Opening, part 41
Opening, part 41 of «Russian Folk-Tales» by A. N. Afanas'ev: the whole text, 265 sentences and 1421 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself.
_The Swan Maiden.1 _ This is one of the most baffling figures in Russian mythology.2 She corresponds to the Siren of Greece, and the Lorelei of Germany, but is very distinct in all her characteristics.3 She is also called in the Russian Devítsa (maiden), which may be a corruption of Dívitsa, the feminine of _Div_, one of the ancient pagan deities of Russia.4 Like the Lorelei, she is said to sit on the rocks and draw sailors down into the depths, but her more human characteristics are stated in this story.5
_Thoughtless Word.6 _ The devil in this story is the popular myth of the water-gods or sprites, elsewhere called the _vodyanóy_ or _vódyánik_.7 The point of detail, that after the rescue of the maiden the boy has to walk backwards until he reaches the high road, is rather similar to the Celtic notion of Widdershins, the superstition that anyone who walked round the churchyard contrary to the direction of the sun would be captured by the fairies.8
_Túgarin Zmyéyevich.9 _ Túgarin Zmyéyevich, the strong man, the Serpent’s Son.10
_Vazúza and Vólga.11 _ Similar stories are told of other rivers.12 The old Russian ballads give names and patronymics to their rivers such as the people use for themselves, e.g. Dněpr Slovútich Don Iványch.13
The Vazúza is a short stream crossing the borders of the provinces of Tver and Smolensk, meeting a great bend of the Vólga at Zubtsóv (in the province of Tver).14
The Sea of Khvalýnsk is the Caspian, so called from an ancient people (the Khvalísi) of the eleventh and tenth centuries, who lived at the mouth of the Vólga in the Caspian.15 There is also a town called Khvalýnsk on the Vólga in the province of Sarátov, above the city of Sarátov.16
This particular story is probably a poetization of a geographical fact, but in all the Russian folk-lore the river-gods play a very great part.17 Thus Igor in The Word of Igor’s Armament, on the occasion of his defeat, has a very beautiful colloquy with the Donéts.18 At least two of the heroes of the ballad cycle, Don Ivánovich and Sukhán Odikhmántevich, are in some aspects direct personifications of the rivers, whilst the river-gods exercise a direct and vital influence over the fortunes of several others, such as Vasíli Buslávich and Dobrýnya Nikítich.19
Many Russian rivers have been rendered almost into human characters.20 The ordinary speech is still of Mother Vólga.21 In the Nóvgorod ballads there is a mention of Father Volkhov, much as we speak of Father Thames, and there were very great possibilities of the development of a river mythology which did not succeed.22 It is worth observing that in one ballad dealing with Vasíli Buslávich, the hero of Nóvgorod, this semi-comic figure is twitted by the men of Nóvgorod that he will one day turn the Volkhov into _Kvas_ (q.v.): i.e. he will one day set the Thames on fire.23 [Rybnikov, I, 336].24
_The Wood Sprite.25 _ _Léshi_ is a peculiar feature in Russian folk-lore.26 He is somewhat similar to Pan, but is also represented as having copper arms, and an iron body, terms which refer to colour rather than to material.27 Sometimes he has claws for hands.28
_Yagá-Búra.29 _ This is the same as Bába Yagá, but is specific reference to the Witch who raises the Wind.30
GLOSSARY31
_Aspen.32 _ Always associated with magic.33 Its trembling leaves give it a weird appearance.34
_Bába Yagá.35 _ Russian witch, also Yagá-Búra.36
_Bábushka.37 _ The grandmother.38
_Bárkhat.39 _ This word also means velvet.40
_Bátyushka.41 _ Father in a general sense, meaning anybody older.42 _Otéts_ is father, meaning the relationship of father and son.43
_Birds’ milk.44 _ The Russian folk-tale expression for asking for the moon.45
_Boyárs.46 _ This may be translated earls, but in the Russian social scale it only meant the bigger men, the seigneurs.47
_Boyárynyi.48 _ Countesses, feminine plural of _boyár_.49
_Chúdo-Yúda.50 _ The Old Man of the Sea.51 This is a very clear loan from the Homeric Proteus.52
_Dyádka.53 _ Uncle.54 A term of respect.55
_Egórushko Zalyót.56 _ Means George the Bold Flier.57
_Fatá.58 _ A long silken glove.59
_Gúsli.60 _ A musical instrument, something like a zither with seven strings.61
_Iváshko Zapéchnik.62 _ Iván, who is always sitting behind the stove.63
_Iváshechko.64 _ A diminutive form of Iván.65
_Iváshko.66 _ A diminutive form of Iván.67
_Kaftán.70 _ A peasant’s overcoat, made very long.71
_Khvalýnsk.72 _ The old name of the Caspian.73 _Vide_ Vazúza and Vólga.74
_Korolévich.75 _ King’s son.76 Koról, king.77
_Korolévna.78 _ King’s wife.79
_Ksálavy.80 _ Mythical birds, the meaning of which is entirely unknown.81
_Mikháilo Ivánovich.82 _ The popular name for the bear.83
_Mísha Kosolápy.84 _ Dmítri, the Bandy-legged.85
_Nikíta.88 _ From the Greek Νικήτης, conquer.89
_Pud.92 _ A Russian weight.93 Thirty-six pounds avoirdupois.94
_Sarafán.95 _ A short sleeveless jacket, generally embroidered, worn over the bodice or the blouse.96
_Sazhén.97 _ A length of seven feet.98
_Sebézh.99 _ A city in the Vítebsk province, bordering on Poland.100 The Poles and the Mussulmen are all called infidels, Saracens or _Busormany_.101
_Stárosta.104 _ Mayor of a town.105
_Teléga.106 _ A peasant’s cart without springs.107
_Tsarévich.108 _ Tsar’s son.109
_Tzarévna.112 _ Tsar’s wife.113
_Ukaz.114 _ Imperial edict.115
_Ványa.116 _ A diminutive form of Iván.117
_Vertodúb.118 _ The oak-turner, a gigantic figure.119
_Vertogór.120 _ The mountain-turner; a gigantic figure.121
_Vóron Vóronovich.122 _ Crow Crowson.123
_Zamorýshek.124 _ This name is freely translated Benjamin, the last-born son of an old man.125
Footnote 1:126
Hut.127
Footnote 2:128
Hut.129
Footnote 3:130
The Mayor.131
Footnote 4:132
Hut.133
Footnote 5:134
Hut.135
Footnote 6:136
Ten kopeks.137
Footnote 7:138
Fur mantle.139
Footnote 8:140
Grandmother.141
Footnote 9:142
Another variant, “the Fearsome Swan.”143
Footnote 10:144
Little Father.145
Footnote 11:146
Hut.147
Footnote 12:148
This is a simple instance of the _prískazka_ or preface to a story.149
Footnote 13:150
A _sazhén_ is seven feet.151
Footnote 14:152
Benjamin.153
Footnote 15:154
Father.155
Footnote 16:156
The Devil in this story is the popular myth of the water-god or spirit, The Vodyanóy.157
Footnote 17:158
Countesses.159
Footnote 18:160
Village priest.161
Footnote 19:162
Death is feminine in Russian.163
Footnote 20:164
Ilyá Múromets is one of the heroes of the _Byliny_: his great feat is the slaying of the Nightingale Robber.165 This tale may be eponymous of geography; Svyatogór (_Svyáty Góry_, Sacred Mountains) Múrom is on the river Oka, in the Province of Vladímir, one of the oldest cities in Russia; the village of Karachárovo is not far off.166
Footnote 21:167
Affectionate term for old servant, equivalent to uncle.168
Footnote 22:169
The word means velvet.170
Footnote 23:171
Hut.172
Footnote 24:173
Fitti nel limo dicon; ‘Tristi fummo.176 Nel dolce mondo che dal sol s’allegra....177 Or c’attristiam’ nella belletta negra.178
Footnote 25:179
This is a prose version of a _bylína_: Alyósha Popóvich is one of the Kíev cycle.180
Footnote 26:181
The strong man, the Serpent’s son.182
Footnote 27:183
Hut.184
Footnote 28:185
_Koról’_ king: hence princess.186
Footnote 29:187
I have taken this story as it stands.188 There are obvious gaps I have not ventured to fill up.189
Footnote 30:190
A mythical city, very probably derived from Θύλε.191
Footnote 31:192
Earls.193
Footnote 32:194
Diminutive of Iván; so too Ványa.195
Footnote 33:196
Hut.197
Footnote 34:198
A bold flier.199
Footnote 35:200
Bandy-legged.201
Footnote 36:202
Sitting behind the stove.203
Footnote 37:204
_Ídolishche_, i.e. Big idol.205
Footnote 38:206
Θεόφιλος.207
Footnote 39:208
An equivalent to the Bába Yagá.209
Footnote 40:210
Father.211
Footnote 41:212
Hut.213
Footnote 42:214
Hut.215
Footnote 43:216
Hut.217
Footnote 44:218
Hut.219
Footnote 45:220
A mock patronymic for the Bull.221
Footnote 46:222
Hut.223
Footnote 47:224
_v._ note to p. 125.225
Footnote 48:226
A great forest in Central Russia, once impenetrable and always legendary.227
Footnote 49:228
Grandmother.229
Footnote 50:230
Father.231
Footnote 51:232
Father.233
Footnote 52:234
Hut.235
Footnote 53:236
Hut.237
Footnote 54:238
Hut.239
Footnote 55:240
Shovels are used to insert loaves and pots deep into the oven.241
Footnote 56:242
“_n_” and “_k_” to be sounded distinct as in _pin-case_.243
Footnote 57:244
Uncle: term of affection.245
Footnote 58:246
Princesses.247
Footnote 59:248
Earls.249
Footnote 60:250
Hut.251
PRINTED BY WM.252 BRENDON AND SON, LTD. PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND253
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES254
1.255 P. 168, changed “And Alyósha set out into the open field.256 And Alyósha set out into the open field” to “And Alyósha set out into the open field”.257 2.258 Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling.259 3.260 Archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed.261 4.262 Footnotes have been re-indexed using numbers and collected together at the end of the last chapter.263 5.264 Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.265
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