We invite you to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of fairy-tale characters who are actors fairy tales that are loved by your children, and maybe you too. They will help you more specifically choose certain fairy tales for your children for correctional purposes. Perhaps you will learn something new and interesting... Or perhaps you will disagree with something. But getting to know the characteristics of the characters will help you in choosing the hero of your own fairy tales for your baby, as well as for general awareness.
Cinderella lives in the kitchen near the stove and sleeps in a box of ash. Ash (ash) represents the essence of what has been burned. Fire is a symbol of destruction, purification and transformation. Cinderella lives next to fire, which imparts its power to her, and it in turn helps her survive adversity and suffering. Like fire that turns water into steam, Cinderella processes, burns through humiliation, resentment and pain, turning them into pure love. You must have a warm heart so as not to become embittered and hardened in soul when you are insulted, humiliated and hated.
Princess Frog
The amphibian frog and Vasilisa the Beautiful are one and the same creature: animal and earthly forces are fused together. Every person contains incredible and wonderful possibilities. Merging with the image of the beautiful Vasilisa, you feel omnipotent, harmonious and joyful. a frog that turns into a beauty realizes its potential, given from birth.
sleeping Beauty
During the time of Sleeping Beauty, people perceived and realized differently the world. Consciousness never stands still, it develops, and intuitive perception should have been replaced by logical thinking. The spindle is a symbol of spinning. And the processes of spinning and thinking are initially related. The expressions “I lost the thread of reasoning”, “I pulled the thread and remembered everything” still exist. “Spinning” in figurative language means to build thoughts, create a logical chain.
The princess, who, under the curse of the evil fairy, pricks herself on the spindle and dies (falls asleep), is not ready to easily and quickly switch to a different type of thinking. And she goes into sleep to accept this process on an unconscious level.
The Snow Queen
Woman made of ice... Ice is frozen crystallized water. The Ice Queen symbolizes frozen feelings and emotions, stopped movement. Admiring ice crystals, the correctness of lines, the geometry of space and time and not feeling the tenderness of a flower, the warmth of the sun, the soft touch of beloved hands means living with a cold, frozen heart. The Snow Queen and her ice castle represent, on a psychological level, detachment, insensibility, firmness, determination, icy calm, composure, and the ability to control oneself. Are these qualities really that bad? Aren't there situations in life when we need to be cool, balanced and calm? It’s just that everything in excess is harmful. And even the most beautiful thing in large quantities tires. And when the mind and feelings are in harmony, what could be better?
The image of the Snow Queen is very useful for children (adults) who are weak and weak-willed, insecure and timid, vulnerable and soft: it will give them strength, firmness, self-confidence, and perseverance in the face of difficulties. The image of the Snow Queen will also help those who are overly excitable, temperamental and hot: it will cool down excessive ardor, balance and calm.
Mermaid
The Little Mermaid is a child of the element of water and symbolizes the emotional and sensory world. The Little Mermaid’s passionate desire to experience earthly love and spend her life not in the expanses of water, but on solid land can be associated with the fact that the intangible and invisible strives to take shape. But life on earth is associated with great pain for the Little Mermaid. It is probably no coincidence that the heroine was never able to fulfill her dream of becoming the prince’s lover and wife. It would seem that the Little Mermaid deserved her happiness, but she did not receive it.
IN similar cases You can invite the children to compose your own fairy tale and change its ending. The technique of changing fairy tales allows you to look at the world around you more optimistically and joyfully. This is especially important for sad, indecisive, inhibited and weakened children.
Mistress of Copper Mountain
This woman is incredibly beautiful, balanced and strong. The stone woman, however, is capable of crying, and is fair, and compassionate. So why even good people Doesn't she bring joy? Maybe the point is not in the Mistress of the Copper Mountain, but in the person himself, who goes out to fight with a stronger one, but is not able to withstand the fight? Precious stones are a symbol of wealth and power. How many are capable of possessing treasures and not having attachment to them, not falling into dependence? The image of the Mistress of the Copper Mountain allows you to feel strong and powerful in a good way, fair and at the same time ruthless, powerful and rich.
A light, airy creature endowed with magical power. Messenger of fate, witch, sorceress - her other names. A fairy is a beautiful star creature, a kind of mediator between Space and Earth, the world of people. The fairy is inextricably linked with the light that penetrates any space. To feel like a fairy means to have indestructible faith in yourself, in the power of your thoughts; experience the state of a wizard for whom nothing is impossible.
It got its name from the verb “to know” - to know. Her other titles are sorceress, knowledgeable, knowledgeable, sorceress. A witch is, first of all, a healer, a sorceress. She easily commands the diverse forces of nature and any creatures. Unlike a fairy and a good sorceress, a witch uses powers to the detriment of a person or creature, demands a considerable fee for services, rejoices when she feels good, radiates anger, envy, tension and brute force (the force of a hurricane, whirlwind, earthquake).
One of the witches. The ancient Slavs in Rus' called her a hellish goddess, a terrible goddess who destroys the bodies and souls of people. Baba Yaga is a powerful sorceress, and her hut on chicken legs is something like a passageway, a kind of bridge between the world of the living and the kingdom of the dead. Only a brave hero, capable of overcoming the fear of death, can resist Baba Yaga. To be embodied in Baba Yaga, to live her image means to feel power, crushing strength and the absence of fear of death.
Koschei the Deathless
Belongs world of the dead. Why is he called immortal? Koschey the Immortal consists of nothing but bones. bones are the hardest, strongest, toughest tissue in the human body, capable of withstanding enormous loads. Bones in certain conditions do not rot or decompose, are fire-resistant.
Koschey the Immortal symbolizes complete insensitivity and lack of spirituality, rigidity, stereotyping, limitation and inertia. At the same time, the image of Koshchei the Immortal helps to gain fortitude, fearlessness, unshakable self-confidence, determination and strength.
Tsar (king)
Rules the state and is subordinate to him great amount of people. At the symbolic level, the king means a certain dominant higher psychic center. To be in a royal state is to experience the unification of all parts of the Self. To feel like a king means to control your thoughts, emotions, states, to feel responsible for everything that happens in your “kingdom”.
The highest regulatory center is responsible and governs. However, unlike the king, she symbolizes female emotions and feelings.
A wonderful sign of beauty and prosperity vitality. To more accurately understand the symbolism of a particular flower, describe it to yourself with 3-5 adjectives. These adjectives will mean the state of your soul that you see in the flower. If, for example, we take “The Scarlet Flower,” then I would like to describe it with the following adjectives: beautiful, burning, blazing, scarlet. Isn't it associated with the heart and love? The merchant's daughter's desire to find The Scarlet Flower- this is the desire for love, passion, dedication, heartfelt affection.
Symbol of freedom. By living the state of a bird, you can get rid of heavy attachments to desires, feel a state of independence, lightness, airiness and flight.
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A simple and at the same time mysterious bird. Crows are endowed with mystical powers and the ability to penetrate supernatural worlds, including the afterlife. Crows are smart and wise birds. Having reincarnated as a raven, you have the opportunity to look at the world with different eyes, see the deep and mysterious areas of life, explore dark side your soul and touch your inner wisdom.
Martin
The beautiful, fast-winged bird is a symbol of spring and renewal, a symbol of new life. It is no coincidence that it was the swallow that carried Thumbelina to new world, in which the girl found a home, her prince and happiness. Caring for a swallow, as Thumbelina did, means preparing for change, for a state of spring, joy, and happiness.
The white swan symbolizes beautiful and pure thoughts. The swan is a sign of greatness, beauty and grace.
Eagle owl (owl)
A nocturnal bird of prey with excellent vision in the dark. It symbolizes the unknown and darkness. Unknown dark spaces usually they are frightening, and therefore people are always afraid of the owl (owl). But it is not without reason that the owl (owl) is considered a symbol of wisdom. It is his fearless perception of the dark and mysterious side of life that provides depth and wisdom. Eagle owl (owl) is a symbol of transformation, the transition of negative dark states into a calm and harmonious perception of life.
A predatory beast, strong, smart and cautious. Sometimes he is endowed with such traits as cruelty, ferocity, gluttony and greed. Wolves have a highly developed sense of family and pack. They are caring parents and partners who feel great about each other. In some fairy tales, the wolf is a bloodthirsty, ferocious and merciless monster, while in others, particularly in Mowgli, he is a caring, attentive and even noble parent. Therefore, a wolf can symbolize different states of the soul.
In Russian fairy tales, it usually appears as an independent, intelligent and resourceful creature, able to easily defend itself and repel any beast. Its needles symbolize caution, inaccessibility, closedness, fear of pain and the need for protection.
The hare is considered a symbol of fear, weakness, as well as boasting and unjustified self-confidence. And in many fairy tales he is indeed presented this way. However, the fairy tale “Koska the Hare and the Spring” shows other sides of the hare’s nature: curiosity, playfulness, patience and courage.
An ambiguous and deep image, they fear her, deceit and meanness are associated with her. Biblical motifs characterize the serpent as a seducer and tempter. The snake has the ability to change its skin frequently, and in this way it symbolizes rebirth and renewal. Different snakes symbolize different things: a boa constrictor, for example, can symbolize enormous suffocating compressive power and strength, and a viper may symbolize cunning and meanness.
It belongs to the category of amphibians and feels equally at home in water and on land. She is subject to both the emotional and sensory world and the material and objective world. IN different fairy tales we see different images of frogs. in the fairy tale “The Frog Traveler,” curiosity, the desire for change, boasting and pomposity come to the fore; in the fairy tale “The Frog Princess” - nobility hidden behind the apparent external ugliness.
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When interpreting the image of a bear, one should take into account its dual nature. On the one hand, the bear is considered a clumsy, clumsy, heavy creature, on the other hand, the bear is unusually dexterous and fast. The bear represents cruelty, rudeness, evil force, and at the same time its image is associated with good nature and protection. In the fairy tale "Mowgli" the bear is a symbol of teacher's wisdom, attention, nobility and protection.
Smart, courageous, fearless, cunning, possesses seductive grace and flexibility, noiselessness, patience, and sometimes ruthlessness. The image of a panther will help balance existing qualities and give strength, firmness, sobriety, determination and courage.
There are many different expressions associated with the image of a fish: to be silent like a fish, to fight like a fish on ice, like a fish in water... each of these expressions describes certain human actions. The image of a fish is often associated with the “emerging” of deep psychic unconscious information. We can also talk about character traits such as coldness and dispassion. Sometimes a fish symbolizes slipperiness, when the person with whom we are communicating deftly moves away from the desired topic, avoids sensitive moments or situations.
Known for its ability to shed its tail in times of danger and grow a new one over time. Therefore, she is considered a symbol of renewal, reincarnation, resourcefulness and vital energy. Perhaps, thanks to Bazhov’s fairy tales, or perhaps for another reason, the habitats of lizards are associated with deposits of precious stones, gold or treasures. And that is why lizards are considered a symbol of wealth, material gain or reward.
Fairy tales play a significant role in a person’s life. This is one of the first things he hears after birth; she also accompanies him in the next stages of growing up. Not only children, but also adults love fairy tales. Their deep philosophical meaning gives you the opportunity to look at ordinary things differently; understand the principles of good and evil; learn to believe in miracles and not forget about your own role.
Moral values are conveyed through characteristic characters, each of which has its own folk prototype.
Hare
Runaway bunny, gray bunny, scythe - as they name the animal in Russian folk tales. He is endowed with a cowardly, but at the same time friendly character. The fairytale hare has cunning, dexterity and resourcefulness. A striking example- the fairy tale “The Fox and the Hare”, where a small animal turns from a cowardly animal into a savvy hero who managed to deceive even the evil wolf and help his friends.
In nature, hares do have cautious habits that help them avoid the teeth of predators. Our ancestors also knew this feature of the animal.
Fox
Cunning, resourceful, smart, insidious, vindictive...What traits are not given to a fox in fairy tales? She deceives animals, seeks profit everywhere, and is not afraid of people. The fox makes friends with the strong, but only for his own benefit.
The image of the animal embodies cunning. People's prototype can be considered dishonest, thieving, but at the same time smart person. The fox is feared, despised and respected at the same time. This is evidenced by the appeal to her in fairy tales as Fox Patrikeevna, Little Fox-Sister.
Wolf
The wolf in Russian fairy tales embodies anger. He preys on weaker animals; doesn't always act cunningly. Other characters take advantage of the wolf's shortsightedness. In the fairy tale “Little Fox and Sister Gray wolf“The formidable predator was deceived by a red-haired cheat, and in “The Three Little Pigs”
He was tricked by harmless pigs.
Our ancestors also associated the wolf with death. Indeed, in nature, this predator is considered a kind of forest orderly who hunts weak and sick animals. And the human prototype of a wolf can be considered one who is too angry, greedy and vindictive.
Bear
The fairytale bear is the owner of the forest. He is strong, rude, clumsy and not entirely smart. It is believed that the common people wanted to show the landowners in the image of a bear. Therefore, in fairy tales, this animal is often deceived by weaker animals with which ordinary people are associated.
At the same time, in fairy tales you can find another image of a bear: kind, calm, honest and freedom-loving. It is enough to remember how the bear helped the lost girl Masha in the work of the same name.
Man (peasant)
The image of a man in fairy tales has different meaning. In some works, he appears as the personification of the working people: he is somewhat simple-minded, works all the time, does not put up with the injustice of rich employers. On the other hand, traits such as wisdom and cunning were embodied in the man. He is hardworking, not rich, but much more cunning and resourceful than the landowners and generals.
Baba Yaga
A hut on chicken legs, a black cat, a mortar and a broom are the main attributes of any fairytale Baba Yaga. This old woman is both evil (what are her threats worth) and kind (helps in difficult situations). She is wise, strong-willed, purposeful. She can be an advisor, or she can be a threat.
The image of Baba Yaga in Russian fairy tales is one of the most controversial and controversial. She personifies matriarchal traits. Among our ancestors, Baba Yaga was closely connected with the clan.
Koschei the Deathless
In fairy tales, his image can be seen in three forms: a sorcerer with special powers, a king underworld and an old man who may be the husband of the Snake or a friend of Baba Yaga. Possesses unusual abilities: turns heroes into animals and birds. You can defeat him only through certain rituals (using a magic horse, a club, burning). Despite his name, he is not at all immortal, because his death is at the tip of a needle (or, as an option, in an egg), which are securely hidden.
The folk prototype of Koshchei is a powerful, evil, cunning and vile person endowed with magical properties.
Ivan the Fool
Despite the ambiguous name, Ivan is not at all the personification of stupidity, even if he is called a fool in the work. In fairy tales, he is the youngest of the sons, who often does nothing, is lazy, but achieves a lot in life, thanks to cunning and luck. This positive hero, embodying the characteristics of something people would like to have. Some kind of dream, where without special effort, by chance, everything works out: to become rich and to marry a princess. Our ancestors, in the image of Ivan the Fool, wanted to show a successful person.
Ivan Tsarevich
Unlike Ivan the Fool, who gets everything simply and effortlessly, Ivan Tsarevich, in order to achieve his goal, must overcome many obstacles, showing his strength, intelligence and skills. He becomes a prince not only by the fact of birth, which he is not even aware of, but by merit. Like Ivan the Fool, he is most often the youngest of the brothers, only of royal blood.
Kikimora
Kikimora in fairy tales can appear in the form of an ugly creature of indeterminate age (this is a girl, an old woman, and even a man). Is the personification of evil spirits. She tries to hide from people, but lives near residential buildings or in a swamp. Her job is to cause mischief and frighten.
The mythological meaning of kikimora among our ancestors is a person who died in an unrighteous way. Therefore, his soul finds no peace.
Water
The merman is the master of water. This is half old man, half fish. Lives near mills, in pools and wormwood. Scares people and drags them to the bottom; breaks mills and drowns cattle. But a merman can be deceived and defeated by cunning.
Characters invented in Russia are symbols of the childhood of each of us, while in different countries of the world they are perceived completely differently. For example, if in Russian mythology Baba Yaga is an evil spirit, then among the Scandinavians a similar character is the goddess of the kingdom of the dead, Hel.
Female images: “my light, mirror, tell me...”
Vasilisa the Wise, Elena the Beautiful, Marya the Mistress, the Frog Princess, the Snow Maiden, Alyonushka - female images that possessed not only stunning female logic, but also kindness, wisdom, beauty, and sincerity. The most striking of them are:
1 A fragile little girl, Santa Claus's assistant - a favorite New Year's guest, a role model for naughty children. Since the mid-19th century, the image of a little granddaughter has been replaced by a young beauty, with the obligatory kokoshnik or fur hat, the preferred clothing of Russian women.
No country in the world can boast of the same magical and romantic biography as the Russian Snow Maiden. In Italy, this is the fairy Befana, an old woman with a hooked nose who flies to children on a broom, giving gifts. A kind of “Santa Claus” in a skirt. The Mongols call their Snow Maiden Zazan Okhin, the girl Snow. The heroine traditionally asks riddles and gives gifts only after hearing the answer. In the USA, Santa has only reindeer as his assistants, but there is no Snow Maiden.
It is curious that if you try to translate the word Snow Maiden into English using the Google Translator service, the result will always be different. Yesterday Snegurochka was translated as “Snow - boy” (literally - snow boy). Today, Snegurochka in the service database is translated as Snow-maiden (Made from snow).
2 Masha, the Bear's restless companion, a naughty character in the record-breaking 3D cartoon.
The green-eyed fidget is fluent in hand-to-hand combat techniques, loves to be capricious and mischievous, and asks questions that are difficult to answer. The prototype of the animated series was the folklore heroine of a Russian folk tale. Director O. Kuznetsov borrowed character traits from the hero of O. Henry’s story “The Leader of the Redskins.” The team behind the series does not adapt native Russian characters for broadcast in different countries.
3 Baba Yaga- a witch, a heroine of Slavic mythology, endowed with magical powers. Negative character lures good fellows to his hut on chicken legs, without fail he gives the heroes a fairy-tale horse and a magical navigator of those times - a ball of thread. The Russian witch is not always friendly, but if you have the gift of eloquence, she can help.
4 Firebird, a fabulous bird that heals the sick and restores sight to the blind, is the sister of the Western European bird Phoenix, which knew how to resurrect from the ashes. The father of the two fiery heroines was most likely Peacock.
Each heroine is an individual, embodying good or evil, her actions and actions are directly related to her character and mission.
Male images: “there are still no shortage of heroes on the Russian land!”
No less colorful is the top positive male images, clearly conveying the spirit of the Russian man. The main images are always antagonistic: in contrast to the beautiful, there is always something bad. Without which male characters are Russian fairy tales unthinkable?
1 Father Frost.
In the Russian version - Morozko, Studenets, the mighty lord of the winter blizzard. The character adored by children rides three horses, binds ponds and rivers with the sound of a staff, and sweeps away cities and villages with his cold breath. On New Year's Day, together with the Snow Maiden, he gives gifts. During the Soviet era, Grandfather was dressed in a red fur coat, the color of the country’s flag. The image of the popular Grandfather, who “wanders through forests and meadows” is played out differently in different countries: Santa Claus, Joulupuki, Jouluvana.
This is interesting:
According to the most conservative estimates of scientists, Santa Claus is already more than 2000 years old. For two thousand years, Santa Claus has appeared in different images. First - in the form pagan god Zimnik: an old man of short stature, with white hair and a long gray beard, with his head uncovered, in warm white clothes and with an iron mace in his hands. And in the fourth century, Santa Claus was reminded of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, who lived in Asia Minor in the city of Patara.
Grandfather began coming to the house with gifts with the beginning of the New Year celebration in Rus'. Previously, he gave gifts to the obedient and smart, and beat the mischievous ones with a stick. But the years have made Santa Claus more compassionate: he replaced the stick with a magic staff.
By the way, Father Frost first appeared on the pages of books in 1840, when Vladimir Odoevsky’s “Children’s Tales of Grandfather Irenaeus” was published. In the book, the name and patronymic of the winter magician became known - Moroz Ivanovich.
In the twentieth century, Santa Claus almost disappeared. After the revolution, it was considered that celebrating Christmas was harmful for the people, because it was a real “priestly” holiday. However, in 1935, the disgrace was finally lifted, and soon Father Frost and the Snow Maiden appeared together for the first time at the Christmas tree celebration in the Moscow House of Unions.
2 Three heroes. Strong, brave, cheerful heroes have long become a symbol of Russia, thanks to a series of full-length adventures by Alyosha Popovich, Dobrynya Nikitich and Ilya Muromets. In fact, the brave fellows never met in life; according to epics, they even lived in different centuries.
This is interesting:
In 2015, the 6th part of the saga, “Three Heroes: Knight's Move,” released on screens, collected 962,961,596 rubles. Almost 1 billion rubles! Thus, the film became the highest-grossing animated film of the year. Although it all started modestly: the box office of the first part - “Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin the Serpent” (2004) - amounted to 48,376,440 rubles. Then the fees grew steadily.
3 Ivan the Fool(third son) is a character who embodies a special “magic strategy”: the hero acts contrary to common sense and always succeeds! The fool excels at solving riddles and wins evil spirits and valiantly saves the main character.
Pinocchio, Crocodile Gena, Doctor Aibolit, Barmaley, Winnie the Pooh, Leopold the Cat and Matroskin the Cat are also among the most popular and beloved heroes of Russian cinema, who rightfully occupy high positions in the ranking of fairy-tale characters.
Evil spirits: guardians of forests, swamps and houses
The largest Russian group folk epic make up mythical creatures. Vodyanoy, Kikimora, Leshy, mermaids, Brownie, Baba Yaga - magical images that appeared along with the inexplicable forces of nature. In their actions and character, these are more negative characters, but at the same time, they are charming and charismatic in modern films and cartoons, these include:
1 Koschei the Deathless. A character with supernatural powers. According to legends, he is a treacherous old man who kills domestic animals. The sorcerer often kidnaps the protagonist's fiancee in the hope of "mutual love."
This is interesting:
In Soviet cinema, Koshei was brilliantly played by actor Georgy Millyar. Basically, he played all sorts of evil spirits and he had to apply complex makeup. But for the role of Koshchei the Immortal, makeup was practically not needed, since the actor himself resembled a living skeleton (after contracting malaria, the actor’s weight was only 45 kg).
Koschey the Immortal - Georgy Millyar - Article
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Russian folk tales with their amazing heroes familiar to us all from an early age.
Russian folk tales are the most beloved and popular genre of Russian folklore and introduce readers to the history and culture of their ancestors. Russian folk tales- this is a treasure trove folk wisdom. In their entertaining, exciting form, they contain deep instructive meaning. Thanks to Russian folk tale, children discover the world around them, get acquainted with the concepts of honor and conscience, and learn goodness and justice from the example of relationships between fairy-tale characters.
Russian nationalFairy tales can be divided into three types: magical, about animals, and everyday, satirical. All of them came to us from those distant times when everyone natural phenomena and things were given a magical, sacred explanation. Therefore, many mythological heroes, such as Vodyanoy, Kikimora Bolotnaya, Leshy, mermaids and brownies, are associated with the elemental forces of nature and pagan beliefs.
Main hero in Russian folk fairy tale usually combined noble human qualities: such as courage, honesty, fearlessness, mercy and integrity. Ivan Tsarevich, heroes, peasant son Ivan is a fool, Emelya, they all went through trials and tribulations, and in the end Russian folkfairy tales evil forces were victorious. Often, the positive hero was accompanied by assistants, a gray wolf, symbolizing intelligence and cunning, or a horse, personifying devotion and fidelity.
Women's images that meet in fairy tales, They also had kindness, a bright mind, wisdom and tenderness. Vasilisa the Wise, Elena the Beautiful, Marya the Princess, and the Snow Maiden were endowed not only with a very beautiful appearance, but also with a pure soul.
Positive heroesRussian folk tales, usually opposed dark forces, mysterious and insidious characters. Baba Yaga, Koschey the Immortal, Serpent Gorynych, Nightingale the Robber are the most popular fairy-tale villains who brought harm to people, knew how to cast magic and expressed the people’s idea of cruelty and greed.
Heroes of Russian folk tales Often there were animals and birds that lived and acted like people. In each fairy tale story with animals, human types are allegorically described, with their different characters and vices. These fairy-tale characters are numerous - a bear, a wolf, a hare, a goat, a rooster, a chicken, a cat, a pig, a crane and a heron, and, of course, the cunning fox, which was found in Russian fairy tales more often than everyone else.
Russian folk tales They are so unique in their poetry and content, they so vividly convey the spirit of the Russian people, that interest in them does not decrease over time. Although more modern language, fairy tales continue to be told in families and are filmed by animators, making children and adults laugh and empathize with their heroes.
Ivan the Fool
Ivan the Fool, or Ivanushka the Fool - one of the main characters Russian folk tales. According to some versions, a name with the epithet fool is a talismanic name that prevents the evil eye. It embodies a special fairy-tale strategy, based not on the standard postulates of practical reason, but based on the search for one’s own solutions, often contrary to common sense, but ultimately bringing success.
According to other versions, “fool” is his property status. Since he is the third son, he is not entitled to a share in the inheritance (he remains a fool). As a rule, it social status low - a peasant's son or the son of an old man and an old woman. He was often the third in the family, youngest son. Not married.
With the help of magical means and especially thanks to his “lack of intelligence,” Ivan the Fool successfully passes all tests and achieves the highest values: he defeats the enemy, marries the Tsar’s daughter, receives both wealth and fame... Perhaps Ivan the Fool achieves all this thanks to this , that he embodies the first (according to J. Dumézil) magico-legal function, associated not so much with deeds as with words, with priestly duties.
Ivan the Fool is the only one of the brothers who speaks in the fairy tale. Ivan the Fool makes and guesses riddles, that is, he does what a priest does in many traditions during a ritual dedicated to the main annual holiday.
Emelya
Emelya is a character in the Russian folk tale “Po pike command" Emelya is not allowed to take part in serious matters of the family. He is extremely lazy: his daughters-in-law have to beg him for a long time to do anything, even 
simple work. The only thing that can motivate him to action is the promise of gifts, which he is greedy for. This is a hidden, at first glance, unnoticeable irony; the name Emelyan, according to one version, translated from Latin means “hardworking.” However, this seemingly unattractive character has qualities that make him a real hero: he is dexterous and lucky, he managed to catch a magic pike in an ice hole with his bare hands and receive magical power from it (the pike becomes the “magic assistant” of the village fool).
At first, Emelya uses the acquired gift for everyday purposes - she makes buckets go for water, an ax - to chop wood, a club - to beat her enemies. In addition, he travels on a self-propelled sleigh without a horse, and subsequently controls the stove (since he does not want to leave his favorite couch). Riding on the stove is one of the brightest episodes of the fairy tale. It's interesting that when managing your vehicles, Emelya mercilessly crushes people (“Why did they climb under the sleigh?”). Among folklorists, there is an opinion that this detail indicates the royal nature of Emelya, who for the time being remains “ dark horse", and subsequently reveals his heroic, extraordinary essence.
Baba Yaga
Baba Yaga is a character in Slavic mythology and folklore (especially fairy tales) Slavic peoples, an old sorceress endowed with magical powers, a witch, a werewolf. In its properties it is closest to a witch. Most often - a negative character.
Baba Yaga has several stable attributes: she can cast magic, fly in a mortar, lives in the forest, in a hut on chicken legs, surrounded by a fence of human bones with skulls. Baba Yaga has the ability to shrink in size - this is how she moves in the mortar. She lures good fellows and small children to her and roasts them in the oven. She pursues her victims in a mortar, chasing them with a pestle and covering the trail with a broom (broom). There are three types of Baba Yaga: the giver (she gives the hero a fairy-tale horse or a magical object); child abductor; Baba Yaga is a warrior, fighting with whom “to the death”, the hero of the fairy tale moves to a different level of maturity.
Koschey (Kashchei)
Koschey is associated with the element of water: water gives Koschey supernatural strength. After drinking three buckets of water brought to him by Ivan Tsarevich, Koschey breaks 12 chains and is freed from Marya Morevna’s dungeon.
Koshchei the Immortal was represented as a skeleton, crowned with a crown, with a sword, sitting on a skeletal horse, and Koshchei was called Kostey the Soulless. He, according to legend, sowed quarrels and anger, and his horse personified the death of all livestock. She spread a variety of diseases that killed domestic animals.
In text Russian folk tales Koshchei’s enemy is Baba Yaga, who gives the main character information on how to kill him, but sometimes they are at the same time. Koshchei has many enemies, but few of them survived their meeting with him.
The word “koschey” in the 12th century meant a slave, a captive.
Dragon
Serpent Gorynych is a multi-headed fire-breathing dragon, a representative of the evil principle in Russian folk tales and epics.
The many-headed nature of a snake is its indispensable feature. In different fairy tales, the number of heads of the snake varies: there are 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12. Most often, the snake appears as three-headed. In most cases, the kite has the ability to fly, but, as a rule, nothing is said about its wings. The body of a snake is not described in fairy tales, but in popular prints depicting a snake, the favorite details are a long arrow-shaped tail and clawed paws. One more important feature the snake is its fiery nature, but how exactly the fire erupts is not described in fairy tales. The snake carries fire within itself and spews it out when attacked. In addition to the fire element, the snake is also associated with the water element, and these two elements do not exclude each other. In some fairy tales, he lives in the water, sleeping on a stone in the sea. At the same time, the snake is also the Serpent Gorynych and lives in the mountains. However, such a location does not prevent him from being a sea monster. In some fairy tales, he lives in the mountains, but when the hero approaches him, he comes out of the water.
Firebird
The Firebird is a fairy-tale bird, a character in Russian fairy tales, usually the goal of searching for the hero of a fairy tale. The feathers of the firebird have the ability to shine and their brilliance amazes human vision. The Firebird is a fiery bird, its feathers shine with silver and gold, its wings are like tongues of flame, and its eyes glow like crystal. It reaches the size of a peacock.
The Firebird lives in the Garden of Eden of Iria, in a golden cage. At night it flies out of it and illuminates the garden with itself as brightly as thousands of lit lights: heat is a bird as the personification of fire, light, sun. She eats golden apples, which give youth, beauty and immortality; When she sings, pearls fall from her beak.
The singing of the firebird heals the sick and restores sight to the blind. Leaving aside arbitrary mythological explanations, we can compare the firebird with medieval ones, very popular both in Russian and in Western European literature stories about the Phoenix bird rising from the ashes. The prototype of the Firebird is the peacock. Rejuvenating apples, in turn, can be compared with the fruits of the pomegranate tree, a favorite delicacy of Phoenixes.
Every year, in the fall, the Firebird dies and is reborn in the spring. Sometimes you can find a fallen feather from the Firebird's tail, brought into dark room, it will replace the richest lighting. Over time, such a feather turns into gold. To catch, Firebirds use a golden cage with apples inside as a trap. You cannot catch it with your bare hands, as you can get burned on its plumage.
Father Frost
Grandfather Frost (Dedko Morozko) is a character in Russian legends, in Slavic mythology he is a personification winter frosts, a blacksmith who binds water; in modern times - the main fairy-tale character at the New Year holiday, a local version of the Christmas gift-giver.
Moroz (Morozko, Treskun, Studenets) - Slavic mythological character, lord of the winter cold. The ancient Slavs imagined him in the form of a short old man with a long gray beard. His breath is a strong cold. His tears are icicles. Frost - frozen words. Hair is snow clouds. Frost's wife is Winter herself. In winter, Frost runs through fields, forests, streets and knocks with his staff. From this knock, the bitter frost freezes rivers, streams, and puddles with ice.
Often depicted in a blue or red fur coat with a long white beard and a staff in his hand, wearing felt boots. Rides three horses. Inseparable from his granddaughter, Snegurochka.
Initially, he had only blue (mostly) and white fur coats in his wardrobe, but in the middle of the 20th century he changed into a red fur coat. Changing the color of the suit played two roles: on the one hand, red was the national color of the USSR, on the other, red echoed the color of Santa Claus’s fur coat, which was popular in Europe.
Snow Maiden
The Snow Maiden is a New Year's character from Russian legends, the granddaughter of Father Frost. However, among the Slavs, Snegurochka was considered the daughter of Frost and Spring.
The image of the Snow Maiden is unique to Russian culture. There are no female characters in the New Year and Christmas mythology of other peoples of the world. In Russian folklore, she appears as a character in a folk tale about a girl made of snow who came to life.
The most popular Russian fairy-tale hero is Ivanushka the Fool, however, this image does not always personify exclusively positive traits. In the fairy tale “Ivan the Peasant Son and the Miracle Yudo,” the image of the Russian Ivan is presented most beautifully and unambiguously. A hard-working hero fights with a sword and bare hands, with cunning and ingenuity, against the monsters that have infested the Russian land. He is kind and handsome, brave and courageous, strong and smart, undoubtedly, this is the most positive image Russian fairy tale.Another Ivan in “The Tale of Vasilisa the Golden Braid” also saves all the people and his own from the terrible snake that captivated the beauties and him sister. Ivan Gorokh is a strong and formidable hero, ready to deal with any evil, to protect native land and defend my sister's honor. But in the fairy tale “Ivan Tsarevich and the Gray Wolf” there is more positive character a wolf appears, Ivan Tsarevich was only lucky to meet such a faithful and devoted friend. The same trend can be observed in the fairy tales “The Little Humpbacked Horse”, “At the Order of the Pike” and many others.
Russian people for the most part believed that “the grave will correct the hunchbacked one,” therefore, Russian fairy tales are not characterized by the transformation of the hero from negative character in positive.
The most positive female characters in Russian fairy tales are Vasilisa the Beautiful and the Wise. A Russian beauty is primarily distinguished by her intelligence and kindness; she helps her chosen one to defeat evil with cunning and ingenuity, get a magic object or guide him to the wise. Oddly enough, in some fairy tales even Baba Yaga can be positive, providing the traveler with parting words, ancient knowledge and providing material assistance in the form of magical objects: a scarf, a comb, a ball of thread or a mirror.
Positive heroes of foreign fairy tales
The heroes of European fairy tales are radically different from Russians; they are physically weak, intelligence and cunning are not glorified in them as in folklore. Such qualities as kindness, humility, and hard work come first. Snow White and Cinderella are downtrodden beauties, born for love and luxury, but, by will evil people, they are required to play the role of maids. They do not make any effort to change their fate, they are submissive to it and are freed from shackles only by chance. Moreover, the main idea of such fairy tales is the idea that for the triumph of justice, only virtue and hard work are necessary, and God or good fairies The heroine will be generously rewarded for all her hardships.Pinocchio is a fairy tale by an Italian writer about the transformation of a stupid, naughty and, at times, cruel wooden doll into a kind and caring boy. Pinocchio or Pinocchio are one of the most positive children's characters.
Warrior heroes in foreign fairy tales are presented quite rarely; Cipollino is considered one of the few such characters, although this is in to a greater extent the image of a revolutionary fighting dictators against the bourgeoisie and slavery. Another positive hero stands apart - the medieval revolutionary Robin Hood. Collective image the noble robber-warrior is romanticized and spiritualized. He fights evil in the form of cruel feudal lords, lawlessness and injustice.
Eastern fairy tales are closer in their ideas to Russian ones, for example, Aladdin is an analogue of Ivan the Fool or Emelya. Eastern characters, like Russians, are often helped by cunning, dexterity and resourcefulness; the most popular hero is the “Baghdad thief,” a criminal who managed to fool dozens of moneybags and was never caught. In almost every Arabian tale there is also a guiding hand - as in the Russian tradition, this is a woman. The smart and cunning wife of Ali Baba, Sakine, Scheherazade, like Vasilisa in Russian fairy tales, personify such intelligence and ingenuity that is inherent only in women.