_Aspen._ Always associated with magic. Its trembling leaves give it a
weird appearance.
_Bába Yagá._ Russian witch, also Yagá-Búra.
_Bábushka._ The grandmother.
_Bárkhat._ This word also means velvet.
_Bátyushka._ Father in a general sense, meaning anybody older. _Otéts_
is father, meaning the relationship of father and son.
_Birds’ milk._ The Russian folk-tale expression for asking for the moon.
_Boyárs._ This may be translated earls, but in the Russian social scale
it only meant the bigger men, the seigneurs.
_Boyárynyi._ Countesses, feminine plural of _boyár_.
_Chúdo-Yúda._ The Old Man of the Sea. This is a very clear loan from the
Homeric Proteus.
_Dyádka._ Uncle. A term of respect.
_Egórushko Zalyót._ Means George the Bold Flier.
_Fatá._ A long silken glove.
_Gúsli._ A musical instrument, something like a zither with seven
strings.
_Iváshko Zapéchnik._ Iván, who is always sitting behind the stove.
_Iváshechko._ A diminutive form of Iván.
_Iváshko._ A diminutive form of Iván.
_Izbá._ Hut.
_Kaftán._ A peasant’s overcoat, made very long.
_Khvalýnsk._ The old name of the Caspian. _Vide_ Vazúza and Vólga.
_Korolévich._ King’s son. Koról, king.
_Korolévna._ King’s wife.
_Ksálavy._ Mythical birds, the meaning of which is entirely unknown.
_Mikháilo Ivánovich._ The popular name for the bear.
_Mísha Kosolápy._ Dmítri, the Bandy-legged.
_Morévna._ Of the sea.
_Nikíta._ From the Greek Νικήτης, conquer.
_Pope._ Village priest.
_Pud._ A Russian weight. Thirty-six pounds avoirdupois.
_Sarafán._ A short sleeveless jacket, generally embroidered, worn over
the bodice or the blouse.
_Sazhén._ A length of seven feet.
_Sebézh._ A city in the Vítebsk province, bordering on Poland. The Poles
and the Mussulmen are all called infidels, Saracens or _Busormany_.
_Shúba._ A fur mantle.
_Stárosta._ Mayor of a town.
_Teléga._ A peasant’s cart without springs.
_Tsarévich._ Tsar’s son.
_Tyátya._ Daddy.
_Tzarévna._ Tsar’s wife.
_Ukaz._ Imperial edict.
_Ványa._ A diminutive form of Iván.
_Vertodúb._ The oak-turner, a gigantic figure.
_Vertogór._ The mountain-turner; a gigantic figure.
_Vóron Vóronovich._ Crow Crowson.
_Zamorýshek._ This name is freely translated Benjamin, the last-born son
of an old man.
Footnote 1:
Hut.
Footnote 2:
Hut.
Footnote 3:
The Mayor.
Footnote 4:
Hut.
Footnote 5:
Hut.
Footnote 6:
Ten kopeks.
Footnote 7:
Fur mantle.
Footnote 8:
Grandmother.
Footnote 9:
Another variant, “the Fearsome Swan.”
Footnote 10:
Little Father.
Footnote 11:
Hut.
Footnote 12:
This is a simple instance of the _prískazka_ or preface to a story.
Footnote 13:
A _sazhén_ is seven feet.
Footnote 14:
Benjamin.
Footnote 15:
Father.
Footnote 16:
The Devil in this story is the popular myth of the water-god or
spirit, The Vodyanóy.
Footnote 17:
Countesses.
Footnote 18:
Village priest.
Footnote 19:
Death is feminine in Russian.
Footnote 20:
Ilyá Múromets is one of the heroes of the _Byliny_: his great feat is
the slaying of the Nightingale Robber. This tale may be eponymous of
geography; Svyatogór (_Svyáty Góry_, Sacred Mountains) Múrom is on the
river Oka, in the Province of Vladímir, one of the oldest cities in
Russia; the village of Karachárovo is not far off.
Footnote 21:
Affectionate term for old servant, equivalent to uncle.
Footnote 22:
The word means velvet.
Footnote 23:
Hut.
Footnote 24: