Heroes and Their Enemies in Russian Mythology

This fairy tale book invites you to get acquainted with the soul of Russian myth – the eternal struggle between light and darkness, good and evil, waged by heroes and their enemies in Slavic legends, Russian folk tales, epic poems, and historical songs. It will rediscover familiar plots from childhood about the confrontation between Ivan Tsarevich and Koschei the Deathless, Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber, the dashing gusli player Sadko and the Sea Tsar.

The stories of the boastful hero Stavr Godinovich and the bandit Ushkuynik Vasily Buslaev will show why the struggle against evil is not always linear and unequivocal, as we thought in childhood, for the hero's enemy can be… himself. 

You will learn about the origins and hidden meanings of myths, tales, epic songs, and other folklore plots, delve into fairy tale archetypes according to Vladimir Propp, and encounter the true soul of Russian culture – from the ancient gods of pagan Rus to holy warriors and protectors, from Perun and Veles to Peter I and Ermak.