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Bogatyrs are the epic defenders of the Russian Land, the "superheroes" of the Russian people for many centuries. Let's remember the main ones.
1. Ilya Muromets. Holy hero
Ilya Muromets canonized Russian Orthodox Church, this is the main Russian hero. Ilya Muromets is the main character not only of Russian epics, but also, for example, German epic poems of the 13th century. They also call him Ilya, he is also a hero, yearning for his homeland. Ilya Muromets is also found in the Scandinavian sagas, in them he, no less, is the blood brother of Prince Vladimir.
2. Bova Korolevich. Popular hero
Bova Korolevich for a long time was the most popular hero among the people. Lubok tales about the "extraordinary hero" came out in hundreds of editions from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Pushkin wrote The Tale of Tsar Saltan, partly borrowing the plot and the names of the heroes of the fairy tales about the Boys Korolevich, which his nanny read to him. Moreover, he even made sketches of the poem "Bova", but death will prevent him from finishing the work. The prototype of this knight was the French knight Bovo de Anton from the famous chronicle poem Reali di Francia, written in the 14th century. In this regard, Bova is completely unique hero- visitor.
3. Alyosha Popovich. junior
The "youngest of the younger" heroes, and therefore his set of qualities is not so "supermanly". Vice is not even alien to him: cunning, selfishness, self-interest. That is, on the one hand, he is distinguished by courage, but on the other, he is proud, arrogant, quarrelsome, perky and rude.
4. Svyatogorsk Megahero
Megahero. But the hero of the "old world". The giant, the elder hero the size of a mountain, whom even the earth does not hold, lies on the mountain in inactivity. Epics tell about his meeting with earthly cravings and death in a magical grave. Many features of the biblical hero Samson have been transferred to Svyatogora. Difficult to define exactly ancient origin. In the legends of the people, the veteran hero transfers his strength to Ilya Muromets, the hero of the Christian age.
5. Dobrynya Nikitich. Bogatyr with connections
Dobrynya Nikitich is often associated with the chronicle Dobrynya, the uncle of Prince Vladimir (according to another version, a nephew). His name embodies the essence of "heroic kindness." Dobrynya has the nickname "young", with a huge physical strength“He won’t hurt a fly,” he is the defender of “widows and orphans, unfortunate wives.” Dobrynya is also "an artist at heart: a master of singing and playing the harp."
6. Duke Stepanovich. Bogatyr-major
Duke Stepanovich arrives in Kyiv from conditional India, after which, according to folklorists, this case the Galicia-Volyn land is hiding, and arranges a boasting marathon in Kyiv, passes tests from the prince, and continues to brag. As a result, Vladimir learns that Duke is really very rich and offers him citizenship. But Duke refuses, because "if you sell Kyiv and Chernigov and buy papers for an inventory of Dyukov's wealth, then there will not be enough paper."
7. Mikula Selyaninovich. Bogatyr-plowman
Mikula Selyaninovich is a heroic agrarian. It is found in two epics: about Svyatogor and about Volga Svyatoslavich. Mikula is the first representative of agricultural life, a powerful peasant plowman. He is strong and hardy, but a homebody. He puts all his strength into agriculture and family.
8. Volga Svyatoslavovich. Bogatyr mage
Supporters of the "historical school" in the study of epics believe that Prince Vseslav Polotsky was the prototype of the epic Volga. Volga was also correlated with Prophetic Oleg, and his campaign in India - with Oleg's campaign against Constantinople. Volga is a difficult hero, he has the ability to be a werewolf, he knows how to understand the language of animals and birds.
9. Sukhman Odikhmantievich. Insulted hero
According to Vsevolod Miller, the Pskov prince Dovmont, who ruled from 1266 to 1299, was the prototype of the hero. In the bylina of the Kyiv cycle, Sukhman goes to get a white swan for Prince Vladimir, but on the way he comes into battle with the Tatar hordes, who are building viburnum bridges on the Nepre River. Sukhman defeats the Tatars, but in battle he receives wounds that he seals up with leaves. Returning to Kyiv without a white swan, he tells the prince about the battle, but the prince does not believe him and imprisons Sukhman in prison until clarification. Dobrynya goes to the Nepra and learns that Sukhman did not lie. But it's' too late. Sukhman feels shamed, peels off the leaves and bleeds. From his blood begins the river Sukhman.
10. Dunay Ivanovich. tragic hero
According to the epics about the Danube, it was from the blood of the hero that the river of the same name began. The Danube is a tragic hero. He loses to his wife Nastasya in an archery competition, accidentally hits her while trying to win back, finds out that Nastasya was pregnant and stumbles upon a saber.
11. Mikhailo Potyk. Faithful husband
Folklorists disagree on who Mihailo Potyk (or Potok) should be related to. The roots of his image are found in the Bulgarian heroic epic, and in Western European fairy tales, and even in the Mongolian epic "Geser". According to one of the epics, Potok with his wife Avdotya Lebedya Belaya gives a vow that whoever of them dies first, the second is buried next to the grave alive. When Avdotya dies, Potok is buried nearby in full armor and on horseback, about fighting the dragon and reviving his wife with his blood. When he himself dies, Avdotya is buried with him.
12. Hoten Bludovich. Bogatyr-groom
Bogatyr Khoten Bludovich for the sake of a wedding with enviable bride The Tea Sentry first beats nine of her brothers, then a whole army hired by the future mother-in-law. As a result, the hero receives a rich dowry and appears in the epic as a hero "who married well."
13. Vasily Buslaev. Zealous hero
The most daring hero of the Novgorod epic cycle. His unbridled temper leads to a conflict with the Novgorodians and he is desperately rowdy, betting that he will beat all the Novgorod men on the Volkhov bridge and almost fulfills the promise - until his mother stops him. In another epic, he is already mature, goes to Jerusalem to atone for sins. But Buslaev is incorrigible - he again takes up the old and absurdly perishes, proving his youth.
14. Anika warrior. Bogatyr in words
Anika warrior is still called today a person who likes to show off his strength far from danger. Unusual for Russian epic hero, the name of the hero is most likely taken from the Byzantine legend about the hero Digenis, who is mentioned there with the constant epithet anikitos. Anika the warrior in verse boasts of strength and offends the weak, he is shamed for this by death itself, Anika challenges her and dies.
15. Nikita Kozhemyaka. serpent fighter
Nikita Kozhemyaka in Russian fairy tales is one of the main snake fighter characters. Before entering the fight with the Serpent, he breaks 12 skins, thereby proving his legendary strength. Kozhemyaka not only defeats the Serpent, but also harnesses him to a plow and plows the land from Kyiv to the Black Sea. The defensive ramparts near Kyiv got their name (Zmievs) precisely because of the deeds of Nikita Kozhemyaka.
There is probably no such person in Russia who would not have heard of the heroes. Heroes who came to us from ancient Russian songs-tales - epics, have always been popular with writers, artists, and filmmakers. The next round of the heroes' popularity is associated with the release of a series of animated films dedicated to their somewhat modernized adventures.
At the same time, most Russians know only about a very narrow circle of heroes. In fact, the number of heroic epics that have come down to our time is in the hundreds, and the heroes themselves are divided by scientists into several categories. Heroes of the pagan and Christian era, pre-Tatar, Tatar and post-Tatar are distinguished ...
Ilya Muromets and Svyatogor. Painting by Ivan Bilibin. Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
There is large group heroes associated with Kyiv and Prince Vladimir, but there are also those who have nothing to do with the "central government" at all, remaining the "regional heroes" of individual cities.
The adventures of some heroes are intertwined with each other, while others act independently.
Svyatogor
Svyatogor is so huge that it is "higher than a standing forest, lower than a walking cloud." The hero lived on the Holy Mountains, during his trip Mother - Cheese Earth shakes, forests sway and rivers overflow their banks.
The father of the hero was called "dark", that is, blind, which is in the east Slavic mythology was a sign of beings from another world.
Svyatogor does not carry any service, although it intersects with other heroes. So, in one of the epics, Svyatogor travels with Ilya Muromets, and they meet a stone coffin on the way. Deciding to try it on, Svyatogor turns out to be his prisoner and dies, transferring part of his strength to Ilya Muromets. In another epic, the story with the coffin is preceded by intimate adventures - Ilya Muromets is seduced by the wife of Svyatogor. Upon learning of this, Svyatogor kills the fallen woman, and with Ilya, who cuckolded him, enters into a brotherhood.
In another epic, Svyatogor is measured by the heroic strength with another "colleague" - Mikula Selyaninovich. A cunning opponent throws a bag on the ground, in which “all the burden of the earth” was enclosed, offering Svyatogor to pick it up. This attempt ends with the death of the hero.
In epics, Svyatogor dies more often than other heroes. Scientists attribute this to the fact that this image personifies the primitive forces of nature, an element that does not serve man.
Mikula Selyaninovich
Mikula Selyaninovich, like Svyatogor, is not in any service with the prince and is not a warrior. But, unlike Svyatogor, Mikula Selyaninovich is engaged in a socially useful business - he is a hero-plowman.
Mikula Selyaninovich. Illustration for the book "Russian epic heroes". Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Butko
It is impossible to fight Mikula Selyaninovich, because Mother Earth Cheese is behind him. That is why Mikula Selyaninovich is able to raise the bag with "all the burden of the earth", in contrast to Svyatogor, whom this attempt destroys.
Scientists find in the image of Mikula Selyaninovich a lot in common with Slavic god Perun. According to one version, popularity in Russia Nicholas the Wonderworker is rooted in the veneration of Mikula Selyaninovich.
If we take into account that the image of St. Nicholas served to create a story about a Christmas wizard, who in our area is stubbornly associated with Santa Claus, then we can build a chain according to which Santa Claus is a retired hero Mikula Selyaninovich.
Unlike Svyatogor, who in the epics has only an unfaithful wife, Mikula Selyaninovich has daughters - Vasilisa and Nastasya. Nastasya became the wife of Dobrynya Nikitich, and as for Vasilisa, she is well known to fans of Soviet cartoons - this is the same Vasilisa Mikulishna, who, pretending to be an ambassador from the Golden Horde, released her husband Stavr Godinovich from prison.
Ilya Muromets
Ilya Muromets, the first among the so-called "junior heroes", warrior heroes, is perhaps best known to the general public.
After sitting at home until the age of 33, unable to use his arms and legs, he was healed by the elders and set off to perform feats. It is curious that epics were told about the service of Ilya to Prince Vladimir of Kyiv only in part of the Russian lands - in other regions, the exploits of the hero were exclusively his personal affair.
Ilya Muromets in the painting "Bogatyrsky lope" by Viktor Vasnetsov. Reproduction
The most common and classic feat of Ilya Muromets is the victory over the Nightingale the Robber. At the same time, Muromets is perhaps the most popular hero, more than a dozen original epics are dedicated to his exploits. Among those whom Ilya defeated are Idolishche Poganoe, a certain snake, Kalin the Tsar and many others.
Ilya's life is quite stormy: he has a wife, Zlatygorka, a son, Sokolnik (in another version, a daughter), he actively interacts with other Russian heroes. Moreover, if relations with Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich are more often friendly, then meetings with Svyatogor end deplorably for the latter.
If Svyatogor and Mikula Selyaninovich do not have a real prototype, then Ilya Muromets has several of them.
Most often it is associated with Ilya Pechersky, a monk of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, who lived in the XII century. The strong man, born in Murom, bore the nickname "Chobotok". The hero received this nickname because he once fought off enemies with a “chobot”, that is, a boot.
"Nikitich". Illustration by Andrey Ryabushkin for the book "Russian epic heroes". Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Butko
According to one version, the hero became a monk after being seriously wounded in battle. An examination of the relics of Elijah Pechersky showed that he really died from the consequences of a blow to the chest with a sharp weapon. The prototype of Muromets could die in 1204 during the capture of Kyiv Prince Rurik Rostislavich when the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was defeated by the Polovtsians.
Nikitich
Unlike Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich is a person close to the Kyiv prince, who fulfills his instructions. Dobrynya does not shy away from collecting and transporting tribute, takes on those tasks that her colleagues refuse for some reason, and has a penchant for diplomacy.
The most famous opponent of Dobrynia is the Serpent, better known as the Serpent-Gorynych, from whose captivity the hero frees the niece of Prince Zabava Putyatishna.
Dobrynya is the most creative person among the heroes. He plays tavlei (Old Russian checkers) well, sings well and plays the harp.
Dobrynya Nikitich has extensive connections - in addition to being close to the prince, he is married to Nastasya Mikulishna, the daughter of Mikula Selyaninovich.
According to the epics, Dobrynya is the son of the Ryazan governor. The most likely prototype of the hero is called Dobrynya, governor of Prince Vladimir the Holy. Dobrynya was an extremely influential person, since he was the prince's uncle - he was his mother's brother Malushi. For a certain time, Dobrynya was a mentor for the prince, a senior comrade.
Alyosha Popovich. Illustration for the book "Russian epic heroes". Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Butko
Alyosha Popovich
Alyosha Popovich is the most dubious character from the "classic trio" of heroes. The son of a Rostov priest, Alyosha is boastful, puffy, sly, sometimes he allows himself unacceptable jokes, for which he is condemned by his comrades.
So, for example, in one of the epics, Alyosha harasses Dobrynya's wife Nastasya Mikulishna, spreading false rumors about the death of a comrade.
In another epic, Alyosha is beheaded by the angry brothers of Elena or Alena, who was seduced by him. True, in the more famous version, Alyosha Popovich had to marry Alyonushka in order to avoid the worst.
Alyosha's main opponent is Tugarin, an evil hero, behind whom one can guess the image of a nomad, with whom the Russians have been fighting for a long time.
The main historical prototype of Alyosha Popovich is the Rostov boyar Olesha (Alexander) Popovich. An excellent warrior, Olesha served Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest, and then participated in the internecine wars of his sons. Subsequently, Olesha Popovich went to the service of Prince Mstislav the Old and died with him in 1223 in the Battle of Kalka, which became the first meeting of the Russians with the Tatar-Mongols. Killed in the same battle Dobrynya Ryazanets Gold Belt, another candidate for the prototypes of the epic Dobrynya Nikitich.
Svyatogor is older than many gods. Many are familiar with this mighty giant from the epic, where he meets Ilya Muromets and hides him, along with his horse, in his pocket.
There is a lot of mystery in the image of Svyatogor. Why, for example, does he live in a mountainous place, get stuck in the ground, as if in a swampy swamp, and cannot lift a bag where all the "earthly thrust" is hidden? Why doesn’t he guard the borders of Holy Russia, like Ilya and other heroes, doesn’t plow the land, like Mikula Selyaninovich? For what reason does he live alone, and not together with other giants - Gorynya, Dubynya and Usynya? What does the mention in one of the versions of the epic about his "dark" father mean? And how did it happen that he, mighty and invincible, at once loses his strength in a stone coffin he accidentally found?
Svyatogor, in Slavic mythology, the son of Rod, the brother of Svarog, and the Svarozhichs were his nephews.
His father is called "dark", that is, blind, erroneously: Rod is primordial, omnipresent, all-seeing. Svyatogor was born in order to guard the world of Reveal and not let dark monsters from Navi come here. The entrance was at the foot of the pillar on which the sky rested. The pillar itself (or the World Tree) was located in the holy mountains, from where the name of the giant comes. This is not an easy task - to stand on the border of Light and Darkness. Other giants, Gorynychi - Gorynya, Dubynya and Usynya - were born by the dark, blind lord Viy out of envy and in opposition to Svyatogor. Viy, partly familiar to us from the story of Gogol, put his three sons to guard the exit from Navi, so that the souls of the dead could not escape from there. So, standing on the other side of the border, they were enemies of Svyatogor.
The enormous weight of Svyatogor prevented him from leaving his post and moving to other places. Yet one day, according to Makosh's prediction, he was forced to leave the Holy Mountains. The goddess predicted to the giant that he would marry the serpent. The giant was upset, but decided to find his betrothed - maybe she’s not so scary? Went to distant seas, moved from one island to another. And finally I saw a snake. Svyatogor decided that it would be better to die a bachelor than to marry such a monster. He turned away and stabbed her with his sword. Then he threw a golden altyn in atonement for his deed and, bursting into burning tears, wandered away.
Meanwhile, the blow of Svyatogor had a magical effect on the snake: she freed herself from the spell cast on her and became, as before, the beautiful girl Plenka. The beauty raised the golden altyn. He turned out to be inexchangeable, and she gave him to the townspeople. They put the coin into circulation and soon became unspeakably rich. They did not forget their benefactor either - they generously endowed Plenka, and she equipped a caravan with the money received and went in search of a savior. How long, how short she wandered, but she found Svyatogor and told him her story. The giant did not immediately believe that this beauty of the girl is the very snake that he hacked to death. Then he waved his hand: you never know what miracles happen in the world! He married Plenka, as Mokosh predicted, and soon their daughters were born - Plenkini.
This story also became known in Greece: either the Aryan people of the Dorians brought it there, or the Balkan Slavs. Only the Greeks began to call Svyatogor in their own way Atlant (or Atlas). His wife Plenka was considered the Oceanid Pleione. Their daughters were called the Pleiades. These girls became stars, and Perseus, showing their father the head of the Gorgon Medusa, turned Atlanta into a rock. These mountains in Africa are still called Atlas.
There are many more stories about Svyatogor, and you can’t retell them all. Let us recall only one of them. The giant was tired of defending the gods, which he did not really see, and he decided to build a stone staircase to the sky and look at them himself. Rod did not deprive him of his strength and Svyatogor coped with the work: he reached the very throne of the Most High in heaven.
God did not scold him for arbitrariness, praised him for his work and said that he would fulfill any desire of the giant. Svyatogor asked for unmeasured strength and more wisdom than any of the gods. Oh, I would know that any desire has also reverse side, so, probably, I would beware of asking for intelligence and strength. “You will be stronger than the Svarozhichs, but the stone will overpower you yourself,” the Most High answered him. “You will become wiser than the gods, and a man will deceive you!” Only the giant grinned in response, did not believe what was said. Is he, who built a stairway to heaven out of rocks, afraid of some kind of pebble! Well, what about the small human race, what are the bugs under their feet, what can they do to him?
And everything happened according to the word of the Almighty. And the stone coffin, in which Svyatogor jokingly lay down, became his last refuge, and the hero Ilya Muromets outwitted the giant. Or maybe it's for the best: the time of the giants has passed, the era of people has come. Yes, and Svyatogor was tired of eternal life, it was time for him to rest. He managed only with his last breath to transfer part of his strength to his hero.
It is known about Ilya that he accomplished many feats for the glory of Holy Russia, and in his old age he came to the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery and became a monk there. He spent days and nights in his cell, atoning for his sins, voluntary and involuntary. Therefore, he did not notice how the killer crept up to him and inflicted a treacherous stab in the back. However, there is not a word about this in the epics. Anthropologists who studied the remains of Ilya Muromets learned about this. They also determined that since childhood, the hero’s left leg was shorter than his right one - that’s why he lay “thirty years and three years” on the stove, until the wandering sorcerers breathed mighty power into him.
Russian folklore is very rich and diverse in its history, culture and traditions, which are reflected in songs, epics and legends. Epics, composed by the common people, were distinguished by the beauty and plausibility of their narrative, with the presence of a small artistic fiction, which gave them even more originality inherent in the ancient Russian era. In the center of epics there is always a positive character - a hero who embodied invincible strength and boundless love for Mother Russia, the people's protector. Of course, the image of the hero is collective. The people created the image of a hero, placing their hopes and aspirations on him in order to show the next generations and instill an ideology about the invincibility of Russia before the enemy force.
The main qualities of Russian heroes were- military prowess and efforts to protect native land. The virtues of the heroes are tested in battle, in an unequal battle, which is connected with the composition of the epic, colorfully saturated with exaggerations.
Who were these demigods endowed with inhuman strength?
most popular in ancient Russia is the character of Ilya Muromets. This character has absorbed all the features inherent in mythological heroes - miraculous healing and the acquisition of superhuman strength. Ilya native from a simple peasant family, chained to a bed from childhood, until the passersby Kaliki appear and miraculously heal him. From this episode, the heroic life of Ilya Muromets originates, whose exploits are artistically reflected in epics and legends.
Another equally important character is Nikitich who lived in the same era with Ilya Muromets. The chanting of the irresistible strength and courage of the Russian hero begins with a duel with the serpent Gorynych. The story about Dobryn Nikitich contains not only fantastic stories, he also appears as a wise and brave warrior who fulfills all the instructions of Ilya Muromets. Dobrynya became the standard of a warrior of the era of Kievan Rus.
The third famous hero is - Alyosha Popovich, which is often represented by a young, brave, savvy and cunning warrior.
One of the most mysterious images of Russian epics is Svyatogor, having a power superior to the great heroes of ancient Russia. The character of Svyatogor was taken from ancient mythology, which absorbed the ideas of the great mountain giants, who embodied the greatness and equanimity of the mountains. Epics about Svyatogor are tragic stories about how a mighty giant dies not in battle for a just cause, but in a dispute with some unknown, irresistible force.
No less mysterious hero in the Russian epic is Volkh Vseslavevich who was born from a fantastic serpent. Volkh is considered a sorcerer and priest of the pagan gods. Volkh is the hero of "The Tale of Igor's Campaign". Despite his fame, the character of Volkh was not a historical person, but only the fruit of the artistic imagination of the people.
Unlike Wolf, Dunay Ivanovich is a character with a real-historical basis. The story of the Danube begins with a fight with Dobrynya Nikitich. The Danube is part of the Kyiv bogatyrdom.
Just as fascinating is the story of the Danube and the heroes Nastasya. At his own wedding, as a result of an insane argument, Danube kills Nastasya, having missed when shooting from a bow. Unable to bear the grief of loss, the Danube kills himself.
Russian heroes play a huge role in Russian history. Epics tell about those glorious men who formed Russia, guarded and defended the Russian people from the invasion of enemy forces. Russian heroes in epics embodied the idea of the reunification of the Slavs, invincibility and indestructibility ancient Russian state in front of external enemies, being a role model in patriotism and courage for future generations.
Bogatyrs are the epic defenders of the Russian Land, the "superheroes" of the Russian people for many centuries. Let's remember the main ones.
THE OLDEST (DOVLADIMIROV)
Svyatogor
Megahero. But the hero of the "old world". The giant, the elder hero the size of a mountain, whom even the earth does not hold, lies on the mountain in inactivity. Epics tell about his meeting with earthly cravings and death in a magical grave. Many features of the biblical hero Samson were later transferred to Svyatogor. It is difficult to determine exactly its ancient origin. In the legends of the people, the veteran hero transfers his strength to Ilya Muromets, whose image dates back to the Gothic times of the 5th century. (Ilya Russian Tidrek-saga and others).
Mikula Selyaninovich. Bogatyr-plowman
Mikula Selyaninovich is a heroic agrarian. It is found in two epics: about Svyatogor and about Volga Svyatoslavich. Mikula is the first representative of agricultural life, a powerful peasant plowman. He is strong and hardy, but a homebody. He puts all his strength into agriculture and family. His three daughters are a model of women in Russia.
Volga Svyatoslavovich. Magus Bogatyr
Supporters of the "historical school" in the study of epics believe that the prototype of the epic Volga was some ancient tribal leader who went on a campaign for women and cattle. He was often associated with the ancient Russian princes Oleg Veshchim (X century) and Vseslav Polotsky (XI century). Volga is a difficult hero, he has the ability to be a werewolf, he knows how to understand the language of animals and birds.
Sukhman Odikhmantievich. Insulted hero
In the epic of the Kyiv cycle, Sukhman goes to get a white swan for Prince Vladimir (there is already an archaic plot that connects Sukhman with a priest who could not “bleed” his hands and injure a sacrificial animal), but on the way he comes into battle with the Tatar horde, putting Kalinov bridges on the river Continuous Sukhman defeats the Tatars, but in battle he receives wounds that he seals up with leaves. Returning to Kyiv without a white swan, he tells the prince about the battle, but the prince does not believe him and imprisons Sukhman in prison until clarification. Dobrynya goes to the Nepra and learns that Sukhman did not lie. But it's' too late. Sukhman feels shamed, peels off the leaves and bleeds. From his blood begins the Sukhman River. According to many researchers, the link to Vladimir of this hero is late.
VLADIMIROV TIME
Ilya Muromets. Holy hero
Ilya Muromets canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church, this is the main Russian hero. Nevertheless, this is the only hero who, according to an absolutely pagan tradition, knocked down golden domes from churches and sold them in a tavern. Ilya Muromets is the main character not only of Russian epics, but also, for example, German epic poems of the 13th century. In them, he is also called Ilya, he is also a hero, yearning for his homeland. Ilya Muromets is also found in the Scandinavian sagas, in them he, no less, is the blood brother of Prince Vladimir.
Nikitich. Bogatyr with connections
Dobrynya Nikitich is often associated with the chronicle Dobrynya, the uncle of Prince Vladimir (according to another version, a nephew). His name embodies the essence of "heroic kindness." Dobrynya has the nickname "young", with great physical strength "he will not hurt a fly", he is the protector of "widows and orphans, unfortunate wives." Dobrynya is also "an artist at heart: a master of singing and playing the harp."
Alyosha Popovich. junior
The "youngest of the younger" heroes, and therefore his set of qualities is not so "supermanly". Vice is not even alien to him: cunning, selfishness, self-interest. That is, on the one hand, he is distinguished by courage, but on the other, he is proud, arrogant, quarrelsome, perky and rude.
Duke Stepanovich. Rich and famous
Duke Stepanovich comes to Kyiv from conditional India, behind which, according to folklorists, in this case, the Galicia-Volyn land is hiding, or the Baltic Pomerania arranges a boasting marathon in Kyiv, passes tests from the prince, and continues to brag. As a result, Vladimir learns that Duke is really very rich and offers him citizenship. But Duke refuses, because "if you sell Kyiv and Chernigov and buy papers for an inventory of Dyukov's wealth, then there will not be enough paper."
Dunay Ivanovich. tragic hero
According to the epics about the Danube, it was from the blood of the hero that the river of the same name began. The Danube is a tragic hero. He loses to his wife, Polanica (probably of Sarmatian origin) Nastasya (daughter of Mikula) in archery competitions, accidentally hits her when trying to win back, finds out that Nastasya was pregnant and throws her chest on her sword (or spear).
Michael Potyk. Faithful husband
Folklorists disagree on who Mihailo Potyk (or Potok) should be related to. Similarities with his image of the image are found in the Bulgarian heroic epic, and in Western European fairy tales, and even in the Mongolian epic "Geser". According to one of the epics, Potok with his wife Marya Lebedya Belaya gives a vow that whoever of them dies first, the second is buried next to the grave alive. When Avdotya dies, Potok is buried nearby in full armor and on horseback, about fighting the dragon and reviving his wife with his blood. When he himself dies, Marya is buried with him.
Hoten Bludovich. Bogatyr-groom
Bogatyr Khoten Bludovich, for the sake of a wedding with an enviable bride, Chayna Chesova, first beats her nine brothers, then a whole army hired by her future mother-in-law. As a result, the hero receives a rich dowry and appears in the epic as a hero "who married well."
OTHER.
Nikita Kozhemyaka. serpent fighter
Nikita Kozhemyaka in Russian fairy tales is one of the main snake fighter characters. Before entering the fight with the Serpent, he breaks 12 skins, thereby proving his legendary strength. Kozhemyaka not only defeats the Serpent, but also harnesses him to a plow and plows the land from Kyiv to the Black Sea. The defensive ramparts near Kyiv got their name (Zmievs) precisely because of the deeds of Nikita Kozhemyaka.
Bova Royal. Popular hero
Bova Korolevich for a long time was the most popular hero among the people. Lubok tales about the "extraordinary hero" came out in hundreds of editions from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Pushkin wrote The Tale of Tsar Saltan, partly borrowing the plot and the names of the heroes of the fairy tales about the Boys Korolevich, which his nanny read to him. Moreover, he even made sketches of the poem "Bova", but death will prevent him from finishing the work. The prototype of this knight was the French knight Bovo de Anton from the famous chronicle poem Reali di Francia, written in the 14th century. In this regard, Bova is a completely unique hero - a visiting one.
Vasily Buslaev. Zealous hero
The most daring hero of the Novgorod epic cycle. His unbridled temper leads to a conflict with the Novgorodians and he is desperately rowdy, betting that he will beat all the Novgorod men on the Volkhov bridge and almost fulfills the promise - until his mother stops him. In another epic, he is already mature, goes to Jerusalem to atone for sins. But Buslaev is incorrigible - he again takes up the old and absurdly perishes, proving his youth.
Anika warrior. Bogatyr in words
Anika warrior is still called today a person who likes to show off his strength far from danger. Unusual for a Russian epic hero, the name of the hero is most likely taken from the Byzantine legend about the hero Digenis, who is mentioned there with the constant epithet anikitos. Anika the warrior in verse boasts of strength and offends the weak, he is shamed for this by death itself, Anika challenges her and dies.
