Russian Folklore- Page 2

Ala is in Russian mythology, daughter of Volos, god of beasts and flocks. Serge Prokofiev’s ballet Ala and Lolli (1914–1915) deals with the myth. In the ballet Ala is taken prisoner by

Afanasiev, Alexander Nikolaievitch (Afanasyeu, Afanasyeff) (1826–1871) was a Russian folklorist, compiler of Russian Folktales (1855– 1863), published in eight parts. Afanasiev’s work, which has achieved the status of a Russian classic, was

The Shroud In a certain village there was a girl who was lazy and slothful, hated working, but would gossip and chatter away like anything! Well, she took it into her head

The Coffin Lid A moujik was driving along one night with a load of pots. His horse grew tired, and all of a sudden it came to a stand-still alongside of a

A soldier had obtained leave to go home on furlough — to pray to the holy images, and to bow down before his parents. And as he was going his way, at

The Dog and the Corpse A moujik went out in pursuit of game one day, and took a favourite dog with him. He walked and walked through woods and bogs, but got

Mati-Syra-Zemlya (moist Mother Earth) In Russian mythology, earth goddess. The worship of Mati-Syra-Zemlya continued in Russia up to the eve of World War I, when peasants invoked her protection against the spread

Marko, the Gravedigger is in Russian folklore, a monk who restored the dead to life. Marko was a gravedigger for the Holy Crypt Monastery during the Middle Ages. One day he dug

Gamayun – The Prophetess Bird The Gamayun is among the magical spirit birds of Russian lore, related to Alkonost and Sirin although she appears independently. She is an oracular spirit, able to

Leshovikha ORIGIN: Russia Female Leshii are called Leshovikha. Descriptions of the Leshii apply to the Leshovikha too except where gender-specific. Leshii and Leshovikha inhabit a parallel universe within the forest. They are