As in many other countries Russian Folklor also has principle details. We tell our fairy tales to our children and from one generation to another carefully preserve most interesting and important things.

 

Try Devyatoe Tsarstvo (Three Ninth kingdom) is a magic wonderland where starts most of Russian folklore fairy tales. The story usualy starts with following words «V nyekotorom tsarstve, Try Dyevyatom Gosudarstve..» what means «in some kingdom the Three Ninth Kingdom» and is similar to «Once upon a time»

3x9 Kingdom means for us somewhere very very far. In ancient times Russians counted by multiplying everything on three. When territories were separated 3 multiply on nine kingdoms without planes and trains seemed pretty far.

 

Main heroes. As usual main heroes were sons of the Tsar (king), bogatyry (knights) or simple peasants. Often king had three sons and success follows the youngest one, sometimes a little simple or stupid but very smart and kind. In some stories like in famous story Alenky Tsvetotchek, (The Scarlet Flower – folk tale and Russian Version of Beauty and the Beast written by famous Russian writer Sergey Aksakov) once upon the time one wealthy merchant had three daughters.

Sometimes main character is Russian strong knight which is called bogatyr’. Bogatiry were mentioned in Russian Bylinas – national oral epic poem. Strength, braveness, endurance, kindness are their main features. Most famous bogatiry are Ilya Muromets, Alyosha Popovitch and Dobrinya Nikititch. In Russian stories main characters also may have friends among animals. Speaking wolfs, dogs, birds, cats and horses are among them.

 

Main enemies

Baba Yaga,

Koschey Bessmertny,

Solovey Razboinik (Nightingale the Robber or Solovey the Brigand) famous robber half a man, half a bird, who lived in the forests on a road from Moscow to Kiev and was defeated by Russian bogatyr’ Ilya Muromets.

Zmey Gorinitch (dragon with several heads, killed by Russian Bogatir’ Dobrinya Nikititch) wicked stepmothers and some others.

Sometimes Leshy – spirit of the forest and Vodyanoy – spirit of water who are very fond of abducting children and some others.

 

Special magic items

Magic threads ball – helps to find the way and sometime only once

Skatert' Samobranka – in English – cloth which prepares food itself for its owners

Kovyor Samolyot - magic flying carpet – also exists in Russian fairy tales. For example helps to get inside the Koschey kingdom.

Sapogi Skorohody - in English - seven-league boots. This item helps to move very fast.

Shapka Nevydymka - cap of invisibility – in Russian tales helps to kill the dragon or to still the egg that contains silver needle – the only one tool if to break it the evil Koschey may be killed.