Footnotes:

[424] Afanasief, Legendui, p. 6.

[425] These two stories are quoted by Buslaef, in a valuable essay on “The Russian Popular Epos.” “Ist. Och.” i. 438. Another tradition states that the dog was originally “naked,” i.e., without hair; but the devil, in order to seduce it from its loyalty, gave it a shuba, or pelisse, i.e., a coat of hair.

[426] Buslaef, “Ist. Och,” i. 147, where the Teutonic equivalents are given.

[427] Tereshchenko, v. 48. For a German version of the story, see the KM., No. 124, “Die Kornähre.”

[428] Afanasief, P.V.S. i. 482.

[429] Afanasief, Legendui, p. 19.

[430] Tereshchenko, v. p. 45. Some of these legends have been translated by O. von. Reinsberg-Düringsfeld in the “Ausland,” Dec. 9, 1872.

[431] According to a Bohemian legend the Devil created the mouse, that it might destroy “God’s corn,” whereupon the Lord created the cat.

[432] Pit’, = to drink.

[433] Tereshchenko, v. 47.

[434] Afanasief, Legendui, p. 13.

[435] Afanasief, Legendui, No. 3. From the Voroneje Government.

[436] Afanasief, Legendui, No. 8.

[437] Who thus becomes his “brother of the cross.” This cross-brothership is considered a close spiritual affinity.

[438] Afanasief, in his notes to this story, gives several of its variants. The rewards and punishments awarded in a future life form the theme of a great number of moral parables, apparently of Oriental extraction. For an interesting parallel from the Neilgherry Hills, see Gover’s “Folk-Songs of Southern India,” pp. 81-7.

[439] Afanasief, Legendui, No. 7.

[440] The icona, ἐικών or holy picture.

[441] For some account of Perun—the Lithuanian Perkunas—whose name and attributes appear to be closely connected with those of the Indian Parjanya, see the “Songs of the Russian Nation,” pp. 86-102.

[442] A Servian song, for instance, quoted by Buslaef (“Ist. Och.” i. 361) states that “The Thunder” (i.e., the Thunder-God or Perun) “began to divide gifts. To God (Bogu) it gave the heavenly heights; to St. Peter the summer” (Petrovskie so called after the Saint) “heats; to St. John, the ice and snow; to Nicholas, power over the waters, and to Ilya the lightning and the thunderbolt.”

[443] Afanasief, Legendui, pp. 137-40, P.V.S., i. 469-83. Cf. Grimm’s “Deutsche Mythologie,” pp. 157-59.

[444] Afanasief, Legendui, No. 10. From the Yaroslaf Government.

[445] Il’inskomu bat’kye—to the Elijah father.

[446] Strictly speaking, a chetverìk = 5.775 gallons.

[447] Afanasief, P.V.S., iii. 455.

[448] Called Lisun, Lisovik, Polisun, &c. He answers to the Lyeshy or wood-demon (lyes = a forest) mentioned above, p. 212.

[449] Afanasief, P.V.S. i. 711.

[450] Afanasief, Legendui, No. 12.

[451] Quoted by Buslaef, “Ist. Och.” i. 389. Troyan is also the name of a mythical king who often figures in Slavonic legends.

[452] Afanasief, Legendui, No. 11. From the Orel district.

[453] Afanasief, Legendui, pp. 141-5. With this story may be compared that of “The Cross-Surety.” See above, p. 40.

[454] Afanasief, Legendui, No. 5. From the Archangel Government.

[455] Popovskie, from pop, the vulgar name for a priest, the Greek πάππας.

[456] The prosvirka, or prosfora, is a small loaf, made of fine wheat flour. It is used for the communion service, but before consecration it is freely sold and purchased.

[457] A few lines are here omitted as being superfluous. In the original the second princess is cured exactly as the first had been. The doctors then proceed to a third country, where they find precisely the same position of affairs.

[458] Byely = white. See the “Songs of the Russian People,” p. 103, the “Deutsche Mythologie,” p. 203.

[459] Shchob tebe chorny bog ubif! Afanasief, P.V.S., i. 93, 94.

[460] Afanasief, P.V.S. iii. 314, 315.

[461] Lemboï, perhaps a Samoyed word.

[462] Lemboi te (tebya) voz’mi!

[463] Afanasief, P.V.S. iii. pp. 314, 315.

[464] Prolub’ (for prorub’), a hole cut in the ice, and kept open, for the purpose of getting at the water.

[465] Satana.

[466] The word by which the husband here designates his wife is zakon, which properly signifies (1) law, (2) marriage. Here it stands for “spouse.” Satan replies, “If this be thy zakon, go hence therewith! to sever a zakon is impossible.”

[467] Abridged from Afanasief, P.V.S. iii. 315, 316.

[468] See the notes in Grimm’s KM. Bd. iii. to stories 100 and 101.

[469] Afanasief, v. No. 26.

[470] Afanasief, v. No. 48.

[471] “Entered upon his matured years,” from 17 to 21.

[472] The sleeping-place.

[473] Literally, “to all the four sides.”

[474] Haltrich, No. 27.

[475] Afanasief, v. No. 25.

[476] Khudyakof, No. 114.

[477] Chap. i. p. 46.

[478] Afanasief, vii., No. 14.

[479] Byesenok, diminutive of Byes.

[480] Chort.

[481] Isidore.

[482] Erlenvein, No. 33. From the Tula Government.

[483] Quoted from Borichefsky, by Afanasief, Legendui, p. 182.

[484] Emy na zdorovie! “Good health to him!”

[485] Afanasief, v. No. 43.

[486] Afanasief, Legendui, No. 27. From the Saratof Government. This story is merely one of the numerous Slavonic variants of a tale familiar to many lands.