A Common World Literature Mistake You Are Probably Making Now With Russian Fairy Tales Part 1

are tales that relate Russian life to popular tales. They are stories about courtship, death, burial and wailings for the dead, warnings against drink, jokes about women, and tales of simpletons.

Principal Incarnations of Evil

On the “Mythical Skazkas”–Male embodiments of Evil: 1. The Snake as the Stealer of Daylight; 2. Norka the Beast, Lord of the Lower World; 3. Koshchei the Deathless, The Stealer of Fair
Princesses–his connexion with Punchkin and “the Giant who had no Heart in his Body”–Excursus on Bluebeard’s Chamber; 4. The Water King or Subaqueous Demon–Female Embodiments of Evil: 1. The Baba Yaga or Hag, and 2. The Witch, feminine counterparts of the
Snake.

Magic and Witchcraft

The Waters of Life and Death, and of Strength and Weakness–Aid given to Children by Dead Parents–Magic Horses, Fish, etc.–Stories about Brides won by a Leap, etc.–Stories about Wizards and Witches–The Headless Princess–Midnight Watchings over Corpses–The Fire Bird, its connexion with the Golden Bird and the Phoenix.

Ghost Stories

Slavonic Ideas about the Dead–On Heaven and Hell–On the Jack and the Beanstalk Story–Harmless Ghosts–The Rip van Winkle Story–the attachment of Ghosts to their Shrouds and Coffin-Lids–Murderous Ghosts–Stories about Vampires–on the name Vampire, and the belief in Vampirism.

Legends

1. Saints

Legends connected with the Dog, the Izba, the Creation of Man, the Rye, the Snake, Ox, Sole, etc.; with Birds, the Peewit, Sparrow, Swallow, etc.–Legends about SS. Nicholas, Andrew, George, Kasian, etc.

2. Demons

Part played by Demons in the Skazkas–On “Hasty Words,” and Parental Curses; their power to subject persons to demoniacal possession–The dulness of Demons; Stories about Tricks played
upon them–Their Gratitude to those who treat them with Kindness and their General Behavior–Various Legends about Devils–Moral Tale of the Gossip’s Bedstead.