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