sultan speaking. The sultan was telling setting out to collect taxes from his subjects, his prisoner, Queen Pantalovna, of his plans and being warned of robbers in the vicinity to invade Holy Russia. As Vol'ga by the plowman Mikula Selyaninovich. The Buslavlevich listened, he heard the sultan latter so impresses the prince with his say that he intended to take nine cities for strength and prowess that Vol'ga makes him his nine sons and to bring back the finest lord of his domain, empowering him to col- sable coat in all Russia. lect taxes in Vol'ga’s behalf. Queen Pantalovna replied that she had See also: Mikula Selyaninovich;Vladimir had a dream. In that dream a tiny white bird Bright Sun, Prince had met in aerial combat with a mighty black raven, the white bird triumphing and VOLGA VSESLAV'EVICH scattering the feathers of the raven to the Russia four winds. She added that the white bird See Volkh Vseslav'evich. was none other than Vol'ga Buslavlevich, while the raven was the sultan of Turkey. VOLGA YAROSLAVICH The sultan was furious and struck the Russia queen, whereupon Vol'ga Buslavlevich One of three heroes with whom Il'ya turned himself into a wolf and quickly ran Muromets was advised never to do battle, the to the royal stables, where he tore the other two being Sviatogor and Mikula throats of all the horses there. Then he Selyaninovich. Il'ya was given this advice by turned himself into a weasel and ran pilgrims who cured him of his disabilities.The through the palace, breaking bows and pilgrims told him that although he might arrows, shattering swords and spears, and defeat Volga Yaroslavich in battle, the cunning smashing steel maces. Then Vol'ga Buslav- of Volga would be sure to defeat him in time. levich resumed his form as a tiny white bird See also: Il'ya Muromets; Mikula and flew quickly back to Kiev. Selyaninovich; Sviatogor There he gathered together his bogatyri, and the thirty of them marched into the VOLKH VSESLAV'EVICH lands of the sultan of Turkey,killed the sultan Russia and all his men, released Queen Pantalovna, Also: Volga Vseslav'evich. and then divided the rich spoils equally One of the most ancient Russian heroes, a among them. mighty wizard and hunter, the son of Tsar- VOLKHV 307 evna Marfa Vseslav'evna and a snake who Marching inexorably into the heart of impregnated his mother when she stepped India, they finally arrived at the walls of the on him. His birth was hailed as that of a great capital city.There appeared to be no entry; man, for the sky was lit up by the brightest but Volkh changed himself and his entire moon ever seen, and a huge earthquake army into ants, and they crawled through rocked the land and made all the animals of tiny gaps until they were all inside the city. both land and sea seek a safe hiding place. After changing his men back into their At the age of just one and a half hours, he human form, he commanded them to spoke his first words, telling his mother not slaughter everyone, save for seven thousand to swaddle him but rather to equip him with beautiful maidens—one for each of them. a suit of shining armor and a helmet of solid He himself went straight to the royal palace. gold. He also told her to give him a heavy There he forced his way into King Saltyk’s lead mace. By the age of ten,Volkh was fully chamber, swung him into the air, and educated and possessed many special skills, smashed him onto the floor, shattering his such as the ability to change his shape at will. bones. At twelve he began to gather an army of Volkh then divided the spoils of battle youths, a task that took him three years. By among his men, who married the seven the age of fifteen, he had assembled an army thousand maidens who had been spared; and some seven thousand strong—all the same Volkh and his men settled in that land,Volkh age as he. ruling wisely over them and taking the cap- A short time later, a rumor reached Kiev tive queen as his wife. that the king of India was threatening to Some accounts of the story of Volkh say invade Russia. Immediately Volkh and his that Volkh first defeated the infidel forces as army set out for the far-off land. Each night they sought to destroy the churches of Kiev as his troops slept,Volkh would change him- and then went to India to take control of that self into a vicious wolf and hunt down the country. His name is post-Christian, though animals that were needed to feed his army. it could also be pre-Christian, as Volkh means Some nights, wanting to give his men a both “priest” and “sorcerer.” change from red meat,Volkh would change See also: India; Kiev; Marfa Vseslav'evna; himself into a falcon and harry swans, geese, Saltyk and ducks. As they neared the border of India,Volkh VOLKHV changed himself into a wild ox and bounded Russia away from his army to survey the land Best described as seers, the volkhvy (pl.) are ahead.When they crossed the border,Volkh generally believed to have been female changed himself into a falcon and flew shamans, or shamankas—female counterparts straight to the palace of King Saltyk, whom of the kolduny. The volkhvy would allow he overheard talking to his wife, who was admittance of the opposite sex only through warning him of Volkh’s approach. Knowing blood lineage, whereas the kolduny were that his advance on India had been reported, reportedly more open about their practices Volkh changed himself into a stoat and ran and welcomed all who felt disposed to join all over the palace, seeking out the king’s their number. In later times the volkhvy and armaments. He gnawed through bow the kolduny were combined in an open soci- strings, removed the flints from firearms and ety of male and female sorcerers known as buried them, and ruined as much as he znakhari. could find. Then he changed himself back See also: Koldun; Shaman; Shamanka; into a falcon and flew back to where his Znakhar' men were waiting. References: Tokarev 1957 308 VOLOS

VOLOS VORON VORONICH Slav Russia Also: Veles,Vyelyes Literally, “Raven Ravenson”—the young A god of war who may simply have been an bird that in some versions of the legend of aspect of Perun. The Russians considered Ivan Vyslavovich is said to have been caught him the provider of individual wealth (thus, by the shape-changing wolf.The wolf threat- he was the god of farm animals as well as of ened to tear Raven in half if the mother bird war) and an attendant of Perun’s. With the did not fetch him some of the Water of Life advent of Christianity,Volos became a shep- and Death. herd figure and was absorbed into the cult of See also: Ivan Vyslavovich;Water of Life and Saint Vlasii (Saint Blaise). When disease Death,The attacked farm animals, a sheep, a cow, and a horse would be tied together by their tails VORONEYUSHKA and driven over a ravine and finished off Russia with boulders. This sacrificial offering to “Little Raven,” the wondrous horse of Volos continued well into the Christian era, Dobrynya Nikitich. perpetuating remembrance of the pagan god. VOTYAKS See also: Perun;Vlas(i)i, Saint General References: Ivanov and Toporov 1974 Indigenous people from a region to the east of the Ural Mountains, related to the VOLSHEBNYE SKAZKI Permyaks and Zyrians, who have been Russia almost totally assimilated by the Russians. The largest subdivision of skazki. Literally Their Finno-Ugric languages are still used in translated as “wonder tales,” these take place a few isolated locales, but very little remains in fantasy lands which are inhabited by fabu- of their ancient traditions and beliefs. lous beings such as Baba-Yaga, Koshchei the See also: Finno-Ugric; Permyaks; Ural Deathless, and Morozko the frost demon.The Mountains; Zyrians stories all follow the same basic plot.The hero of the story must find some way to enter the VSESLAV fantasy world, which may lie beyond the Russia horizon, under the sea, or in the sky, and A shamanic, shape-changing werewolf that there overcome any number of obstacles until appears in the twelfth-century Lay of Igor’s he wins the prize he seeks, such as the release Campaign. Vseslav was a historical eleventh- of a beautiful maiden, the return of his moth- century prince of Polotsk (now in Belo- er or wife, or a fabulous, magical object like russia). Sources suggest that he was born the Water of Life and Death. Like the skazki, with a caul over his head and that his birth they have no historical grounding and are coincided with an eclipse of the sun. Legend pure make-believe—unlike the byliny, which has it that his mother was a princess who was have at least some historical background. raped by a snake, and that as Vseslav grew up Stories that deal with the underworld may he rapidly learned all the magic arts and appear to be skazki or volshebnye skazki, but became a most skillful hunter and warrior.As they are in fact a specific grouping of bylich- an adult he was never beaten in battle; but he ki that deal with the supernatural. enjoyed his greatest successes at night, See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga); Bylichka; when—so the legends would have us Bylina; Koshchei (the Deathless); Morozko; believe—he transformed himself into a wolf. Skazka; Underworld,The;Water of Life and See also: Belorussia; Shaman Death,The References: Mann 1979 VYSLAVOVICH, IVAN 309

VSESLAV'EVICH,VOLGA VULTURES ARE LIKE PRIESTS, Russia WHY See Volkh Vseslav'evich. Armenia A family of young vultures once asked their VSESLAV'EVNA, MARFA parents why they only ever had dead things Russia to eat, whereas the children of eagles and See Marfa Vseslav'evna. hawks dined on live prey.The parents replied that it had been ordained by God that they VU-KUTIS should never kill anything. Thus, they were Votyak like priests, and not like princes, who preyed A water spirit whom the Votyak would pro- on the living. pitiate in order to fight illness and disease. One of the fables of Mekhithar Gosh. See also: Mekhithar Gosh VU-MURT VYELYES Votyak Russia “Man of Water”—the god of water, whether Also: Veles it be sea, lake, river, stream, or puddle. The Russian god of war, known elsewhere as Volos. VU-NUNA See also: Volos Votyak “Water Uncle,”a protective water spirit who VYSLAV ANDRONOVICH ensured that the yanki-murt left the Votyak Russia people alone. The tsar of an unnamed realm, he had three See also: Yanki-murt sons—Dmitrii Vyslavovich,Vasilii Vyslavovich, and Ivan Vyslavovich (the second name, VU-VOZO Vyslavovich, is a patronymic meaning “son of Votyak Vyslav”). The tsar coveted the Firebird and A malevolent water spirit who lived in the sent his three sons on a quest for it. Ivan springs and wells from which the Votyaks Vyslavovich succeeded in snaring the creature drew their drinking water.The Votyaks, tak- and at the same time secured Elena the ing water from a new source or from a Beautiful and the Horse with the Golden source that belonged to a neighboring com- Mane. However, Ivan’s brothers killed him munity, would protect themselves from the and claimed his trophies as their own. Ivan vu-vozo by asking him to spare them and Vyslavovich was restored to life by a shape- take a Cheremiss or Russian woman instead. changing wolf that had helped him by using The vu-vozo had a counterpart in the yanki- the Water of Life and Death. When Vyslav murt, from whom the Votyaks were pro- Andronovich learned of the treachery of tected by vu-nuna. Dmitrii Vyslavovich and Vasilii Vyslavovich, he See also: Vu-nuna;Yanki-murt had them thrown into his deepest dungeon. See also: Dmitrii (Vyslavovich); Elena the VUK Beautiful; Firebird,The; Horse with the Serbia and Bosnia Golden Mane,The; Ivan Vyslavovich;Vasilii A historical fifteenth-century ruler who was Vyslavovich;Water of Life and Death,The known as Despot Vuk and who came to be equated with Zmag Ognjeni Vuk, a leg- VYSLAVOVICH, IVAN endary werewolf. Russia See also: Werewolf; Zmag Ognjeni Vuk See Ivan Vyslavovich.

WATER OF LIFE AND DEATH, THE Russia A magical water that was owned by the dragon that abducted Vasilissa of the Golden Braid. It was used by Ivan the Pea to restore his two brothers to life after he rescued his sister Vasilissa from the dragon. Ivan the Pea, keeping a promise, also gave some of the life- restoring water to an old crone who WAIZGANTHOS lived in a small wooden house on Prussia Wchicken’s legs in a forest, for she had given Fertility deity and patron of crops who was him directions to the land of the dragon. propitiated in a ceremony where the tallest The Water of Life and Death also makes girl in a community would stand on one leg an appearance in the story of Ivan and toast the god with brandy, beseeching Vyslavovich. Here it was used by a shape- him to make the crops grow at least as tall as changing wolf to restore Ivan to life after he she was. She would drink the first cup of had been ambushed and killed by his broth- brandy and then pour a second on the ers, Dmitrii and Vasilii Vyslavovich, who were ground for the god. If the girl remained jealous because Ivan had not only obtained steady throughout the ceremony,good crops the Firebird but also had managed to secure would follow; but if she faltered and her the Horse with the Golden Mane and the raised foot touched the ground, even for the maiden Elena the Beautiful. briefest moment, it was feared that the har- See also: Dmitrii (Vyslavovich); Dragon; vest would be doomed. Elena the Beautiful; Firebird,The; Horse with the Golden Mane,The; Ivan the Pea; Ivan Vyslavovich;Vasilii Vyslavovich;Vasilis(s)a WALACHIA of the Golden Braid Romania An ancient region of southern Romania WEAVER OF THE STARS that stretches from the southernmost Latvia mountains to the Danube. The original The wife of Meness the moon god. inhabitants of Walachia gradually united See also: Meness (~ulis); Moon and formed an independent state under a single ruler before the region was con- quered by Ottoman Turks in 1476.Walachia WENCESLAS, SAINT was united with Moldavia in 1861 to form Czech the modern country of Romania. The patron saint of the Czech Republic, Bucharest, the capital of Romania, is situ- whose feast day is 28 September. He is best ated in Walachia. known from the famous Christmas carol by See also: Danube; Moldavia; Romania J. M. Neale, a reworking of the medieval carol Tempus adest floridum. Wenceslas was the son of Duke Wratislaw of Bohemia, but WALG(A)INO his upbringing was handled in the main by Poland his grandmother Ludmilla. In c. 920 Wra- The patron god of cattle. tislaw died during a battle against the

311 312 WENDS

Heinrich Parler, Scenes from the Life of St.Wenceslas, 1353, Cathedral of Saint Vitus, Prague, Czech Republic (Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY)

Magyars, and Wenceslas’s mother Drahomira immediately venerated as a martyr. Boleslav seized power. She had Ludmilla murdered had his relics transferred to the Church of St. and adopted the role of regent, establishing Vitus in Prague, which soon became a pop- an anti-Christian government. Her reign ular place of pilgrimage; and Wenceslas was ended in a popular revolt c. 922, and Wen- quickly elevated to the position of patron ceslas then succeeded to the duchy. saint of Bohemia. Wenceslas proved a fair, if somewhat strict See also: Bohemia; Czechs; Magyars ruler. He quickly re-Christianized the court and the people. He invited German mission- WENDS aries into the country and accepted the over- General lordship of Henry the Fowler, King of An ancient Slavic people who were called Germany, whom he recognized as the suc- Wends by the Germans in medieval times, cessor to Charlemagne. The political and when they occupied the territory that religious reforms inaugurated by Wenceslas roughly lay between the Elbe and Saale provoked a strong reaction. Wenceslas’s own Rivers on the west and the Oder on the east. brother Boleslav, whose dissatisfaction at his From about the sixth century onward, birthright grew into open revolt after the German rulers waged war against the power- birth of Wenceslas’s son and heir, was among ful Wends, conquering and converting them the pagan traditionalists who rebelled. to Christianity in the twelfth century.Their Wenceslas was murdered by Boleslav and descendants, today known as (some- his followers on 20 September 929. He was times confusingly spelled Serbs), still inhabit WHIRLWIND 313 the region of in southwestern Poland suckled. Often as not, they were twins. and eastern Germany (which includes the Although some werewolves were thought to cities of Cottbus and Bautzen), and still speak have the ability to change their form at will, a West Slavic language similar to Polish and others changed involuntarily under the influ- Czech. ence of the full moon. This latter form of metamorphosis has become the most popular WEREWOLF in modern tales of werewolves. Some were- General wolves were thought to be invulnerable to Also: Vlkodlak;Vookodlak mortal weapons, though most could be The legends that surround a person who wounded with silver weapons—originally metamorphoses into a wolf at night but arrows, but later bullets—and others could be reverts to human form by day may have come hurt as could any mortal human being. from the Berserkirs, the warriors dedicated to Wounded werewolves resumed their human Odínn, who wore bear- or wolf-skin shirts form before they died. Common superstition into battle and who drove themselves into a still holds that when a werewolf dies it martial frenzy. The English name, however, becomes a vampire, although the soul of the comes from the Saxon wer (man) and wulf werewolf would be reborn to another human (wolf). Werewolves were born to human mother and thereby perpetuate the survival mothers, were particularly hairy at birth, and of this supernatural race. might have extra folds of skin on their heads The belief in werewolves dates back at least or even a wolf’s claws and fangs, with which three millennia but had its heyday in late they bit and scratched their mothers as they medieval and renaissance Europe. During these times, werewolves received as much attention as did the other emissaries of the Devil—demons and witches. Any signs of lycanthropy,with a recognized series of symp- toms, were met with the severest punishment. No woman could ever be persecuted for being a werewolf, as all werewolves were male; but women had to contend with witch- hunts, which were common at that time. Characteristics of the werewolf included an excessive hairiness; a port wine–colored birth- mark known as the “mark of Cain”; short, stubby fingers with sharp nails; excessive and often threatening sexuality; and in the most extreme cases, cannibalism. No factually sub- stantiated record of a werewolf exists; but from the first quarter of the sixteenth century to the first quarter of the seventeenth century, more than 30,000 suspected werewolves were put to death in France. See also: Devil,The;Vampire

WHIRLWIND Russia Scene from The Wolfman (The Museum of Modern The personification of a whirlwind,sometimes Art Film Stills Archive) referred to as Vikhor'.In one story he abducts 314 WHITE GOD

Nastas'ya of the Golden Braid, the wife of Bel the cause of all misfortune.White God is the Belyanin and mother of Peter Belyaninovich, literal translation of the root words of the Vasilii Belyaninovich, and Ivan Belyaninovich, name Belobog, belyi (white) and bog (god). and keeps her in a wondrous palace encrusted See also: Belobog; Belun; Black God; with diamonds and other precious stones on a Chernobog plateau atop a high mountain range.There he also holds three maidens captive as the tsaritsas WHITE RUSSIA of his three kingdoms—the Copper Kingdom, General the Silver Kingdom, and the Golden Literal English translation of Belorussia Kingdom, the tsaritsa of the latter being Elena (Belarus', in the indigenous language), for- the Fair. Each of the four palaces in merly a constituent republic of the Soviet Whirlwind’s realm was guarded by a multi- Union and today an independent state. headed dragon that could only be placated See also: Belorussia with water drawn from a well nearby. Whirlwind renewed his strength periodi- WHITE SEA cally from a barrel that contained a magical General water that bestowed great strength on any- (Russ. Beloe More) An arm of the Arctic one who drank it. He also kept a second bar- Ocean that reaches into northwestern rel, which contained a water that sapped the Russia, the White Sea is icebound from drinker’s strength. These two barrels ulti- September until June. The port city of mately were his downfall. Arkhangel'sk is located on its shore. Ivan and his two brothers set off to search See also: Arkhangel'sk for their lost mother. Ivan finally found her, after climbing the tall mountains and passing WHITE YOUTH through the three kingdoms. Nastas'ya of the Finno-Ugric—Yakut Golden Braid told Ivan of Whirlwind’s The father of mankind, known as the White secret, and by drinking of the strength- Youth, who was nourished by the spirit of increasing water and then swapping that with the World Tree. Possible parallels to White the strength-sapping one, Ivan was able to Youth are the Russian Belobog and the defeat Whirlwind, cutting off his head with a Norse Heimdallr. single blow, burning his body, and scattering See also: Belobog;World Tree the ashes in the wind. Whirlwind had two servants, Lame and WIND One-Eye, who could work wondrous magic. General After Whirlwind’s death,these two served Ivan. In many Russian folktales the wind is See also: Bel Belyanin; Copper Kingdom, referred to simply as that, and has no name. The; Dragon; Elena the Fair; Golden Earlier stories named the god of the wind Kingdom,The; Ivan Belyaninovich; Lame; Stribog. In one such story (see Morozko), the Nastas'ya of the Golden Braid; One-Eye; wind appears as a nameless man with tousled Peter (Belyaninovich); Silver Kingdom,The; hair, a swollen face and lips, and wearing Vasilii Belyaninovich;Vikhor' disheveled clothing. He can be either benev- olent or malevolent and is said to give rise to WHITE GOD demons whenever he blows hard. The fol- Slav lowing Russian legend, “In Favor of the Known as Belobog or Belun in Russia, the Wind,” aptly demonstrates the benevolent White God is the personification of goodness, aspect of the Wind: light, and life. He is opposed by Chernobog, A peasant was walking along a country the Black God, the personification of evil and lane one day when he was met by Sun, Frost, WORLD TREE 315 and Wind.The peasant said “good morning” long after the disappearance of paganism.This and continued on his way, though that story tells of a peasant couple who were so innocuous remark almost caused the three poor that they were reduced to living off elements to come to blows, as they could not acorns from the forest. One of the acorns they decide which of them the peasant had been had gathered rolled out into their cellar,where addressing. Before resorting to physical force, it began to grow. When the sapling reached the three decided to ask the peasant, and they the floor of their home, they simply cut a hole hurried to catch up to him. for it to grow through. They did the same When the peasant replied that he had when it reached the roof. Now they had a tree been greeting Wind, Sun became furious and growing straight through their home. threatened to burn up the peasant, but Wind Finally the time came when they could said that his breezes would keep the peasant find no more acorns in the forest, so the man cool. climbed the tree to gather acorns from it Then Frost vented his anger and threat- instead. Among its uppermost branches he ened to freeze the peasant; but Wind told found a magnificent cockerel and a handmill. him that he could do no harm if there was Quickly he seized both and climbed back no breeze, thus proving that the peasant had down to his wife. Wondering what they been right in giving Wind precedence over would have to eat that day, the old woman Sun and Frost. turned the handle on the mill. To the cou- Later legends name not merely one god of ple’s delight, pies and pancakes began to the wind but three: the gods of the North, tumble from the mill. From that day forth East, and West winds. Of these winds, which they no longer felt the pangs of hunger. lived on the oceanic island of Buyan, only Some time later a wealthy merchant was the West wind is given a name—Dogoda. passing through the forest and stopped at their The Czechs also had more than one god house, where he was hospitably welcomed of the wind, but their god of the storm wind and fed from the mill. Seeing the mill, the was potentially the most dangerous. An merchant offered a high price for it, but the attendant on the thunder god Perun, he was couple would not sell it. The merchant stole named Varpulis. the mill and quickly made his way home. See also: Buyan; Czechs; Dogoda; Frost; Knowing that they could not go after the Morozko; Perun; Stribog; Sun;Varpulis merchant, for no one would believe their word against his, the couple sent the cockerel WORLD TREE out after the mill. The bird flew off to the Slav home of the merchant, perched on his gate, Also known as the Tree of Life. Common to and began to crow, saying that the merchant many mythologies and religions is the con- should return the mill. Hearing this, the man cept of a World Tree whose roots reach down ordered his servants to throw the cockerel into to the underworld and whose branches reach the well. There the cockerel simply drained up to heaven. It was generally believed that the water and flew onto the man’s balcony, this tree grew in the exact center of the where it repeated its demands. This time the world. Later traditions tended to treat the man had his cook throw the cockerel into the World Tree with contempt. In Siberia, how- stove. In the midst of the flames, the cockerel ever, the legends of the tree retained their spat out all the water from the well and flew importance for a much longer time, for it right into the heart of the man’s house.As the was this tree that aspiring shamans climbed man ran away,the cockerel seized the mill and in order to gain their magical powers. flew back to the old couple in the woods. One post-Christian story illustrates the See also: Shaman; Siberia;Tree of Life,The; manner in which the World Tree was treated Underworld,The 316

Pacino da Bonaguida, Tree of the Cross, fourteenth century,Accademia, Florence, Italy (Alinari/Art Resource, NY) world of mortal men. Its entrances were located where rivers flowed into the frozen wastes of the Arctic Ocean. Some stories describe Yambe-akka as support- ing the world on her upturned hands, explaining that earthquakes are tremors in her hands, caused by the continual strain. See also: Underworld,The

YAKUTS YANKI-MURT General YVotyak Ancient Siberian people who speak a The counterpart of the vu-vozo, and from Turkic language (in the Uralic-Altaic lin- whom the Votyaks were protected by vu- guistic family) and who live near the Lena nuna. River in northeastern Siberia—one of the See also: Votyaks;Vu-nuna;Vu-vozo coldest regions on earth—where they con- stitute the majority of the population of YARILO the Yakut autonomous region. Although Slav many were converted to Christianity after Also: Erilo their subjection by the Russians in the A goddess of peace who later became the beginning of the eighteenth century, god of spring, fertility, and erotic or sexual shamanist traditions still color their reli- love. The name is derived from yary (pas- gious life, particularly in the north. The sionate). Depicted as a handsome, barefoot Yakuts have not decreased in number as youth dressed in a white cloak and adorned have other Siberian peoples; on the con- with a crown of wildflowers,Yarilo rode on trary, they have increased considerably. a white horse, his left hand holding a buck- Their economy is a mixture of the tradi- et of wheat seed, the duality of his role as tional and the modern. Some still pursue a god of sex and spring being visible in the nomadic life of hunting, trapping, and fish- eagerness of the earth to receive his seed in ing. Others, under Russian influence, have springtime. Ceremonies honoring Yarilo adopted modern methods of agriculture were commonplace as recently as the eigh- and have collectivized activities such as cat- teenth century. These included a spring- tle raising. Fishing also has been commer- time planting rite, during which a beauti- cialized to some extent. Today there is an ful young girl was crowned with flowers as institute in Yakutsk,the coldest point of the Yarilo’s queen, and an autumn ritual burn- Arctic, for studying the permafrost. ing of his effigy after the harvest—accom- See also: Finno-Ugric; Lena, River; Shaman; panied by an orgy of eating, drinking, and Siberia lovemaking—after which the ashes of the effigy were scattered on the fields to ensure a good crop the following year. YAMBE-AKKA Lapp “Old woman of the dead,” goddess of the YAROSLAVICH,VOLGA underworld, whose realm was described as Russia a vast ice kingdom situated beneath the See Volga Yaroslavich.

317 318 YAROVIT

YAROVIT YRYN-AL-TOJON Baltic Coast Siberia—Yakut A deity with attributes similar to those of The “white creator Lord,”the supreme being Svantovit; possibly, simply an aspect of that of the Yakut people. He lives in, or above, the deity. His legendary existence is known only Tree of Life, the cosmic pillar in whose roots through the writings of the Danish chroni- the mother goddess Ajysyt lives and whence cler Saxo Grammaticus. she rises to suckle those in need of nourish- See also: Saxo Grammaticus; Svantovit ment and sustenance. (~dovit) See also: Ajysyt;Tree of Life,The miraculously born from eggs. Under the parentage of the old couple, they grew up to be strong young men who labored effortlessly in the fields. For sev- eral weeks the forty brothers noticed that some of the hay they had baled was being stolen. For thirty-nine days the brothers sat and watched the hay; but each time, the guard fell asleep and the hay was stolen. However, when ZABAVA (PUTYATICHNA), Zamoryshchek’s turn came, he PRINCESS Zstayed awake and caught the mare who Russia was stealing the hay. The favorite niece of Prince Vladimir Bright As soon as the mare was caught and the Sun. Princess Zabava was abducted from the thirty-nine other brothers came back to gardens of the royal court at Kiev by a the field, the mare changed into Baba- twelve-headed she-dragon and carried away Yaga. The witch gave each of the thirty- in the dragon’s jaws to a lair in the nine brothers a mare to ride and then Sorochinsk Mountains. She was later rescued returned to her equine form so that by Dobrynya Nikitich, who killed the Zamoryshchek could ride her. The forty dragon after an epic, three-day battle. brothers rode out to search for suitable See also: Dobrynya Nikitich; Dragon; Kiev; wives. Before long, they were offered the Sorochinsk Mountains;Vladimir Bright Sun, forty daughters of a witch. The mare re- Prince sumed her guise as Baba-Yaga and warned the brothers that the forty daughters of the ZALTYS witch intended to kill them; so the broth- Lithuania ers killed their new wives on their wedding The grass snake, believed to be lucky. night and then set out to find true wives, Aitvaras was sometimes depicted as having finally marrying the forty daughters of a the head of a grass snake. tsar. See also: Aitvaras Though two witches appear in this leg- ZALYOSHEN end, it is generally agreed that both witches Russia are Baba-Yaga, the mare being her benevo- A family whose men took and passed the lent aspect as the horse goddess, and the tests set by Vasilii Buslayevich when he was witch with forty daughters being her malev- seeking twenty-nine members for his new olent aspect as the goddess of death. druzhina. Others who passed the tests See also: Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga) included Kostia Novotorzheni, Luka, Moi- References: Afanas'ev 1957 sei, and the seven Sbrodovich brothers. See also: Kostia Novotorzheni; Luka; Moisei; ZANGI Sbrodovich;Vasilii Buslayevich Armenia “Blackie,”one of two lions given to Suren as ZAMORYSHCHEK cubs that grew to full maturity within fifteen Russia days.The other was Zarangi. For the story of The youngest of the forty sons of an aged Zangi and Zarangi see the entry for Suren. peasant couple. He and his brothers were See also: Suren; Zarangi

319 320 ZARANGI

ZARANGI ZEMININKAS Armenia Lithuania “Goldie,” one of the two lions given to Alternative name for Zemepatis. Suren, the other being Zangi. See also: Suren; Zangi ZEMYNA Lithuania ZARZAND The Lithuanian name for Mother Earth. Armenia Sometimes referred to as the sister of “Terror,” a king whose daughter Simizar Zemepatis, god of the home, Zemyna is also was abducted by a Tapagöz who locked her known as “Mother of the Fields,”“Mother of away in his lair, the Devil’s Castle. She had Springs,” “Mother of Forests,” “Blossomer,” been placed under a spell by the giant’s and “Bud Raiser.” mother, who kept her imprisoned in a cave See also: Mother Earth; Zemepatis except for a short period every midnight, when she could wander outside. It was on ZHIROVITSKOI one such occasion that she encountered Russia Zurab, who eventually set her free and An icon of the Virgin Mary that was discov- restored her to her father, and having mar- ered in a pagan sacred tree by a shepherd in ried Simizar, became the heir to the king- 1191. It was one of many religious icons that dom of Zarzand. For the full story see the were “miraculously” discovered in natural set- entry for Zurab. tings. Modern thinking attributes the appear- See also: Devil’s Castle; Simizar;Tapagöz; ance of these holy relics to the early clergy Zurab who recognized the importance of associating the Virgin Mary with the nature goddesses ZELENIE SVIATKI that pervaded pagan religious belief. They Russia would have reasoned that icons found near Trinity Week, the Christianized festival that pagan holy trees and water would be more displaced—albeit gradually and incom- readily accepted and revered by those least pletely—the pagan Rusaliia. likely to convert to Christianity. All available See also: Rusaliia evidence suggests that the ruse was successful. References: Matorin 1931 ZEMEPATIS Lithuania ZHIVA Also: Zemininkas Russia The brother of Zemyna, Zemepatis is the Goddess of fertility and of the dead whose god of the homestead, sometimes being name comes from zhit' (to live), she was wor- called Dimstipatis, this latter name being shiped principally in the region surrounding derived from dimstis (home) and patis the Elbe. Mentioned in the twelfth century (father). His Latvian equivalent is Majas by the Saxon priest Helmhold, worship of Kungs. Zhiva appears to have involved an entire See also: Dimstipatis; Majas Kungs; Zemyna community and to have taken place deep in a forest, near a sacred spring, river, or lake. ZEMES MÀTE Friday was sacred to the goddess, although Latvia—Lett this day later became dedicated to the wor- The name given to Mother Earth by the Lett ship of Paraskeva. people of Latvia. The Lithuanian equivalent See also: Paraskeva, Saint to Zemes Màte is Zemyna. References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Ivanov and See also: Letts; Mother Earth; Zemyna Toporov 1965 ZORYA VECHERNYAYA 321

ZINOVIEV, LUKA ZNAKHAR' Russia Russia See Luka Zinoviev. Znakhari (pl.) were sorcerers similar to the earlier kolduny and volkhvy, and considered ZIZILIA direct successors to the early Slavic shamans. Poland See also: Koldun; Shaman;Volkhv One of a pair of fertility deities, the other References: Tokarev 1957 being Didilia. The twin mothers of divine twins, Didilia and Zizilia were venerated as ZORYA UTRENNYAYA goddesses of love both erotic and maternal. Slav See also: Didilia One of two—or in some accounts, three— References: Afanas'ev 1865–69; Znayenko 1980 daughters of Dazhbog, she is goddess of dawn, wife of Perun, and sister to Zorya ZLATOROG Vechernyaya. Zorya Utrennyaya (utro means Slovenia “morning”) opens the gates to her father’s A white chamois with golden horns that palace so that he can ride forth at the start of lived on the slopes of Mount Triglav in the sun’s journey. Her sister, the goddess of northeastern Slovenia. Once Zlatorog was dusk, closes them again after Dazhbog has pursued by hunters, who were after the ani- returned home. There is sometimes a third mal’s golden horns. Zlatorog outwitted the sister, the goddess of midnight, who oversees hunters by leading them to the edge of a the darkness of the night, but she remains precipice over which all but one of the nameless. As the wife of Perun, Zorya hunters fell.This survivor managed to wound Utrennyaya accompanies her husband when Zlatorog, but from this wound sprang a red he rides out to do battle, and amid the fray flower that Zlatorog ate and that immedi- lets down her veil to protect those warriors ately cured the wound. Some accounts say she favors and save them from death. The that this flower was a red carnation, the two, or three, sisters are collectively known as emblem of Slovenia. the Zoryi, and are sisters to Dazhbog’s other See also: Slovenia;Triglav, Mount daughters, Zvezda Dennitsa and Zvezda Vechernyaya, who in turn are collectively ZMAG OGNJENI VUK known as the Zvezdy. Eventually Zorya Serbia and Bosnia Utrennyaya eclipsed her sisters, and zorya, “Fiery Dragon Wolf,” a legendary werewolf which originally meant “light,” came to who in later songs became equated with a mean “dawn.” fifteenth-century ruler known as Despot See also: Dawn; Dazhbog; Dusk; Great Bear; Vuk. In these songs, Despot Vuk is depicted Little Bear; Midnight; Perun; Sun; Ursa as having been born with a birthmark Major; Ursa Minor; Zorya Vechernyaya; (either in the shape of a saber, or colored Zvezda Dennitsa; Zvezda Vechernyaya blood red and on his fighting arm), tufted with wolf hair, and able to breathe fire. ZORYA VECHERNYAYA Growing up at amazing speed and quickly Slav becoming a formidable warrior, Despot Vuk One of the two, sometimes three, daughters is the only person in the kingdom who can of Dazhbog. The goddess of dusk and sister defeat the fiery dragon that might have to Zorya Utrennyaya, Zorya Vechernyaya fathered him, his success being attributed (vecher means “evening”) closes the gates to solely to his ability to change into Zmag her father’s palace after he returns home at Ognjeni Vuk at will. the end of the day.There is sometimes a third See also: Vuk;Werewolf sister, the goddess of midnight, but she 322 ZORYI remains nameless. The two, or three, sisters ZURAB are collectively known simply as the Zoryi Armenia and are sisters to Dazhbog’s other daughters, The son of a poor peasant couple, Zurab lost Zvezda Dennitsa and Zvezda Vechernyaya, his father when he was just four years old, his who in turn are known collectively as the father having been crushed by a heavily Zvezdy. laden cart. Just five years later, when he was See also: Dazhbog; Midnight; Zorya nine, Zurab’s mother died of a plague that Utrennyaya; Zvezda Dennitsa; Zvezda swept through their village, and he was Vechernyaya thenceforth known as the Orphan Zurab. His neighbor, a well-to-do farmer, took the ZORYI lad in, thereby gaining a pair of able hands as Slav well as the right to annex the meager land Also: Zaryi that Zurab had inherited from his mother Collective name describing the two daugh- and father. ters of Dazhbog—Zorya Utrennyaya, the The farmer took to calling the young boy goddess of dawn, and Zorya Vechernyaya, the Zuro and put him in charge of the sheep and goddess of dusk. Some accounts describe cattle. Zuro led the animals to pasture every three daughters; but the third, the goddess of morning and brought them back again every midnight, remains nameless. Although each evening. At the age of twelve, Zuro also was Zorya has a specific task to carry out in her put in charge of the young lambs, for he had father’s palace, the three share the responsi- constantly proved his worth in fights with bility of guarding an unnamed deity who is the older children of the village.Though he chained to the constellation Ursa Major (the was small for his age, Zuro already had the Great Bear); for if he breaks loose, the world strength of any grown man. His strength was will come to an end. Some accounts say that put to the test one day when a wolf sneaked the Zoryi watch over the constellation in in among the lambs he was tending, snatched case the bear, or hound, imprisoned within one, and made off with it. The other shep- breaks free; and some identify the constella- herds in the fields saw what had happened tion as Ursa Minor (the Little Bear). The and blocked the wolf so that it had to turn Zoryi are sisters of the Zvezdy (Zvezda around and run back toward Zuro. Zuro Dennitsa and Zvezda Vechernyaya). stood his ground; and when the wolf came See also: Dawn; Dazhbog; Dusk; Great Bear; within reach, he darted forward and snapped Little Bear; Midnight; Ursa Major; Ursa the wolf’s neck as if it were a piece of dried Minor; Zorya Utrennyaya; Zorya Vechernyaya kindling. All the other shepherds witnessed the ZOSIM event and shouted their approval. One sug- Slav gested that from that day forth he should be The god of bees, named for the sound they known as Zuro the Wolf-Strangler, but make. Zosim was also the god of mead, a another shouted that he should be called drink made from fermented honey, and the Aslan, the Lion—and from that day forth source of the ribald songs that those who Zurab, who had already become known as drank his potent brew often sang. Zuro, was known as the Orphan Aslan. When Aslan reached the age of twenty- ZROYA one, he was put in charge of all the farmer’s Slav livestock, and in the summer evenings he The virgin goddess of war, closely associated took to herding the sheep into a cave and with Perun in his various incarnations. sleeping across the entrance, his water jug See also: Perun and satchel of rations, baghadj (unleavened ZURAB 323 bread) and eggs, hanging above his head. On her found the swallows that knew how she more than one occasion he noticed that might be freed. some of his rations were missing, and so one There and then Aslan promised Simizar night he kept watch instead of sleeping, his that he would seek out the swallows and kulab (shepherd’s cloak) pulled over his head return for her. The next morning, he drove to shield his open eyes. In the middle of the the sheep back down to the village, asked for night, as Aslan was fighting to stay awake, a the money due him, and set out. Before long radiant maiden approached the cave, took he came to the intersection of three roads. down Aslan’s satchel, ate half his rations, and Unsure which road to take, he prayed to God drank half his water. and then threw his staff in the air.When the As she turned to leave, Aslan caught hold staff landed, Aslan picked it up and followed of her and demanded to know who she was. the road it had lain across.All day he walked, She pleaded to be released, but Aslan was until just as the sun was about to dip beyond smitten; and rather than let her go, he the horizon, he came to a village, and there pleaded with her to remain with him and he saw some swallows nesting above the become his wife. The maiden told him that door of a cottage. she would bring Aslan nothing but bad luck; The cottage belonged to an old woman but Aslan was resolute. Seeing that his mind who was only too glad to receive Aslan as her was made up, the maiden told him that she guest. She fed him bread and whatever else was the daughter of King Zarzand, who for came to hand; and after he had eaten, she the past four or five years had been prepared him a bed.All night Aslan lay awake embroiled in a bitter war with seven kings thinking about Simizar and wondering who had formed an alliance against him. Her whether the swallows he had seen would father had ridden off to war, leaving the indeed provide him the information he maiden and her two brothers behind. required. As day broke, Aslan climbed a lad- All would have been well had not the ter- der to where the swallows had their nest, rible giant, the three-headed demon praying to God for the ability to understand Tapagöz, arrived with his six brothers, their language. God answered his prayer in an attacked the palace, and carried her off. Her instant, and soon Aslan understood exactly two brothers had raised an army and hurried what he had to do. in pursuit. For ten days the two sides fought, Following the guidance of the swallows, and by the eleventh day four of the demons Aslan descended the ladder and went to the and the maiden’s eldest brother had been old woman who had provided him with killed. On the thirteenth day another demon food and lodging. Aslan kissed the woman’s and the maiden’s younger brother had been hand three times and thanked her three killed. Now leaderless, the army had scat- times, just as the swallows had said, and the tered and returned to their homes. old woman embraced him. She gave Aslan Tapagöz, who was the oldest of the fourteen hazelnuts, two walnuts, a small bot- demons, carried the maiden to his lair, the tle of water, a small quantity of flour in a Devil’s Castle, and there, for forty days and cloth, and explicit instructions on how it forty nights, besought her to become his should all be used. wife. She refused, whereupon Tapagöz went Aslan profusely thanked the old woman mad for three days, calling her name, Simizar, and departed.A short distance from the vil- endlessly, and then had the maiden handed lage, he sat down and ate one of the hazel- over to his mother, a witch, who had impris- nuts. Instantly all thoughts and pangs of oned her in the cave, allowing her to wander hunger left him. Aslan cracked open one of forth only at midnight.Thus the maiden was the two walnuts, and before him stood a condemned to live until one who truly loved magnificent horse of fire and air, with wings 324 ZURAB that were invisible to mere mortal eyes. mark, giving Aslan the chance to almost Aslan then cracked open the second walnut, completely sever a second head, which then and from it came a steel-tipped spear, lay useless against the ogre’s chest. Tapagöz a sword sharp enough to cut through realized he was losing the battle, so he raised wrought iron, a shield under which a man himself to his full height, and heaving a huge could shelter in safety, and the finest clothes boulder over his head, he launched it at in all the world. Aslan, who simply parried it with his shield Aslan dressed himself in the clothes, and then lunged at the giant with his spear. picked up the weapons, and mounted the The steel point found its mark, penetrating horse, and for seven days he rode like the Tapagöz’s head through its single eye and wind until he came to the Devil’s Castle. appearing again on the opposite side of his There, following the instructions he had skull. been given, Aslan sprinkled water from the With Tapagöz dead,Aslan turned to face bottle over the sleeping form of the ogre’s his mother, but she was nowhere to be seen. mother, climbed down the well in which Instead there was a huge lake where none Tapagöz slept, took a green wand from the had been before. Tipi told Aslan that the water, climbed back up the well, and leaped lake had been formed from the ogress’s spit- onto the back of Tipi,the name he had given tle and that she herself was now a duck his horse. Aslan spurred his horse on and swimming on its surface. Tipi then told rode toward the cave and his beloved Aslan to pluck three hairs from his mane Simizar. and throw them on the lake. Aslan did so, For three days he rode, as fast as the wind, and instantly a bridge appeared, over which and on the fourth he looked back and saw a Aslan safely rode. huge dust cloud following him, being Two days later Aslan reached the cave in thrown up by Tapagöz and his mother in hot which Simizar was imprisoned, and tapping pursuit. As Aslan spurred on his horse, Tipi the wand three times on the rock, he released spoke to him for the first time and told him his beloved.Together they rode to the village to throw the flour he had been given into of the old woman who had given Aslan the the air. Aslan did as he was told, and as the help he needed to accomplish his mission, flour settled on the ground, a great forest and they invited her to accompany them as sprang up—a forest so thick that Tapagöz and their mother. She was delighted, and after she his mother quickly became entangled in its gathered together her meager possessions, undergrowth. she took a small carriage from beneath her For two more days Aslan and Tipi rode dress and blew it up. Aslan and Simizar rode on. On the third day Aslan turned around in Tipi toward the kingdom of King Zarzand, alarm as he heard the approach of Tapagöz the old woman following in her carriage a and his mother. Tipi told them that they short distance behind, some invisible force must stand their ground and fight, so Aslan carrying it along. prepared himself to do battle. After many days’ travel the three came to Tapagöz was the first of the giants to reach the border of Zarzand’s kingdom,where they Aslan. His first punch, which would have encountered an army that barred their way. smashed Aslan to a million pieces, missed Aslan was all for fighting, but neither Simizar when Aslan neatly stepped to one side, the nor the old woman thought it a good idea, force of the blow causing Tapagöz to stumble Simizar for fear that Aslan would receive a and fall. Aslan seized this chance to cut off mortal blow,and the old woman, because she one of the giant’s three heads.Again the giant knew it was unnecessary. She took her shawl came at him, and again his blow missed its from around her neck and spread it on the ZYRIANS 325 ground.Then she and Simizar sat on it and it leshii, though obviously of far less potency rose into the air, and Tipi unfurled his wings, and lesser importance. and he too rose into the sky with Aslan on See also: Leshii (~y) his back. As the travelers reached the edges of ZVEZDA DENNITSA Zarzand’s capital city,they landed, and on the Slav advice of the old woman, they waited out- The Morning Star, sister to Zvezda side the city walls while she went to gain Vechernyaya and the two, or three, Zoryi— approval for the marriage of Simizar and all four, or five, being the daughters of Aslan. At first neither the king nor queen Dazhbog. She and her sister Zvezda would believe that their daughter was still Vechernyaya (the Evening Star) are both alive; but at length, having been shown a tal- described as having married Mesyats (the isman Simizar had given the old woman, moon) and having given birth to the stars Zarzand and his wife came to the city gates by him. The specific task of Zvezda and greeted their daughter and her Dennitsa and her sister was to groom the betrothed. horses that daily pulled their father’s chariot Several days later, following the wedding across the sky. feast, Simizar and Aslan retired to their quar- See also: Dazhbog; Evening Star; Mesyats; ters while the old woman, aware that they Moon; Morning Star; Zoryi; Zvezda were in danger, stationed herself outside Vechernyaya their door with a three-pronged spear in her hand. Just as she had expected, on the stroke ZVEZDA VECHERNYAYA of midnight, a huge snake slithered into Slav view.The old woman sprang to her feet and The Evening Star, daughter of Dazhbog, and thrust the spear through the snake’s head. sister to Zvezda Dennitsa as well as the two, The beast was killed and instantly trans- sometimes three, Zoryi. She is said to have formed itself back into the mother of married Mesyats (the moon) and to have Tapagöz, one of each of the three prongs of been the mother of the stars by him, but her the spear through each eye of the ogress’s sister Zvezda Dennitsa is also said to have three heads. done this. Zvezda Vechernyaya and Zvezda King Zarzand was so delighted by the Dennitsa had the specific job of grooming marriage his daughter had made that he their father’s white horses. In some cases immediately abdicated, and so began the Zvezda Vechernyaya is referred to as reign of King Orphan Aslan. Vechernyaya Zvezda. See also: Aslan; Devil’s Castle; Simizar; See also: Dazhbog; Evening Star; Mesyats; Tapagöz; Zarzand Moon; Zoryi; Zvezda Dennitsa References: Orbeli and Taronian 1959–67, vol. 4 ZYRIANS General ZURO Indigenous people from a region to the east Armenia of the Ural Mountains, related to the See Zurab. Permyaks and Votyaks, who have been almost totally assimilated by the Russians. Their ZUTTIBUR native Finno-Ugric languages are still in use Slav today in a few isolated locales, but virtually An obscure deity of the forests who is nothing remains of their ancient traditions thought to be a spirit of the same type as the and beliefs. 326 Zˇ YTNIAMATKA

See also: Finno-Ugric; Permyaks; Ural harvested fields. A woman in the guise of Mountains;Votyaks Zˇytniamatka would lie down in the fields, and a newborn child that previously had Zˇ YTNIAMATKA been hidden beneath her skirt would be Prussia drawn out and held aloft. This ritual, which The goddess of the grain whose continued symbolized the life brought to the village by fertility was ritually observed each year by the fields, and thus by Zˇytniamatka, was the simulated birth of a child in the recently thought to ensure a good crop each year. REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

The main sources that I consulted in compiling Balodis, F. Handelswege nach dem Osten und die this work or that might be appropriate for further Wikinger in Russland. Stockholm, 1948. study are listed below. Some of these sources are Barker, A. M. The Mother Syndrome in the Russian core texts in various European languages, a num- Folk Imagination. Columbus, Ohio, 1986. ber of which have been translated wholly or Baroja, J. C. (trans. N. Glendinning). The World of partly into English but many of which have not. the Witches. London, 1964. Even though these texts might be extremely dif- Barsov,E.V. Drevnerusskie pamiatniki sviashchennogo ficult to obtain, they are essential literature for venchaniia tsarei na tsarstvo. Moscow, 1883. further research on the subject, and their inclu- Behr-Sigel, E. Prière et sainteté russe dans l’église sion here therefore seems warranted. russe. Paris, 1950. Bezsonov, P. (ed.). Kalieki perekhozhie. Moscow, Afanas'ev, A. N. (ed. and trans. N. Guterman). 1861. . New York, 1974. Biro,Val. Hungarian Folk-tales. Oxford, 1980. ———. Narodnye russkie skazki A. N.Afanas'eva (3 Boba, I. Nomads, Northmen, and Slavs in Eastern vols.). Moscow, 1957. Europe in the Ninth Century. The Hague, 1967. ———. Narodyne russkie skazki i legendy. Berlin, Branston, B. Gods of the North. New York, 1922. 1980. ———. Narodnye russkie legendy. Moscow, Brückner, A. (trans. J. Dicksteinowna). Mitologia 1916. slava. Bologna, 1823. ———. Poeticheskie vozzreniia slavian na prirodu (3 Brudnyi, V. I. Obriady vchera i segodnia. Moscow, vols.). Moscow, 1865–69. 1968. Alexander, A. E. Bylina and : The Bulgakov, S. (trans. E. S. Cram). The Orthodox Origins of Russian Heroic Poetry. The Hague, Church. London, 1944. 1973. ———. L’Orthodoxie. Paris, 1932. Anisimov,A. F. Kosmologicheskie predstavleniia naro- Chadwick, N. K. Russian Heroic Poetry. New York, dov-severa. Moscow and Leningrad, 1959. 1964. Arbatskii, Iu. Etiudy po istorii russkoi muzyki. New ———. The Beginnings of Russian History. York, 1956. Cambridge, 1946. Arbman, Holger. Svear i österviking. Stockholm, Cherniavsky,M. Tsar and People: Studies in Russian 1955. Myths. New York, 1969. Arne,T. J. La Suède et l’Orient. Uppsala, 1914. Chicherov, V. I. Zimnii period russkogo narodnogo Astakhova, A. M. (ed.). Byliny severa (2 vols.). zemledel 'cheskogo kalendaria XVI–XIX vekov. Moscow and Leningrad, 1938–51. Moscow, 1957. Astakhova, A. M., et al. Byliny pechory i zimnego Chistov, K. V. Russkie narodnye sotsial'no- berega. Moscow, 1961. utopicheskie legendy XVIII–XIX vv. Moscow, Azadovskii, M. (ed.). Russkaia skazka. Moscow 1967. and Leningrad, 1931–32. Cross, S. H., and O. P. Sherbowitz-Wetzor (eds. Baktin,V. Skazki Leningradskoi oblasti. Leningrad, and trans.). The Russian Primary Chronicle: 1976. Laurentian Text. Cambridge, Mass., 1953.

327 328 REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

Dal',V.I. Poslovitsy russkogo naroda. Moscow,1957. Hubbs, Joanna. Mother Russia: The Feminine Davidson, H. R. Ellis. The Viking Road to Myth in . Bloomington, Ind., Byzantium. London, 1976. 1988. de Beauplan, S.A. Description of Ukraine. London, Ivanits, Linda J. Russian Folk Belief. Armonk, N.Y., 1732. 1989. Delehaye, H. Les Légendes hagiographiques. Brus- Ivanov, V. V., and V. N. Toporov. Issledovaniia v sels, 1927. oblasti slavianskikh drevnostei. Moscow, 1974. Dontenville, H. Histoire et géographie mythiques de ———. Slavianskie iazykovye modeliruiushchie la France. Paris, 1973. semioticheskie sistemy. Moscow, 1965. Downing, Charles. Armenian Folk-tales and Fables. Jones, G.A. A History of the Vikings. Oxford, 1984. Oxford, 1972. Kazanskii, P. Istoriia pravoslavnogo russkogo monash- ———. Russian Tales and Legends. Oxford, 1956. estva. Moscow, 1855. Dvornik, F. The Slavs: Their Early History and Khatchatrian,Y. Armianskie skazki (2nd edition). Civilization. Boston, Mass., 1956. Moscow and Leningrad, 1933. Esping, Mikael. The Vikings. London, 1982. Khudiakov, I. A. (ed.V. G. Bazanov). Velikorusskie Everyman Dictionary of Non-Classical Mythology. skazki v zapisiakh I. A. Khudiakova. Moscow, London and New York, 1952. 1964. Evgen'eva, A. P., and B. I. Putilov (eds.). Drevnie ———. Materialy dlia izucheniia narodnoi slovesnos- rossiiskie stikhotvoreniia sobrannye Kirsheiu ti. St. Petersburg, 1863. Danilovym. Moscow, 1977. Kirby,W.F.(trans.). Kalevala:The Land of Heroes (2 Fedotov,G. P. The Russian Religious Mind (2 vols.). vols.). Everyman’s Library 259 and 260. New York, 1960 (vol. 1) and 1966 (vol. 2). London, 1907. Frazer, Sir J. G. The Golden Bough. Various edi- Kologrivof, I. Essai sur la sainteté en Russie. Bruges, tions. 1953. Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Kondakov, N. P. Ikonografiia Bogomateri (2 vols.). Mythology and Legend (2 vols.). New York, St. Petersburg, 1914–15. 1949. Kovalevsky, M. Modern Customs and Ancient Laws Ghananalian,A.T. Aratsani. Erevan, 1960. of Russia. London, 1891. Gil'ferding, A. P. Onezhskie byliny zapisannye Lalayan, E. Margaritner hay banahiusuthean. Tiflis A. P. Gil 'ferdingom letom 1871. Moscow, and Vagharshapat, 1914–15. 1951. Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology, The. London, Gimbutas, Marija. The Goddesses and Gods of Old 1959. Europe: 6500–3500 B.C. London, 1982. Lebedev,A. Razlichie v uchenii vostochnoi i zapad- ———. The Slavs. New York, 1971. noi tserkvei o Presviatoi Deve Marii. Moscow, ———. The Balts. London, 1963. 1881. ———. Ancient Symbolism in Lithuanian Folk Art. Léger, L. Les Anciennes civilisations slaves. Paris, Philadelphia, 1958. 1921. Golubinskii, E. E. Istoriia kanonizatsii sviatykh v Leroy-Beaulieu, A. (trans. Z. A. Rogosin). The russkoi tserkvi. Moscow, 1903. Empire of the Tsars and the Russians. London, Green, Miranda. The Sun-Gods of Ancient Europe. 1905. London, 1991. Levin, S. (trans. M. Samuel). Forward from Exile: Grekov,B.D.Kiev Rus' (English version). The Autobiography of Shmarya Levin. Phila- Moscow, 1959. delphia, 1967. Gudzii, N. K. Khrestomatiia po drevnei russkoi litera- Lönnrot, Elias. Kalevala. Various translations. ture XI–XVII vv. Moscow, 1962. MacCulloch, John A., and Louis H. Gray. The Haase, F. Volksglaube und Brauchtum der Ostslaven. Mythology of All Races (13 vols.). New York, Breslau, 1939. 1922. Hakyuni, S. Eminian Azgagrakan Zhoghovatsu. Magarshack, D. (trans.). Mirgorod: Four Tales by Moscow and Leningrad, 1901. Nikolai Gogol. New York, 1968. Hapgood, I. Service Book of the Holy Orthodox Mann, R. The Song of Prince Igor:A Great Medieval Church. Boston, Mass., 1906. Epic. Eugene, Oreg., 1979. REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING 329

Mansikka,V.J. Die Religion der Ostslaven. Helsinki, Popovic,Tatyana. Prince Marko:The Hero of South 1922. Slavic Epic. Syracuse, N.Y.,1988. Marr, N. Sbornik pritch Vardana. St. Petersburg, Potebnia,A.A. O mificheskom znachenii nekotorykh 1894–99. obriadov i poverii. Moscow, 1865. Matorin, N. Zhenskoe bozhestvo v pravoslavnom Pronin,A., and B. Pronin. Russian Folk Arts. New kul 'te. Moscow, 1931. York and London,1975. McLeish, Kenneth. Myth: Myths and Legends of the Propp,V.Iy. Russkia agrarnae prazdniki. Leningrad, World Explored. London, 1996. 1963. Meyer, C. H. Fontes historiae religionis slavicae. ——— (ed.). Byliny. Leningrad, 1957. Berlin, 1931. Pushkin, A. S. (trans. G. R. Aitken). The Complete Moszynski, K. Kultura ludowo slowian (2 vols.). Prose Tales of Alexander Sergeyevitch Pushkin. Warsaw, 1967. New York, 1966. Nechaev, A. A., and N. Rybakov (eds.). Russkie ———. Sochineniia (3 vols.). Moscow, 1964. narodnye skazki. Moscow, 1959. Ralston,W.R.S. Russian Folktales. New York, 1880. Newell,V.(ed.). The Witch Figure. London, 1973. ———. Songs of the Russian People. London, Novikov, N. V. (ed). Russkie skazki v rannikh 1872. zapisiakh i publikatsiiakh XVI–XVIII vekov. Rambaud,A. La Russie épique. Paris, 1879. Leningrad, 1971. Riasanovsky, N.V. A History of Russia. New York, ———. Russkie skazki v zapisiakh i publikatsiiakh 1963. pervoi poloviny XIX veka. Leningrad and Rimsky-Korsakov, N. A. Sto russkikh narodnykh Moscow, 1961. pesen. Moscow and Leningrad, 1951. Oinas, Felix J. Essays on Russian Folklore and Shein, P. Velikorusy v svoikh pesniakh, obriadakh, Mythology. Columbus, Ohio, 1985. obychaiakh, verovaniiakh, skazkakh, legendakh. St. ———. Studies in Finnic- Relations. Petersburg, 1900–2. Helsinki, 1969. Snegirev, I. M. Russkie protonarodnye prazdniki i Oinas, Felix J. (ed.). Heroic Epic and Saga. obriady (2 vols.). Moscow, 1837–39. Bloomington, Ind., 1978. Sokolov, Iu. (trans. G. Welter). Le Folklore russe. Oinas, F.J., and S. Soudakoff. The Study of Russian Paris, 1945. Folklore. The Hague, 1975. Speranskii, M. (ed.). Russkaia ustnaia slovesnost ' Oparenko, Christina. Ukrainian Folk-tales. Ox- byliny. Moscow, 1916. ford, 1996. Summers, M. The Vampire in Europe. London, Orbeli, I., and S. Taronian. Hay zhoghovrdakan 1929. heqiathner (10 vols.). Erevan, 1959–67. Tereshchenko, A.V. Byt ' russkogo naroda (7 vols.). Paulson, I. The Old Estonian Folk Religion. St. Petersburg, 1848. Bloomington, Ind., 1971. Tokarev, S. A. Religioznye verovaniia vostochno- Pears Encyclopedia of Myths and Legends (4 vols.). slavianskikh narodov XIX–nachala XX vekov. General editors: Mary Barker and Chris- Moscow, 1957. topher Cook. Vol 2. Western and Northern Ukhov, P.D. Byliny. Moscow, 1957. Europe: Central and Southern Africa. London, Vasilenko,V.M. Russkaia narodnaia rez'ba i rospis' po 1978. derevu XVIII–XX vv. Moscow, 1960. Perets,V.N. Materialy k istorii apokrifa i legendy. St. Vernadsky, G. Kievan Russia. London, 1973; New Petersburg, 1899. Haven, 1948. Perkowski, Jan L. The Darkling: Vampires of the ———. The Origins of Russia. Oxford, 1959. Slavs. Columbus, Ohio, 1989. ———. Ancient Russia. New Haven, 1943. ———. Vampires of the Slavs. Cambridge, Mass., Vsevolodskii-Gerngross, V. N. Istoriia russkogo 1976. teatra. Moscow and Leningrad, 1929. Pilnyak, B. (trans.V.T.Reck and M.Green). Mother Waliszewski, K. La Femme russe. Paris, 1926. Earth and Other Stories. Garden City, N.Y., Warner, Elizabeth. Heroes, Monsters and Other 1968. Worlds from Russian Mythology. London, 1985. Pomerantseva, E. V. Mifologicheskie personazhi v Warner, M. Alone of All Her Sex: The Myth and russkom fol 'klore. Moscow, 1975. Cult of the Virgin Mary. New York, 1976. 330 REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

Wosien, M. G. The Russian Folktale. Munich, Zenkovsky, A. (ed.). Medieval Russia’s Epics, 1969. Chronicles, and Tales. New York,1963. Zabylin, M. Russkii narod: Ego obychai, obriady, Znayenko, M. T. The Gods of the Ancient Slavs: predaniia, sueveriia, i poeziia. Moscow, 1880. Tatishchev and the Beginnings of Slavic Mythology. Zemtsovskii, I. I. (ed.). Poezii krest 'ianskikh prazd- Columbus, Ohio, 1980. nikov. Leningrad, 1970. APPENDIX 1: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

arshin 28 inches when an offering of bread and salt would be ataman A leader or chieftain, usually of a rob- made on the rushnik. When not being used ber band, though not always; for example, the ceremonially, the rushnik would be draped word is used in reference to Volga over the icons in the home. Buslavlevich, who led a band of bogatyri. tsar or czar Russian emperor.The title was first Sometimes the term ataman is used to refer to used c. 1482 by Ivan Vasilevich, Grand Duke of a Cossack. Muscovy—better known as Ivan Groznyi, or babushka grandmother Ivan the Terrible.Thereafter, it was used by the batiushka father, old man emperors of Russia until the 1917 Revolution. bogatyr' hero or knight The word tsar is derived from the Latin Cæsar. boyan a bard or poet tsarevich or czarevich The son of a tsar. boyar nobleman Historically the tsarevich was the eldest son, druzhina bodyguard or retinue but the word applies to any son, not just the gusli psaltery or zither heir. peasant hut tsarevna or czarevna The daughter of a tsar. kisyel' Also kissel. A traditional pudding made Like the tsarevich, the tsarevna was usually the of puréed fruit cooked with cornstarch, often eldest daughter of the tsar; but the word may served with cream. be correctly applied to any daughter. mirza Tatar prince Tsargrad Constantinople muzhik peasant tsarina or czarina The wife of a tsar; an polianitsa female warrior empress, but not necessarily a ruler in her own pood approximately 40 Russian pounds, or 36 right. (Unlike a tsaritsa, she is empress merely English pounds (approximately 16.35 kg) by virtue of her marriage.) rushnik A narrow linen cloth, sometimes tsaritsa or czaritsa A woman who is empress referred to as a towel, that was embroidered at and rules in her own right, regardless of both ends, and that held a place of great whether she is married to a tsar. importance in traditional Ukrainian house- ulan Tatar lancer holds. The rushnik was ceremonially bound -ushka diminutive suffix around the joined hands of a young couple vedro a bucketful—2.75 gallons during the marriage ceremony. It was also verst approximately two-thirds of a mile used in the traditional greeting ceremony, yaga a witch, as in Baba-Yaga

331

APPENDIX 2:TRANSLITERATION FROM CYRILLIC TO LATIN LETTERS

Cyrillic Latin Pronunciation F a a as in far (accented syllable) or a as in alone (unaccented syllable) < b b, p (at the end) D v v, f (at the end) U g g, k (at the end) L d d, t (at the end) T e, ye, ie, je ye as in yet (accented syllable) or i as in fit (unaccented syllable) ? e, yo, io, jo yo : zh zh or sh (at the end of a word) P z z or s (at the end of a word) B i ee as in feet (accented syllable) or i as in fit (unaccented syllable) Q j y as in yet R kk K ll V mm Y nn J o o as in hotel (accented syllable) or as in son (unaccented syllable) G pp H rr C ss N tt E u oo as in boot A f, ph f [ h, kh kh W ts, cz ts X ch ch I sh sh O shch shch ] '' follows a nonpalatalized sound S yæe m ' follows a palatalized sound ' e e as in get > yu, iu, ju as in you Z ya, ia, ja ya

333

APPENDIX 3:THE RULERS OF RUSSIA

PRE-TSARIST ERA Ruler Lived Reigned Riurik d. 879 gpN 862–879, gpK 879 Dir and Askold gpK c. 862 Igor c. 877–945 gpN 879–945, gpK 912–945 Oleg d. 912 gpN 879–912, gpK 882–912 [ruled as regent for Igor] Olga c. 890–964 gpN/K 945–964 (co-ruled) Sviatoslav I d. 972 gpN/K 945–972, 945–964 Vladimir I c. 956–1015 gpN c. 969, gpK 980–1015 Sviatopolk 1015, 1018–1019 Yaroslav the Wise 980–1054 gpN 1019, gpN/K 1036–1054 Vladimir II Monomachus 1053–1125 gpK 1113, gpN/K –1125 Yaroslav Vsevolodovich gpN until 1236, gpN/K 1236–1246 Alexander Nevsky 1218–1263 gpN 1236, gpK 1246, gpV 1251 Andrei gpV until 1251 Daniel gpM 1263 MONGOL RULE 1240–1480 Yurii gpM ?1318 Ivan I Danilovich (Kalita [“Moneybags”]) c. 1304–1341 gpM 1328–1341 Ivan II gpM 1353–1359 Dmitrii Donskoi 1380–1382 Basil II (Vasilii II) gpM until 1462 Ivan III Vasilevich (the Great) 1440–1505 gpM 1462–1505, gpN 1478 Basil III (Vasilii III) 1479–1533 gpM 1505–1533 Ivan IV Vasilevich 1530–1584 gpM 1533–1547 Key: gpN = Grand Prince of Novgorod gpK = Grand Prince of Kiev gpM = Grand Prince of Moscow gpV = Grand Prince of Vladimir

TSARS AND EMPRESSES OF RUSSIA Ruler Lived Reigned Ivan IV Vasilevich (the Terrible) 1530–1584 1547–1584 Theodore I (Fyodor I) 1557–1598 1584–1598 Irina 1598 Boris Fyodorovich Godunov 1552–1605 1598–1605 Theodore II (Fyodor II) d. 1605 1605

335 336 THE RULERS OF RUSSIA

False Dmitrii (Dmitrii III) d. 1606 1605–1606 Basil Shuisky (Basil or Vasilii IV) 1606–1610 INTERREGNUM 1610–1613 House of Romanov Michael (Mikhail Fyodorovich Romanov) 1596–1645 1613–1645 Alexis I 1629–1676 1645–1676 Theodore III (Fyodor III) d. 1682 1676–1682 Ivan V 1666–1696 1682–1696 co-ruled 1682–1689 under Peter I (the Great) 1672–1725 1682–1725} the regency of Sophia d. 1704 Catherine I 1684–1727 1725–1727 Peter II 1715–1730 1727–1730 Anna Ivanovna 1693–1740 1730–1740 Ivan VI d. 1741 1740–1741 Elizabeth Petrovna 1709–1762 1741–1762 Peter III 1728–1762 1762 Catherine II (the Great) 1729–1796 1762–1796 Paul 1754–1801 1796–1801 Alexander I 1777–1825 1801–1825 Nicholas I 1796–1855 1825–1855 Alexander II 1818–1881 1855–1881 Alexander III 1845–1894 1881–1894 Nicholas II 1868–1918 1894–1917 APPENDIX 4:TOPIC FINDER

The following guide divides Bald Mountains Day each of the entries up into Basil, Saint Dazhbog topic categories so that related Basil II, Bulgaroctonus Death articles on similar subjects may Basil the Great, Saint Ded Moroz be located with comparative Batradz Dedy ease. Batu Khan Demian, Saint Bel Belyanin Dem'yan, Saint BY COUNTRY Belun Derevliane Russia Bereginy Desna Afron Black Mire Devil,The Alans Black Stream Devil and the Soldier,The Alenka Bludovich, Godenko Dir Alenushka Bogatyr' Div Alesha Bogoroditsa Dmitrii (Vyslavovich) Aliosha Boris, Saint Dnieper Alkonost' Borushka Matushka Dobrynya Nikitich Alleluiah Boyars Dormition,The Alyosha Bozhena Dove Maiden Alyosha Popovich Briansk Woods Dragon Amelfia Timofeyevna Bright Sun Dunai, River Amur Bulat the Brave Dunai Ivanovich Anastasia, Saint Buslaev,Vasilii Dunay (-ushka) Andrew, Saint Buslai (~y) Dusk Andronovich,Vyslav Buslavlevich,Vol'ga Dvoeverie Anna Buslayevich,Vasilii Ekim Apraksi(i)a Bylichka Elena the Beautiful Arkhangel'sk Bylina Elena the Fair Askold Charity Eletskoi Aurora Borealis Chernava Elias Auroras Chernigov Ermolai-erazm Avdot'ya Chudo-Yudo Evil Baba Latingorka Churilo Plenkovich Evpraksiya (~ia), Princess Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga) City of the King,The Faraony Bab'e leto Copper Kingdom,The Fevroniia Bab'ia Kasha Dalmat Firebird,The Babii Prazdnik Danilo, Prince Foma Nazariev Babushka-Lyagushka- Dark Princess,The Fool and the Birch Tree,The Skakushka Darkness Frost Badnik Dawn George, Saint

337 338 TOPIC FINDER

Gleb, Saint Kalina Matushka Kozma-Demian Godenko Bludovich Kams Matushka Krasnogo Solntsa Godinovich, Stavr Kapsirko Matushka Zemlia Golden Kingdom,The Karacharovo Mavki Gorynich Kashchei (the Deathless) Mikhail Potyk Goryninka Kazimirovich,Vasilii Mikhailo, Prince Goryshche Khor(s) Mikula Selyaninovich Gramovitsa Khoziaika lesa Miloserdnia Green Marsh Kiev Miloslaviia Gregory of Smolensk Kingdom by the Sea,The Misha Grishka Kirbit Moisei Helen Kirbit'evna,Vasilis(s)a Morozko Horse with the Golden Mane, Koldun Morskoi The Koliada Mother Earth I-Know-Not-What Koshchei (the Deathless) Mountain of Gold I-Know-Not-Where Kosma Mozhaiski, Mikola, Saint Iarila Kosmatushka Murom Iarilo Kostia Nikitin Nainas Iaroslavna Kostia Novotorzheni Nastasiia Igor Kostroma Nastas'ya, Princess Igor, Prince Kostromo(-Kostrobunko) Nastas'ya Nikulichna Il'men', Lake Kot Bayun Nastas'ya of the Golden Braid Il'ya Krasnaia Gora Naui Il'ya Ivanovich Kumstvo Nava Il'ya Muromets Kupiatitskaia Navii Den' India Kurke Navki Ioann the Long-Suffering, Kuz'ma, Saint Nedelia, Saint Saint Ladoga, Lake Nemal Chelovek Ivan Lame Nestor Ivan Lay of Igor’s Campaign Nicholas, Saint Ivan Lel Niekia Ivan III Lena, River Night Ivan IV Leontii Nightingale Ivan Belyaninovich Likho, One-Eyed Nikita Ivan Crnojevic Luka Nikita Romanov Ivan Gostinyi Syn Luka Zinoviev Nikitich, Dobrynya Ivan Groznyi Makar'evskaia Nikitin, Kostia Ivan Kupalo Mal, Prince Nikolai of Mozhaisk, Saint Ivan Savel'evich Marena Nikulichna, Nastas'ya Ivan the Great Marfa Vseslav'evna No Bigger than a Finger Ivan the Guard Marfusha Nobody Ivan the Mute Maria Morena Novaya Zemlya Ivan the Pea Marinka Novgorod Ivan the Soldier Martha (~fa) Novotorzheni, Kostia Ivan the Terrible Marusya Obida Ivan the Young Mary (~iia) Oka Ivan Tsarevich Maryshia Oleg Ivan Vyslavovich Masha Olga Ivanovich, Dunai Mashen'ka One-Eye Ivanovna, Katrina Maslenitsa Ossetes Ivanushka Matrioshka Overturn Mountain Ivashko Matushka Ovsen' TOPIC FINDER 339

Pantalovna, Queen Saltyk Vasilii Kazimirovich Parakha Samosek Sword Vasilii Vyslavovich Paraskeva, Saint Saracen Hill Vasilis(s)a, Princess Paraskeva Griaznaia Sarmatians Vasilis(s)a Kirbit'evna Paraskeva L'nianitsa Savel'evich, Ivan Vasilis(s)a of the Golden Braid Paraskeva-Piatnitsa Sbrodovich Vasilis(s)a the Beautiful Paul Sea King Vasilis(s)a the Wise Peasant, the Priest and the Sea Tsar Vasilisushka Gold,The Selyaninovich, Mikula Ved'ma Pecherskaia Lavra Semik Vele(s) Peivalké Serapion Vesna Peklo Sergius of Radonezh, Saint Vesnianka Perperuna Silver Kingdom,The Vikhor' Perun Silver Roan Vinograd Peter (Belyaninovich) Sineus Vladimir I Peter of Murom Sirin Vladimir II Petrov Den' Sivushko Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince Petrovki Skazka Vladimir Monomakh Petrushka Smorodina Vlas(ii), Saint Pikker Smorodinka Vlasta Piorun Solovei (~y) Rakhmatich Vodianiani Plenkovich, Churilo Sophia, Saint Vodianoi (~nik) Pokrov Sophia Pal(a)eologue Volga Pokrovskaia Subbota Sorochinsk Hill Vol'ga Buslavlevich Polel Sorochinsk Mountains Vol'ga Sviatoslavovich Polianitsa Sorrow Volga Yaroslavich Poludnitsa Sreda, Saint Volkh Vseslav'evich Popovich,Alyosha Starina Volkhv Potania,Tiny Stavr Godinovich Volshebnye skazki Primary Chronicle Stribog Voron Voronich Pskov icon,The Sukhman Voroneyushka Ptitsy-siriny Sun’s Sister Vseslav Puchai Svarevichi Vseslav'evich,Volga Pudnitsa Svarog Vseslav'evna, Marfa Putyatichna, Zabava, Princess Svarozhich (~gich) Vyelyes Radunitsa Svetozar Vyslav Andronovich Rai Sviatki Vyslavovich, Ivan Rakhmat Sviatogor Water of Life and Death,The Rakhmatich, Solovei Sviatopolk Whirlwind Raven Ravenson Thrice-Ninth Kingdom,The Yaroslavich,Volga Riurik Thrice-Ninth Land,The Zabava (Putyatichna), River of Fire,The Timofe(y)evna,Amelf(i)a Princess Roman Vasil'evich Troitsa Zalyoshen Rozhanitsa Truvor Zamoryshchek Rukhs-As Tsmok Zelenie Sviatki Rusaliia Tugarin Zhirovitskoi Russia Umilenie Zhiva Russian and the Tatar,The Upir Zinoviev, Luka Russkaia pravda Uproot Oak Znakhar' Ryurik Vasilii II, Grand Prince Sadko Vasilii Belyaninovich Armenia Safat Vasilii Buslayevich Agog-Magog 340 TOPIC FINDER

Aleppo Lusaghen Gabij(i)a Anahita Martiros Giraitis Anaitis Mekhithar Gosh Kalvaitis Apprentice,The Mocker King,The Karta Arevhat Odz-Manouk Laima(-Dalia) Armenia Ohan Laukpatis Aslan Once a wolf, always a wolf Lauksargis Astlik Prince and the Flea,The Lithuania Aznavor Purto Lytuvonis Azrail Saint George and the Medeine Badikan Deceitful Fox Menuo Bandit and the Priest,The Samson Perkunas Baro(n) Shah-Mar Rugiu Boba Boghu, Khan Silver City,The Sabarios Cain Simizar Saule Cautious Mother Crow Stand your ground Upinis Clay City,The Steel City,The Zaltys Copper City,The Strength does not always come Zemepatis Crystal City,The in numbers Zemininkas Death Suren Zemyna Devil’s Castle Tapagöz Djandjavaz, Mount Time Siberia Dove Maidens,The Tipi Ajysyt Envy To each its own Ajysyt-ijaksit-khotan Ghovt Toad,Dr. Alklha Golden City,The Vahagn As-Iga Gulinaz Vardan Dzuli Habërmani Visapaklal Erlik Haro(n) Vishap Eskeri Hazaran Vixen and the Lioness,The Golden Book of Fate,The Houri Vultures Are Like Priests, Gudiri-mumi Houri-Pari Why Hahe Hundred Silver Pieces,The Zangi Hahengan Iron City,The Zarangi Ivan the Mare’s Son Kandek Zarzand Ivan the Moon’s Son Kayen Zurab Ivan the Sun’s Son Khan Boghu Zuro Keremet King of Snakes Kirghiz King of the Forest Lithuania Korka-murt King of the Waters Aitvaras Koryaks Kingdom of Darkness,The Alka Kul' Kingdom of Light,The Ausrine Main Kingdom of the East,The Bagputys Marfida Kings are not created by Barstukai Mukylin flattery alone Bird’s Way,The Muxdi Koknas Boba Muzem-mumi Kush-Pari Dausos Num Liar,The Dekla Obin-murt Lion’s Share,The Dievas Shundi-mumi Loqmân the Wise Dievo suneliai Siberia Lulizar Dimstipatis Sjadaei Luqmân the Wise Ezerinis Tonx TOPIC FINDER 341

Tungus Romania Zmag Ognjeni Vuk Ulgan Vlad (the Impaler), Prince Yryn-al-tojon Walachia Latvia Auseklis Prussia Slovenia Debestevs Adalbert of Prague, Saint Slovenia Juras Màte Autrimpas Triglav Kaukai Bardoyats Triglav, Mount Latvia Perkonis Zlatorog Majas Kungs Prussia Slovakia Meness (~ulis) Suaixtis Perom (~n) Mother of the Seas Waizganthos Slovakia Perkons Zˇ ytniamatka Puskaitis Estonia Weaver of the Stars Poland Estonia Zemes Màte Adalbert of Prague, Saint Maan-Eno Baba Metsik Scythia Dadzbog Ukko Atrimpaasa Datan Scythia Didilia Bohemia Dilwica Lito Serbia Dziewona (~wan[n]a) Mongolia Athos, Mount Goik Itugen Dazhbog Ienzababa Od(lek) Diiwica Jezda Tengri Dodola Kurwaichin Umai Dojran, Lake Lawkapatim Ivan Crnojevic Marzan(n)a Ukraine Lazar Modeina Glass Mountain,The Marko, Prince Poland Golden Mountain,The Sarac Siliniets Ivan the Dragon Killer Serbia Tawals Kotsky, Mr. Vuk Walg(a)ino Maria Zmag Ognjeni Vuk Zizilia Marusya Misfortune,The Imps of Norse Hungary Snowstorm, Granny Askold Almafi Thrice-Ten Kingdom,The Riurik Ambrose Ukraine Sineus Budapest Vasilko Truvor Deceit First Almafi Croatia Baltic Hungary Croatia Arcona Istvan Ivo Iarovit Janos Motovun Moon Magyars Petar Lonzaric Morning Star Second Almafi Veli Joze Porevik (~it) Stephen (of Hungary), Saint Bulgaria Radigast Talking Mountain,The Bulgaria Rugavit (~ievit) Third Almafi Perusan Rujevit Tobias Siela Vizi-anya Bosnia Svantovit (~dovit) Vizi-ember Bosnia Sventovit Vizi-leany Vuk Veles 342 TOPIC FINDER

Velnias Sejda Majahaldas Yarovit Uks Akka Majasgars Ulgan Matergabia BY PEOPLE Yambe-akka Mati-Syra-Zemlya Tatar Mesyats Ak Molot Slav(ic) Midnight Bulat Alako Milky Way,The Kartaga Alatnir Moon Kazan' Bannik Morning Star Kök Chan Belobog Nadanojla Swan Woman Black God Nya Tatars Buyan Opsikion Chernobog Orsel Finno-Ugric/Slavic Chur Ovinnik Busi-urt Constantine Patrimpas D'u-urt Cyril and Methodius, Saints Perun Finno-Ugric Dadzbog Peseias Jumala Dennitsa Polevoi (~ik) Mader Akka Dida Prigirstitis Mader Atcha Dido Priparchis Makosh Dogoda Ratainitsa Mokosh Domania Rod(ú) Ort Domovik Rozanica Urt Domovikha Rus(s)alki (~ulki) Vu-kutis Domovoi Schek Vu-murt Dugnai Senmurv Vu-nuna Dundra Sicksa Vu-vozo Dvorovoi Simorg (~argl, ~urg) White Youth Erisvorsh Stefan Yanki-murt Evening Star Sun Czech Giwoitis Tree of Life,The Czechoslovakia Horsel Ursula Czechs Huzul Vampire Devana Katya Vila Jazi Baba Kaukas Vlkodlak Varpulis Khoriv Volos Wenceslas, Saint Kikimora White God Kirnis World Tree Lett Kiy Yarilo Dievas Kremara Zorya Utrennyaya Juras Màte Kricco Zorya Vechernyaya Letts Krimba Zoryi Zemes Màte Krukis Zosim Lapp Kupala Zroya Erlik Kupal'nitsa Zuttibur Lompsalo Kupalo Zvezda Dennitsa Mader Akka Lada Zvezda Vechernyaya Mader Atcha Lado Rot Leshachikha Yakut Saami Leshii (~y) Ajysyt Saite (~vo) Liuli Ajysyt-ijaksit-khotan Sar Akka Ljeschie Golden Book of Fate,The TOPIC FINDER 343

White Youth Hahengan Genghis Khan Yryn-al-tojon Num Georgia Sjadaei Gilyaki (Nivkhi) Romany Golden Horde,The Alako BY CATEGORY Great Bear Dundra General Great Goddess Magyar Alexander the Great Hanseatic League Almafi Armenia Herzegovina Ambrose Arthur, King Hungary Deceit Astrakhan' Istanbul First Almafi Avars Jazyges Istvan Azerbaijan Kalmucks (Kalmyks) Janos Azov, Sea of Karelia Second Almafi Balkan(s) Kazakhstan Talking Mountain,The Baltic Khan Third Almafi Belarus' Kilikia Tobias Belorussia Kremlin Vizi-anya Bessarabia Lapland Vizi-ember Black Sea Lapps Vizi-leany Blaise, Saint Latvia Blasius, Saint Letts Ostyak Bohemia Lithuania As-Iga Bosnia Little Bear Kul' Bulgaria Livonia Byzantine Empire Macedonia Votyak Byzantium Magyars Busi-urt Carpathian Mountains Moksha D'u-urt Caspian Sea Moldavia Gudiri-mumi Caucasus Moldova Keremet Cheremiss-Mordvin Mongols Korka-murt Cherkess Montenegro Mukylin Cilicia Moravia Muzem-mumi Circassians Mordvins Obin-murt Constantinople Moscow Shundi-mumi Cossacks Ostyaks Urt Crimea Otherworld Vu-kutis Croatia Pannonia Vu-murt Cyrillic alphabet Pechenegs Vu-nuna Czechoslovakia Permyaks Vu-vozo Czechs Poland Yanki-murt Dacia Prussia Tungus Dalmatia Pu-ort Dzuli Danube Romania Eskeri Don Rossiya Ivan the Mare’s Son Donets Rostov Ivan the Moon’s Son Dvina Rus' Ivan the Sun’s Son Earth Mother Russia Marfida Erzya Ruthenes Muxdi Estonia Samoyeds Fairy Saxo Grammaticus Samoyed Finland Scythia Hahe Finno-Ugric Serbia 344 TOPIC FINDER

Shaman Kuz'ma, Saint Vyslav Andronovich Shamanka Mikola Mozhaiski, Saint Shkay Nedelia, Saint Monsters, Giants, and Dragons Siberia Nicholas, Saint Agog-Magog Silesia Nikolai of Mozhaisk, Saint Alesha Slavs Paraskeva, Saint Almafi Slovakia Paraskeva Griaznaia Avdot'ya Slovenia Paraskeva L'nianitsa Azrail St. Petersburg Paraskeva-Piatnitsa Baba Latingorka Supreme Deity Sergius of Radonezh, Saint Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga) Tatars Sophia, Saint Badikan Teutonic Knights Sreda, Saint Boghu, Khan Transcaucasia Stephen (of Hungary), Saint Chudo-Yudo Transylvania Veles Copper Kingdom,The Turkestan Vlas(ii), Saint Dobrynya Nikitich Turkmenistan Wenceslas, Saint Elena the Fair Ukraine Genghis Khan Underworld,The Of noble birth (tsars, etc.) Glass Mountain,The Ural Mountains Afron Golden Kingdom,The Ursa Major Alenushka Gorynich Ursa Minor Bel Belyanin Goryninka Uzbekistan Chernava Goryshche Va-kul' Dalmat Gulinaz Varangians Danilo, Prince Il'ya Muromets Venus Dark Princess,The Istvan Vikings Dmitrii (Vyslavovich) Ivan Belyaninovich Voguls Elena the Beautiful Ivan the Dragon Killer Votyaks Elena the Fair Ivan the Mare’s Son Wends Evpraksiya (~ia), Princess Ivan the Moon’s Son Werewolf Fevroniia Ivan the Pea White Russia Glass Mountain,The Ivan the Sun’s Son White Sea Ivan the Mute Kandek Wind Ivan the Pea Kuz'ma, Saint Yakuts Ivan the Young Lame Zyrians Ivan Tsarevich Marfida Ivan Vyslavovich Naui Saints Kayen Nemal Chelovek Adalbert of Prague, Saint King of the Forest Nightingale Anastasia, Saint King of the Waters Odz-Manouk Andrew, Saint Kirbit Overturn Mountain Basil, Saint Mal, Prince Puchai Basil the Great, Saint Maria Samson Blaise, Saint Paul Simizar Blasius, Saint Peter (Belyaninovich) Simorg (~argl, ~urg) Boris, Saint Peter of Murom Sorochinsk Mountains Constantine Roman Vasil'evich Suren Cyril and Methodius, Saints Sea King Sviatogor Dem'yan, Saint Svetozar Tapagöz George, Saint Vasilii Belyaninovich Tobias Gleb, Saint Vasilii Vyslavovich Tugarin Il'ya Vasilis(s)a Kirbit'evna Uproot Oak Ioann the Long-Suffering, Saint Vasilis(s)a of the Golden Braid Vampire TOPIC FINDER 345

Vasilii Belyaninovich Upir Dziewona (~wan[n]a) Vasilis(s)a of the Golden Braid Vasilii Vyslavovich Earth Mother Veli Joze Voron Voronich Erisvorsh Vikhor' Voroneyushka Erlik Visapaklal Vseslav Eskeri Vishap Vyslav Andronovich Ezerinis Water of Life and Death,The Werewolf Fevroniia Werewolf Whirlwind Gabij(i)a Whirlwind Zaltys Giraitis Zabava (Putyatichna), Zangi Great Goddess Princess Zarangi Gudiri-mumi Zmag Ognjeni Vuk Zlatorog Iarila Zurab Iarilo Gods and Goddesses Itugen Mythical or Fantastical Creatures Ajysyt Ivan Kupalo Aitvaras Ajysyt-ijaksit-khotan Jumala Babushka-Lyagushka- Alako Juras Màte Skakushka Alklha Kalvaitis Borushka Matushka Anahita Karta Copper Kingdom,The Anaitis Keremet Dalmat Astlik Khor(s) Div Atrimpaasa Kirnis Dmitrii (Vyslavovich) Auseklis Koliada Dragon Ausrine Kostroma Elena the Beautiful Autrimpas Kostromo(-Kostrobunko) Firebird,The Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga) Kremara Golden Kingdom,The Bagputys Kricco Hazaran Bardoyats Krimba Horse with the Golden Mane, Belobog Krukis The Belun Kupala Il'ya Muromets Black God Kupal'nitsa Ivan Belyaninovich Chernava Kupalo Ivan Vyslavovich Chernobog Lada Kandek Datan Lado King of Snakes Dazhbog Laima(-Dalia) Kosmatushka Debestevs Laukpatis Kot Bayun Dekla Lauksargis Kotsky, Mr. Devana Lawkapatim Lulizar Devil,The Lel Nastas'ya of the Golden Braid Dida Leshii (~y) Naui Didilia Likho, One-Eyed Nightingale Dido Liuli One-Eye Dievas Lytuvonis Purto Dievo suneliai Maan-Eno Sarac Diiwica Mader Akka Shah-Mar Dilwica Mader Atcha Silver Roan Dimstipatis Majas Kungs Sivushko Dodola Marzan(n)a Solovei (~y) Rakhmatich Dogoda Mati-Syra-Zemlya Suren Dugnai Matrioshka Swan Woman Dundra Matushka Krasnogo Solntsa Tipi Dusk Matushka Zemlia 346 TOPIC FINDER

Medeine Sun Fates Meness (~ulis) Supreme Deity Ajysyt Menuo Svantovit (~dovit) Alleluiah Mikula Selyaninovich Svarevichi Dekla Miloserdnia Svarog Golden Book of Fate,The Miloslaviia Svarozhich (~gich) Karta Modeina Tawals Laima(-Dalia) Mokosh Tengri Miloserdnia Morskoi Ukko Miloslaviia Mother Earth Uks Akka Nedelia, Saint Mother of the Seas Ulgan Mukylin Umai Heroes and Heroines Muzem-mumi Umilenie Ak Molot Nainas Upinis Almafi Niekia Ursula Alyosha Popovich Num Vahagn Amelf(i)a Timofe(y)evna Nya Varpulis Apprentice,The Obin-murt Vasilis(s)a, Princess Arevhat Paraskeva-Piatnitsa Veles Arthur, King Patrimpas Vesna Aslan Peivalké Vesnianka Avdot'ya Perkonis Visapaklal Badikan Perkons Vizi-anya Baro(n) Perkunas Vizi-ember Batradz Perom (~n) Vizi-leany Bogatyr' Perperuna Volos Bright Sun Perun Vu-murt Bulat Perusan Vyelyes Bulat the Brave Peseias Waizganthos Buslai (~y) Pikker Walg(a)ino Churilo Plenkovich Piorun Weaver of the Stars Dmitrii (Vyslavovich) Poludnitsa White God Dobrynya Nikitich Porevik (~it) White Youth Dove Maiden Priparchis Wind Dove Maidens,The Puskaitis Yambe-akka Dragon Radigast Yarilo Dunai Ivanovich Rod(ú) Yarovit Ekim Rot Yryn-al-tojon Firebird,The Rozanica Zemepatis First Almafi Rozhanitsa Zemes Màte Glass Mountain,The Rugavit (~ievit) Zemyna Golden Kingdom,The Rus(s)alki (~ulki) Zhiva Golden Mountain,The Sadko Zizilia Goryshche Sar Akka Zorya Utrennyaya Grishka Saule Zorya Vechernyaya Gulinaz Sea King Zoryi Habërmani Sea Tsar Zosim Haro(n) Shkay Zroya Hazaran Shundi-mumi Zuttibur Horse with the Golden Mane, Snowstorm, Granny Zvezda Dennitsa The Stribog Zvezda Vechernyaya Igor Suaixtis Zˇ ytniamatka Il'ya Ivanovich TOPIC FINDER 347

Il'ya Muromets Nikitich, Dobrynya Ausrine Istvan Nikitin, Kostia Bird’s Way,The Ivan Nikulichna, Nastas'ya Darkness Ivan No Bigger than a Finger Dawn Ivan Olga Day Ivan Belyaninovich Overturn Mountain Dazhbog Ivan Crnojevic Pantalovna, Queen Debestevs Ivan Gostinyi Syn Peter (Belyaninovich) Dennitsa Ivan Savel'evich Petrushka Dievas Ivan the Dragon Killer Plenkovich, Churilo Dundra Ivan the Guard Polianitsa Dusk Ivan the Mare’s Son Popovich,Alyosha Evening Star Ivan the Moon’s Son Potania,Tiny Great Bear Ivan the Soldier Purto Iarila Ivan the Sun’s Son Putyatichna, Zabava, Princess Ivan the Mute Ivan the Young Sadko Kalvaitis Ivan Vyslavovich Saltyk Khor(s) Ivanushka Samosek Sword Little Bear Ivashko Samson Meness (~ulis) Ivo Savel'evich, Ivan Menuo Janos Simizar Mesyats Kalina Stavr Godinovich Midnight Kandek Sukhman Milky Way,The Kapsirko Suren Moon Kartaga Swan Woman Morning Star Katrina Ivanovna Timofe(y)evna,Amelf(i)a Nainas Kök Chan Tobias Niekia Koshchei (the Deathless) Vasilii Buslayevich Night Kostia Nikitin Vasilii Kazimirovich Peivalké Kot Bayun Vasilis(s)a Kirbit'evna Saule Lazar Vasilis(s)a the Beautiful Shkay Leontii Vasilis(s)a the Wise Shundi-mumi Loqmân the Wise Vasilisushka Sun Luka Vasilko Sun’s Sister Main Vlasta Svarog Marfa Vseslav'evna Vol'ga Buslavlevich Ursa Major Marfida Vol'ga Sviatoslavovich Ursa Minor Marfusha Volga Yaroslavich Ursula Marko, Prince Volkh Vseslav'evich Vahagn Martiros Zabava (Putyatichna), Venus Marusya Princess Weaver of the Stars Masha Zamoryshchek Zorya Utrennyaya Mikhail Potyk Zarzand Zorya Vechernyaya Mikhailo, Prince Zurab Zoryi Mikula Selyaninovich Zuro Zvezda Dennitsa Moisei Zvezda Vechernyaya Mountain of Gold Sun, Moon, and Stars Nastas'ya, Princess Alako Peoples Nastas'ya Nikulichna Atrimpaasa Alans Nastas'ya of the Golden Braid Aurora Borealis Avars Nightingale Auroras Cheremiss-Mordvin Nikita Auseklis Cherkess 348 TOPIC FINDER

Circassians Bessarabia Ivan the Great Cossacks Blaise, Saint Ivan the Terrible Czechs Bohemia Ivan Tsarevich Derevliane Boris, Saint Kalmucks (Kalmyks) Erzya Bosnia Karelia Finno-Ugric Boyars Kazakhstan Gilyaki (Nivkhi) Budapest Kazan' Huzul Bulgaria Khan Jazyges Byzantine Empire Khoriv Kalmucks (Kalmyks) Byzantium Kiev Kirghiz Chernigov Kirghiz Koryaks Cilicia Kiy Lapps Circassians Kremlin Letts Constantine Ladoga, Lake Magyars Constantinople Lapps Moksha Cossacks Latvia Mongols Croatia Lay of Igor’s Campaign Mordvins Cyril and Methodius, Saints Lithuania Ossetes Cyrillic alphabet Livonia Ostyaks Czechoslovakia Macedonia Pechenegs Czechs Magyars Permyaks Dacia Marko, Prince Rukhs-As Dalmatia Mekhithar Gosh Rus' Danube Moldova Ruthenes Dir Mongols Saami Dormition,The Montenegro Samoyeds Dunai, River Moravia Sarmatians Dvoeverie Mordvins Slavs Eletskoi Moscow Tatars Elias Motovun Tungus Ermolai-erazm Nestor Voguls Estonia Nikita Romanov Wends Finland Novaya Zemlya Yakuts Finno-Ugric Novgorod Zyrians Genghis Khan Oleg George, Saint Olga Historical Georgia Ossetes Alans Gilyaki (Nivkhi) Pannonia Alexander the Great Gleb, Saint Paraskeva, Saint Anna Golden Horde,The Pecherskaia Lavra Armenia Gregory of Smolensk Permyaks Askold Hanseatic League Petar Lonzaric Astrakhan' Herzegovina Pokrov Avars Hungary Poland Azerbaijan Huzul Primary Chronicle Balkan(s) Igor, Prince Prussia Baltic Ioann the Long-Suffering, Riurik Basil, Saint Saint Romania Basil II, Bulgaroctonus Ivan III Rostov Basil the Great, Saint Ivan IV Rus' Batu Khan Ivan Crnojevic Russia Belorussia Ivan Groznyi Russkaia pravda TOPIC FINDER 349

Ruthenes Buyan Babushka-Lyagushka- Samoyeds Charity Skakushka Sarmatians City of the King,The Devil,The Saxo Grammaticus Clay City,The Goryninka Schek Copper City,The Ienzababa Scythia Copper Kingdom,The Ivan Serapion Crystal City,The Ivan the Mute Serbia Dausos Ivashko Sergius of Radonezh, Saint Devil’s Castle Jazi Baba Siberia Djandjavaz, Mount Jezda Silesia Golden City,The Khoziaika lesa Sineus Golden Kingdom,The Maria Morena Slavs Golden Mountain,The Mocker King,The Slovakia Green Marsh Night Slovenia Habërmani Petrushka Sophia Pal(a)eologue I-Know-Not-What Sun St. Petersburg I-Know-Not-Where Uproot Oak Stephen (of Hungary), Saint India Vasilis(s)a the Beautiful Sviatopolk Iron City,The Ved'ma Teutonic Knights Ivan Belyaninovich Volkhv Transcaucasia Kingdom by the Sea,The Sorcery, Sorcerers, and Sorceresses Transylvania Kingdom of Darkness,The Alenushka Truvor Kingdom of Light,The Amelf(i)a Timofe(y)evna Tungus Kingdom of the East,The Baba Latingorka Turkestan Kot Bayun Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga) Turkmenistan Naui Deceit Ukraine Nava Goryninka Uzbekistan Nemal Chelovek Habërmani Varangians Otherworld Ivan the Guard Vardan Peklo Ivanushka Vasilii II, Grand Prince Petrushka Koldun Vikings Rai Koshchei (the Deathless) Vlad (the Impaler), Prince River of Fire,The Lompsalo Vladimir I Rus(s)alki (~ulki) Marinka Vladimir II Samosek Sword Nemal Chelovek Vladimir Monomachus Silver City,The Vasilis(s)a the Wise Vladimir Monomakh Silver Kingdom,The Vikhor' Voguls Simizar Volkh Vseslav'evich Votyaks Steel City,The Znakhar' Vseslav Sviatogor Vuk Thrice-Ninth Kingdom,The Geographic Walachia Thrice-Ninth Land,The Aleppo Wenceslas, Saint Thrice-Ten Kingdom,The Amur Wends Tree of Life,The Arcona Yakuts Underworld,The Arkhangel'sk Zyrians World Tree Armenia Astrakhan' Mythical Places and Objects Witches and Athos, Mount Alatnir Alenka Azerbaijan Babushka-Lyagushka- Alyosha Azov, Sea of Skakushka Ambrose Bald Mountains Badikan Baba-Yaga (-Jaga, -Iaga) Balkan(s) 350 TOPIC FINDER

Baltic Kazakhstan Smorodina Belorussia Kazan' Smorodinka Bessarabia Kiev Sorochinsk Mountains Black Mire Kirghiz St. Petersburg Black Sea Kremlin Talking Mountain,The Black Stream Ladoga, Lake Transcaucasia Bohemia Lapland Transylvania Bosnia Lapps Triglav, Mount Briansk Woods Latvia Tungus Budapest Lena, River Turkestan Bulgaria Lithuania Turkmenistan Byzantium Livonia Ukraine Carpathian Mountains Macedonia Ural Mountains Caspian Sea Magyars Uzbekistan Caucasus Matushka Vikings Chernigov Moldavia Voguls Cilicia Moldova Volga Circassians Mongols Votyaks Constantinople Montenegro Walachia Cossacks Moravia White Russia Crimea Mordvins White Sea Croatia Moscow Yakuts Czechoslovakia Motovun Zyrians Czechs Murom Dacia Novaya Zemlya Bogatyri Dalmatia Novgorod Alesha Danube Oka Alyosha Popovich Desna Opsikion Bogatyr' Dir Ossetes Buslai (~y) Djandjavaz, Mount Ostyaks Churilo Plenkovich Dnieper Pannonia Dobrynya Nikitich Dojran, Lake Pecherskaia Lavra Dunai Ivanovich Don Permyaks Godenko Bludovich Donets Poland Goryshche Dunai, River Prussia Il'ya Muromets Dvina Puchai Ivan Gostinyi Syn Estonia Riurik Kostia Nikitin Finland Romania Kostia Novotorzheni Finno-Ugric Rostov Luka Genghis Khan Russia Mikhail Potyk Georgia Ruthenes Moisei Gilyaki (Nivkhi) Safat Nightingale Golden Horde,The Samoyeds Potania,Tiny Herzegovina Sarmatians Sbrodovich Hungary Scythia Stavr Godinovich Il'men', Lake Serbia Sukhman Istanbul Siberia Sviatogor Ivan Crnojevic Silesia Vasilii Buslayevich Kalmucks (Kalmyks) Slavs Vasilii Kazimirovich Karacharovo Slovakia Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince Karelia Slovenia Vol'ga Buslavlevich TOPIC FINDER 351

Vol'ga Sviatoslavovich Rujevit Koknas Zalyoshen Ryurik Leshii (~y) Saite (~vo) Likho, One-Eyed Variant Names Sea King Misfortune,The Imps of Aliosha Selyaninovich, Mikula Misha Alyonka Senmurv Morozko Alyonushka Sorochinsk Hill Sorrow Apraksi(i)a Sventovit Suren Belarus' Triglav Vampire Belorussia Vasilii Busla(y)ev Vodianoi (~nik) Blasius, Saint Vasilis(s)a Kirbit'evna Bouyan Vasilisushka Spirits, nymphs, and fairies Buslaev,Vasilii Vlkodlak As-Iga Cain Vodianiani Bannik Chur Volkh Vseslav'evich Barstukai Dadzbog Vseslav'evich,Volga Bereginy Demian, Saint Vyslav Andronovich Busi-urt Domania Vyslavovich, Ivan Death Domovik Zemininkas Ded Moroz Dunai Ivanovich Zuro Dedy Dunay (-ushka) Devil,The Sacred Places and Objects Earth Mother Dievo suneliai Alatnir Faraony Domovikha Alka Helen Domovoi Badnik Horsel Dove Maiden Bozhena Iarovit Dove Maidens,The Dzuli Ivan Crnojevic D'u-urt Goik Ivan Savel'evich Dvorovoi Golden Book of Fate,The Ivan Vyslavovich Evil Hahe Kashchei (the Deathless) Fairy Hahengan Kaukas Frost Kumstvo Kilikia Giwoitis Kupiatitskaia Kosma Gramovitsa Lompsalo Ljeschie Houri Makar'evskaia Luqmân the Wise Houri-Pari Marena Majahaldas Kams Pskov icon,The Majasgars Kapsirko Saite (~vo) Makosh Kartaga Sejda Maryshia Katya Sjadaei Mavki Kaukai Zhirovitskoi Mikola Mozhaiski, Saint Kaukas Mikula Selyaninovich Demons and Demonesses Khoziaika lesa Muxdi Alkonost' Kikimora Nastasiia Aznavor Korka-murt Navki Badikan Kremara Od(lek) Devil,The Krukis Orsel Devil and the Soldier,The Kul' Pikker Evil Kurke Piorun Frost Kurwaichin Porevik (~it) Ghovt Kush-Pari Pudnitsa Ivan the Soldier Lel 352 TOPIC FINDER

Leshachikha Yanki-murt Koliada Leshii (~y) Kostroma Likho, One-Eyed Soulless Beings Krasnaia Gora Lito Ambrose Kumstvo Lusaghen Badikan Lito Marfida Bulat the Brave Marena Masha Ivan Maslenitsa Matergabia Khan Boghu Matushka Kozma-Demian Metsik Koshchei (the Deathless) Metsik Miloserdnia Vasilis(s)a Kirbit'evna Navii Den' Miloslaviia Agricultural Ovsen' Misfortune,The Imps of Baba Petrov Den' Misha Bab'e leto Petrovki Nadanojla Bab'ia Kasha Pokrov Nemal Chelovek Boba Pokrovskaia Subbota Obida Datan Radunitsa Ort Khoziaika lesa Rusaliia Ovinnik Kricco Sabarios Polel Kurke Semik Polevoi (~ik) Kurwaichin Sviatki Prigirstitis Laukpatis Troitsa Priparchis Lauksargis Vinograd Ptitsy-siriny Lawkapatim Zelenie Sviatki Pu-ort Leshii (~y) Ratainitsa Marzan(n)a Fables Rod(ú) Matushka Kozma-Demian Bandit and the Priest,The Rugiu Boba Metsik Cautious Mother Crow Rus(s)alki (~ulki) Peseias Envy Sicksa Polevoi (~ik) Fool and the Birch Tree,The Siela Poludnitsa Hundred Silver Pieces,The Siliniets Priparchis Kings are not created by Sirin Rugiu Boba flattery alone Sorrow Semik Liar,The Stefan Tawals Lion’s Share,The Svarevichi Waizganthos Mekhithar Gosh Tonx Walg(a)ino Once a wolf, always a wolf Tsmok Zosim Prince and the Flea,The Urt Zˇ ytniamatka Saint George and the Va-kul' Deceitful Fox Vele(s) Festivals Stand your ground Velnias Bab'e leto Strength does not always come Vila Bab'ia Kasha in numbers Vodianoi (~nik) Babii Prazdnik To each its own Vu-kutis Badnik Toad,Dr. Vu-nuna Goik Vardan Vu-vozo Ivan Kupalo Vixen and the Lioness,The Vultures Are Like Priests,Why INDEX

Acilisena, 12 Alexander II (emperor of Ancestor spirits Adalbert of Prague, Saint, 1, Russia), 242 dedy, 64 266 Alexander III (emperor of domovoi, 73–74 Adana, 148, 229, 230 Russia), 243 dzuli, 78 Adrian II (pope), 56 Alexander Nevsky, 198, Andreas (apostle). See Andrew, Adrian III (pope), 47 239–240 Saint Adrianople,Treaty of, 234 Alexander the Great, 6, 175, Andrew, Saint, 12, 13[photo], Afghanistan, 284 188, 290–291 35 Afron, 1–2, 59, 79, 109, Alexander Yaroslavevich. See Androgynes, Jumala as, 141 137–138, 278 Alexander Nevsky Andronovich,Vyslav. See Vyslav Agog-Magog, 2, 29 Alexis I (tsar of Russia), 241 Andronovich Agricultural deities Aliosha, 6. See also Alesha Animals, domestic Lauksargis, 165 Alka, 6 Kremara and, 157–158 Lawkapatim, 165 Alklha, 6 Peseias and, 218 Ovinnik, 212 Alkonost', 6, 231 Priparchis and, 228 Waizganthos, 311 Alleluiah, 6, 191 Walgino and, 218 See also Animals, domestic; Almafi, 7–10, 277 See also Agricultural deities Grain; Harvest Almaty, 148 , 154 Ahriman, 37 Altaic languages, 277 Anna (sister of Basil II), 12, 14, Ahura Mazda, 37 Alyonka. See Alenka 34, 35, 239, 303 Aitvaras, 2, 319 Alyonushka. See Alenushka Annunciation, Cathedral of, Ajysyt, 2, 95, 282, 318 Alyosha, 6, 10–11 158 Ajysyt-Ijaksit-Khotan, 2 Alyosha Popovich, 11, 71, 72, Apprentice, 14–16, 22, 75, 210 Ak Molot, 2–3, 44–45 202–203, 294–295 Apprentice,The, 14–16 Akdeniz, 161 Amarven, Mount, 32, 106 Apraksiia. See Evpraksiya, Alako, 3, 77–78 Ambrose, 11 Princess Alans, 3, 18, 35, 211, 235 Amelfia Timofeyevna, 11 Aquincum, 44 Alatnir, 3 Dobrynya Nikitich and, 69, Archangel. See Arkhangel'sk Albert of Hohenzollern, 278 70, 71–72, 98–99 Archangel Michael, Cathedral Alenka, 3, 139 husbands of, 48, 205 of, 158, 185 Alenushka, 3–4, 139 Marinka and, 181–182 Arcona, 16, 271 Aleppo, 4, 182–183 Nastas'ya Nikulichna and, Arctic Ocean, 314, 317 Alesha, 5, 70, 79, 98, 166, 283 202 Ardav Sura Anahita. See Alexander I (emperor of Vasilii Buslayevich and, 291, Anahita Russia), 242 292, 294 Ardent Sun, 113. See also Iarilo Alexander I (king of Poland), Amur, 11–12, 92 Arevhat, 16–17, 209–210 169 Anahita, 12 Argead dynasty, 175 Alexander I (king of Serbia), Anaitis, 12 Argun, 11 43, 55 Anastasia, Saint, 12, 203, 213 Arkhangel'sk, 17, 125, 237, 314

353 354 INDEX

Armenia, 17–18, 22, 242, 281 Alenka and, 3 Bannik, 32, 43 Armenian alphabet, 17 Babushka-Lyagushka- Banya, 32 Arpád, 111, 176 Skakushka and, 28, 100 Bardas Phocas, 34 Arsenal, 158 Chudo-Yudo and, 52 Bardas Sclerus, 34 Arthur, King of the Britons, 18 Czech name for, 141 Bardoyats, 32 Arthurian legend Day and, 61 Barn, spirit of, 212 Batradz and, 18, 35 Devil and, 66 Baron, 32–33, 106–107 Ivan Crnojevic and, 123 Goryninka and, 98 Barstukai, 33, 286 Ossetes and, 3, 211 Ivan the Pea and, 132 Basil, Saint, 12, 33–34 Prince Marko and, 182 Ivan the Young and,136 Basil II (Byzantine emperor) Asen dynasty, 47 Ivashko and, 140 Bulgaria and, 47 As-Iga, 18 Koshchei the Deathless and, rule of, 34–35 Askold, 18, 68, 238 155 Vladimir I and, 12, 14, 218, Aslan, 19, 101, 250, 258, 277, Maria and, 180 239, 303 279. See also Zurab Maria Morena and, 181 Basil III Ivanovich (grand Assumption, Cathedral of, 158 as “Mistress of the forest,” prince of Moscow), 240 Astlik, 19, 289 149 Basil the Great, Saint, 35, Astrakhan', 19, 124, 143, 240 Night and, 205 36[photo] Atamans, 54 Petrushka and, 113, 223 Bathhouses Athos, Mount, 19, 182 Polish names for, 113, 141 Bannik and, 32 Atrimpaasa, 19 as Princess Vasilissa, 295 bozhena and, 43 Augustus, 213 Sun and, 268 Batradz, 3, 18, 35, 252 Aurora Borealis, 19, 20[photo], underworld and, 286 Batu Khan, 35, 95, 239 201 Vasilissa of the Golden Bears, Mashen'ka and, Auroras, 19 Braid and, 297 185–186 Auseklis, 19, 197. See also Vasilissa the Beautiful and, Beauty, goddesses of, 163 Morning Star 297–298 Bees, god of, 322 Ausrine, 19, 188, 197. See also Vasilissa the Wise and, 299 Bel Belyanin, 35, 37 Morning Star Zamoryshchek and, 319 Ivan Belyaninovich and, Austria Bab'e Leto, 28 121, 123 Hungary and, 111 Bab'ia Kasha, 28 Nastas'ya of the Golden Poland and, 226 Babii Prazdnik, 28, 231 Braid and, 203 Silesia and, 257 Babushka-Lyagushka- Peter Belyaninovich and, Slovenia and, 261 Skakushka, 28–29, 218 Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, 99–100, 113, 223, sons of, 291 111–112 232–233 Béla IV (king of Hungary), 44 Bosnia and Herzegovina Badikan, 2, 22, 29–30, 152 Belarus'. See Belorussia and, 42–43 Badnik, 30–31 Belobog, 37, 314. See also Serbia and, 255 Bagputys, 31 White God Slovenia and, 261 Baian, 20 Beloe More, 161 Autrimpas, 19 Baikal, Lake, 256 Beloozero, 232, 258, 283 Avars, 19–20, 55, 197, 238 Baikal Mountains, 166 Belorussia, 37, 314 Avdot'ya, 20–21, 189 Bald mountains, 31 Beltane, 159 Azerbaijan, 21–22, 281 Balkan League, 31 Belun, 37, 314. See also White Azeri, 21 Balkans, 31 God Aznavor, 22, 29 Baltic lands, history of, 32. See Benedict, Saint, 56 Azov, Sea of, 22, 38 also Estonia; Latvia; Bereginy, 37–38 Azrail, 15–16, 22 Lithuania Berserkirs, 313 Baltic Sea, 32 Bessarabia, 38, 194, 195, 234, Baba, 23. See also Boba Banat, 194 242 Baba Latingorka, 23, 98 Bandit and the Priest,The Big Dipper. See Ursa Major Baba-Yaga, 23–27 (Mekhithar Gosh), 32 Big Man,The, 203–204 INDEX 355

Biledjan, Mount, 62 Boleslaw I (king of Poland), 1, Byzantium, 49, 50, 53, 118, Birch trees 225–226 185 Bereginy and, 37 Boris, Saint, 41–42, 64 kumstvo festival and, 159 as plow maker, 93, 162 Caesarea, 35 in Semik festival, 254 Saint Gleb and, 94[photo] Cain. See Kayen See also Fool and the Birch Sviatopolk and, 239, 274 Calandae, 154 Tree,The Boris I (tsar of Bulgaria), 47 Canute, 301 Bird goddesses, Baba-Yaga as, Borushka Matushka, 42, 155 Carantania, 261 25 Bosnia, 42–43, 109 Carpathian Mountains, 51, 112 Birds Bouyan. See Buyan Casimir IV (king of Poland), Div, 68–69 Boyars, 43 169 Kush-Pari, 160–161 Ivan Groznyi and, 124 Caspian Sea, 51, 293 Naui, 203 of Murom, 83, 84 Castor, 163, 166, 226 Ptitsy-Siriny and, 228 Peter of Murom and, Catherine I (empress of Bird’s Way, 38, 61, 191, 196 219–220 Russia), 241 Bird-woman, 231 Bozhena, 43 Catherine II. See Catherine Birth. See Childbirth Bran Castle, 303[photo] the Great Black God, 37, 38, 52. See also Brevnov, 1 Catherine the Great, 37, Chernobog Briansk Woods, 44, 64, 116, 241–242 Black Mire, 38, 116 134 Cats Black Sea, 38, 161 Bright Sun, 44. See also Kot Bayun, 156–157, 222, Black Stream, 38–39, 115 Vladimir Bright Sun, 279 Blacksmiths Prince Mr. Kotsky, 157 Christian saints as, 41, Broom, of Baba-Yaga, 26 Cattle, patron god, 311 64–65, 93, 162 Bucharest, 311 Caucasus, 51 Kalvaitis, 143 Bud Raiser, 320 Cautious Mother Crow (Vardan), Krukis, 158 Buda, 44 51 Blaise, Saint, 39, 308. See also Budapest, 44 Caxton,William, 90 Vlasii, Saint Buddhism, Kalmucks and, 143 Cemeteries, Muslim, 21[photo] Blasuius, Saint. See Blaise, Saint Bulat, 3, 44–45 Cerberus, 286 Bloody Sunday, 243 Bulat the Brave, 45–46, Cetinje, 196 Blossomer, 320 120–121, 152, 155, 295 Champions. See Bogatyri Bludovich, Godenko. See Bulgaria, 35, 46–48, 175, 176 Charity, 51, 83, 219. See also Godenko Bludovich Bulgaroctonus, 34–35. See also Fevroniia Boba, 23, 39. See also Baba Basil II Charlemagne, 20 Bogatyri, 39, 40[photo] Bulgars, 31, 35, 46, 239 Charles IV (Holy Roman kams and, 143 Busi-urt, 48, 76 emperor), 41 polianitsy and, 226–227 Buslaev,Vasilii. See Vasilii Charlie’s Wain. See Ursa Major Tatars and, 294–295 Buslayevich Chelovek, 73 See also Alyosha Popovich; Buslai, 11, 48, 205, 291 Cheremiss-Mordvin people, Vasilii Buslayevich;Vasilii Buslavlevich,Vol'ga. See Vol'ga 52, 86 Kazimirovich; Ivan Buslavlevich Cherkess, 52, 53. See also Gostinyi Syn; Godenko Buslayevich,Vasilii. See Vasilii Circassians Bludovich; Dobrynya Buslayevich Chernava, 52, 247, 253 Nikitich; Il'ya Muromets Buyan (island), 3, 37, 48, 73 Chernigov, 44, 52, 80, 116, Boghu, Khan, 29, 30, 40–41, Bylichki, 39, 48, 308 205, 290 152 Byliny, 39, 49, 259, 264 Chernobog, 37, 38, 52, 314. Bogoroditsa, 41 Byzantine Empire See also Black God Bohemia, 41, 197, 312 Bulgaria in, 35, 46–47 Chernoe More. See Black Sea Boii, 41 history of, 49–50 Childbirth Boleslaus. See Boleslaw I Macedonia and, 175 Paraskeva-Piatnitsa and, 215 Boleslav, 312 Russia and, 238, 239 rozhanitsy and, 234 356 INDEX

China, 89, 143 Cossacks, 54–55, 241, 256, 285 Darkness, 61 Chinghiz Khan. See Genghis Cottage, of Baba-Yaga, 25 Chernobog and, 52 Khan Creator deities Siberian monster of, 6 Christianity Maan-Eno, 175 Datan, 61, 165, 277 in Armenia, 17 Mader Akka, 176 Daugava, 78 conversion of pagans and, Mader Atcha, 176 Dausos, 61, 68, 191, 196 80, 177, 228, 320 Tengri, 277–278 Dawn, 61. See also Zorya dvoeverie and, 78 Ukko, 285 Utrennyaya Slavs and, 260 Vahagn, 289 Day, 61, 298 See also Eastern Orthodox Yryn-al-tojon, 318 Day of Protection, 28 Christianity; Roman Crimea, 55, 242 Dazhbog, 61–62 Catholicism; Russian Crimean War, 38, 242 daughters of, 19, 81, 197, Orthodox Christianity Crna Gora, 195. See also 321, 322, 325 Chudo-Yudo, 27, 52 Montenegro Matushka Krasnogo Solntsa Chur. See Rod Crnojevic, Ivan. See Ivan and, 187 Churilo Plenkovich, 52, 77 Crnojevic Mesyats and, 188 Cilicia, 53, 148 Croatia, 42–43, 55, 140 Midnight and, 190 Cimmerians, 285 Crows Sun and, 268 Cinderella, 298 Ivan Vyslavovich and, 138 as Svarevichi, 271 Circassians, 53. See also See also Cautious Mother Svarog and, 272 Cherkess Crow Dead souls City of the King, 53, 273–274 Crucifixion, of Saint Andrew, Buyan island and, 48 Clay City, 53, 104 12 Milky Way and, 191, 196 Cockerel, 8, 9, 64 Crystal City, 56, 104 moon and, 196 Kurke, 159–160 Cyril, Saint, 47, 53, 56–57, 211 realm of Dievas and, 61, 68 Cologne, 106 Cyrillic alphabet, 56, 57 See also Underworld Column of Trajan, 60[photo] Czech Republic Deák, Ferenc, 111 Congress of Berlin, 42, 196 history of, 41, 57 Death, 62–64 Congress of Vienna, 228, 242 Moravia and, 197 Chernobog and, 52 Constantine (St. Cyril), 53, 56 Saint Wenceslas and, Ivan the Soldier and, Constantine I (Roman 311–312 133–134 emperor), 49, 50, 53 Silesia and, 257 as Marena, 178 Constantine XI Palaeologus Slovakia and, 260 Sun and, 268 (Byzantine emperor), Czechoslovakia, 58[photo] Death, deities of 126, 263 history of, 41, 57 Baba-Yaga as, 23, 26, 27 Constantinople, 49, 50, 53, 118 Moravia and, 197 Marzana, 185 Conversion, role of icons in, Silesia and, 257 Nya, 208 80, 177, 228, 320 Slovakia and, 260 Rot, 234 Copper City, 53, 104 Czechs, 41, 57, 260 Vele, 300 Copper Kingdom, 53 Velnias, 300 Copper Kingdom, tsarita of, Dacia, 20, 59, 60[photo], 233 Zhiva, 320 53 Dadzbog. See Dazhbog Debestevs, 64, 68. See also Ivan Belyaninovich and, Dagestan, 20, 242 Dievas 122 Dalmat, 59, 79, 86, 109, 137, Deceit, 8, 9, 64 Vasilii Belyaninovich and, 138 Ded Moroz, 64, 65[photo] 79–80, 96, 123, 219, 257, Dalmatia, 55, 59 Dedushka, 73 291 Danes. See Vikings Dedy, 64, 73 Whirlwind and, 314 Daniel Aleksandrovich, 198, Dekla, 64, 146, 164 Corvinus, Matthias. See 240 Demian, Saint. See Dem'yan, Matthias Corvinus Danilo, Prince Saint Cosmic tree. See Tree of Life; Danube, 60–61, 76, 202 Demonesses, 92 World Tree Dark Princess, 61, 83, 215, 219 Alkonost', 6 INDEX 357

Koknas, 153 Djandjavaz, Mount, 16, 22, 69 Walgino and, 218 See also Ghovt; Sirin Dmitri Donskoi, 198 See also Agricultural deities Demons Dmitrii (prince of Moscow), Domestic spirits, 150. See also Devil’s Castle, 67 95, 240 Hearth deities; Ivan the Soldier and, Dmitrii I (False Dmitrii), 240 Household deities 132–133 Dmitrii II (False Dmitrii), 240 Domovik, 73. See also See also Devil;Vodianoi; Dmitrii Ivanovich (son of Ivan Domovoi Leshii; Russalki Groznyi), 240 Domovikha, 73, 150 Dem'yan, Saint, 41, 64–65, 93, Dmitrii Vyslavovich, 69, 79, Domovoi, 73–74 161–162 109, 136, 138 alternative names, 148, 176, Dennitsa, 65. See also Morning Dnieper, 69, 267, 285 177 Star; Zvezda Dennitsa Dobrynya Nikitich, 69–72, 75 dedy and, 64 Derevliane, 65, 114, 177, Alesha and, 5 Kikimora and, 150 210–211 Alyosha Popovich and, 11 as Tsmok, 283 Desna, River, 52, 65 Amelfia Timofeyevna and, Don, 22, 74, 234, 240 Despot Vuk, 321. See also Vuk 11 Donets (river), 74, 114 Devana, 65, 78 Baba Latingorka and, 23 Donets Basin, 74 Devil, 65–66 dragon of Puchai river and, Donskoi, Dmitri. See Dmitri Evil and, 81 228–229 Donskoi Ivan the Soldier and, 134 Dunai Ivanovich and, Dormition, Cathedral of the, Paul and, 83, 215 76–77 75 in The Peasant, the Priest, Goryninka and, 98 Dough, 76 and the Gold, 215–216 Goryshche and, 98–99 Dove Maiden(s) Saint Ioann the Long- Marinka and, 181–182 Apprentice and, 14–15, 75 Suffering and, 118 Mother Earth and, 198 Masha as, 75, 185, 220–224 See also Demons; Devil and Nastas'ya Nikulichna and, See also Houri; Nymphs the Soldier,The 202–203 Dr.Toad (Vardan), 280 Devil and the Soldier,The, Nikita and, 205 Dracula, 282, 303 66–67 Princess Evprakisya and, 81 Dracula (Stoker), 282, 289, 290, Devil’s Castle, 67 Princess Nastas'ya and, 201 303 Tapagöz and, 277 Princess Zabava and, 319 Dragon slayers Zarzand and, 320 Sorochinsk Mountains and, Dobrynya Nikitich, 69–72 Zurab and, 323, 324 263 Ivan the Dragon Killer, Diana, 65, 68 Sukhman and, 268 125–126 Dida, 67, 163 Tatars and, 294–295 Saint George, 90, 91[photo] Didilia, 67, 163, 321 Vasilii Buslayevich and, 291, Dragons, 75–76 Dido, 67, 163 294 Armenian term for, 302 Dievas, 61, 64, 67–68, 143 Voroneyushka and, 308 Baba-Yaga and, 27 Dievo suneliai, 68, 143, 252 Dodola, 73 Glass Mountain and, 92–93 Dievs, 62, 68. See also Dogoda, 48, 73, 315 Gorynich, 98, 127, 204 Debestevs; Dievas Dojran, Lake, 73 Goryshche, 23, 69–70, Digor, 211 Dojrana, 73 98–99 Diiwica, 68. See also Devana Dolls of Puchai river, 229 Dilwica, 65, 68 Maslenitsa festival and, 186 Drahomira, 312 Dimitrii Vyslavovich, 86, 295, nested, 187 Druzhina, of Vasilii 309 Rusaliia festival and, Buslayevich, 155, 156, Dimstipatis, 68, 320 235–236 170, 194, 227, 252–253, Diocletian, 90 Domania, 73, 150 291–295 Dir, 18, 68, 238 Domestic animals Dual Monarchy. See Austro- Div, 68–69, 114, 209 Kremara and, 157–158 Hungarian Monarchy Divine Twins,113, 125, 156, Peseias and, 218 Duality 163 Priparchis and, 228 Belobog and, 37 358 INDEX

See also Divine Twins servants of Whirlwind and, Christian saints and, 203, Duani Ivanovich, 201–202 164 214 Dugnai, 76 Whirlwind and, 314 Dekla, 64 Dunai, River, 76, 202 Eletskoi icon, 80 Karta, 146 Dunai Ivanovich, 52, 60, 69, Elias, 80 Laima, 163–164 76–77, 81 Elijah, 115, 218 Miloserdnia, 6, 191 Dunay, 77. See also Dunai Elisabeth Church (Marburg), Miloslaviia, 6, 191 Ivanovich 279[photo] See also Golden Book of Dunayushka, 77. See also Dunai Elizabeth Petrovna, 241 Fate Ivanovich Elysian Fields, 231 Fates (Greek), 6, 26 Dundra, 3, 77–78 Emeric, 267 Father Christmas, 64 Dusk, 78. See also Zorya Envy (Vardan), 80 Feast of the Intercession, 28 Vechernyaya Erisvorsh, 80 Feasts D'u-urt, 48, 76 Erlik, 80–81, 286 Babii Prazdnik, 26 Dvina, 78 Ermolai-Erazm, 81, 84, 220 of the Intercession, 28 Dvoeverie, 78 Erzya, 81, 194, 197 Ivan Kupalo, 124–125 Dvorovoi, 78, 148, 266 Eskeri, 81 Kupalo, 84, 220 Dyaus, 68 Estonia, 32, 81, 169, 170 Radunitsa, 28, 231, 236 Dziewana. See Dilwica Estonians, 86 See also Festivals Dziewona, 78. See also Devana; Eusebius, 35 Ferdinand,Archduke. See Dilwica Evening Star, 19, 81. See also Francis Ferdinand Dzuli, 78 Venus; Zvezda (archduke of Austria) Vechernyaya Fertility deities Earth Goddess. See Mother Evil, 81 Didilia, 67 Earth Black God and, 38 Iarila, 113, 125, 156, 163 Earth Mother. See Mother Chernobog and, 52 Iarilo, 113, 125, 156, 159, Earth One-Eyed Likho, 167–168 163 Easter, Babii Prazdnik and, 28 Evpraksiya, Princess, 81 Kirnis, 153 Eastern Orthodox Dobrynya Nikitich and, 69, Kostroma, 156, 163 Christianity 71 Kostromo, 125, 156 in Azerbaijan, 21 Dunai Ivanovich and, Kostromo-Kostrobunko, Byzantine empire and, 76–77 113, 159, 163 49–50 Katrina Ivanovna and, 147 Kricco, 158 Slavs and, 260 Marinka and, 181 Kupala, 159, 163 Eclipses, 252 Nastas'ya Nikulichna and, Kupalo, 113, 125, 156, 159, Eggs 202 163, 178 iconography of, 154–155 Prince Vladimir Bright Sun Lado, 113, 125, 156, 159, Koshchei the Deathless and, and, 210 163 154–155 Princess Nastas'ya and, 201 Liuli, 169–170 Mother Earth and, 198 Stvar Godinovich and, 265, Maan-Eno, 175 rebirth and, 231 266 Mati-Syra-Zemlya, 187 Ekim, 5, 79, 283 Excalibur, 35 Mokosh, 194 Elbruz, 51 Ezerinis, 81 Perkunas, 217 Elena the Beautiful, 79 Perun, 217 Afron and, 1–2 Fables. See Mekhithar Gosh; Rod, 233 Ivan Vyslavovich and, 109, Vardan of Aygek Saint George, 90 138, 295, 309 Fairies, 83, 84[photo] Waizganthos, 311 Vasilii Vyslavovich and, 69 False Dmitrii. See Dmitrii I Yarilo, 317 Elena the Fair, 79–80 Faraony, 83, 203 Zhiva, 320 Golden Kingdom and, 96 Fate, deities of Zizilia, 321 Ivan Belyaninovich and, 53, Alleluiah, 6, 191 Festivals 122–123, 219, 257, 291 Baba-Yaga, 26 Funeral of Kostroma, 156 INDEX 359

Harvest, 225 Francis Ferdinand (archduke of Gesta Danorum (Saxo Ivan Kupalo, 124–125 Austria), 42, 255 Grammaticus), 252 Krasnia Gora, 157 Francis Joseph I (emperor of Geza, 111, 266 Kumstvo, 159 Austria), 111 Ghengis Khan, 256 Maslenitsa, 186 Franko Samo. See Samo, Ghosts, 290 of Saint Paraskeva, 213–214 Franko Ghovt, 92, 153, 270 Semik, 159, 235, 254 Frederick I (Holy Roman Gilyaki, 12, 92 Sviatki, 272 emperor), 41, 228 Giraitis, 92 Trinity Week (Zelenie Frederick II (Holy Roman Gisela, 266 Sviatki), 235, 320 emperor), 228 Giwoitis, 92 Troitsa, 235, 254, 282–283 Friday Glagolitic alphabet, 56 See also Feasts; Rusaliia Saint Anastasia and, 12, 213 Glass Mountain, 92–93 festival; Koliada festival; Saint Paraskeva and, 12, Gleb, Saint Whitsun 213–214 life of, 41–42, 93 Fevroniia, 81, 83–84, 219–220. Zhiva and, 213, 320 as plow maker, 41, 64, 93, See also Charity Frog princesses 162 Fields, deities of Maria, 179–181 Saint Boris and, 94[photo] Datan, 61 Vasilissa the Wise, 135–136, Sviatopolk and, 239, 274 Polevoi, 226 298–300 Godenko Bludovich, 11, 93, Poludnitsa, 227 Frogs. See Babushka- 294 Tawals, 277 Lyagushka-Skakushka Godinovich, Stavr. See Stavr See also Agricultural deities Frost, 64, 65[photo], 87, Godinovich Finland, 84–85, 146, 163, 164 197–198, 314–315 Godunov, Boris, 240 Finno-Ugric languages, 85–86, Frost demons, Morozko, Gog, 2 146 197–198 Goik, 95, 185 Finns, 85, 86 Fruit goddesses, Marzana, 185 Golden Book of Fate, 2, 95 Fire, River of. See River of Funeral of Kostroma festival, Golden City, 95, 104 Fire 156 Golden Cross, 185 Fire deities Fyodor I (tsar of Russia), 124, Golden Horde, 95, 239, 240 , 89 240 Golden Kingdom, 96 Svarozhich, 272 Fyodor III (tsar of Russia), Golden Kingdom, tsarita of, Firebird, 86 241 96. See also Elena the Ivan Vyslavovich and, 69, Fair 79, 136–137, 138, 295 Gabija, 89 Golden Legend (Caxton), 90 Kush-Pari and, 161 Galicia, 285 Golden Mountain, 96–98. See Tslar Dalmat and, 59 Gamblers, 218 also Mountain of Gold Vysla Andronovich and, 309 Gandzak, 188 Good, god of, 37 First Almafi. See Almafi Gapon, Georgy Apollonovich, Gorynich, 98, 127, 204 Foma Nazariev, 86, 170, 246 243 Goryninka, 98 Fool and the Birch Tree,The, Garden, 212 Goryshche, 23, 69–70, 98–99 86–87 Gedimin, 169 Goths, 42, 233, 238 Forest deities Genghis Khan, 89–90, 92, 195, Grain, deities of Giraitis, 92 239 Busi-urt, 48 Medeine, 188 Genitalia, Baba-Yaga and, 26, d'u-urt, 76 Metsik, 189 27 Kurke, 159–160 Modeina, 194 George, Saint, 12, 35, 90, Zˇ ytniamatka, 326 Zuttibur, 325 91[photo], 291. See also See also Agricultural deities Forest nymphs, 37–38 Saint George and the Gramovitsa, 99 Forest spirits Deceitful Fox Grand Kremlin Palace, 158 Sicksa, 257 Georgia, 22, 92, 211, 242, 281 Grandfathers, 64 Siliniets, 257 Gerlachovsky, 51 Grandmother Hopping Frog, See also Leshii Germany, 32, 165, 169 28–29 360 INDEX

Granny Snowstorm, 261–262 Helsinki, 85[photo] Zemepatis, 320 Granovitaya Palace, 158 Henry the Fowler, 312 See also Hearth deities Great Bear, 99, 287 Heraclius, 254 Hsi Hsia. See China Great Goddess, 99, 163 Herzegovina, 42, 43, 109. See Hum, 42, 109. See also Baba-Yaga as, 23 also Balkans Herzegovina Mokosh and, 194 Hetmans, 54 Human sacrifice Great Moravia, 57, 197 Holy Mountains, 272–274 Baba-Yaga and, 26, 27 Greece, 175, 176 Holy Roman Empire, 57, 197 Black Stream and, 39 Green Marsh, 28, 29, 99, 223 Home. See Hearth deities; Perun and, 217–218 Gregory of Smolensk, 100 Household deities Svarog and, 272 Gregory V (pope), 1 Horse deities Vizi-Ember and, 302–303 Gregory VII (pope), 267 Baba-Yaga as, 27 See also Sacrifice Grey wolf, Ivan Vyslavovich Ratainitsa, 232 Hundred Silver Pieces,The and, 137–138 Horse with the Golden Mane, (Vardan), 109–110 Griezno, 1 109 Hungary Grishka, 100–101, 199 Afron and, 1–2 Bosnia and, 42 Gruel, 28 Ivan Vyslavovich and, 69, Herzegovina and, 42, 109 Guardian of the Fields, 165 79, 137–138, 295, 309 history of, 110–112 Gudiri-Mumi, 101 Tsar Dalmat and, 59 Magyars and, 176 Gulf of Taganrog, 22 Horsel. See Ursula Saint Stephen and, Gulinaz, 19, 101, 249–251 Horses 266–267 Gusli of Aslan, 279 Slovakia and, 260 Katrina Ivanovna and, 147, of Il'ya Muromets, 42, 155 Transylvania and, 281–282 265 Lulizar, 170–171 See also Austro-Hungarian Petrushka and, 224 of Prince Marko, 251 Monarchy Sadko and, 245, 247, 253 russalki and, 236 Huns, 238 Silver Roan, 257–258 Hunt goddesses, 68, 78 Habërmani, 53, 95, 103–105 Sivushko, 115, 116, 117, Hunyadi, John, 111 Hagia Sophia, 49[photo], 239, 118, 259 Hus, John, 41 263[photo] Svantovit and, 271 Hussite Wars, 41 Hahe, 105 of Zurab, 324 Huzul, 112 Hahengan, 105 See also Mare-daughters; Halab. See Aleppo Horse with the Golden Iarila, 113, 125, 156, 163 Hamburg, 106 Mane Iarilo, 113, 125, 156, 159, 163 Hanseatic League, 106, 208 Horthy, Miklós, 112 Iaroslavna, 113, 114 Hapsburg monarchy, 41, 55, Hospodars, 234 Iarovit, 113. See also Svantovit 111 Houri, 14–15, 22, 109, Icons Haron, 32–33, 106–107 110[photo]. See also of Eletskoi, 80 Harpies, 228, 236 Dove Maiden(s); of Kupiatitskaia, 80 Harvest Nymphs of Makar'evskaia, 177 Barstukai and, 33 Houri-Pari, 109, 160–161. See of Pskov, 228 Mati-Syra-Zemlya and, 187 also Nymphs of Zhirovitskoi, 320 See also Agricultural deities Hours of Marguerite de Coetivy, Idols, 105 Harvest Festival, 225 63[photo] Ienzababa, 23, 113, 141. See Hazaran, 107–108 Household deities also Baba-Yaga Hearth deities, 89, 154. See also Dimstipatis, 68 Igor (hero), 68–69, 113, 114, Household deities dvorovoi, 78 210 Heaven, Ivan the Soldier and, hahe, 105 Igor (prince of Kiev), 114, 134–135 Krimba, 158 238 Heimdallr, 314 Majas Kungs, 177 I-Know-Not-What, 28, 29, Helen, 109. See also Elena Matergabia, 186 100, 113, 207, 222–224, Helmhold, 320 rozhanitsy, 234 233 INDEX 361

I-Know-Not-Where, 28, 29, Istanbul, 50, 53, 118. See also Ivan Kupalo, 124–125. See also 100, 113, 207, 222–224, Byzantium; Kupalo feast 233 Constantinople Ivan Savel'evich, 17, 125, 237 Illyria, 42, 213 Istria, 55, 199 Ivan the Dragon Killer, 92–93, Illyricum, 42 Istvan, 118–120, 141 125–126 Ilmater Luonnotar, 198 Itugen, 120, 277, 286 Ivan the Fool, 257–258 Il'men', Lake, 115 Ivan (companion of Bulat the Ivan the Great (grand prince Black Stream and, 38–39 Brave), 45–46, 152, of Moscow) Sadko and, 245–246, 295–296 Golden Horde and, 95, 240 247–248 Ivan (father of Il'ya Novgorod and, 43, 208, 240 Sea Tsar and, 253 Muromets), 120 rule of, 126, 240 Vasilii Buslayevich and, 155, Ivan (merchant’s son), 121, as “Ruler of All Russia,” 292–293 206–207 240, 263 Il'ya, 115. See also Elijah Ivan (tsarevich), 45, 120–121 Saint George and, 90 Il'ya Ivanovich, 115. See also Ivan Asen, 47 Ivan the Guard, 126–128, 204, Il'ya Muromets Ivan Asen II, 47 248–249 Il'ya Muromets, 11, 115–118 Ivan Belyaninovich, 121–123 Ivan the Mare’s Son, 128–130, birthplace, 146 Bel Belyanin and, 35, 37 135, 178, 283, 286 Black Mire and, 38 Elena the Fair and, 79, 96, Ivan the Moon’s Son, Chernigov and, 52 257, 291 128–129, 130, 135, 178 Dobrynya Nikitich and, 23, Nastas'ya of the Golden Ivan the Mute, 130–131, 212, 72, 202–203 Braid and, 203 268, 287 father of, 120 One-Eye and, 211 Ivan the Pea, 131–132 horse of, 42, 155 Peter Belyaninovich and, Baba-Yaga and, 25 Murom and, 199 218–219 Bald mountains and, 31 Nightingale and, 205, 261 servants of Whirlwind and, Svetozar and, 272 Oka river and, 210 164 Vasilissa of the Golden Perun and, 218 Whirlwind and, 53, 257, Braid and, 296–297 Sivushko and, 115, 116, 314 Water of Life and Death 117, 118, 259 Ivan Crnojevic, 123 and, 311 Sviatogor and, 272–273, Ivan Gostinyi Syn, 11, 123, Ivan the Soldier, 44, 64, 274 294 132–135 Tatars and, 295 Ivan Groznyi (tsar of Russia), Ivan the Sun’s Son, 128–129, Vasilii Buslayevich and, 294 135[photo] 130, 135, 178 Volga Yaroslavich and, 306 aristocratic landowners and, Ivan the Terrible (tsar of Imps of Misfortune. See 43 Russia), 135. See also Misfortune, Imps of Astrakhan' and, 19 Ivan Groznyi In Favor of the Wind, 314–315 Ivan Tsarevich and, 136 Ivan the Young,27, 135–136, India, 118 Kazan' and, 148 179–181, 298–300 Indian summer, 28 Nikita Romanov and, Ivan Tsarevich (son of Ivan Indra, 217 205–206 Groznyi), 124, 136, 205 Ioann the Long-Suffering, Novgorod and, 208 Ivan V (tsar of Russia),241 Saint, 118 rule of, 123–124, 240 Ivan Vyslavovich, 136–138 Iron, 211 Saint Anastasia celebrations Afron and, 1–2 Iron City, 104, 118 and, 12 Dmitrii Vyslavovich and, 69 Ishtar, 258 Saint Basil and, 34 Elena the Beautiful and, 79 Islam Saint Paraskeva festivals and, Firebird and, 86 in Azerbaijan, 21 213–214 Horse with the Golden in Balkans, 31 Ivan I (grand prince of Mane and, 109 cemeteries, 21[photo] Moscow), 198, 240 Raven Ravenson and, 308 Slavs and, 260 Ivan III. See Ivan the Great Tsar Dalmat and, 59 in Uzbekistan, 288 Ivan IV. See Ivan Groznyi Vasilii Vyslavovich and, 295 362 INDEX

Vyslav Andronovich and, Karta, 64, 146, 164 Primary Chronicle on, 149, 309 Kartaga, 146, 274 150, 153, 232, 253 Water of Life and Death Kashchei the Deathless. See Prince Oleg and, 210 and, 311 Koshchei the Deathless Riurik and, 232 Ivanovich, Dunai. See Dunai Katrina Ivanovna, 143, Vol'ga Buslavlevich and, Ivanovich 146–147, 265–266 305, 306 Ivanovna, Katrina. See Katrina Katya, 148, 266 Volkh Vseslav'evich and, Ivanovna Kaukai, 148, 286 178, 307 Ivanushka, 3–4, 139 Kaukas, 148. See also Domovoi Kikimora, 73, 150 Ivashko, 3, 139–140 Kayen, 148, 229–230 Kilikia, 229–230. See also Ivo, 140 Kazakh, 284 Cilicia Izborsk, 232, 258, 283 cemetery of, 21[photo] King of Snakes, 151 Kazakhs, 148, 293 King of the Forest, 151 Jadwiga (queen of Poland), Kazakhstan, 148 King of the Waters, 151, 171, 169, 226 Kazan', 124, 148, 240 172, 173 Jagiellon dynasty, 168–169 Kazimirovich,Vasilii. See Vasilii Kingdom by the Sea, 53, Janos, 118–120, 141 Kazimirovich 151–152, 273–274 Jazi Baba, 23, 141. See also Kerch Strait, 22 Kingdom of Darkness, 152 Baba-Yaga Keremet, 148–149, 199 Kingdom of Light, 152 Jazyges, 141 Khagan. See Khan Kingdom of the East, 152 Jerusalem,Vasilii Buslayevich Khan, 149 Kings Are Not Created by and, 293 Khan, Batu. See Batu Khan Flattery Alone (Mekhithar Jesus Christ Khan Boghu. See Boghu, Khan Gosh), 152 Miloserdnia and, 191 Khazars, 238, 239 Kirbit, 45, 120, 152, 295 Tree of the Cross, 316[photo] Khmelnitsky, Bohdan, 285 Kirbit'evna,Vasilissa. See Jezda, 23, 141. See also Baba- Khor, 149 Vasilissa Kirbit'evna Yaga Khorezm, 90 Kirghiz, 152–153 John I Tzimisces (Byzantine Khoriv, 149, 150, 153, 253 Kirnis, 153 emperor), 47 Khorovody, 235 Kirov Opera Company, John VIII (pope), 56 Khors, 218 221[photo] John XV (pope), 1 Khoziaika lesa, 25, 149 Kirovabad, 188 Julijske Alps, 282 Khwârizm, 90 Kisel', 184, 185 Jumala, 141 Kiev Kiy, 149, 150, 153, 253 Juras Màte, 141, 198 Alesha and, 5 Klyuchevskaya, 256 Askold and, 18 Knights. See Bogatyri Kalanda, 154 Briansk Woods and, 44 Kök Chan, 153 Kalevala, 85 Cathedral of Saint Sophia, Koknas, 92, 153, 269, 270 Kalina, 143, 265. See also 263[photo] Kolduny, 153, 307, 321 Katrina Ivanovna Desna river and, 65 Koliada festival, 153–154 Kaliningrad. See Königsberg Dir and, 68 bab’ia kasha and, 28 Kalka River, battle of, 239 Dnieper river and, 69 Badnik log and, 30–31 Kalmucks, 143 Dobrynya Nikitich and, 70, Ovsen' and, 212 Kaloyan (tsar of Bulgaria), 47 72, 98, 99 Vesna and, 301 Kalpak, 182 history of, 149–150, 208, Vinograd and, 302 Kalvaitis, 143, 268 238, 239, 285, 290, See also Sviatki Kams, 143 303–304 Königsberg, 1 Kandek, 144 Il'ya Muromets and, 115, Korka-Murt, 154 Kapsirko, 145–146, 305 116, 117, 118 Koryaks, 154 Karacharovo, 120, 146 Katrina Ivanovna and, Kosciuszko,Thaddeus, Karelia, 146 146–147 225[photo], 226 Karelians, 86 Nightingale and, 205 Koshchei the Deathless, Károlyi, Mihály, 112 Pecherskaia Lavra and, 216 154–155 INDEX 363

Baba-Yaga and, 27 Kuz'ma and Dem'yan Day, 187 Samosek sword and, Bulat the Brave and, 45–46 Kuznya, 65 248–249 Chudo-Yudo and, 52 Kyrgyz, 284 Zuttibur and, 325 compared to Badikan, 30 Kyrgyzstan, 153 Leto, 163 Ivan and, 120–121 Letts, 167 Vasilissa Kirbit'evna and, Lada, 163 Lezghians, 20 295–296 Dida and, 67 Liar,The, 167 Kosma. See Kuz'ma as Divine Twin with Lado, Light, deities of Kosmatushka, 42, 155 113, 125, 156 Belobog, 37 Kosovo, battle of, 196, 254 Liuli and, 169 Belun, 37 Kossuth, Lajos, 111 offspring of, 166, 226 Suaixtis, 267 Kostia Nikitin, 155, 292–293 Rusaliia festival and, 235 Lightning deities, 101 Kostia Novotorzheni, Lado, 67, 113, 125, 156, 159, Likho, One-Eyed, 167–168 155–156, 252, 292 163 Lions, 19 Kostroma, 113, 125, 156, 163 Ladoga, Lake, 163, 232, 246, Lion’s Share,The (Vardan), 168 Kostromo, 125, 156 258 Lithuania, 32, 168–169, 226, Kostromo-Kostrobunko, 113, Lady of Tender Mercy, 286 278, 285 156, 159, 163 Laima. See Laima-Dalia Lithuanian, 168 Kot Bayun, 156–157, 222, 279 Laima-Dalia, 64, 146, Lito, 169 Kotsky, Mr., 157 163–164 Little Bear, 169, 287. See also Krasnaia Gora, 157 Lake deities Ursa Minor Kremara, 157–158, 228 Autrimpas, 19 Little Raven. See Voroneyushka Kremlin, 75, 158 Ezerinis, 81 Liuli, 169–170. See also Lada Kuz'ma and Dem'yan Day, 162 Kul', 158–159 Livonia, 124, 165, 170 Cathedral of the Lake nymphs, 37–38 Livonian, 170 Dormition, 75 Lame, 79, 122–123, 164, 211, Livonian Knights, 170 history of, 158 314 Livonians, 86 Kricco, 158 Lapland, 164 Lizard, 92 Krimba, 158 Lapps, 85, 86, 164, 245 Ljeschie. See Leshii Krk, 140 Laptev Sea, 166 Loduna, 163 Krotomanic, Stephen, 42 Latvia, 32, 164–165, 169, 170 Logs, in Koliada festivals, Krukis, 158, 218 Laukpatis, 165 30–31 Krum, Khan, 46–47 Lauksargis, 165 Lompsalo, 170, 253 Kublai Khan, 90 Lawkapatim, 61, 165, 277 Lonzaric, Petar. See Petar Kul', 158–159 Lay of Igor’s Campaign, 68, 114, Lonzaric Kumans, 165 165, 308 Loqmân the Wise, 33, 107, Kuminsk (island), 293 Lazar, 165–166 170, 230 Kumstvo, 159, 254 Lazaropolje, 166 Lorelei, 236, 258 Kun, Béla, 112 Lee, Christopher, 289[photo] Love deities Kupala, 156, 159, 163 Legend Aurea (Voragine), 90 Didilia, 67 Kupal'nitsa, 125, 159 Legends, Russian, types of, 48, Yarilo, 317 Kupalo, 113, 125, 156, 159, 49 Zizilia, 321 163, 178. See also Ivan Lel, 163, 166, 226 Lübeck, 106 Kupalo Lena, River, 166 Lucifer, Dazhbog and, 62 Kupalo feast, 84, 220. See also Leo III (Byzantine emperor), Ludmilla, 311, 312 Ivan Kupalo 50 Lugmân the Wise. See Loqmân Kupiatitskaia icon, 159 Leo XIII (pope), 56 the Wise Kurke, 159–160 Leontii, 5, 166 Lugosi, Bela, 282[photo] Kurwaichin, 157, 160 Leshachikha, 166 Luka, 170, 252, 292 Kush-Pari, 160–161 Leshii, 166–167 Luka Zinoviev, 86, 170, 246 Kut'ia, 28 Ivan the Guard and, 126 Lulizar, 170–171 Kuz'ma, Saint, 41, 93, 161–162 russalki and, 236 Lusaghen, 151, 171–173 364 INDEX

Lytuvonis, 173 patron saints of, 162 Michael (prince of Walachia), Martha (sister of Mary), 182, 234 Maan-Eno, 175, 285 185 Michael (tsar of Russia), 241 Macedones, 175 Martiros, 4, 182–183 Michael III (Byzantine Macedonia, 175–176 Marusya, 183–185, 300 emperor), 47, 56 Mader Akka, 176, 251, 286 Mary (sister of Martha), 182, Midnight, 189 Mader Atcha, 176, 251, 286 185 Midsummer festival. See Ivan Magog, 2 Mary, Mother of God, 191. See Kupalo Magyars, 176 also Virgin Mary Mieczyslaw, 225 in Bulgaria, 47 Mary Orans, 286 Mikhail Potyk, 20–21, 189 Finno-Urgic language Mary the Thunderer, 99 Mikhailo, Prince, 189 group and, 86 Maryshia, 185. See also Vasilissa Mikhailo Ivanovich Potok. See in Hungary, 111 the Beautiful Mikhail Potyk in Moravia, 197 Marzana, 185 Mikola Mozhaiski, Saint. See in Romania, 233 Masha, 75, 156–157, 185, Nikolai of Mozhaisk, in Russia, 238 220–224 Saint in Transylvania, 282 Mashen'ka, 185–186 Mikula Selyaninovich, 115, Main, 176 Maslenitsa, 186 189–191, 261, 273, 306 Majahaldas, 176. See also Matergavia, 186 Milk Lake Mother, 2 Domovoi Mati-Syra-Zemlya, 186–187, Milky Way, 191 Majas Kungs, 176, 320 189, 194, 198 creation of, 289 Majasgars, 177. See also Matriona, 187 dead souls and, 38, 61, 196 Domovoi Matrioshka, 187 Miloserdnia, 6, 191 Makar'evskaia icon, 177 Matthias Corvinus, 111 Miloslaviia, 6, 191 Makosh. See Mokosh Matushka, 187 Misfortune, Imps of, 191–192 Mal, Prince, 65, 177, 210–211 Matushka Kozma-Demian, Misha, 192–193, 263 Mamikonian,Vartan, 17 162, 187 Mistress of the Forest, 25, 149 Mamluks, 18 Matushka Krasnogo Solntsa, Mocker King, 193 Man of Water, 309 187 Modeina, 194 Mare, talking, Lulizar, 170–171 Matushka Zemlia, 187 Moesia Inferior, 46 Mare-daughters, 26–27 Mavki, 83, 188, 203 Mohács, battle of, 111, 234 Marena, 178 Mead, god of, 322 Moisei, 170, 194, 252, 292 Marfa Vseslav'evna, 178, 307 Medeine, 188 Moist Mother Earth, 186, 187 Marfida, 129–130, 178, 286 Medes, 17, 21 Mokosh, 194 Marfusha, 87, 178–179, 197, Mediterranean Sea, 161 Khor and, 149 213 Mekhithar Gosh, 6, 188 Lada and, 163 Maria, 135, 179–181, 300. See The Bandit and the Priest, Perun and, 218 also Vasilissa the Wise 32 Pokrov Day and, 225 Maria Morena, 27, 181 Kings Are Not Created By Saint Paraskeva and, 213 Marinka, 181–182 Flattery Alone, 152 Simorg and, 258 Marko, Prince, 182 Strength Does Not Always Mokshas, 81, 194, 197 Arthurian legend and, 18 Come In Numbers, 267 Moldavia, 194, 234, 311 burial on , 19 Why Vultures Are Like Priests, Moldova, 38, 194–195, 195 Ivan Crnojevic and, 123 309 Mongols, 195 Nadanojla and, 201 Meness, 188, 197, 311 Batu Khan and, 35 Sarac and, 251 Menshikov Tower, 158 Golden Horde and, 95 vili and, 302 Menuo, 68, 188, 196–197, 252 Hungary and, 111 Markova-Mikhailenko, Olga, Mesyats, 62, 188, 196, 325 Kalmucks and, 143 246[photo] Metalworkers. See Blacksmiths Moscow and, 198 Marriage Methodius, Saint, 47, 56–57, Poland and, 226 bathhouses and, 43 211 Russia and, 239 Paraskeva-Piatnitsa and, 215 Metsik, 189 Uzbekistan and, 288 INDEX 365

See also Genghis Khan Stirbog and, 267 Ivan Belyaninovich and, 53, Monomakhovichi dynasty, 304 Sviatogor and, 273 79, 96, 121–122, 257 Montenegro, 195–196, 255 Tengri and, 277 Peter Belyaninovich and, Moon, 196–197 as Zemes Màte, 320 218 Alklha and, 6 as Zemyna, 320 Vasilii Belyaninovich and, Niekia and, 205 See also Moist Mother 291 Peivalké and, 216 Earth Whirlwind and, 314 as realm of the dead, 61 Mother goddesses, 2 Nastas'ya River, 202 Moon deities Mother of All, 277, 286 Nature deities,Veles, 300 Atrimpaasa, 19 Mother of Forest, 320 Naui, 203 Dundra, 77–78 Mother of Springs, 320 Nauriz, Mount, 229 Mesyats, 188 Mother of the Fields, 320 Nava, 203, 208, 231, 236 Romany, 3 Mother of the Red Sun, 187 Navii Den', 203 Ursula, 287 Mother of the Seas, 141, 198 Navki, 83, 203 Moravia, 197 Mother of the Sun, 256 Nazariev, Foma. See Foma Moravians, 20 Mother Russia, 187 Nazariev Mordovia, 52 Mother Troitsa, 282 Neale, J. M., 311 Mordvinia. See Mordovia Motovun, 199, 300 Nedelia, Saint, 12, 203, 214, 264 Mordvins, 81, 194, 197 Mountain nymphs, 182 Nemal Chelovek, 98, 126–127, Morning Star, 19, 197. See also Mountain of Gold, 101, 199. 203–204, 248 Ausrine;Venus; Zvezda See also Golden Nemanja, Stefan. See Stefan Dennitsa Mountain Nemanja Morozko, 87, 178–179, Mukylin, 148–149, 199 Nested dolls, 187 197–198, 213 Murom, 199 Nestor, 204, 227 Morskoi, 198 Fevroniia and, 83–84 Neva, River, 246 Mortar and pestle, 26 Il'ya Muromets and, 115, Nevsky,Alexander. See Moscow, 263 146 Alexander Nevsky Golden Horde and, 95 Mary and, 185 Nicholas (king of history of, 198 Paul and, 215 Montenegro), 196 Ivan Groznyi and, 124 See also Peter of Murom Nicholas, Saint, 121, 204. See Kremlin and, 158 Muscovy, 198 also Nikolai of Roman Vasil'evich and, 233 Muxdi. See Dzuli Mozhaisk, Saint Mother Earth, 99, 198 Muzem-Mumi, 199 Nicholas I (emperor of Dobrynya Nikitich and, Russia), 242 103 Nachal'naya Letopis', 204, 227 Nicholas II (emperor of as Granny Snowstorm, Nadanojla, 201, 302 Russia), 243 261–262 Nainas, 19, 201, 205, 216 Nieka, 19 Gregory of Smolensk and, Narodnaya, Mount, 287 Niekia, 201, 205, 216 103 Narva, 124 Night, 61, 205, 298 Habërmani and, 103 Nastasiia. See Nastas'ya Nightingale Igor and, 114 Nastas'ya, Princess, 201–202 Briansk Woods and, 44 as Itugen, 120 death of, 60 Hazaran as, 107–108 Jumala as, 141 Dunai Ivanovich and, 77 Il'ya Muromets and, 205, Mati-Syra-Zemlya, 186–187 polianitsy and, 227 261 as Matushka Zemlia, 187 Princess Evprakisya and, Smorodinka and, 205, 261 Mikula Selyaninovich and, 81 Solovei Rakhmatich as, 189 wedding feast of, 52 116, 205 Mukylin and, 199 Nastas'ya Nikulichna, 11, 72, Nikita, 11, 48, 72, 205 as Muzem-Mumi, 199 202–203 Nikita Romanov, 124, 136, russalki and, 236 Nastas'ya of the Golden Braid, 205–206 Saint Paraskeva and, 214, 203 Nikitich, Dobrynya. See 215 Bel Belyanin and, 35, 37 Dobrynya Nikitich 366 INDEX

Nikitin, Kostia. See Kostia Ob', 212 Otto I (Holy Roman Nikitin Obida, 209 emperor), 261 Nikolai of Mozhaisk, Saint, Obin-Murt, 209 Otto I (king of Germany), 111 206–207 Obod, 123 Ottoman Empire Koliada festival and, 154 Obrenovic, Milos, 254 Armenia and, 18 Morskoi and, 198 Ocean deities Balkans and, 31 Sadko and, 52, 247, 253 Sea Tsar, 253 Bosnia and, 42 See also Nicholas, Saint See also Sea deities Bulgaria and, 47–48 Nikolayevsk-na-Amure, 12 Octavian, 213 Herzegovina and, 42, 109 Nikulichna, Nastas'ya. See Od. See Tengri Hungary and, 110–111 Nastas'ya Nikulichna Odínn, 313 Macedonia and, 176 Nivkhi people, 12 Odlek. See Tengri Moldova and, 195 No Bigger Than a Finger, 207 Odz-Manouk, 16–17, 209–210 Motenegro and, 196 Nobody, 207, 223–224 Ohan, 14, 210 Romania and, 234 Norsemen. See Vikings Oka, 210 Serbia and, 254 Northern lights, [photo], 201. , 47 Slavs and, 260 See also Aurora Borealis Old Man of the Ob'. See As- Transylvania and, 282 Northern Mountains, 273 Iga Walachia and, 311 Norway, 164 Old One of the Rye, 235 Our Lady in Buda, Church of, Novaya Zemlya (islands), 125, Oleg (prince of Kiev), 149, 267 207, 237 150, 153, 253 Our Lady of Kazan, Church Novgorod death of, 210 of, 34 Alexander Nevsky and, 240 Prince Igor and, 114 Overturn Mountain, 130, 131, boyars and, 43 Riurik and, 232 212 Foma Nazariev and, 86 rule of, 238 Ovinnik, 212 in Hanseatic League, 106 Olga (wife of Igor, prince of Ovsen', 154, 212, 301 history of, 95, 149, 150, Kiev), 114 153, 207–208, 238, 240 Prince Mal and, 65, 177, Paganism, dvoeverie and, 78 Ivan Groznyi and, 124 210–211 Palace of Congresses, 158 Luka Zinoviev and, 170 Sviatoslav and, 238 Palace of the Patriarchs, 158 Mokosh and, 194 Vladimir I and, 303 Pannonia, 39, 213 Perun and, 217, 218 Olga’s Revenge, 65, 177, 210 Pantalovna, Queen, 213, 306 Riurik and, 18, 68, 150, Olgierd, 169 Paradise, Buyan island as, 48 153, 207–208, 232, 258 Once a Wolf,Always a Wolf Parakha, 179, 213 Sadko and, 245–247, 253 (Vardan), 211 Paranjanya, 217 Saint Nikolai and, 206 Ondine, 236 Paraskeva, Saint Varangians and, 290 One-Eye, 79, 122–123, 164, Friday and, 12, 213–214, Vasilii Buslayevich and, 291, 211, 314 320 292, 293 One-Eyed Likho, 81, 167–168 Mokosh and, 194, 213, Vikings and, 301 Onega, Lake, 163 225 Novo-Kholmogory, 17 Oprichnina, 240 Saint Anastasia and, 12 Novotorzheni, Kostia. See Opsikion, 211 Saint Nedelia and, 203 Kostia Novotorzheni Orphan Aslan. See Aslan See also Paraskeva-Piatnitsa Num, 208 Orphan Zurab. See Zurab Paraskeva Griaznaia, 214, 215 Nya, 208 Orsel. See Ursula Paraskeva L'nianitsa, 214, 215 Nymphs Ort, 211, 228. See also Urt Paraskeva-Piatnitsa, 213, 215, bereginy, 37–38 Oseberg ship (Viking), 264. See also Paraskeva, Sirin, 258 301[photo] Saint vile, 302 Ossetes, 3, 211–212, 252 Paris,Treaty of, Moldova and, See also Houri; Houri-Pari; Ostyaks, 18, 86, 212, 305 195 Dove Maiden(s) Ostyak-Samoyeds, 212 Parler, Heinrich, 312[photo] Nystad,Treaty of, 241 Otherworld, 212 Patrimpas, 215 INDEX 367

Paul (of Murom), 61, 83, 215, Ivan Belyaniniovich and, Pogroms, Cossacks and, 54 218 79, 121, 122, 123, 164 Pokrov, 225 Paul I (emperor of Russia), Nastas'ya of the Golden Pokrovskaia Subbota, 28, 225 242 Braid and, 203, 257 Poland, 225–226 Paul II (pope), 56 tsarita of the Silver Belorussia and, 37 Peace, goddesses of, 317 Kingdom, 53, 80, 96, 291 Lithuania and, 169 Peacock, 152 Peter I. See Peter the Great Livonia and, 170 Peasant, the Priest, and the Gold, Peter of Murom, 51, 83–84, partitioning of, 242 The, 215–216 219–219 Silesia and, 257 Pechenegs, 216, 239 Peter the Great (tsar of Teutonic Knights and,278 Pecherskaia Lavra, 216 Russia), 170, 241, 264 Ukraine and, 285 Pechersky cloister (Kiev), 204 Petrodvorets, 172[photo] Polaris, 287 Peivalké, 19, 201, 205, 216 Petrograd, 264. See also St. Pole Star, 287 Peklo, 203, 208, 216, 231 Petersburg Polel, 163, 166, 226 Perdiccas I, 175 Petrov Den', 220 Polevoi, 226 Perekop, Isthmus of, 55 Petrovic, Djordje, 254 Poliane, 225 Perkonis, 216. See also Petrovki, 220 Polianitsy, 226–227, 304 Perkunas Petrushka, 220–224 Pollux. See Polydeuces Perkons, 216. See also Perkunas Babushka-Lyagushka- Polotsk, 308 Perkunas, 89, 188, 197, Skakushka and, 28–29, Poludnitsa, 227 216–217. See also Perun 100 Polydeuces, 163, 166, 226 Permyaks, 86, 217, 308, 325 I-Know-Not-What and, Pominki Perom, 217. See also Perun 113 Pontus Euxinus, 38 Peron. See Perun Kot Bayun and, 156–157, Popovich,Alyosha. See Alyosha Perperuna, 217 279 Popovich Persia Masha and, 75, 185 Porevik, 227 Armenia and, 17, 18 Nobody and, 207 Porevit. See Svantovit Azerbaijan and, 21 River of Fire and, 232–233 Potania,Tiny, 227, 293 Perun, 217–218 Philip II (king of Macedon), Potok, Mikhailo Ivanovich. See Darkness and, 61 175 Mikhail Potyk Dievas and, 68 Phillip (high priest), Potyk, Mikhail. See Mikhail Elias and, 80 135[photo] Potyk Elijah and, 115 Photius, 56 Povest' vremennykh, 227 Erisvorsh and, 80 Piglets, patron god, 228 Prague, 1, 58[photo] as fire, 99 Pigs, patron god, 157–158 Presidium, 158 Khor and, 149 Pikker, 224. See also Perun Prigirstitis, 227 Rod and, 233 Piorun, 225. See also Perun Primary Chronicle, 227 Saint George and, 90 Plague, Mati-Syra-Zemlya and, on Askold and Novgorod, Varpulis and, 291, 315 187 18 Vladimir I and, 303 Plenkovich, Churilo. See on Kiev, 149, 150, 153, 232, Volos and, 308 Churilo Plenkovich 253 Zorya Utrennyaya and, 321 Plowman, 189–191 Nestor and, 204 Zroya and, 322 Plows on Riurik, 232, 238, 258, See also Perkunas Saint Boris and, 41, 64, 93, 283 Perusan, 218. See also Perun 162 Saints Boris and Gleb in, Peseias, 158, 218 Saint Dem'yan and, 64–65, 42, 93 Pest, 44 162 Prince and the Flea,The Pestle. See Mortar and Pestle Saint Gleb and, 41, 64, 93, (Vardan), 228 Petar Lonzaric, 218 162 Prince Vladimir Bright Sun. Peter Asen, 47 Saint Kuz'ma and, 64–65, See Vladimir Bright Sun, Peter Belyaninovich, 218–219 162 Prince Bel Belyanin and, 35, 37 See also Ursa Major Princip, Gavril, 31, 42, 255 368 INDEX

Priparchis, 157, 228 Riazan', 240 Rujevit. See Rugavit Prophecy, Svarozhich and, 272 Riigen, 235, 271 Rukh-As, 235 Prostitutes,Anaitis and, 12 Rijeka Crnojevica, 123 Ruotsi, 235 Prussia, 226, 228, 257 Rite of Spring,The (Stravinksy), Rurik. See Riurik Prut, 195 218 Rus', 235, 285 Pskov icon, 228, 240 Rites of passage,Alako and, 3 Rusaliia festival, 235–236 Ptitsy-Siriny, 38, 228 Riurik Radunitsa and, 231 Puchai, 69, 98, 228–229, 263 Kiev and, 232 russalki and, 236 Pudnitsa. See Poludnitsa Lay of Igor’s Campaign and, Semik festival and, 254 Pu-Ort, 228 165 Troitsa and, 282 Puppets, 95 Novgorod and, 18, 68, 150, Zelenie Sviatki and, 320 Purto, 148, 170, 229–230 153, 207–208, 232, 258 Rushnik, 179 Pushkin,Alexander, 237 Primary Chronicle on, 153, Russalka (Pushkin), 237 Puskaitis, 33, 148, 230, 286 232, 238, 258, 283 Russalki, 236–237 Putrid Lake, 22 Prince Oleg and, 210 bereginy and, 37 Putyatichana, Princess Zabava. River deities Ivan Savel'evich and, 125 See Zabava, Princess Patrimpas, 215 names for, 83, 188, 203 Pyerun. See Perun Upinis, 287 Navii Den' and, 203 River nymphs, 37–38 Rusaliia festival and, 235 Quedlinburg Chronicle, 168 River of Fire, 28, 29, 223, vili and, 302 232–233 as vodianiani, 304 “Radiant.” See Lusaghen Rivers, in Russian legend, 52 Russia, 237–243 Radigast, 231, 271 Rod, 28, 233, 234 Armenia and, 18 Radunitsa feast, 28, 231, 236 Rodú. See Rod Azerbaijan and, 21–22 Rai, 6, 203, 208, 231 Roman army, Sarmatians in, Belorussia and, 37 Rain deities, 73 35 Bessarabia and, 38 Lytuvonis, 173 Roman Catholicism, Slavs and, Cossacks and, 54 Obin-Murt, 209 260 Eastern Orthodoxy and, 50 Perun, 217 Roman Empire Finland and, 85 Rod, 233 Armenia and, 17 Georgia and, 92 Rain man, 209 Bosnia and Herzegovina in, Ivan the Great and, 126 Rakhmat, 231 42 Karelia and, 146 Rakhmatich, Solovei. See Pannonia and, 213 Kremlin and, 158 Solovei Rakhmatich Romania and, 233 Lapland and, 164 Rasputin, Grigory Yefimovich, Slovenia and, 260–261 Latvia and, 165 243 Roman Vasil'evich, 233 Lithuania and, 169 Ratainitsa, 232 Romania, 233–234 Livonia and, 170 Raven Ravenson, 196, 232, Bessarabia and, 38 Novaya Zemlya islands, 207 308. See also Voron Moldavia and, 194 Novgorod and, 207, 208 Voronich Transylvania and, 281–282 origin of term, 235 Ravens, Ivan Vyslavovich and, Walachia and, 311 patron saints of, 12, 35, 90 138 Romanov dynasty, 241–243 Poland and, 226 Read Sea, 161 Rossiya, 234 Romania and, 234 Rebirth Rostislav, 56 as Rossiya, 234 Bab'ia Kasha and, 28 Rostov, 153, 234 Sarmatians and, 252 Babii Prazdnik and, 28 Rot, 234 Siberia and, 256 Badnik log and, 31 Rovine, battle of, 182 Turkestan and, 284 egg symbol, 231 Rozanica, 233, 234 Turkmenistan and, 284 Koliada ceremony and, Rozhanitsy, 38, 233, 234–235 Vladimir I and, 303 153–154 Rugavit, 235, 271 Vladimir II and, 303 Krasnia Gora festival, 157 Rugevit. See Rugavit Russian and the Tatar,The, Red Mountain festival, 157 Rugiu Boba, 235 243–244 INDEX 369

Russian Orthodox Sarai, 95, 239 Motenegro and, 196 Christianity,Virgin Mary Sarajevo, 259[photo] Serbs, Prince Marko and, 182 and, 41 Sarmatians, 3, 35, 141, 252, 253 Sergius of Radonezh, Saint, Russkaia pravda, 239, 244, 304 Saule, 188, 197, 252, 268 255 Russo-Turkish Wars, 48, 242 Savel'evich, Ivan. See Ivan Serpent Child, 209–210 Ruthenes, 244 Savel'evich Serpents Ryurik, 244. See also Riurik Saxo Grammaticus, 231, 235, Baba-Yaga and, 27 252, 271, 318 See also Snakes Saami, 164, 245. See also Lapps Sbrodovich brothers, 252–253, Shah-Mar, 151, 229–230, 255 Sabarios, 245 292 Shamankas, 255, 307 Sabbath, Friday as, 12 Scandanvians. See Varangians Shamans, 153, 255, 321 Sabbath of Intercession, 225 Scenes from the Life of St. Sheaves Sabbath of Protection, 225 Wenceslas (Parler), Baba, 23 Sacrifice 312[photo] Boba, 39 Baba-Yaga and, 26, 27 Schek, 149, 150, 153, 253 Rugiu Boba, 235 Black Stream and, 39 Scythia, 238, 253 She-devil. See Demonesses; See also Human sacrifice Scythians, 285 Ghovt; Sirin Sadko, 245–248 Sea deities, 141 Sheep, patron spirit of, 160 Chernava and, 52 Juras Màte, 198 Shiite Islam, in Azerbaijan, 21 Foma Nazariev and, 86 Lithuanian, 31 Shilka, 11 Luka Zonoviev and, 170 Prussian, 19 Ships, patron god of, 32 Saint Nikolai and, 206 See also Ocean deities; Sea Shkay, 197, 255 Sea Tsar and, 198, 253 Tsar Shuisky, Basil, 240–241 Safat, 248, 294 Sea King. See Sea Tsar Shundi-Mumi, 256 Sailors, patron god of, 32 Sea Tsar, 253 Siberia, 256 Saint Friday, 213 daughter of, 52 Kirghizan people, 152–153 Saint George and the Deceitful Maria and, 179, 180–181, Koryak people, 154 Fox (Vardan), 248 300 Ostyaks, 212 Saint George’s Day, 90 as Morskoi, 198 Tatars and, 277 Saint Peter’s Day, 220 Princess Vasilissa and, 295 Tungus people and, 283 Saint Simon’s Day, 28 Sadko and, 245–246, Voguls and, 305 Saint Sophia (cathedral). See 247–248 Yakuts and, 317 Hagia Sophia Saint Nikolai and, 206 Sicksa, 257 Saint Vitus (cathedral), Seal-hunters, 125 Siela, 257 58[photo], 312 Second Almafi. See Almafi Sigismund III, 240 Saite. See Sejda stone Secret History of the Mongols, Sikhote Alin mountains, 12 Saltyk, 118, 248, 307 The, 89 Silesia, 257 Samarqand, 288 Seers, 153, 307 Siliniets, 194, 257 Samo, Franko, 261 Sejda stone, 170, 248, 253 Silver City, 104, 257 Samosek Sword, 126, 127, 128, Seljuk Turks, 17 Silver Kingdom, 122, 257 204, 248–249 Selyaninovich, Mikula. See Silver Kingdom, tsarita of, 257 Samoyeds, 207, 249 Mikula Selyaninovich Ivan Belyaninovich and, Samson, 19, 101, 249–251, 277 Semik Birch, 254 122 Samuel (tsar of Bulgaria), 47 Semik festival, 159, 235, 254, Peter Belyaninovich, 53, 80, Sand Hills, 300 282 96, 123, 219, 291 Sankt-Peterburg, 264. See also Senj, 140 Whirlwind and, 79, 314 St. Petersburg Senmurv. See Simorg Silver Roan, 257–258 Santa Claus, 64 Serapion, 254 Simeon, 47 Sar Akka, 176, 251, 286 Serbia Simizar, 258, 277, 320, 323, Sarac, 19, 182, 251 history of, 42–43, 47, 109, 324–325 Saracen Hill, 251–252, 263, 254–255 Simorg, 194, 254, 258 293–294 Macedonia and, 175, 176 Sineus, 232, 258, 283 370 INDEX

Sirens, 228, 236, 258 Sorochinsk Hill, 263. See also Stefan Dusan, 254 Sirin, 6, 258 Saracen Hill Stefan Nemanja, 254 Sivash, 22 Sorochinsk Mountains, 263 Stephen, Saint, 266–267. See Sivushko, 115, 116, 117, 118, Dobrynya Nikitich and, 69, also Stephen I (king of 259 70 Hungary) Sjadaei, 259 Goryshche and, 98–99 Stephen I (king of Hungary), Skadar, Lake, 123 Princess Zabava and, 319 111. See also Stephen, Skazki, 259, 308 Puchai river and, 228 Saint Sky deities Sorrow, 192–193, 263 Stoglav Council, 12, 213–214 Debestevs, 64 Soul, 211. See also Urt Stoker, Bram, 282, 289, 290, Num, 208 Soviet Union 303 Svarog, 272 Armenia and, 18 Stones, sacred, 253 Ulgan, 286 Azerbaijan and, 22 Storm deities Slavic languages, 259 Baltic countries and, 32 Erisvorsh, 80 Slavonia, 55 Belorussia in, 37 Varpulis, 291 Slavonic, 47 Bessarabia in, 38 See also Granny Snowstorm; Slavs, 259–260 Cossacks and, 54–55 Thunder deities in Balkan history, 31 Kalmucks and, 143 Stravinksy, Igor, 218 in Bulgarian history, 46 Kremlin and, 158 Strength Does Not Always Come Eastern Catholicism and, 50 Latvia and, 165 In Numbers (Mekhithar in Russian history, 238 Lithuania and, 169 Gosh), 267 Varangians and, 290 Moldova and, 194–195 Stribog, 267, 314 Sleds, 105 Novaya Zemlya islands, 207 Stvar Godinovich, 265–266 Slovakia, 41, 57, 260 Slavs and, 260 Suaixtis, 267 Slovaks, 260 Turkmenistan and, 284 Sukhman, 69, 267–268 Slovenia, 260–261, 282, 321 Ukraine and, 285, 286 Sukhona, 78 Smiths. See Blacksmiths Uzbekistan and, 288 Sun, 268 Smolensk, 240, 241, 290 Spinners, russalki as, 236 Alklha and, 6 Smorodina, 116, 190, 261 Spirit, 211, 257. See also Urt Baba-Yaga and, 298 Smorodinka, 116, 205, 261 Spring deities Buyan island and, 48, 73 Smutnoe vremia, 240 Maslenitsa as, 186 Darkness and, 61 Snakes Vesna, 301 Dawn and, 61 Habërmani as, 103–104 Vesnianka, 301 Day and, 61 Shah-Mar, 151, 229–230, Yarilo, 317 Dusk and, 78 255 Spring festivals, 157 Frost and, 197–198 Tsmok, 283 Sreda, Saint, 203, 214, 264 Nainas and, 201 Zaltys, 319 St. Peter’s Day festival, 156 Niekia and, 205 See also Serpents St. Petersburg, 172[photo], Peivalké and, 216 Snowstorm, Granny, 261–262 241, 264 Wind and, 314–315 Solovei Rakhmatich, 116, 205, St.Vid Church (Rijeka), 218 Sun deities 231, 262 Stables, patron spirit of, 232 Dazhbog, 61–62 Solstice ceremonies Stand Your Ground (Vardan), Iarilo, 113 Koliada, 153–154 264 Saule, 252 Sviatki, 272 Star deities Shkay, 255 Son of the apple. See Almafi Astlik, 19 Shundi-Mumi, 256 Songhua, 12 See also Morning Star; Sun’s Sister, 130–131, 268, 287 Sophia Palaeologue, 126, 263 Evening Star Supreme Deity, 268 Sophia, Saint, 263 Stariny, 49, 264. See also Byliny Suren, 92, 153, 268–271, 319, Sorbs, 312–313 Stavr Godinovich, 143, 146, 320 Sorcerers, 153 147 Suzdal', 153 Sore throats, Saint Blaise and, Steel City, 104, 266 Svantovit, 271 39 Stefan (peasant), 266 as Iarovit, 113 INDEX 371

as Porevik, 227 Zarzand and, 320 Timofeyevna,Amelfia. See Radigast and, 231 Zurab and, 323, 324 Amelfia Timofeyevna Rod and, 233 Tartars. See Tatars Tipi, 279, 324 Rugavit and, 235 Tartarus, 231 To Each Its Own (Vardan), 279 Saint George and, 90 Tashkent, 284 Toad,Dr. See Dr.Toad Saxo Grammaticus on, 252 Tatars, 277, 278[photo] Tobias,280–281 Sun and, 268 bogatyri and, 294–295 Tonx,281 Svarog and, 272 Ivan Groznyi and, 124 Trajan, 59, 213. See also temple of, 16 Ivan the Great and, 126 Column of Trajan as Triglav, 282 Kazan' and, 148 Transcaucasia, 281 Yaorvit and, 318 in Siberia, 256 Transylvania, 111, 194, 234, Svarevichi, 271 Ukraine and, 285 281–282 Svarog, 61, 73, 187, 271, 272 Tatarstan, 277 Tree deities, Fevroniia, 84 Svarozhich, 61, 271, 272 Tawals, 61, 165, 277 Tree of Life, 282 Sventovit. See Svantovit Temple prostitutes,Anaitis and, Ajysyt and, 2 Svetozar, 131, 272, 296 12 Saint Paraskeva and, 214 Sviatki, 153–154, 272. See also Temples,of Svantovit, 16 Simorg and, 258 Koliada Tempus adest floridum, 311 Yryn-al-tojon and, 318 Sviatogor, 272–274 Temujin, 89. See also Genghis See also World Tree City of the King and, 53 Khan Tree of the Cross, 316[photo] Goryshche and, 98 Tengri, 120, 277–278, 286 Trees, soul of, 228 Il'ya Muromets and, 115, Terem Palace, 158 Trianon,Treaty of, 112 117, 306 Teutonic Knights,278, Triglav, 282. See also Svantovit Kingdom by the Sea and, 279[photo] Triglav, Mount, 282, 321 151–152 Latvia and, 164–165 Trinity Sunday, 235, 282 Sviatopolk, 42, 93, 197, 239, Lithuanina and, 168, 169 Trinity Week, 235. See also 274 Russia and, 239 Zelenie Sviatki Sviatoslav, 238–239, 303 Third Almafi. See Almafi Troitsa, 235, 254, 282–283 Swamps, Black Mire, 38 Thórr (), 217 Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra, 255 , 209 Thrace, 233 Truvor, 232, 258, 283 Swan Woman, 146, 274, Thrice-Ninth Kingdom, 1, Tsar 275[photo] 156, 222, 278–279 compared to khan, 149 Sweden, 85 Thrice-Ninth Land, 156, 222, origins of, 124 Karelia and, 146 278–279 Tsar Resolves to Kill His Son, Lapland and, 164 Thrice-Ten Kingdom,180, The, 124, 136, 205 Latvia and, 165 279 Tsmok, 283. See also Domovoi Livonia and, 170 Thueringen, Konrad von, Tugarin, 5, 79, 283 Poland and, 226 279[photo] Tungus, 128, 255, 283 Russia and, 239 Thunder deities Turkestan, 143, 283–284 Sweyn I (king of Denmark), Gudiri-Mumi, 101 Turkey, in Balkan history, 31 301 Ivan Crnojevic, 123 Turkmen, 284 Sylvester II (pope), 111, 267 Perkonis, 216 Turkmenia, 284 Széchenyi, István, 111 Perkons, 216 Turkmenistan, 90, 284 Perkunas, 216–217 Turks Tajik, 284 See also Mary the in Balkan history, 31 Talking Mountain, 8, 9, 277 Thunderer; Storm Budapest and, 44 Tamerlane, 19, 92, 288 deities Hungary and, 176 Tapagöz, 277 See also Ottoman Empire Devil’s Castle and, 67 of Perkunas, 217 Tver', 95, 240 Gulinaz and, 101, 250 of Perun, 217 Tvrtko I. See Krotomanic, Samson and, 250 Tigran II, 17 Stephen Simizar and, 258 Time, 62, 279 Tvtko, Stephen, 42 372 INDEX

Tzimisces, John I. See John I Valens, 35 Vasilii II (grand prince of Tzimisces Vampires, 287, 289–290, 313 Moscow), 90, 291 Vandals, 3 Vasilii Kazimirovich, 11, 294, Uighurs, 19–20 Varangian Guard, 35 295 Ukko, 175, 285 Varangians, 238, 285, 290 Vasilii Vyslavovich, 309 Ukraine, 285–286 Vardan of Aygek, 6, 188, Dmitrii Vyslavovich and, 69 Bessarabia and, 38 290–291 Elena the Beautiful and, 79 Poland and, 226 Cautious Mother Crow, 51 Firebird and, 86 Saint Anastasia celebrations Dr.Toad, 280 Horse with the Golden and, 12 To Each Its Own, 279 Mane and, 109 Saint Paraskeva festivals and, Envy, 80 Ivan Vyslavovich and, 136, 214 The Hundred Pieces of Silver, 138 See also Kiev 109–110 Vyslav Andronovich and, Uks Akka, 176, 251, 286 The Lion’s Share, 168 309 Ulgan, 80–81, 286 Once a Wolf,Always a Wolf, Vasilissa, Princess, 295. See also Umai, 120, 277, 286 211 Vasilissa the Wise Umilenie, 286 The Prince and the Flea, 228 Vasilissa Kirbit'evna, 45–46, Underworld, 286 Saint George and the Deceitful 120–121, 152, 155, Alkonost' and, 6 Fox, 248 295–296 Baba-Yaga and, 23, 26, 27 Stand Your Ground, 264 Vasilissa of the Golden Braid, Barstukai and, 33 The Vixen and the Lioness, 31, 131, 272, 296–297 as Kingdom of Darkness, 302 Vasilissa the Beautiful, 27, 185, 152 See also Mekhithar Gosh 297–298, 300 Nava, 203 Varpulis, 80, 291, 315 Vasilissa the Wise, 27, 135–136, as Peklo, 216 Vasilii Belyaninovich, 291 298–300. See also Maria; Petrushka, 222 Bel Beyanin and, 35, 37 Vasilissa, Princess as Rai, 231 Ivan Belyaniniovich and, Vasilisushka, 297, 300 Underworld, deities of 121, 122, 123, 164 Vasilko, 183–185, 300 Rot, 234 Nastas'ya of the Golden Vasily III. See Basil III Yambe-Akka, 317 Braid and, 203 Ivanovich Union of Soviet Socialist Peter Belyaninovich and, Vechernyaya Zvezda. See Republics. See Soviet 218–219 Zvezda Vechernyaya Union tsarita of the Copper Ved'ma, 300 Upinis, 287 Kingdom and, 53, Vele, 300 Upir, 287 79–80, 96, 257 Veles, 300 Uproot Oak, 130, 131, 287 Vasilii Buslayevich, 291–295 Veli Joze, 199, 300 Ural Mountains, 287 Alyosha Popovich and, 11 Velnias, 300 Urartu, 17 Amelfia Timofeyevna and, Venus, 19, 300, 301[photo]. See Ursa Major, 99, 287, 322 11 also Evening Star; Ursa Minor, 169, 287, 322 druzhina of, 155, 156, 170, Morning Star Ursula, 287 194, 227, 252–253 Versailles,Treaty of, 169 Ursula, Saint, 287 father of, 48 Vesna, 212, 301 Urt, 48, 211, 287–288. See also Kostia Nikitin and, 155 Vesnianka, 301 Ort Kostia Novotorzheni and, Vikhor', 301, 314. See also USSR. See Soviet Union 155–156 Whirlwind Ustas', 55 Luka and, 170 Vikings, 301–302 Uzbek, 284 Moisei and, 194 Vila. See Vile Uzbekistan, 90, 277, 288 Saracen Hill and, 251–252, Vile, 37, 182, 201, 302 Uzbeks, 288 263 Vili. See Vile Sbrodovich brothers and, Vinograd, 154, 212, 302 Vahagn, 19, 289, 302 252–253 Virgin Mary Va-Kul, 289 Zalyoshen and, 319 as Bogoroditsa, 41 INDEX 373

Eletskoi icon and, 80 Vladimir I (grand prince of Volshebnye Skazki, 39, 308 as Gramovitsa, 99 Kiev), 303 Vookodlak. See Werewolves Makar'evskaia icon, 177 Basil II and, 12, 14, 35 Voragine, Jacobus de, 90 Mokosh and, 194 Dazhbog and, 62 Voron Voronich, 138, 308. See Pecherskaia Lavra and, 216 human sacrifice and, 217, also Raven Ravenson Pokrov Day and, 225 218 Voroneyushka, 71, 72, 99, 308 Pskov icon and, 228 Kiev and, 149 Votyaks, 86, 199, 308, 309, 325 as Umilenie, 286 Prince Vladimir Bright Sun Vseslav, 308 Zhirovitskoi icon and, 320 and, 44, 303, 304 Vseslav'evich,Volga. See Volkh See also Mary, Mother of rule of, 239, 285 Vseslav'evich God Vladimir II (grand prince of Vseslav'evna, Marfa. See Marfa Virgin of Tlog,The, 177[photo] Kiev), 44, 239, 303–304 Vseslav'evna Visapaklal, 302 Vladimir II Monomachus. See Vuk, 309. See also Despot Vuk Visby, 106 Vladimir II Vu-Kutis, 309 Vishap, 302 Vladimir Monomachus (grand Vultures Are Like Priests,Why Vixen and the Lioness,The prince of Kiev), 303, (Mekhithar Gosh), 309 (Vardan), 302 304. See also Vladimir II Vu-Murt, 303, 309 Vizi-Anya, 302 Vladimir Monomakh (grand Vununa, 317 Vizi-Ember, 302–303 prince of Kiev), 303, Vu-Nuna, 309 Vizi-Leany, 303 304. See also Vladimir II Vu-Vozo, 309 Vlachs, 233 Vladimir the Great. See Vu-vozo, 317 Vlad Tepes,282, 290, 303 Vladimir I Vychegda, 78 Vlad the Impaler. SeeVlad Tepes Vlas, Saint. See Vlasii, Saint Vyelyes, 309. See also Volos Vladimir, Saint. See Vladimir I Vlasii, Saint, 300, 304, 308. See Vyslav Andronovich, 309 Vladimir Bright Sun, Prince, also Blaise, Saint Firebird and, 86 304 Vlasta, 304 sons of, 2, 59, 69, 136, 295 Alesha and, 5 Vlkodlak, 304. See also Vyslavovich, Ivan. See Ivan Alyosha Popovich and, 11 Werewolves Vyslavovich Dnieper River and, 69 Vltava, 304 Dobrynya Nikitich and, 69, Vodianiani, 83, 203, 304 Wagon. See Ursa Major 70, 71, 72, 98, 99 Vodianoi, 145, 304–305 Waizganthos, 311 Dunai Ivanovich and, Voguls, 86, 212, 305 Walachia, 194, 195, 234, 282, 76–77 Vokh Vseslav'evich, 118 303, 311 Il'ya Muromets and, 115, 116 Volga, 19, 74, 143, 148 Walachians, 233 Katrina Ivanovna and, 143, called “matushka,” 187, Walgino, 311 146–147 305 War deities Kiev and, 149 described, 305 Perun, 217 Nastas'ya Nikulichna and, Vol'ga Buslavlevich, 203, 213, Vahagn, 289 202 305–306 Vyelyes, 309 Nightingale and, 205 Vol'ga Sviatoslavovich, Zroya, 322 origins of, 303 189–191, 261, 306 Water deities Princess Evpraksiya and, 81, Volga Vseslav'evich. See Volkh Anahita, 12 210 Vseslav'evich As-Iga, 18 Princess Zabava and, 98, 99, Volga Yaroslavich, 115, 306 Kul', 158–159 319 Volgograd, 234 Sadko, 245–248 sons of, 41, 93 Volhynia, 285 Tonx,281 Stvar Godinovich and, Volkh Vseslav'evich, 178, Va-Kul, 289 265–266 306–307 Vizi-Ember, 302–303 Sukhman and, 267–268 Volkhov, 246, 247, 292 Vu-Kutis, 309 Tugarin and, 283 Volkhvy, 153, 307, 321 Vu-Murt, 309 Vol'ga Sviatoslavovich and, Volos, 189, 304, 308. See also Vu-Nuna, 309 190, 306 Vyelyes Vu-Vozo, 309 374 INDEX

Water demons Wiltold, 169 Yryn-al-tojon, 2, 282, 286, 318 Kapsirko and, 145 Wind, 314–315 Yugoslavia vodianoi, 304–305 Buyan island and, 48 Dalmatia and, 59 Water nymphs Ded Moroz and, 64 history of, 31, 43, 55, 255 russalki, 236–237 Frost and, 197–198 Montenegro and, 195 Sirin, 258 Wind deities, Stribog, 267, 314 Mount Triglav and, 282 Water of Life and Death, 311 Wind Lord, 267 Slavs and, 260 Baba-Yaga and, 26 Winter Yuri (prince of Moscow), 95 Chudo-Yudo and, 27, 52 as Marena, 178 in The Devil and the Soldier, as Stribog, 267 Zabava, 5 67 Winter solstice festivals, Zabava, Princess, 319 Dobrynya Nikitich and, 153–154 Dobrynya Nikitich and, 70, 294, 295 Witches 71, 99 Ivan the Pea and, 132, 297 Alenka and, 3 Goryshche and, 98, 229 Ivan Vyslavovich and, 69, Russian term for, 300 Katrina Ivanovna and, 147 79, 86, 109, 138, 295, See also Baba-Yaga Stvar Godinovich and, 265, 309 Wizards, 153 266 Raven Ravenson and, 308 Wladyslaw II Jagiello (king of Zabava Putyatichna. See Water Uncle, 309 Poland), 169, 226 Zabava, Princess Weaver of the Stars, 188, 197, Wolf, Ivan Vyslavovich and, Zaltys, 2, 319 311 137–138 Zalyoshen, 252, 292, 319 Wedding garlands, 237 Wolfman,The (film), Zamoryshchek, 319 Wednesday, saint of, 264 313[photo] Zangi, 269–271, 319, 320 Wenceslas, Saint, 311–312 Wood spirits, 189. See also Zarangi, 269–271, 319, 320 Wends, 312–313 Forest deities Zarzand, 258, 320, 323, Werewolves, 144, 287, 304, Woodland nymphs, 302. See 324–325 308, 313, 321 also Vile Zelenie Sviatki, 235, 320. See West wind, 73 Wool-combers, patron saint of, also Trinity Week Whirlwind, 313–314 39 Zemepatis, 68, 176, 320 Copper Kingdom and, 53 World Tree, 255, 314, 315, Zemes Màte, 320 Elena the Fair and, 79 316[photo]. See also Tree Zemininkas. See Zemepatis Golden Kingdom and, 96 of Life Zemsky Sobor, 240 Ivan Belyaninovich and, World War I, origins of, 42, Zemyna, 320 122 111–112, 255 Zeus, 68 Nastas'ya of the Golden Wrath, 113 Zhirovitskoi icon, 320 Braid and, 203 Zhiva, 38, 213, 320 Russian name for, 301 Xi Xia. See China Zinoviev, Luka. See Luka servants of, 164, 211 Zinoviev Silver Kingdom and, 257 Yakuts, 166, 317 Zizilia, 67, 163, 321 White God, 37, 314. See also Yambe-Akka, 317 Zlatorog, 282, 321 Belobog; Belun Yanki-Murt, 309, 317 Zmag Ognjeni Vuk, 309, 321 White Russia, 314 Yard, household, dvorovoi and, Znakhari, 153, 321 White Russian, 37 78 Zorya Utrennyaya, 48, 61, 189, White Sea, 78, 314 Yarilo, 159, 271, 317 321, 322. See also Zoryi White Youth,2, 314 Yaroslav the Wise, 239 Zorya Vechernyaya, 48, 78, Whitsun, 235, 282 Yaroslavich,Volga. See Volga 189, 321–322. See also Why There Are No More Yaroslavich Zoryi Bogatyri in Holy Russia, Yarovit, 318 Zoryi 39, 143 Yerevan, 182 Auroras and, 19 Wilhelm I (king of Prussia), Yermak, 256 Buyan island and, 48 228 “Young Bosnians,” 43[photo]. Zvezdy and, 81, 197, 321, William the Conqueror, 302 See also Princip, Gavril 322 INDEX 375

See also Zorya Zuttibur, 325 as Evening Star, 81, 197, 325 Utrennyaya; Zorya Zvezda Dennitsa See also Zvezdy Vechernyaya as Aurora, 19, 62 Zvezdy, 62, 81, 197, 321, 322. Zosim, 322 as Morning Star, 81, 197, See also Zvezda Zroya, 322 325 Dennitsa; Zvezda Zurab, 19, 277, 320, 322–325. See also Zvezdy Vechernyaya See also Aslan Zvezda Vechernyaya Zyrians, 86, 308, 325 Zuro. See Zurab as Aurora, 19, 62 Zˇytniamatka, 326