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Russian Folklore
Delve into dark worlds full of magic, ruthlessness, betrayal and humanity. These stories have a way of carving themselves deep into your heart and remaining there forever. Uniquely Russian in spirit and ingenuity, these tales still hold meaning and inspiration for us all.
165 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2019
1 person is currently reading
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About the author
Alexander Afanasyev
270 books111 followersAlexander Nikolayevich Afanasyev (Russian: Александр Николаевич Афанасьев) was a Russian folklorist who recorded and published over 600 Russian folktales and fairytales, by far the largest folktale collection by any one man in the world. His first collection was published in eight volumes from 1855-67, earning him the reputation of a Russian counterpart to the Brothers Grimm.
Born in 1826 in Boguchar, in Voronezh Governate, he grew up in Bobrov, becoming an early reader thanks to the library of his grandfather, a member of the Russian Bible Society. He was educated at the Voronezh gymnasium and from 1844-48 he studied law at the University of Moscow. Despite being a promising student, he did not become a professor, due largely to attacks upon his work by the conservative Minister of National Enlightenment, Count Sergey Uvarov.
Afanasyev worked for thirteen years at the Moscow's Main Archive Directorate under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire, during which time he also amassed a huge library and published numerous articles and reviews. In 1862 he was fired from his position, because of his association with philosopher Alexander Herzen. Jobless for a number of years thereafter, he sold his library in order to support his family, eventually finding work as a secretary at the Moscow City Duma and at the Moscow Congress of Justices of the Peace.
Afanasyev wrote a large theoretical work (three volumes of 700 pages each) – "The Poetic Outlook of Slavs about Nature" (Поэтические воззрения славян на природу) – which came out between 1865 and 1869. In 1870 his Русские детские сказки (Russian Children's Fairy Tales) were published. He died in poverty in 1871, at the age of forty-five.
(source: Wikipedia)
Born in 1826 in Boguchar, in Voronezh Governate, he grew up in Bobrov, becoming an early reader thanks to the library of his grandfather, a member of the Russian Bible Society. He was educated at the Voronezh gymnasium and from 1844-48 he studied law at the University of Moscow. Despite being a promising student, he did not become a professor, due largely to attacks upon his work by the conservative Minister of National Enlightenment, Count Sergey Uvarov.
Afanasyev worked for thirteen years at the Moscow's Main Archive Directorate under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire, during which time he also amassed a huge library and published numerous articles and reviews. In 1862 he was fired from his position, because of his association with philosopher Alexander Herzen. Jobless for a number of years thereafter, he sold his library in order to support his family, eventually finding work as a secretary at the Moscow City Duma and at the Moscow Congress of Justices of the Peace.
Afanasyev wrote a large theoretical work (three volumes of 700 pages each) – "The Poetic Outlook of Slavs about Nature" (Поэтические воззрения славян на природу) – which came out between 1865 and 1869. In 1870 his Русские детские сказки (Russian Children's Fairy Tales) were published. He died in poverty in 1871, at the age of forty-five.
(source: Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 10, 2019
Oh Russian folklore and fairytales how I love thee! So dark, cold, and dreary.
This collection of Aleksandr Afanas’ev translations is wonderful. It’s been years since I read some of these stories and it was lovely to revisit old favorites and read some new ones.
This collection of Aleksandr Afanas’ev translations is wonderful. It’s been years since I read some of these stories and it was lovely to revisit old favorites and read some new ones.
March 25, 2020
I love that Alchemy & Ink started doing these boxes, it was actually what got me into Alchemy and Ink. Anyway, this Russian Folklore book came specially made, with a very special created cover to go along with this dark gothic box. I love lore and myth, the darker the better- and you can't go wrong with Russian folklore/myth! This got me pumped to read more books that have bits of retellings of Russian myth in them, you know- Uprooted, Spinning Silver, Deathless and The Bear and the Nightingale.
Although this folklore was not as dark as I was thinking it would be, we still get some really great stories of the different lores. I really need to get my hands on some of the original stories of all of these creatures and characters. I mean, I need to know everything about Baba Yaga! Though she did not have a moving castle in this story and is mostly the villain in all of these stories (reminds me of a certain witch in Howls Moving Castle...).
I also have to say, there was a lot of acting like a person did not know how to sit on a shovel to be shoved into the oven and the witch/bad guy would show them and be put into the oven themselves. This was pretty great in the trickery department and got me to chuckle every time it happened, even if it was a little cheesy.
My favorite stories that I read in this collection of Russian Folklore were
-The Tale of Ivan Tsarevich, the Bird of Light, and the Grey Wolf (pg.38)
-Vasilisa the Fair (pg. 55)
-Marya Moryevna (pg. 95)
All of these stories, my favorites especially, enthralled me to the point that when I finally looked up from the book-the day was gone and I had finished the book.
Although this folklore was not as dark as I was thinking it would be, we still get some really great stories of the different lores. I really need to get my hands on some of the original stories of all of these creatures and characters. I mean, I need to know everything about Baba Yaga! Though she did not have a moving castle in this story and is mostly the villain in all of these stories (reminds me of a certain witch in Howls Moving Castle...).
I also have to say, there was a lot of acting like a person did not know how to sit on a shovel to be shoved into the oven and the witch/bad guy would show them and be put into the oven themselves. This was pretty great in the trickery department and got me to chuckle every time it happened, even if it was a little cheesy.
My favorite stories that I read in this collection of Russian Folklore were
-The Tale of Ivan Tsarevich, the Bird of Light, and the Grey Wolf (pg.38)
-Vasilisa the Fair (pg. 55)
-Marya Moryevna (pg. 95)
All of these stories, my favorites especially, enthralled me to the point that when I finally looked up from the book-the day was gone and I had finished the book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews