Chapter III. MYTHOLOGICAL, part 6 · page 21 2101"I'm quite ready," says she.102Thereupon he tore her to pieces.103[291]104There is one other of those personifications of natural forces which play an active part in the Russian tales, about which a few words may be said.105It often happens that the heroine-stealer whom the hero of the story has to overcome is called, not Koshchei nor the Snake, but Vikhor,[292] the whirlwind.106Here is a brief analysis of part of one of the tales in which this elementary abducer figures.107There was a certain king, whose wife went out one day to walk in the garden. "108Suddenly a gale (_vyeter_) sprang up.109In the gale was the Vikhor-bird.110Vikhor seized the Queen, and carried her off."111She left three sons, and they, when they came to man's estate, said to their father--"Where is our mother?112If she be dead, show us her grave; if she be living, tell us where to find her."113"I myself know not where your mother is," replied the King. "114Vikhor carried her off."115"Well then," they said, "since Vikhor carried her off, and she is alive, give us your blessing.116We will go in search of our mother."117All three set out, but only the youngest, Prince Vasily, succeeded in climbing the steep hill, whereon stood the palace in which his mother and Vikhor lived.118Entering it during Vikhor's absence, the Prince made himself known to his mother, "who straightway gave him to eat, and concealed him in a distant apartment, hiding him behind a number of cushions, so that Vikhor might not easily discover him."119And she gave him these instructions. "120If Vikhor comes, and begins quarrelling, don't come forth, but if he takes to chatting, come forth and say, 'Hail father!' and seize hold of the little finger of his right hand, and wherever he flies do you go with him."121Presently Vikhor came flying in, and addressed the Queen angrily.122Prince Vasily remained concealed until his mother gave him a hint to come forth.123This he did, and then greeted Vikhor, and caught hold of his right little finger.124Vikhor tried to shake him off, flying first about the house and then out of it, but all in vain.checked by a teacher125At last Vikhor, after soaring on high, struck the ground, and fell to pieces, becoming a fine yellow sand. "126But the little finger remained in the possession of Prince Vasily, who scraped together the sand and burnt it in the stove."127[293]128* * * * *129With a mention of two other singular beings who occur in the Skazkas, the present chapter may be brought to a close.130The first is a certain Morfei (Morpheus?) who figures in the following variant of a well-known tale.131There was a king, and he had a daughter with whom a general who lived over the way fell in love.132But the king would not let him marry her unless he went where none had been, and brought back thence what none had seen.133After much consideration the general set out and travelled "over swamps, hill, and rivers."134At last he reached a wood in which was a hut, and inside the hut was an old crone.135To her he told his story, after hearing which, she cried out, "Ho, there!136Morfei, dish up the meal!" and immediately a dinner appeared of which the old crone made the general partake.137And next day "she presented that cook to the general, ordering him to serve the general honorably, as he had served her.138The general took the cook and departed."139By-and-by he came to a river and was appealed to for food by a shipwrecked crew. "140Morfei, give them to eat!" he cried, and immediately excellent viands appeared, with which the mariners were so pleased that they gave the general a magic volume in exchange for his cook--who, however, did not stay with them but secretly followed his master.141A little later the general found another shipwrecked crew, who gave him, in exchange for his cook, a sabre and a towel, each of magic power.142Then the general returned to his own city, and his magic properties enabled him to convince the king that he was an eligible suitor for the hand of the Princess.143[294]144The other is a mysterious personage whose name is "Oh!"145The story in which he appears is one with which many countries are familiar, and of which numerous versions are to be found in Russia.146A father sets out with his boy for "the bazaar," hoping to find a teacher there who will instruct the child in such science as enables people "to work little, and feed delicately, and dress well."147After walking a long way the man becomes weary and exclaims, "Oh!148I'm so tired!"149Immediately there appears "an old magician," who says--150"Why do you call me?"151"I didn't call you," replies the old man. "152I don't even know who you are."153"My name is Oh," says the magician, "and you cried 'Oh!'154Where are you taking that boy?"155The father explains what it is he wants, and the magician undertakes to give the boy the requisite education, charging "one assignat rouble" for a year's tuition.156[295]157The teacher, in this story, is merely called a magician; but as in other Russian versions of it his counterpart is always described as being demoniacal, and is often openly styled a devil, it may be assumed that Oh belongs to the supernatural order of beings.158It is often very difficult, however, to distinguish magicians from fiends in storyland, the same powers being generally wielded, and that for the same purposes, by the one set of beings as by the other.159Of those powers, and of the end to which the stories represent them as being turned, some mention will be made in the next chapter.1 2← previousChapter III. MYTHOLOGICAL, part 5next →Chapter III. 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