🧚 Opening, part 39 · page 2

“There was an owl flying across a garden, and it sat over a well and sipped the water.87 “There was an owl flying across a garden, and it sat over a well and sipped the water.”88

And he went on telling the same thing over and over again—89

“There was an owl flying across a garden, and it sat over a well and sipped the water.”90

So the mistress went on listening, and at last interrupted: “What sort of a tale is this?91 Why, it is a mere repetition.”92

“Why do you interrupt me?93 I told you you must not make any exclamations: this is the preface of the tale, and there comes another after it.”94

Then the man, after hearing this, could not help leaping up from the bench and whipping his wife.95

“You were told not to make any interruptions, and you will not let him end his story.”96

So he set on beating, beating, whipping, slippering, basting her, until the wife at the end hated stories, and was in despair ever afterwards at the sound of them.97

NOTES98

_Alyósha Popóvich.99 _ One of the great knights at the court of Prince Vladímir.100 He was an effeminate kind of person and perhaps one who rather incited others to effort by his jibes than by his prowess.101 He is always given the uncomplimentary _soubriquet_ of the ‘Mocker of Women.’102 His principal heroic episode is told in the prose ballad in this book entitled ‘Alyósha Popóvich.’103

_Angey_, Tsar.104 Filuyán is a fabulous city found in the cantations and mystical rites of the Russian peasants.105 It is, however, probably derived from the Greek Θύλη.106

_Bába Yagá.107 _ In Professor Sypherd’s studies on Chaucer’s _House of Fame_, Chaucer Society, 1904, a most valuable note will be found on revolving houses.108 It will be seen that the legend is cognate with magic wheels that revolve at great speed, or turn on wheels emitting flame and poison.109 The nearest analogy quoted is the whirling rampart in the _Mael Duinn_, but the Russian legend is evidently related and not derived.110

_Bogatýr.111 _ The _bogatýr_ is the Russian Knight, but is absolutely unlike any Western romantic notion.112 He is a person of magical power and gigantic stature and prowess.113 Some of the _bogatyrí_ are decidedly demi-gods; others more decisively human; but they all have some superhuman, it may be said inhuman, touch.114 The derivation of the word has been very much in dispute.115 The characteristic thing to note is that the word is only found in Russian, and in no other Slavonic language, and is almost certainly of Tatar origin, the original form being something like _Bagadur_.116 The Sanskrit derivation which is attempted of _Baghadhara_ seems scarcely probable.117 Goryáyev’s dictionary states that the original meaning was a company-commander of the Tatars.118 If so, _bogatýr_ is probably a corruption (through _bog_ God and _bogat_ rich) of the form _buĭtur_, found in the Slóvo, which is certainly cognate with the Turanian root _buĭ_, to command.119 _v._ notes in my edition of Igor.120

_Bryánsk.121 _ Bryánsk in the Province of Orél contains wonderful woods which were in ancient times impenetrable, and became the legendary home of magic, and of weird happenings.122 The Aspen tree is always associated in Russian folk-lore with magic and wizardry; it is also said that Judas hanged himself on this tree.123

_Chernígov.124 _ An ancient city of Russia on the Dniepr, a little higher up than Kíev.125

_Christ.126 _ As, in German folk-lore, the legends of Christ walking the earth with His disciples are very frequent and characteristic.127 There is a touch of friendly familiarity in this presentation which does not involve the least irreverence, but adds a touch of sarcastic humour which the Germans lack.128

_The Brother of Christ.129 _ For the punishment of the old man who grumbled at the good things of earth there is a surprisingly close analogy in Dante’s _Inferno_, canto vii.130

“Fitti nel limo dicon; Tristi fummo Nell’ aer dolce che dal sol s’allegra, Portando dentro accidioso fummo: Or c’ attristiam nella belletta negra.”131

“Sunk in the slime they utter: ‘Loth were we, In sweet air sullen, which the sun makes glad, Our souls besmirched with dull reluctancy: Now in this black morass, our hearts are sad.’”132

_Chufil-Filyushka.133 _ Both these names are adaptations of the Greek Θεόφιλος.134

THE CRYSTAL APPLE AND THE SILVER SAUCER135

There is a strong Celtic flavour about this episode.136 Cf.137 The Twa Sisters o’ Binnorie.138

Ho’s ta’en three locks o’ her yellow hair (Binnorie, oh Binnorie), And wi’ them strung his harp sae rare By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie.139

And sune the harp sang loud and clear (Binnorie, oh Binnorie), Fareweel my father, and mother dear!140 By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie.141

And then, as plain as plain could be, (Binnorie, oh Binnorie), There sits my sister wha drowned me!142 By the bonny mill-dams o’ Binnorie.143

In this story the Russian of the words sung by the piper is also in Russian ballad metre.144

_Danílo the Unfortunate.145 _ This is a prose version of a ballad and contains a very full account of this legend.146 The old hag whom Danílo meets on the way is elsewhere called the Wise Woman of Kíev, an old witch with the ugly qualities generally assigned.147

_Death.148 _ Death is feminine in Russian and occurs all through the folk-lore as the visible figure of a skeleton whom they met by the way on the roadsides, and who may be cheated of her prey or dealt with like any other demon.149

_Dobrýnya Nikítich.150 _ One of the great figures at the legendary court of Prince Vladímir.151 He was a dragon-slayer, but his principal employment was as ambassador.152

THE DREAM.153 NOTES154

The _izbá_, or hut, always has a _dvor_ or courtyard, access to which is gained through double gates as well as through a postern.155 Often the hut is raised by a flight of steps from the level of the courtyard.156

The _izbá_ may have a cooling room in which to rest, so as to avoid the sudden change of air from the heated inner room; it is also a living room in the summer.157 Outside the _dvor_ against the fence there is a bench (_lávka_), on which the family sits in the summer.158 The hut is made of logs, the fence of boards.159

Between the rafters and the sloped roof is the loft (_cherdák_), into which a ladder leads.160

Inside the hut is that essential and central feature of Russian peasant life, the stove, which occupies one side of a wall.161 In front against it three long implements stand, the poker, broom and shovel.162 The oven rests on a brick or tile foundation, about eighteen inches high, with a semicircular hollow space below.163 The top of the stove is used for a sleeping bench (_poláty_) for the old folk or the honoured guest.164 In larger houses there may be a _lezhán’ka_ or heating stove, used as a sleeping sofa.165

The bath-house is separate from the hut, and contains a flight of steps for different degrees of heat, obtained from white-hot stones on which water is flung.166 This is only found in better-class houses.167 In villages there is a general bath-house to which the peasants go once a week.168

Every corner in the _izbá_ has its particular name.169 There is the _great corner_, where the Ikon stands, the _upper corner_ near the door, and the _stove corner_ opposite to the doors of the stove.170