Baldak Borisievich
Baldak Borisievich In Russian folklore, a hero who defeated the Turkish sultan. One day Baldak Borisievich, with 29 other young men, went directly to the…
Azadovskii, Mark Konstantinovich
Azadovskii, Mark Konstantinovich (1888– 1945) Russian folklorist whose expeditions in 1913–1915 took him to the Amur and Lena Rivers in Siberia, where he gathered materials…
Aliosha Popovich
Aliosha Popovich (Aljosa Popovic) (11th century c.e.) In Russian legend, bogatyr (epic hero) who appears in the bylini (epic songs) and in folktales. Aliosha was…
Alexander Nevsky
Alexander Nevsky (1220–1263) In Russian legend, prince-saint who defended Russia against foreign invaders. The heroic personality Alexander Nevsky, the first prince of Novgorod and (after…
Ala
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…
Afanasiev, Alexander Nikolaievitch
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…
Rákóczi, Ferenc
Rákóczi, Ferenc (1675–1735) In Hungarian legend, prince who led a revolt against Austrian oppression. According to some tales, he did not die but is resting,…
Kossuth, Lajos
Kossuth, Lajos (1802–1894) In Hungarian legend, freedom fighter in the war of independence. He was the minister of finance in the first independent national government…
Istvan
Istvan In this Hungarian folktale, reminiscent of the Russian story of Ivan the Dragon Killer, two brothers must slay two seven-headed dragons. The older brother,…
Garboncias
Garboncias In Hungarian folklore, a supernatural being, born with all of his teeth or with extra fingers. The being exercises magical powers when in a…