"Both the oral and literary forms of the fairy tale are grounded in history: They emanate from specific struggles to humanize bestial and barbaric forces, which have terrorized our minds and communities in concrete ways." Jack Zipes from his introduction to Spells of Enchantment.
The photo is of a Russian peasant family before 1918.
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Courage, Magic, and Amazing Outcomes
Fearless Ivan and His Faithful Horse Double-Hump by Pyotr Yershov as retold by Jack Zipes
Until I read this wonderful story of a courageous, flawed, simple, and very likable young farmer, Ivan, and his magic pony, Double Hump, my only encounters with Russian wonder tales was in the form of ballet, music, and illustrations. Like other classic tales, because Ivan is fearless and good-hearted, he is rewarded with Double-Hump, the magic little horse. I have found magic to be a great enabler in Russian wonder tales. Fearless Ivan, with the aid of Double-Hump, is able to overcome an extraordinary series of obstacles and dangers. And the ending is a very satisfying delight.
Yershov published the original version of this tale in the form of a poem in 1834. He borrowed from many Russian tales and the poem became a popular favorite. It remained so through the ensuing years despite efforts to suppress it in the mid-nineteenth century. This, no doubt was precipitated by the fact that the Tsar in the poem is a cruel and incompetent despot.
Jack Zipes has included several pages of relevant historical and biographical information. The charming illustrations by Russian artists are from the Jack Zipes book,Tales of Wonder, Retelling Fairy Tales through Postcards.
Several Ballets of this tale have been created over the years in Russia.
Here is a link to one of these ballets. This version was produced by the famous Marinsky Theater in St. Petersburg with music composed by Radion Shehedrin: The Little Humpbacked Horse.
Film studios in Moscow made a first class animated film of this wonder tale in 1977; here is a link to The Magic Pony.
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Discovering the Russian Fairy Tale Heritage
After reading Fearless Ivan, and learning more about the poet, Yershov, I have gone on to read several more Russian tales from the past. They are all new to me and are quite different, especially in structure, from Western European tales as exemplified by the Brothers Grimm.
I have found them to be filled with magic and incredible, episodic stories. They are involved with nature, mystical events, surprises and danger. Vasilisa The Beautiful is a classic example.
Life is hard in this tale, even for the beautiful. For there are envious and cruel people. and there are fierce and powerful forces in the forest like the ancient evil witch, Baba Yaga.
There are times and events when courage alone isn't enough. A gift of magic is needed. This was the case of Vasilisa the Beautiful. where the spirit of her mother always looked over her. Here is an excerpt from the book wherein her dying mother give Vasilisa her magic doll and eternal protection.
" 'My little Vasilissa, my dear daughter, listen to what I say, remember well my last words and fail not to carry out my wishes. I am dying, and with my blessing, I leave to thee this little doll. It is very precious for there is no other like it in the whole world. Carry it always about with thee in thy pocket and never show it to anyone. When evil threatens thee or sorrow befalls thee, go into a corner, take it from thy pocket and give it something to eat and drink. It will eat and drink a little, and then thou mayest tell it thy trouble and ask its advice, and it will tell thee how to act in thy time of need.' So saying, she kissed her little daughter on the forehead, blessed her, and shortly after died."
As in the Cinderella tale, Vasilissa's father goes on a journey, leaving her with a scheming, evil, stepmother and her two cruel daughters, who send Vasilisa to the powerful evil witch, Baba Yaga. This is a powerful witch who kills. However, the doll protects Vasilissa through many dangerous events until finally, in the end: "Vasilissa rose and went at once to the Palace, and as soon as the Tsar saw her, he fell in love with her with all his soul. He took her by her white hand and made her sit beside him. 'Beautiful maiden,' he said, 'never will I part from thee and thou shalt be my wife.' "
Translation by Post Wheeler, from the book Russian Wonder Tales; posted by SurLaLune
https://www.surlalunefairytales.com/russian/russianwondertales/vasilissa.html
SurLaLune is not available through this blog because of security blockage.
The illustration of the book cover is by Ivan Bilibin. The illustration of Vasilisa and Baba Yaga is by Forest Rogers.
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The Russian Counterpart to the Brothers Grimm
In the 1850's, a Russian scholar, Alexander Afanasyev, published over 600 Russian and Slavic Fairy and Folk Tales. Here are excerpts regarding his work from Wikipedia:
"Alexander Afanasyev became interested in old Russian and Slav traditions and stories in the 1850s ('folklore' as an area of study did not exist at the time). . . His early scholarly articles, drew upon the so-called Mythological school that treated legends and tales as a mine of information for the study of more ancient pagan mythology. In such an interpretation, he regarded the fairy tale Vasilisa the Beautiful as depicting the conflict between the sunlight (Vasilisa), the storm (her stepmother), and dark clouds (her stepsisters). A great archivist, his works provide copious information, evidence, documents, and passages of the old chronicles relating to Old Russian culture, history and tradition, as well as other Indo-European languages, folklore and legends, in particular German traditions (he knew to perfection German as well as all SlavIn languages and ancient ones)."
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Russia
Russia, where Afanasyev collected over 600 wonder tales, was for centuries a land of near constant conflict, with a society dominated by nobles, where rulers led by the sword, and where the peasants who worked the land were serfs, people with no freedom . . .a country with distances so vast that its territory, from east to west, extends over eleven time zones. The Orthodox Church was powerful and restrictive.The Tsars ruled with large armies and large conquests. At this time, the country, except for travel by nobles, was isolated from the West; industrialization had not occurred, and there was no middle class.
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Russian Fairy Tales Far from the Ancient Slavic Myths
Post Wheeler, a journalist, scholar, and diplomat translated and published Russian Fairy Tales in 1912. Here is an excerpt from his insightful Introduction:
"The only things the skazki (folk tales) picture that are common to Russian country life today are those things which in Russia never change-the wide, windswept steppe and dense forest, the love of animal life and the comradeship of the horse, the dread and terror of the long winter cold, and the passionate welcome given to the springtime sun. What ever else they may tell the student is in a tongue now unintelligible to the peasant, who has least of all been aware that, in these centuries-old repetitions there have been handed down to a new era pictures indelible, though blurred and indistinct, of an ancient age, of times, customs, religion and deities no longer his own.
For the beginning of the skazki (folk tales) we must go back to the remote time when the early Slavonians, parting from the parent stock in Central Asia, reached the Russias, developing there their myth-mass and setting up their hierarchy of Pagan gods. . ."
The illustration from a Russian wonder tale is by Ivan Bilibin.
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Mythology and Folk Tales
Jeremiah Curtin was a nineteenth century American scholar, passionate ethnologist, and translator who was conversant in more than 10 languages. His studies encompassed Russian and Slavic cultures. In 1890 he published Myths and Folk-Tales of the Russians, Western Slavs, and Magyars.
Here is an excerpt from the Introduction to his book:
"There are masterpieces in literature filled with myths, inspired with myth conceptions of
many kinds, simply colored by the life of the time and the nations among which these masterpieces were written and molded to shape by artists, made strong from the spirit of great, simple people, as unknown to us as the nameless heroes who perished before Agamemnon. How much mythology is there in the Iliad and the Odyssey, in the Æneid, in the Divine Comedy of Dante, in the works of the other three great Italian poets? How much in Paradise Lost? How could “King Lear” and “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” or the “Idylls of the King” have been written without Celtic mythology? Many of these literary masterpieces have not merely myths in their composition as a sentence has words, but the earlier ones are enlarged or modified myth-tales of those periods, while the later ones are largely modeled on and inspired by the earlier."
The myth of the firebird has many variations and lives on today.The illustration on the left, Feathers of the Firebird, is the identifying visual from the blog of popular author Sophie Masson.
The illustration on the right is by Anna and Elena Balbusso for a new version of the tale, Ekatrina and the Firebird, by Abra Staffin-Wiebe. You can read it on this link: TOR
There is also an exceptional animated Firebird based on the music of Igor Stravinsky, with animation by the brilliant Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi for Fantasia 2000. The Brizzi Brothers worked for Walt Disney Animation from 1994 to 2000. I was transported by this film sequence (8:52).
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We Must Endure
“'We must endure, Alyosha.' That was the only thing she could say in response to my accounts of the ugliness and dreariness of life, of the suffering of the people — of everything against which I protested so vehemently. I was not made for endurance, and if occasionally I exhibited this virtue of cattle, wood, and stone, I did so only to test myself, to try my strength and my stability."
Maxim Gorky
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Movies
Here are trailers for 3 new-to-me movies of interest.
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The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
A new retelling by Disney including new music. Opening November 2 .Link: Nutcracker 2018 Trailer
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The Grinch 2018
The Grinch is again creating havoc for Christmas. Opening November 9. Link: The Grinch 2018 Trailer
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The House with a Clock in its Walls
The trailer looks like silly, flawed fun for young teens. From Rotten Tomatoes: Critics Consensus: An entertaining PG detour for gore maestro Eli Roth, The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a family-friendly blend of humor and horror with an infectious sense. . .
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Room to Read. . . millions of books for millions of kids
This is a wonderful program. Here are excerpts from their website.
"Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in low-income communities by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Working in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations and governments, we develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed in school and beyond. . .
"Our Girls’ Education Program ensures that girls complete secondary school and have the skills to negotiate key life decisions. Our program reinforces girls’ commitment to their own education, works with girls to develop essential life skills and increases support for girls’ education among their parents, school staff, and communities."
Here is a link to the Room to Read Literacy Program
Here is a link to the Room to Read website
The photo is from a Room to Read classroom in Cambodia.
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How To Change The World in Thirty Seconds
An Audacious Title -- What Does It Mean?
"If you love animals and are dismayed when you see stories of animal abuse and cruelty in the news; if you ever
wished you could do something about it, but you just didn't know where to start, this book has you covered. Just 30 seconds a day on the Internet can not only make a difference, but can also change the world. . . . for novices as well as experienced animal rescuers. Combining case histories with practical tips, this guide demonstrates how to use the Internet to advocate for dogs; from simple clicks to more advanced methods."
The above is from Amazon; the excerpt that follows is from an Amazon review:
"While there is a focus on animal rights activism, the information provided extends to various causes and campaigns. Despite being an online activist for a long time, I found so many new resources and websites to use! Well-worth reading."
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Fences for Fido - Unchained. . . one dog at a time
"Fences for Fido is an award-winning, non-profit organization that builds donor-funded fences free of charge for families who keep their dogs on chains, tethers and in small enclosures. We also provide:
- A warm, insulated dog house
- Spay/neuter services
- Critical vet care
In the past 9 years, Fences For Fido has unchained over 1600 dogs in NW Oregon, central Oregon and SW Washington!"
Here is a link to a terrific video montage of Joyous Dogs after a visit from Fences for Fido.
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USA. . . I am hopeful
More than 800,000 people registered to vote this year as part of National Voter Registration Day, which fell on Sept. 25.
I am hopeful that the midterms will be a step to the light and away from the darkness that has come to the USA.
The photo is by Elena Shumilova.
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Why Am I ?
Why Am I ? – a joyous Yelodoggie Book – celebrates self-empowerment and the benefits of inclusion. It helps children recognize and appreciate differences and to embrace that which is unique in each of us.
Yelodoggie travels far and wide, up and down, inside and outside, from outer space to the waters of the sea –gaining confidence and leaving his insecurities behind – while seeking to answer Why Am I different ?...Why Am I Yellow ?
Why Am I ? opens the imagination and perspective of children to the world around them.
We continue searching for a publisher who will love Why Am I ?, recognize its potential, and launch it into the world. This is a book for our troubled times. Our primary motive is wide distribution.
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Reading, Imagination, Children, Libraries
"Fiction is the lie that tells the truth.
We all have an obligation to daydream.
We have an obligation to imagine . . .
Individuals make the future and they do that by imagining that things can be different."
The quotation is from Neil Gaiman's new book, Art Matters Because Your Imagination Can Change the World. The book is Illustrated by Chris Riddell; you can read it all by clicking this link: Gaiman Guardian.
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Snow Valley Heroes, A Christmas Tale
"What would happen if someone kidnapped a couple of Santa’s reindeer so that he could not deliver his presents on Christmas Eve? The dogs from The Planet of the Dogs have returned.
Daisy and Bean from Green Valley head north to help the dogs rescue Dasher and Dancer, and they meet a host of new friends in the process. But will they make it in time to save Christmas? All of the “Planet of the Dogs” books are well written. Not only are they fun to read. . . The short chapters are perfect to keep the attention of the target audience. Dog lovers will especially like these tales, but everyone else can enjoy them too. Snow Valley Heroes has the potential of becoming a favorite holiday story for both children and adults."
Review by Wayne Walker for Home School Buzz, Home School Book Review, and Stories for Children Magazine
The Planet of the Dogs series of children’s books tell the stories of the first time dogs came to planet Earth to teach people about unconditional loyalty and love -- and to help bring peace from invaders. To read sample chapters of any book in the series, visit PlanetOfTheDogs
The illustration from Snow Valley Heroes is by Stella Mustanoja McCarty.
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"Man is troubled by what might be called the Dog Wish, a strange and involved compulsion to be as happy and carefree as a dog."
James Thurber
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