Aspen. Always associated with magic. Its trembling leaves give it a weird appearance. BÁba YagÁ. Russian witch, also YagÁ-BÚra. BÁbushka. The grandmother. BÁrkhat. This word also means velvet. BÁtyushka. Father in a general sense, meaning anybody older. OtÉts is father, meaning the relationship of father and son. Birds’ milk. The Russian folk-tale expression for asking for the moon. BoyÁrs. This may be translated earls, but in the Russian social scale it only meant the bigger men, the seigneurs. BoyÁrynyi. Countesses, feminine plural of boyÁr. ChÚdo-YÚda. The Old Man of the Sea. This is a very clear loan from the Homeric Proteus. DyÁdka. Uncle. A term of respect. EgÓrushko ZalyÓt. Means George the Bold Flier. FatÁ. A long silken glove. GÚsli. A musical instrument, something like a zither with seven strings. IvÁshko ZapÉchnik. IvÁn, who is always sitting behind the stove. IvÁshechko. A diminutive form of IvÁn. IvÁshko. A diminutive form of IvÁn. IzbÁ. Hut. KaftÁn. A peasant’s overcoat, made very long. KhvalÝnsk. The old name of the Caspian. Vide VazÚza and VÓlga. KorolÉvna. King’s wife. KsÁlavy. Mythical birds, the meaning of which is entirely unknown. MikhÁilo IvÁnovich. The popular name for the bear. MÍsha KosolÁpy. DmÍtri, the Bandy-legged. MorÉvna. Of the sea. NikÍta. From the Greek ????t??, conquer. Pope. Village priest. Pud. A Russian weight. Thirty-six pounds avoirdupois. SarafÁn. A short sleeveless jacket, generally embroidered, worn over the bodice or the blouse. SazhÉn. A length of seven feet. SebÉzh. A city in the VÍtebsk province, bordering on Poland. The Poles and the Mussulmen are all called infidels, Saracens or Busormany. ShÚba. A fur mantle. StÁrosta. Mayor of a town. TelÉga. A peasant’s cart without springs. TsarÉvich. Tsar’s son. TyÁtya. Daddy. TzarÉvna. Tsar’s wife. Ukaz. Imperial edict. VÁnya. A diminutive form of IvÁn. VertodÚb. The oak-turner, a gigantic figure. VertogÓr. The mountain-turner; a gigantic figure. VÓron VÓronovich. Crow Crowson. ZamorÝshek. This name is freely translated Benjamin, the last-born son of an old man. 1. 2. Hut. 3. The Mayor. 4. Hut. 5. Hut. 6. Ten kopeks. 7. Fur mantle. 8. Grandmother. 9. Another variant, “the Fearsome Swan.” 10. Little Father. 11. Hut. 12. This is a simple instance of the prÍskazka or preface to a story. 13. A sazhÉn is seven feet. 14. Benjamin. 15. Father. 16. The Devil in this story is the popular myth of the water-god or spirit, The VodyanÓy. 17. Countesses. 18. Village priest. 19. Death is feminine in Russian. 20. IlyÁ MÚromets is one of the heroes of the Byliny: his great feat is the slaying of the Nightingale Robber. This tale may be eponymous of geography; SvyatogÓr (SvyÁty GÓry, Sacred Mountains) MÚrom is on the river Oka, in the Province of VladÍmir, one of the oldest cities in Russia; the village of KarachÁrovo is not far off. 21. Affectionate term for old servant, equivalent to uncle. 22. The word means velvet. 23. Hut. 24. Cf. Dante, Inf. Fitti nel limo dicon; ‘Tristi fummo. Nel dolce mondo che dal sol s’allegra.... Or c’attristiam’ nella belletta negra. 25. This is a prose version of a bylÍna: AlyÓsha PopÓvich is one of the KÍev cycle. 26. The strong man, the Serpent’s son. 27. Hut. 28. KorÓl’ king: hence princess. 29. I have taken this story as it stands. There are obvious gaps I have not ventured to fill up. 30. A mythical city, very probably derived from T??e. 31. Earls. 32. Diminutive of IvÁn; so too VÁnya. 33. Hut. 34. A bold flier. 35. Bandy-legged. 36. Sitting behind the stove. 37. Ídolishche, i.e. Big idol. 38. Te?f????. 39. An equivalent to the BÁba YagÁ. 40. Father. 41. Hut. 42. Hut. 43. Hut. 44. Hut. 45. A mock patronymic for the Bull. 46. Hut. 48. A great forest in Central Russia, once impenetrable and always legendary. 49. Grandmother. 50. Father. 51. Father. 52. Hut. 53. Hut. 54. Hut. 55. Shovels are used to insert loaves and pots deep into the oven. 56. “n” and “k” to be sounded distinct as in pin-case. 57. Uncle: term of affection. 58. Princesses. 59. Earls. 60. Hut. PRINTED BY WM. BRENDON AND SON, LTD. PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
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