RUSSIAN FAIRYTALES & ART. Viktor Mikhaylovich Vasnetsov May 15, 1848 — July 23, 1926 a famous...
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Transcript of RUSSIAN FAIRYTALES & ART. Viktor Mikhaylovich Vasnetsov May 15, 1848 — July 23, 1926 a famous...
RUSSIAN FAIRYTALES & ART
Viktor Mikhaylovich Vasnetsov
May 15, 1848 — July 23, 1926
a famous Russian artist
R
ussian folklore has always been a source of inspiration for the
Russian people, especially for Russian artists. One of the most
famous is Viktor Vasnetsov. Through his illustrations Russian
fairy tales were introduced in all its glory to people in all over
the world. Vasnetsov tried to understand the spirit of the
Russian people and pass it with his paintings. Today we have
the opportunity to immerse yourself in that amazing and
fascinating world!
HEROES
Bogatyrs
Alyosha Popovich Ilya MurometsDobrynya Nikitich
T
he Russian bylina* feature bogatyrs, knights-errant who
served as protectors of their homeland, and occasionally as
adventurers. Some of them are presumed to be historical
figures, while others are fictional and descend from
mythology. Three popular Russian knights—Ilya
Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich
(famously painted by Victor Vasnetsov).
Bogatyrs
*bylina – the Russian name for fairytales, which are based on real historical events
T
he tsar told his two oldest sons that the one who find
the magic Firebird would receive half his kingdom
and be his heir. The older brothers were too lazy to
cope with the task. The younger brother Ivan
Tsarevich wandered for a very long time, he lost his
horse and met the Grey Wolf, who decided to help
him. Together, they found a kingdom where the
Firebird lived. The tsar of this kingdom said that he
would give Ivan the Firebird in exchange for the most
beautiful princess Helen the Beautiful. Ivan rode the
wolf to her castle. The wolf carried her off, but Ivan
was able to assuage her fears. Ivan brought her back
to the Second tsar, but wept because they had come
to love each other. The wolf turned itself into the form
of the princess and had Ivan exchange it for the
Firebird. Ivan and Helen rode off together with the
Firebird. The wolf escaped the Second tsar. It
reached Ivan and Helen, and Helen and Ivan rode the
wolf. They returned to his own kingdom with Helen
and the Firebird. Ivan married Helen, and they lived
happily together.
Ivan Tsarevich riding
the Gray Wolf
A
magic carpet, also called a
flying carpet, is a legendary
carpet that can be used to
transport persons who are
on it instantaneously or
quickly to their destination.
In some tales Ivan used it to
steal the Firebird and
rescue the tsarevna.
Kovyor-Samolyot
Magic Carpet or Flying Carpet
Kovyor-Samolyot
The Firebird in a gold cage
S
ivka-Burka is a beautiful and
very strong magic horse, which
father had given to his favorite
youngest of the three sons Ivan,
because he was a model son. The
tsar (a king) made a contest for
the hand of Tsarevna: who would
get up to the window of the
tallest tower where the tsarevna
lives, he would marry her. Sivka-
Burka helped Ivan to win the
tournament. Ivan and Tsarevna
got married and lived happily
ever after.
Sivka-Burka
PRINCESSES
O
nce there was a very sad
Tsarevna who never laughed.
The tsar (her father) had
tried everything already and
announced the competition
for the award: the one who
can laugh tsarevna, he would
take her as a wife.
Tsarevna The Never-Laughing
A
ll the tsarevichs from the
neighboring kingdoms
gathered, but no one could
have her laugh. Only a
simple peasant-worker Ivan
the Fool was able to make
laugh the Tsarevna. The
tsar had to keep his word,
and they got married and
lived happily ever after.
Tsarevna The Never-Laughing
Tsarevna The Frog or
The Frog Princess
T
he Russian variant of this tale includes the Frog Princess or Tsarevna The Frog known
also as Vasilisa The Wise.
T
he tsar (the king) sets his three sons to marry, and tests their chosen brides. The tsar
tells them to shoot arrows and find their brides where the arrows land, and the youngest
(Ivan Tsarevich) brother's arrow landed in the mouth of a frog in a swamp, who turns
into a princess Tsarevna The Frog is usually a beautiful, intelligent, friendly, skilled girl.
T
he tsar assigns his three prospective daughters-in-law various tasks, such as spinning
cloth and baking bread. In every task, the frog far outdoes the lazy brides-to-be of the
older brothers. Still, the young tsarevich is ashamed of his froggy bride, until she is
magically transformed into a princess. Her last test was dancing which is on the painting.
Tsarevna The Frog
A
folk tale about a girl made of snow and
named Snegurochka. She is the daughter
of Spring the Beauty and Father Frost,
and yearns for the companionship of
mortal humans. She grows with and used
to like a shepherd named Lel, but her heart
is unable to know love. Her mother takes
pity and gives her this ability, but as soon
as she falls in love, her heart warms and
she melts.
S
negurochka is also known as the
granddaughter and helper of Ded Moroz
(the Russian version of Father Christmas)
during the New Year parties for children.
Snegurochka or
The Snow Maiden
Tsarevna The Dead or The Sleeping Beauty
VILLAINS
Koschei The Deathlessand Marya Morevna
K
oschei is an evil, immortal man who kidnaps and menaces young beautiful women with his
magic. He has been most frequently represented as a very old and ugly-looking man. His
name was derived from the Russian word meaning 'bone', because he’s very raw boned
and scraggy.
K
oschei cannot be killed by conventional means targeting his body. His soul (or death) is
hidden separate from his body inside a needle, which is in an egg, which is in a duck,
which is in a hare, which is in an iron chest , which is buried under a green oak tree,
which is on the island named Buyan in the Ocean. As long as his soul is safe, he cannot
die. If the egg or needle is broken, Koschei will die.
K
oschei took the wife of Ivan Tsarevich – Marya Morevna, when Ivan went to war. But
Ivan had rescue her when he found the way how to kill Koschei.
Koschei The Deathless
Baba Yaga
B
aba Yaga is a supernatural being, who appears as a ferocious-
looking ugly very old woman. She is a witch. Baba Yaga flies around
in a mortar, wields a broom (or just on a broom), and dwells deep in
the forest in a house usually described as standing on chicken legs.
S
he steals and eats people, especially young naughty children who go
to play away from home to her forest. Parents sometimes frighten
their children who misbehave by Baba Yaga.
Baba Yaga
THE END