_Alyósha Popóvich._ One of the great knights at the court of Prince
Vladímir. He was an effeminate kind of person and perhaps one who rather
incited others to effort by his jibes than by his prowess. He is always
given the uncomplimentary _soubriquet_ of the ‘Mocker of Women.’ His
principal heroic episode is told in the prose ballad in this book
entitled ‘Alyósha Popóvich.’
_Angey_, Tsar. Filuyán is a fabulous city found in the cantations and
mystical rites of the Russian peasants. It is, however, probably derived
from the Greek Θύλη.
_Bába Yagá._ In Professor Sypherd’s studies on Chaucer’s _House of
Fame_, Chaucer Society, 1904, a most valuable note will be found on
revolving houses. It will be seen that the legend is cognate with magic
wheels that revolve at great speed, or turn on wheels emitting flame and
poison. The nearest analogy quoted is the whirling rampart in the _Mael
Duinn_, but the Russian legend is evidently related and not derived.
_Bogatýr._ The _bogatýr_ is the Russian Knight, but is absolutely unlike
any Western romantic notion. He is a person of magical power and
gigantic stature and prowess. Some of the _bogatyrí_ are decidedly
demi-gods; others more decisively human; but they all have some
superhuman, it may be said inhuman, touch. The derivation of the word
has been very much in dispute. The characteristic thing to note is that
the word is only found in Russian, and in no other Slavonic language,
and is almost certainly of Tatar origin, the original form being
something like _Bagadur_. The Sanskrit derivation which is attempted of
_Baghadhara_ seems scarcely probable. Goryáyev’s dictionary states that
the original meaning was a company-commander of the Tatars. If so,
_bogatýr_ is probably a corruption (through _bog_ God and _bogat_ rich)
of the form _buĭtur_, found in the Slóvo, which is certainly cognate
with the Turanian root _buĭ_, to command. _v._ notes in my edition of
Igor.
_Bryánsk._ Bryánsk in the Province of Orél contains wonderful woods
which were in ancient times impenetrable, and became the legendary home
of magic, and of weird happenings. The Aspen tree is always associated
in Russian folk-lore with magic and wizardry; it is also said that Judas
hanged himself on this tree.
_Chernígov._ An ancient city of Russia on the Dniepr, a little higher up
than Kíev.
_Christ._ As, in German folk-lore, the legends of Christ walking the
earth with His disciples are very frequent and characteristic. There is
a touch of friendly familiarity in this presentation which does not
involve the least irreverence, but adds a touch of sarcastic humour
which the Germans lack.
_The Brother of Christ._ For the punishment of the old man who grumbled
at the good things of earth there is a surprisingly close analogy in
Dante’s _Inferno_, canto vii.
“Fitti nel limo dicon; Tristi fummo
Nell’ aer dolce che dal sol s’allegra,
Portando dentro accidioso fummo:
Or c’ attristiam nella belletta negra.”
“Sunk in the slime they utter: ‘Loth were we,
In sweet air sullen, which the sun makes glad,
Our souls besmirched with dull reluctancy:
Now in this black morass, our hearts are sad.’”
_Chufil-Filyushka._ Both these names are adaptations of the Greek
Θεόφιλος.