Bogatyrs are the epic defenders of the Russian Land, “superheroes” of the Russian people for many centuries. Let's remember the main ones.

THE OLDEST (DOVLADIMIROVS)

Svyatogor

Mega-hero. But a hero of the “old world.” The giant, the elder hero the size of a mountain, whom even the earth cannot support, lies on the mountain in inaction. The epics tell of 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 origins. 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-sagas and others).

Mikula Selyaninovich. Bogatyr Plowman

Mikula Selyaninovich is a bogatyr agrarian. 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 resilient, but homely. He puts all his strength into farming and family. His three daughters are a model of women in Rus'.

Volga Svyatoslavovich. Bogatyr-Wolkh

Supporters of the “historical school” in the study of epics believe that the prototype of the epic Volga was a certain ancient tribal leader who went on a campaign for women and cattle. He was often correlated with the ancient Russian princes Oleg the Prophet (10th century) and Vseslav of Polotsk (11th century). Volga is a difficult hero; he has the ability to become a werewolf and can 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 (here the plot is already archaic, connecting Sukhman with a priest who could not “bleed” his hands and injure the sacrificial animal), but on the way he enters into battle with the Tatar horde, who are building Kalinov bridges on the river Nepre. Sukhman defeats the Tatars, but in the battle he receives wounds, which he covers with leaves. Returning to Kyiv without the 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 Nepra and finds out that Sukhman did not lie. But it's' too late. Sukhman feels disgraced, peels off the leaves and bleeds. The Sukhman River begins from his blood. According to many researchers, this hero’s connection to Vladimir is late.

VLADIMIROV TIME

Ilya Muromets. Holy hero

Ilya Muromets is canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church; he is the main Russian hero. However, 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, of 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 also appears in the Scandinavian sagas, in them he is, no less, the blood brother of Prince Vladimir.

Nikitich. A well-connected hero

Dobrynya Nikitich is often correlated with the chronicle Dobrynya, the uncle of Prince Vladimir (according to another version, nephew). His name personifies the essence of “heroic kindness.” Dobrynya has the nickname “young”, with enormous physical strength “he wouldn’t 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.”

Alesha Popovich. Junior

“The youngest of the younger” heroes, and therefore his set of qualities is not so “Superman”. He is not even a stranger to vice: cunning, selfishness, greed. That is, on the one hand, he is distinguished by courage, but on the other hand, he is proud, arrogant, abusive, perky and rude.

Duke Stepanovich. Rich and noble

Duke Stepanovich comes to Kiev from conditional India, behind which, according to folklorists, in this case the Galician-Volyn land is hidden, or the Baltic Pomerania organizes a marathon of boasting in Kiev, undergoes tests from the prince, and continues to boast. As a result, Vladimir finds out that Duke is indeed very rich and offers him citizenship. But Duke refuses, because “if you sell Kyiv and Chernigov and buy paper for an inventory of Dyukov’s wealth, there won’t be enough paper.”

Danube Ivanovich. Tragic hero

According to 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, a Polyana woman (probably of Sarmatian origin) Nastasya (Mikula’s daughter) in an archery competition, accidentally hits her while trying to win back, finds out that Nastasya was pregnant and throws herself with her chest on a sword (or spear).

Mikhailo Potyk. Faithful husband

Folklorists disagree on who should be associated with Mikhailo Potyk (or Potok). Similarities with 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 and his wife Marya Lebed Belaya make a vow that whichever of them dies first, the second one will be buried alive next to him in the grave. When Avdotya dies, Potok is buried nearby in full armor and on horseback, fights the dragon and revives his wife with his blood. When he himself dies, Marya is buried with him.

Khoten Bludovich. Bogatyr-groom

The hero Khoten Bludovich, for the sake of his wedding with the enviable bride Chaina Chesova, first beats her nine brothers, then an entire army hired by his future mother-in-law. As a result, the hero receives a rich dowry and appears in the epic as the hero “who married well.”

OTHER.

Nikita Kozhemyaka. Wyrm Fighter

Nikita Kozhemyaka in Russian fairy tales is one of the main snake-fighting characters. Before entering into battle with the Serpent, he tears 12 skins, thereby proving his legendary strength. Kozhemyaka not only defeats the Snake, but also harnesses him to a plow and plows the land from Kyiv to the Black Sea. The defensive ramparts near Kiev got their name (Zmievs) precisely because of the actions of Nikita Kozhemyaka.

Bova Korolevich. Lubok hero

Bova Korolevich was the most popular hero among the people for a long time. Popular folk tales about the “precious hero” were published in hundreds of editions from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Pushkin wrote “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”, partially borrowing the plot and names of the heroes of the fairy tales about the Boy Korolevich, which his nanny read to him. Moreover, he even made sketches of the poem “Bova,” but death would 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 respect, Bova is a completely unique hero - a visiting hero.

Vasily Buslaev. Zealous hero

The most daring hero of the Novgorod epic cycle. His unbridled temper leads to conflict with the Novgorodians and he desperately rages, bets that he will beat all the Novgorod men on the Volkhov Bridge and almost fulfills his promise - until his mother stops him. In another epic, he is already mature and goes to Jerusalem to atone for his sins. But Buslaev is incorrigible - he again takes up his old ways and dies absurdly, 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 was most likely taken from the Byzantine legend about the hero Digenis, who is mentioned there with the constant epithet anikitos. Anika the warrior in the verse boasts of strength and offends the weak, death itself shames him for this, Anika challenges her and dies.

Russian heroes: who are they? - prototypes, cartoons and audio tales

What do we (and our children) know about Russian heroes?

Scraps from literature and cartoons...))

Three heroes is a collective name for heroes from Russian epics.

The heroes' names were Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich.

Each hero had one wife and a horse... xD

In general, the wives' names were Alyonushka, Nastasya Filippovna and Lyubava.

Well, the horses had names - Yuliy, Burushka and Vasya.

Well, what really happened?!!

Slavic history is rich in events, knowledge about which is passed on from generation to generation not only orally, but also in writing. Oral traditions are, as a rule, epics, including songs, legends, that is, everything that was composed directly by the people.

The basis of ancient Russian legends is, as a rule, heroes.

If we talk about the etymology of the word “hero” itself, then it is interpreted as a demigod man, or a person endowed with the power of a god. The origins of this word have been the subject of intense debate for a long time. Versions have been put forward about its borrowing from Turkic languages, and even from Sanskrit.

It is now generally accepted that the word “hero” was borrowed from the Tatar language.

Russian scientists distinguish two main categories of heroes - senior and junior.

It is customary to rank among the senior heroes

Svyatogor, Mikul Selyaninovich, Volga Svyatoslavich, Suhan.

This group, according to scientists, is the personification of various natural phenomena, in most cases - menacing phenomena hostile to the common man.

The group of younger heroes includes

the famous “Vasnetsov” trinity Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich. They are also the personification of natural phenomena, but only those beneficial to humans.

It is written here in great detail -

At the same time, another hero lived with Ilya Muromets,

whose name was Dobrynya Nikitich.

He was born in Ryazan, but like Muromets, he served in Kyiv.

The heroic story of Dobrynya begins from the moment when he defeated the Serpent Gorynych. The prince instructs him to engage in a fierce battle with the Serpent; on the way, the hero is overcome by little snakes, but Dobrynya manages to fulfill the prince’s order and free the girls and princes from the dragon caves.

In Kievan Rus, he carried out more important assignments, appearing before readers as a brave, wise warrior, who, among other things, is also the first assistant of Ilya Muromets.

The name "Dobrynya" means "heroic kindness." The epic Dobrynya also has the nickname “young”, he is strong, and is the protector of “unfortunate wives, widows and orphans.” In addition, he is creative - he plays the harp and sings, and he is passionate - he does not avoid playing tavlei. Dobrynya is intelligent in his speeches and knows the subtleties of etiquette. It is clear that he is not a commoner. At the very least - a prince-commander.

The prototype of Dobrynya Nikitich is often called the chronicle Dobrynya, the maternal uncle of the real St. Vladimir.

The epic Dobrynya is compared by philologists (Khoroshev, Kireevsky) with the chronicle Dobrynya, the uncle of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich.

Historically, Nikitich is not a middle name; the real Dobrynya’s middle name is quite Hollywood - Malkovich. And there were Malkovichs from the village of Nizkinichi. It is believed that “Nikitich” is precisely the “Nizkinich” transformed by the people.

The chronicle Dobrynya played a big role in the history of Rus'. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, it was he who advised the Novgorod ambassadors to invite Prince Vladimir to their place, and he also facilitated the marriage of his nephew to the Polovtsian Rogneda. For his deeds, Dobrynya, after the death of his brother Vladimir Yaropolk, became a Novgorod mayor and participated in the baptism of Novgorod.

If you believe the Joachim Chronicle, baptism was painful, “Putyata baptized with the sword, and Dobrynya with fire,” the houses of the obstinate pagans had to be burned. Excavations, by the way, confirm the great fire of Novgorod in 989.

But there is another namesake, a hero of the 12th-13th centuries. , described in the Abridged Chronicle of 1493:

“In summer 6725 (1217). There was a battle between Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich and Prince Konstantin (Vsevolodovich) of Rostov on the river Gde, and God helped Prince Konstantin Vsevolodovich, the elder brother, and the truth came (defeated) him. And there were two brave (heroes) with him: Dobrynya the Golden Belt and Alexander Popovich, with his servant Torop.”

And further...

In the epics about Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich, heroes fight with Snakes. It should be said that the monsters of Russian epics differ from Western European dragons in that they always attack from above and never appear from the forest or from the water.

There is a version according to which the Snakes refer to the Polovtsian tribes that came to the Northern Black Sea region in 1055.

The name of the tribe "Kai", which stood at the head of the Kipchak union (as the Polovtsians were called in Central Asia), translated into Russian means "snake". The proverb “a snake has seven heads” (according to the number of main tribes) relating to the Cumans was widely known in the steppe; Arab and Chinese historians cite it in their works.

The chronicle after the victory over the Polovtsians in 1103 says that Vladimir Monomakh “twisted the heads of the serpents,” and the Polovtsian Khan Tugorkan, under the name Tugarin Zmeevich, entered the epics.

The name of another Polovtsian khan - Bonyak (a contemporary of Tugorkan), who terrified the population of Byzantium, Bulgaria, Hungary and Kievan Rus, was preserved in Western Ukrainian songs and legends in the plot about the head of Bunyaka Sheludivy, which, severed, rolls on the ground, destroying everything in its path.

The khan of the eastern association of the Polovtsians Sharukan in epics is called Kudrevanko the Tsar or Shark the Giant.

Later, the Tatar khans Batu and Kalin-Tsar (possibly Mengu-Kaan) appear in epics.
One can, of course, point out that later the heroes were called Dobrynya in honor of the first prototype, but then it will be necessary to explain why the “feats” of a real boyar of the 10th century were not reflected in the epics.

Another famous hero, Alyosha Popovich, according to legend, was from the city of Rostov.

He ended up in Kyiv completely by accident. In an open field, the hero found a stone on which three roads were indicated: one led to Chernigov, the other to Murom, and the third to Kyiv. He also begins service at the court of Prince Vladimir. Perhaps the most famous story associated with Popovich is the tale of his fight with Tugarin (this, according to the epic, is a fictional character, which is why he sometimes bears the nickname Zmeevich and is presented as a monster). Tugarin is a foreign invader who can swallow an entire swan at a time, and is carried by servants on a golden stand. And Alyosha Popovich is always a young, brave and even sometimes reckless warrior.

There is always a connection between Ilya Muromets, Alyosha Popovich and Dobrynya Nikitich. There is also a great similarity between them not only in characters, but also in adventures and some life events.

Alyosha Popovich is the youngest of the trio of epic heroes. He looks the least warlike, his appearance is not menacing, rather bored. This is understandable - he is bored without fighting, without the adventures to which he was prone, since he defeated his enemies rather not by force, but by ingenuity and cunning. He is the most atypical of all the heroes, not very virtuous, boastful, greedy for the weaker sex.

Traditionally, Alyosha Popovich is associated with Rostov boyar Alexander Popovich , about which there is more than one mention in the Nikon Chronicle.

He took part in the Battle of Lipetsk and died in 1223 in the Battle of the Kalka River.

However, just as you cannot remove words from a song, you cannot remove a feat from an epic. Alyosha Popovich became famous for two main feats - his victory over Tugarin the serpent and over the filthy Idolishch. The version of the comparison of the epic hero with Alexander Popovich does not explain any of these achievements, since victories over the filthy Idolishch and over Tugarnin the serpent were won two centuries before the Battle of Kalka.

Another version of who was the prototype of Alyosha Popovich was told by art critic Anatoly Markovich Chlenov. He believes that it is more correct to compare Alyosha Popovich with the son of a boyar and ally of Vladimir Monomakh Olberg Ratiborovich.

According to the Tale of Bygone Years, it was he who killed the Polovtsian Khan Itlar, who came to negotiate in Pereyaslavl in 1095, by order of the prince, shooting him with a bow through a hole in the roof. Boris Rybakov, in particular, wrote that the name Idolishche, in all likelihood, is a distortion of Itlar through the form “Itlarishche the filthy.” It is characteristic that in the entire epic tradition it is the murder of the filthy Idol that is the only example of the murder of an enemy in the palace, and not in the “open field”.

The second feat of Alyosha Popovich is the victory over Tugarin the Serpent. Philologists found the prototype of the “snake” back in the 19th century; at the beginning of the 20th century, the version was voiced by Vsevolod Fedorovich Miller. “Tugarin the serpent” is the Polovtsian khan Tugorkan from the Shurakanid dynasty. Sharukan among the Polovtsians meant “snake”.
So everything comes together. According to Boris Rybakov, the name Olberg over time was transformed into the Christian Olesha, and the comparison of Alyosha Popovich with the historical governor Alexander Popovich, according to Dmitry Likhachev, is later.

And in conclusion, it is necessary to say a few words about such heroes as Vasily Buslaev and Nikita Kozhemyaka. They were all real people.

Vasily Buslaev was originally from Novgorod.

By nature, this man was always a rebel and even a drunkard. He inherited his heroic strength from his father. However, the young man uses it differently from the rest of the heroes.

On the contrary, he violates the laws of the city in every possible way, recruiting a squad of people like him (the main selection criteria are the ability to drink a bucket of wine or withstand a blow to the head with a club). Together with his squad, Vasily does not engage in the fight against enemies and invaders, but only gets drunk in taverns and fights.

According to legends, he died as recklessly as he lived - on the way back from Jerusalem, he hit his head on a stone, falling from his horse (and it was written on the stone that it was forbidden to ride over it...).

Unlike Vasily, Nikita Kozhemyaka - was a real warrior who served the Kyiv prince Vladimir. Together with him, Kozhemyaka went to battle against the Pechenegs, fighting one-on-one with the strongman and defeating him.

This victory was the beginning of the victory of the Russian army over the invaders. In different periods, Nikita Kozhemyaka is presented either as a simple artisan, or as a real hero who is in service in Kyiv. Kapochka Kapa

If you ask any Russian person in our country to name the names of Russian heroes, they will probably name Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich. But then there’s a hitch. Thanks to popular culture, only these three have become widely known. Meanwhile, there were many more heroes in Rus', but not everyone knows about them. Let's try to correct the situation and tell about the “unknown” Russian heroes in this collection.

Svyatogor

One of the most ancient heroes of the Russian epic epic. Svyatogor is a giant hero so big and strong that even Mother Earth could not withstand him. However, Svyatogor himself, according to the epic, could not overcome the “earthly pull” contained in the bag: trying to lift the bag, he sank with his feet into the ground.

Mikula Selyaninovich

The legendary plowman-hero, with whom you cannot fight, because “the whole Mikulov family loves Mother - Cheese Earth.” According to one of the epics, it was Mikula Selyaninovich who asked the giant Svyatogor to pick up a bag that had fallen to the ground. Svyatogor could not do this. Then Mikula Selyaninovich raised the bag with one hand and said that it contained “all the burdens of earth.” Folklore says that Mikula Selyaninovich had two daughters: Vasilisa and Nastasya. And they became the wives of Stavr and Dobrynya Nikitich, respectively.

Volga Svyatoslavich

Volga is one of the most ancient heroes in Russian epics. His distinctive features were the ability to shapeshift and the ability to understand the language of birds and animals. According to legends, Volga is the son of a snake and Princess Marfa Vseslavyevna, who miraculously conceived him by accidentally stepping on a snake. When he saw the light, the earth shook and terrible fear gripped all living creatures. An interesting episode of the meeting between Volga and Mikula Selyaninovich is described by epics. While collecting taxes from the cities of Gurchevets and Orekhovets, Volga met the plowman Mikula Selyaninovich. Seeing a mighty hero in Mikul, Volga invited him to join his squad to collect taxes. Having driven away, Mikula remembered that he had forgotten the plow in the ground. Twice Volga sent his warriors to pull out that plow, but the third time he and his entire squad did not overcome it. Mikula pulled out that plow with one hand.

Sukhman Odikhmantievich

Hero of the Kyiv epic cycle. According to legend, Sukhman goes to get a white swan for Prince Vladimir. During the trip, he sees that the Nepra River is fighting the Tatar power, which is building Kalinov bridges on it to go to Kyiv. Sukhman beats the Tatar forces, but during the battle he receives wounds, which he covers with leaves. Sukhman returns to Kyiv without the swan. Prince Vladimir does not believe him and orders him to be imprisoned in a cellar for his boasting, and sends Dobrynya Nikitich to find out whether Sukhman told the truth, and when it turns out that he was telling the truth, Vladimir wants to reward Sukhman; but he removes the leaves from the wounds and bleeds. The Sukhman River flowed from his blood.

Danube Ivanovich

One of the most popular heroic images in Russian epics. Unlike the three main characters of the epic (Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich), Danube Ivanovich is a tragic character. According to legend, during the wedding, Danube and Nastasya Korolevichna, who was also a hero, begin to boast, Danube about her courage, and Nastasya about her accuracy. They arrange a duel and Nastasya shoots the silver ring lying on the head of the Danube three times. Unable to recognize his wife’s superiority, Danube orders her to repeat the dangerous test in the opposite way: the ring is now on Nastasya’s head, and Danube shoots. The Danube's arrow hits Nastasya. She dies, and the Danube finds out, “spreading her womb,” that she was pregnant with a wonderful baby: “knee-deep legs in silver, elbow-deep arms in gold, frequent braids on the head.” Danube throws himself on his saber and dies next to his wife; the Danube River originates from his blood.

Mikhailo Potyk

One of the minor heroes. He is known only in northern Russian epics as a handsome man and a snake fighter. There are several legends about him. According to one of them, Mikhailo met a swan while hunting, who turned into a girl - Avdotya Swan White. They got married and swore an oath that if someone died first, the survivor would be buried with the deceased in the same grave. When Avdotya died, Potyka, along with her corpse, was lowered into the grave, on horseback in full armor. A serpent appeared in the grave, which the hero killed, and with his blood he resurrected his wife. According to other epics, the wife drugged Potyk and turned him to stone, and she fled with Tsar Koshchei. The hero's comrades - Ilya, Alyosha and others, save Potyk and avenge him by killing Koshchei and quartering the unfaithful White Swan.

Hoten Bludovich

A hero in Russian epics, acting in one epic as a matchmaker and groom. The story of Khoten and his bride is practically the ancient Russian story of Romeo and Juliet. According to legend, Khoten’s Mother, a widow, wooed her son to the beautiful China Sentinel at one feast. But the girl’s mother answered her with an insulting refusal, which was heard by all those feasting. When Khoten found out about this, he went to his bride and she agreed to marry him. But the girl’s mother was categorically against it. Then Khoten demanded a duel and beat his bride's nine brothers. China's mother asks the prince for an army to defeat the hero, but Khoten defeats him too. After this, Khoten marries the girl, taking a rich dowry.

Nikita Kozhemyaka

Formally, he does not belong to the heroes, but he is a hero-snake fighter. According to legend, the daughter of the Kyiv prince was carried away by a snake and kept captive by him. Having learned from the serpent himself that he is afraid of only one person in the world - Nikita Kozhemyak, she and the dove send a letter to her father asking him to find this hero and encourage him to fight the serpent. When the prince's envoys entered Kozhemyaka's hut, busy with his usual business, he was surprised to tear through 12 skins. Nikita refuses the prince’s first request to fight the snake. Then the prince sends the elders to him, who also could not persuade Nikita. For the third time, the prince sends children to the hero, and their crying touches Nikita, he agrees. Wrapping himself in hemp and smearing himself with resin to become invulnerable, the hero fights with the snake and frees the prince’s daughter. Further, as the legend says, the serpent, defeated by Nikita, begs him for mercy and offers to share the land equally with him. Nikita forges a plow weighing 300 pounds, harnesses a snake to it and draws a furrow from Kyiv to the Black Sea; then, having begun to divide the sea, the serpent drowns.

Vasily Buslaev

Also not formally a hero, but a very strong hero, representing the ideal of valiant and boundless prowess. Since childhood, Vasily was a daredevil, knew no restrictions and did everything only as he pleased. At one of the feasts, Vasily bets that he will fight at the head of his squad on the Volkhov Bridge with all the Novgorod men. The fight begins, and Vasily's threat to beat every last one of his opponents is close to coming true; Only the intervention of Vasily’s mother saves the Novgorodians. In the next epic, feeling the severity of his sins, Vasily goes to Jerusalem to pray for them. But the pilgrimage to holy places does not change the character of the hero: he defiantly violates all prohibitions and on the way back he dies in the most ridiculous way, trying to prove his youth.

Duke Stepanovich

One of the most original Kyiv epic epics. According to legend, Duke arrives in Kyiv from “Rich India,” which, apparently, was the name of the Galicia-Volyn land. Upon arrival, Duke begins to boast about the luxury of his city, his own wealth, his clothes, which his horse brings daily from India, and finds the wine and rolls of the Prince of Kyiv tasteless. Vladimir, in order to check Duke’s boasting, sends an embassy to Duke’s mother. As a result, the embassy admits that if you sell Kyiv and Chernigov and buy paper for an inventory of Dyukov’s wealth, then there won’t be enough paper.

There is probably no person in Russia who has not heard of heroes. The heroes who came to us from ancient Russian songs and tales - epics - have always been popular among writers, artists, and filmmakers. The next round of popularity of the heroes 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 survived to our time is in the hundreds, and the heroes themselves are divided by scientists into several categories. The heroes of the pagan and Christian eras, pre-Tatar, Tatar and post-Tatar are distinguished...

"Ilya Muromets and Svyatogor." Painting by Ivan Bilibin. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

There is a large group of heroes associated with Kiev and Prince Vladimir, but there are also those who have no relation to the “central government” at all, remaining “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 journey, Mother Cheese shook the Earth, forests swayed and rivers overflowed their banks.

The hero’s father was called “dark,” that is, blind, which in East Slavic mythology was a sign of creatures from another world.

Svyatogor does not perform any service, although he 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 powers to Ilya Muromets. In another epic, the story of the coffin is preceded by intimate adventures - Ilya Muromets is seduced by Svyatogor’s wife. Having learned about this, Svyatogor kills the fallen woman, and with Ilya, who cuckolded him, he enters into a brotherhood.

In another epic, Svyatogor compares his heroic strength with another “colleague” - Mikula Selyaninovich. A cunning opponent throws a bag on the ground, in which “all the earthly burdens” were contained, inviting 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 busy with socially useful work - 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 Cheese Earth is behind him. That is why Mikula Selyaninovich is able to lift the bag with “all the burdens of the earth,” unlike Svyatogor, whom this attempt destroys.

Scientists find in the image of Mikula Selyaninovich much in common with the Slavic god Perun. According to one version, popularity in Rus' Nicholas the Wonderworker has its roots in the veneration of Mikula Selyaninovich.

If we take into account that the image of St. Nicholas served to create the story of the Christmas wizard, who in our area is persistently associated with Father Frost, then we can build a chain according to which Father Frost is the retired hero Mikula Selyaninovich.

Unlike Svyatogor, who in 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, freed her husband Stavr Godinovich from prison.

Ilya Muromets

Ilya Muromets, the first in the line of the so-called “younger heroes”, heroic warriors, is perhaps best known to the general public.

After staying at home for up to 33 years, unable to use his arms and legs, he was healed by the elders and set off to perform heroic deeds. It is curious that the epics told about Ilya’s service to the Kyiv prince Vladimir only in part of the Russian lands - in other regions the hero’s exploits were exclusively his personal matter.

Ilya Muromets in the painting “Heroic Leap” 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 were the Foul Idol, a certain snake, Tsar Kalin 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 in tears 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 Ilia Pechersky, a monk of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, who lived in the 12th century. The strongman, 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 of Pechersk showed that he actually died from the consequences of a blow to the chest with a sharp weapon. The prototype of Muromets could have died in 1204 during the capture of Kyiv Prince Rurik Rostislavich, when the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was destroyed by the Polovtsians.

Nikitich

Unlike Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich is a person close to the Kyiv prince, carrying out his instructions. Dobrynya does not hesitate to collect and transport tribute, takes on tasks that her colleagues refuse for some reason, and has a penchant for diplomacy.

Dobrynya’s most famous opponent is the Serpent, better known as the Serpent-Gorynych, from whose captivity the hero frees the prince’s niece Zabava Putyatishna.

Dobrynya is the most creative person among the heroes. He plays tavlei (ancient 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 epics, Dobrynya is the son of the Ryazan governor. The most likely prototype of the hero is called Dobrynya, governor of Prince Vladimir the Saint. 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 and senior comrade for the prince.

Alesha Popovich. Illustration for the book “Russian epic heroes”. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Butko

Alesha Popovich

Alyosha Popovich is the most dubious character of the “classic troika” of heroes. The son of a Rostov priest, Alyosha is boastful, arrogant, crafty, and sometimes allows himself unacceptable jokes, for which he is reproached 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 discern 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 serve 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. In the same battle he died Dobrynya Ryazan Zlat Belt, another candidate for the prototype of the epic Dobrynya Nikitich.

If you ask the average person in our country to name the names of Russian heroes, they will almost certainly name Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich. But then there’s a hitch. Thanks to popular culture, only these three have become widely known. Meanwhile, there were many more heroes in Rus', but not everyone knows about them. Let's try to correct the situation and tell about the “unknown” Russian heroes in this collection.

One of the most ancient heroes of the Russian epic epic. Svyatogor is a giant hero so big and strong that even Mother Cheese Earth could not withstand him. However, Svyatogor himself, according to the epic, could not overcome the “earthly pull” contained in the bag: trying to lift the bag, he sank with his feet into the ground.

The legendary plowman-hero, with whom you cannot fight, because “the entire Mikulov family loves Mother - the Cheese Earth.” According to one of the epics, it was Mikula Selyaninovich who asked the giant Svyatogor to pick up a bag that had fallen to the ground. Svyatogor could not do this. Then Mikula Selyaninovich raised the bag with one hand and said that it contained “all the burdens of earth.” Folklore says that Mikula Selyaninovich had two daughters: Vasilisa and Nastasya. And they became the wives of Stavr and Dobrynya Nikitich, respectively.


Volga is one of the most ancient heroes in Russian epics. His distinctive features were the ability to shapeshift and the ability to understand the language of birds and animals. According to legends, Volga is the son of a snake and Princess Marfa Vseslavyevna, who miraculously conceived him by accidentally stepping on a snake. When he saw the light, the earth shook and terrible fear gripped all living creatures. An interesting episode of the meeting between Volga and Mikula Selyaninovich is described by epics. While collecting taxes from the cities of Gurchevets and Orekhovets, Volga met the plowman Mikula Selyaninovich. Seeing a mighty hero in Mikul, Volga invited him to join his squad to collect taxes. Having driven away, Mikula remembered that he had forgotten the plow in the ground. Twice Volga sent his warriors to pull out that plow, but the third time he and his entire squad did not overcome it. Mikula pulled out that plow with one hand.


Hero of the Kyiv epic cycle. According to legend, Sukhman goes to get a white swan for Prince Vladimir. During the trip, he sees that the Nepra River is fighting the Tatar power, which is building Kalinov bridges on it to go to Kyiv. Sukhman beats the Tatar forces, but during the battle he receives wounds, which he covers with leaves. Sukhman returns to Kyiv without the swan. Prince Vladimir does not believe him and orders him to be imprisoned in a cellar for his boasting, and sends Dobrynya Nikitich to find out whether Sukhman told the truth, and when it turns out that he was telling the truth, Vladimir wants to reward Sukhman; but he removes the leaves from the wounds and bleeds. The Sukhman River flowed from his blood.


One of the most popular heroic images in Russian epics. Unlike the three main characters of the epic (Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich), Danube Ivanovich is a tragic character. According to legend, during the wedding, Danube and Nastasya Korolevichna, who was also a hero, begin to boast, Danube about her courage, and Nastasya about her accuracy. They arrange a duel and Nastasya shoots the silver ring lying on the head of the Danube three times. Unable to recognize his wife’s superiority, Danube orders her to repeat the dangerous test in the opposite way: the ring is now on Nastasya’s head, and Danube shoots. The Danube's arrow hits Nastasya. She dies, and the Danube finds out, “spreading her womb,” that she was pregnant with a wonderful baby: “knee-deep legs in silver, elbow-deep arms in gold, frequent braids on the head.” Danube throws himself on his saber and dies next to his wife; the Danube River originates from his blood.


One of the minor heroes. He is known only in northern Russian epics as a handsome man and a snake fighter. There are several legends about him. According to one of them, Mikhailo met a swan while hunting, who turned into a girl - Avdotya Swan White. They got married and swore an oath that if someone died first, the survivor would be buried with the deceased in the same grave. When Avdotya died, Potyka, along with her corpse, was lowered into the grave, on horseback in full armor. A serpent appeared in the grave, which the hero killed, and with his blood he resurrected his wife. According to other epics, the wife drugged Potyk and turned him to stone, and she fled with Tsar Koshchei. The hero's comrades - Ilya, Alyosha and others, save Potyk and avenge him by killing Koshchei and quartering the unfaithful White Swan.

A hero in Russian epics, acting in one epic as a matchmaker and groom. The story of Khoten and his bride is practically the ancient Russian story of Romeo and Juliet. According to legend, Khoten’s Mother, a widow, wooed her son to the beautiful China Sentinel at one feast. But the girl’s mother answered her with an insulting refusal, which was heard by all those feasting. When Khoten found out about this, he went to his bride and she agreed to marry him. But the girl’s mother was categorically against it. Then Khoten demanded a duel and beat his bride's nine brothers. China's mother asks the prince for an army to defeat the hero, but Khoten defeats him too. After this, Khoten marries the girl, taking a rich dowry.


Formally, he does not belong to the heroes, but he is a hero-snake fighter. According to legend, the daughter of the Kyiv prince was carried away by a snake and kept captive by him. Having learned from the serpent himself that he is afraid of only one person in the world - Nikita Kozhemyak, she and the dove send a letter to her father asking him to find this hero and encourage him to fight the serpent. When the prince's envoys entered Kozhemyaka's hut, busy with his usual business, he was surprised to tear through 12 skins. Nikita refuses the prince’s first request to fight the snake. Then the prince sends the elders to him, who also could not persuade Nikita. For the third time, the prince sends children to the hero, and their crying touches Nikita, he agrees. Wrapping himself in hemp and smearing himself with resin to become invulnerable, the hero fights with the snake and frees the prince’s daughter. Further, as the legend says, the serpent, defeated by Nikita, begs him for mercy and offers to share the land equally with him. Nikita forges a plow weighing 300 pounds, harnesses a snake to it and draws a furrow from Kyiv to the Black Sea; then, having begun to divide the sea, the serpent drowns.

Also not formally a hero, but a very strong hero, representing the ideal of valiant and boundless prowess. Since childhood, Vasily was a daredevil, knew no restrictions and did everything only as he pleased. At one of the feasts, Vasily bets that he will fight at the head of his squad on the Volkhov Bridge with all the Novgorod men. The fight begins, and Vasily's threat to beat every last one of his opponents is close to coming true; Only the intervention of Vasily’s mother saves the Novgorodians. In the next epic, feeling the severity of his sins, Vasily goes to Jerusalem to pray for them. But the pilgrimage to holy places does not change the character of the hero: he defiantly violates all prohibitions and on the way back he dies in the most ridiculous way, trying to prove his youth.


One of the most original heroes of the Kyiv epic epic. According to legend, Duke arrives in Kyiv from “Rich India,” which, apparently, was the name of the Galicia-Volyn land. Upon arrival, Duke begins to boast about the luxury of his city, his own wealth, his clothes, which his horse brings daily from India, and finds the wine and rolls of the Prince of Kyiv tasteless. Vladimir, in order to check Duke’s boasting, sends an embassy to Duke’s mother. As a result, the embassy admits that if you sell Kyiv and Chernigov and buy paper for an inventory of Dyukov’s wealth, then there won’t be enough paper.