Russian Folk-tales, Volume 9 |
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Common terms and phrases
¹ Afanasief appeared asked Baba Yaga began boyars bride brothers caftan carried church coffin copeck corpse Cossack cottage cried crying daughter dead death demon devil Dnieper door drink everything evil eyes fair maiden father flew flung flying folk-tales fool forest Frost gave girl give grave Grimm ground hand head hero horse husband Ivashko Katoma Khudyakof killed Koshchei the Deathless Likho lived look lord King magic marry Marusia Marya Morevna merchant morning mother moujik Mythology night Norka Novgorod old woman palace Panchatantra peasant Prince Ivan Princess replied rich rode Russian Russian story says seized sister sitting Skazkas Slavonic sleep Smith Snake Soldier Songs Sozh steed story stove tale tell thee thou told took turned vampire variant Vasilissa Vazuza versts Vikhor village Volga Warlock Water King werwolf wife witch word youth Zhar-Ptitsa
Popular passages
Page 82 - Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age : and he made him a coat of many colours.
Page 151 - And therefore it was that Vasilissa would never eat all her share of a meal, but always kept the most delicate morsel for her doll ; and at night, when all were at rest, she would shut herself up in the narrow chamber in which she slept, and feast her doll, saying the while : " There, dolly, feed ; help me in my need. I live...
Page 6 - Their language is simple and pleasantly quaint, their humour is natural and unobtrusive, and their descriptions, whether of persons or of events, are often excellent. A taste for acting is widely spread in Russia, and the Russian folk-tales are full of dramatic positions which offer a wide scope for a display of their reciter's mimetic talents. Every here and there, indeed, a tag of genuine comedy has evidently been attached by the storyteller to a narrative which in its original form was probably...
Page 156 - Having said this, the old witch turned to the wall and began to snore, and Vasilisa set about feeding her doll. The doll ate and spoke as she had spoken the day before: "Pray to God and go to sleep; the morning is wiser than the evening. Everything will be done, Vasilisushka.
Page 161 - Veda, and there is a curious dialogue between her and her brother, where she (the night) implores her brother (the day) to make her his wife, and where he declines her offer because, as he says, 'they have called it sin that a brother should marry his sister
Page 86 - Eaven smote upon the floor and became a brave youth. The former youths had been handsome, but this one was handsomer still. ' Well, Prince Ivan ! Before I came as a guest, but now I have come as a wooer ! Give me the Princess Anna to wife.
Page 153 - Baba-Yaga's gate and disappeared, just as if he had sunk through the ground — and night fell. But the darkness did not last long. The eyes of all the skulls on the fence began to shine, and the whole clearing became as bright as if it had been mid-day. Vasilissa shuddered with fear, but stopped where she was, not knowing which way to run. Soon there was heard in the forest a terrible roar.
Page 263 - ... stir, nor may Gunnar any the more ride through that fire. So now they change semblance, Gunnar and Sigurd, even as Grimhild had taught them ; then Sigurd in the likeness of Gunnar mounts and rides, Gram in his hand, and golden spurs on his heels ; then leapt Grani into the fire when he felt the spurs ; and a mighty roar arose as the fire burned ever madder, and the earth trembled, and the flames went up even unto the heavens, nor had any dared to ride as he rode, even as it were through the deep...
Page 331 - God created the earth, and determined to supply it with se^s, lakes, and rivers, He ordered the birds to convey the waters to their appointed places. They all obeyed except this bird, which refused to fulfil its duty, saying that it had no need of seas, lakes or rivers, to slake its thirst. Then the Lord waxed wroth, and forbade it and its posterity ever to approach a sea or stream, allowing it to quench its thirst with that water only which remains in hollows and among stones after rain. From that...
Page 314 - Next morning, while the family were going about the farmyard, the dog was perfectly quiet. But the moment its master made his appearance, it began to growl like anything. They fastened it to a chain ; for a whole year they kept it chained up. But in spite of that, it never forgot how its master had offended it. One day it got loose, flew straight at him, and began trying to throttle him. So they had to kill it.