The return of the valiant knight - a review of the book by Andrey Usachev "Bova the King. Heroes of Slavic mythology: Bova Korolevich

In a certain kingdom a sovereign was widowed: her sovereign died; and she had an heir. He was given the name Bova the King. She fell in love with her sovereign in another kingdom. So the sovereign answers her: “Bring down (destroy) you your son: I will love you. And if you don’t, I won’t!” She took him (her son), put him in a dark dungeon and locked him up, she herself went with her lover to the garden for a walk. The son looks out the window, saw it, and said: “Who is this walking around: a guest or a visitor? Why did my mother starve me to death?” Here she (mother) comes to the cooks, says: “Take you snake fat, bake a wheat pie. Let him eat, he will be torn apart now. The cook was baked and given to the nanny who went after him. “Take it, they say, to him!”

The nurse felt sorry for him, cut off a piece of bread and went to him. She opened the room, he saw that she was bringing him food; she is crying herself. He answers her: “My dear nanny! What are you crying about? Or do you feel sorry for me? - “Still, I wouldn’t feel sorry for you, I’ve been following you for 17 years. Your father was gone, and your mother wanted to kill you, put snake fat in a pie; eat my arzhan (black) bread, you will be healthier. He broke off the arzhan bread, began to eat and wept. “Ah, my dear mother! What is she doing to me!” - "She, she says, is not your mother, but a fierce snake." - “Well, my dear nanny, don’t close the doors behind you!” - “Your mother is a villain, she will kick me out; I can't live from her!" And he says: "I will go out into the light of God, I will not forget you." And all their bridges were lowered, so that there would be no passage on them; mother was afraid that he would leave. He jumped out of the dark dungeon and shouted: “Raise all the bridges!” Now the bridges have been raised; he ran across all the bridges. He ran to the sea and shouted: “Hey you, gentlemen shipbuilders! Take me to the other side!" They took him on a boat and put him on.

And his mother grabbed it, but he was gone. Now she sent a catch-up, they ran to the sea. The mother makes some noise: “Hey you, gentlemen shipbuilders! Give me back my son!" They say: "Let's give it back, we ate bread without him." And he tells them: “Give it back, try it! I will piss you all into the water ”(I will throw it). Well, they moved him to their side.

They brought him to their side and went to trade in goods, and they took him with them. The king sent a man to buy goods. This man stayed for three days. How many do not look at the goods, how many look at the boy: good, he plays the harp well. He sends a nanny. “Nanny, go and see: how long does a person go?” The nurse stood for six days; I didn’t look at the goods as much as at this boy: good, he plays the harp well. Here he sends his daughter: “Come, my daughter, see that they will not come for a long time?” The daughter went, stood for nine days. Good, she liked him: he plays the harp well. The sovereign was very angry: “Why are they missing? Let me go myself!” Comes. “What are you saying, are you not coming for a long time?” - “Yes, he says, their goods are good, but the boy is even better: he plays the harp well.” - “Well, when you like it, we will take it for ourselves!” They took this boy and put him to walk behind the horses.

The sovereign's daughter is looking at him from the window. Good, she liked him. “Oh, my dear papa. What kind of a man have we assigned to walk behind the horses! Let’s better tell him to bring food!” - “When you, darling, like it, take it!” He brings her food; she asks him: “Boy, tell me, what kind are you?” - "I," he says, "is a simple kind." She answers him: "No, she says, I see that you are not of a simple family." - "Well, - he answers, - I'm a simple kind." - "What is your name?" - "My name is Angusey!"

And Bova arrived at the sea haven and jumped into the tent, and the two kings were tied under the bench, King Zenzevei Aidarovich and King Markobrun. And Bova unleashed two kings and put them on horses. And they went to the Kingdom of Armenia for 3 days and 3 nights over human corpses, barely a good horse galloping in blood up to its knees.

And Bova's speech to his sovereign Zenzevei Aidarovich and King Markobrun: "If the sovereign buys a good serf, then the serf will curry favor with his sovereign." And King Markobrun began to say to King Zenzevei Aidarovich: “I heard from old people: if the sovereign buys a good serf, and the serf earns his favor for his sovereign, that serf is endowed and released.” And King Zenzevey Aidarovich began to say: “I heard from old people that it is suitable to endow such a serf and call to oneself.” And two kings arrived in the Armenian kingdom and went to the royal chambers and began to drink and eat and be merry. And Bova went to the stable and went to bed and slept for 9 days and 9 nights.

And in those days, two kings, King Zenzevey Aidarovich and King Markobrun, went with hawks to the backwaters to amuse themselves. And at that time the butler summoned 30 young men, brave knights, and began to say: “Come, young men, and kill Bova in the sleepy stable, and I will give you a lot of gold and silver.” And everyone wants to gain. And 30 young men rushed to Bova at the stable, and Bova was fast asleep. And among those 30 young men there was one wise man. And he began to say: “Only we cannot kill sleepy Bova. And Bova wakes up, what will happen to us? Bova - a brave knight, Bova killed the strong and glorious hero Lukoper and beat 100,000 troops. Let's go to the butler! And the butler is the same as our sovereign Zenzevey Aidarovich, and the butler will write a letter in the royal name and send Bova to the Rakhlensky kingdom, but Bova will not recognize him from sleep. And the butler liked that word. And the butler went to the royal chamber and wrote a letter from King Zenzevey to Tsar Saltan Saltanovich, so that Tsar Saltan Saltanovich “wouldn’t turn on me, I didn’t kill Lukoper, your son and beat 100,000 troops. His name is Bova, and I sent him to you head to death. And the butler wrote the letter and sealed it, and he himself lay down on the king's bed and dressed himself in the king's blanket, and sent it along Bov to the stable. And Bova came to the royal chamber and did not recognize Bova as the butler. And he began to speak in the royal name: “Bova, serve me with faith and truth. Go to the Rakhlen kingdom, take a petition from me to Tsar Saltan Saltanovich. And Bova accepted the letter and struck with his forehead and went to the stable. And he did not saddle the heroic horse, saddled Bov the pacer and went to the Rakhlen kingdom.

And Bova travels for 9 days and 9 nights, and Bova can’t run over either a river or a stream, but Bova wants to drink well. And he saw Bova: an oak tree stands a mile away from the road, and under the oak stands a Chernorizet. And Bova went. And the pilgrim said: “My lord, the brave knight Bova the prince! I drink, and to you, sovereign, I will give you the same. And the old man scooped up the bowl and poured in the soporific potion and gave it to Bova. And Bova drank, and Bova fell from his horse to the ground and slept for 9 days and 9 nights. And the old pilgrim took away the treasure-sword from Bova and took away the good horse. And Bova got up from sleep, but he had neither a good pacer horse, nor a treasurer's sword. And Bova shed a tear: “Merciful Savior and most pure Mother of God! The old man has already hurt me, and the sovereign sent me to death. And Bova went, where the eyes are. And Bove the Lord rules the way. And Bova came to the kingdom of Rakhlen and entered the royal chambers and put the letter on the table. And Tsar Saltan Saltanovich accepted the letter, printed it out and read it. And Tsar Saltan Saltanovich shouted: “Oh villain Bova, now you yourself have come to my death, I can hang you!” And Tsar Saltan Saltanovich shouted: “Do I have young men, brave knights? Take Bova and take her to be hanged.” And soon the rails were set up, the cauldrons were prepared, and they took Bova 30 young men under his right hand, and the other 30 young men under left hand and took Bova to be hanged. And he saw Bova reli and Bova shed tears: “Merciful Savior and most pure Mother of God! What is my fault, what is my untruth, why am I dying? And God Bova put it on his mind that Bova was a strong hero. And shook Bova right hand and knocked down 30 young men, and shook Bov with his left hand, and killed the other 30 young men. And Bova fled from the Rahlen kingdom.

And the king Saltan Saltanovich saw and ordered to blow the horn and gathered his yard of 5 thousand and chased after Bova. And they caught up and caught and brought to Tsar Saltan Saltanovich. And Tsar Saltan Saltanovich began to speak, like blowing a trumpet: “You, villain Bova, want to escape death. I can hang you!"

And that king Saltan had a daughter, the beautiful princess Minchitriya. And she put on a precious dress and went to her father’s ward and began to say: “My lord, father, Tsar Saltan Saltanovich! You can’t raise your son, but you can’t raise my brother, and you can’t raise 100,000 troops, but you will bring down such a strong hero. And you, sovereign father, give him to me in my arms, and I will convert him to my Latin faith and to our god Akhmet, and he will take me instead of a wife and will be our kingdom's controller and protector from all countries. And Tsar Saltan's daughter, the beautiful Princess Minchitriya, was in love. And Tsar Saltan says: "My dear child, the beautiful Princess Minchitriya, be at your will."

And Princess Minchitriya hit her father with her forehead, and went to her mansions and gave Bova a lot of drink and food of various kinds and began to say: “Bova, forget your Orthodox Christian faith and take me instead of a wife. And if you don’t believe in our Latin faith and don’t take me as your wife, my father can hang you or put you on a stake. And Bova’s speech: “Even if I am hanged to be or impaled to be, I don’t believe your Latin faith and I can’t forget my true one.” And Princess Minchitriya ordered Bova to be firmly imprisoned and covered with iron boards and covered with sand, and she did not give Bova food or drink for 5 days and 5 nights. And Bove wants to drink and eat well.

And the beautiful princess Minchitriya put on a precious dress and went to Bova in the dungeon and ordered the sand to be removed and the iron board to be opened. And she went to Bovina in the dungeon and could not look at Bovina's beauty for 3 hours. “Bova! Would it be better for you to die of starvation, or to be hanged, or to be impaled? Believe in our Latin faith and take me as your wife.” “Already I am already starving to death. And if I want to be hanged or put on a stake, I don’t believe in your Latin faith and I can’t forget the Orthodox Christian faith.

And Princess Minchitriya did not give Bova either food or drink, and went to her father’s chamber and began to say: “My lord, father, Tsar Saltan Saltanovich! I could not seduce Bova. Hang him up, put him on a stake." And Tsar Saltan Saltanovich began to say: “Do I have 30 young men? Go to the dungeon and take Bova and bring him to me, I can hang Bova." And the 30 young men stood up and went to Beauvais in the dungeon, and could not remove the sand and open the iron boards, and began to break the roof. And Bova twirled: “I don’t have a treasure-sword, I have nothing to resist against 30 young men.” And he saw Bova in the corner in the dungeon with a sword-treasurer, and Bova took the sword-treasurer, Bova was joyful. And the young men began to go down to Bova in the dungeon, a man two and three, and five and six. And Bova whips them and puts them down with a ladder. And he cut down all 30 young men and folded them with a ladder. And Tsar Saltan got angry at those young men: "Let's go and talk with Bova." And he sent 30 other young men and ordered Bova to bring them immediately. And 30 young men came and began to descend into the dungeon to Bova. And Bova flogs and lays down with a ladder. And Bova came out of the dungeon and fled from the kingdom of Rahlen. And Tsar Saltan Saltanovich ordered to blow the horn and gathered troops of 30,000 and chased Bova.

And Bova ran to the sea haven, and Bova saw the ship and jumped on the ship, rolled away from the shore. And Tsar Saltan Saltanovich shouted in a loud voice: “Guest shipbuilders, return from the ship my traitor, who left my dungeon, and his name is Bova. And if you do not give up my traitor, henceforth, ships will not sail past my kingdom and do not trade in my kingdom. And the shipbuilders want to give Bova off the ship. And Bova took out a sword-treasurer from his bosom and cut down the peasants and threw them into the sea. And the guards on the ship buried themselves and began to say: “Sir, brave knight, you cannot destroy us, but we will run to you, sovereign, wherever you need.

In a great state glorious city Gvidon lived in Anton. He once learned about the beautiful princess Militrisa and wooed her. Militrisa's father gave his consent. Three years later, the young had a son, and they named him Bova. But Militris had long been in love with King Dodon and dreamed of seeing him as her husband. She sends Gvidon to certain death, demanding to get her a wild boar, and in the meantime she opens the city gates and happily welcomes the new king, Dodon. Bova's uncle, Simbalda, tells the boy about his mother's deceit and offers to run away with him, since Bova is still very small and cannot avenge his father's death, and it is not safe for him to stay in the palace. But King Dodon learns of Simbalda's intention and, having gathered an army, chases after the fugitives. The uncle manages to escape from his pursuers, but the prince falls from his horse, and he is taken to the palace.

Dodon dreams nightmare in which Bova kills him. The frightened king asks Milithris to deal with his son. She orders to put Bova in prison, depriving her of food and drink. A few days later, the prisoner begged his mother to give him some food. Pouring poison into the dough, the queen sends cakes to Beauvais. The maid, passing them, warns the prince of danger and, opening the iron bolts, releases him to freedom.

Bova went aimlessly and ended up on the seashore. Bova saw the ship and shouted in a loud voice. From his exclamation, waves went through the sea, and the ship nearly capsized. Gosgi-shipmen sent sailors to find out what kind of unusual child was on the shore. Bova said that he was Ponomarev's son, and asked to join the ship. Shipbuilders cannot see enough of Bovina's beauty, they admire him, they are overjoyed.

A year and three months later they sail to the Army kingdom. Zenzevey Adarovich rules there. He saw Bova and immediately begged the shipbuilders to sell him this handsome man. So Bova became a groom. And he was seven years old. King Zenzeway had a daughter, Druzhnevna. She saw from her chorus Bova, from whose beauty the whole stable was lit up, and fell in love with the stranger. Once, King Markobrun arrived from the Zadonsk kingdom, and with him forty thousandth army. And he said to King Zenzeway: "Give your daughter for me for love, and if you don't give it for love, I will burn your kingdom." At the same time, Tsar Saltan Saltanovich and his son Lukoper came to the Army Kingdom from the Rakhlensky Kingdom, glorious hero, who also wooed Druzhnevna.

And Zenzeway and Markobrun decided to unite their troops and go to battle with Lukoper. The bogatyr defeated two armies, and bound two kings and sent them to his father Saltan. Bova slept in a dead sleep for nine days and nine nights. Waking up, he learned from Druzhnevna about Lukoper and wanted to fight him. Druzhnevna gave Bove a good horse, armor and a sword. At parting, Bova confessed to the princess that he was not Ponomarev's son, but of the royal family. And Bova went to the cause of war and death. Five days and five nights he fought and defeated Lukoper and his army. Then he released Zenzewei and Markobrun from captivity.

Meanwhile, the butler, who did not like Bova, called thirty knights to him and ordered them to kill Bova, promising a generous reward for this. One of the knights offered the butler a different path: Zenzeway and the butler are very similar to each other, and this should be used. The butler wrote a letter on behalf of Zenzevey to Tsar Saltan, saying that the murderer of Lukoper was not he, but Bova, who would convey this message to him. The butler entered the royal chambers, put on a royal dress and sent for Bova. Bov did not recognize the butler, and he ordered him: "Serve me faithfully, go to the Rakhlen kingdom, take the letter to the king." And the unfortunate Bova came to Saltan and handed him the letter. The king shouted: “Oh, villain Bova, now you yourself have come to my death, I order you to hang immediately!”.

That Tsar Saltan had a daughter, Minchitriya. She threw herself at the feet of her father and exclaimed: “Already your son, but my brother cannot be returned, leave Bova alive! I will convert him to my Latin faith, and he will take me as his wife, our kingdom will protect from everyone. The king loved his daughter and fulfilled her request. But Bova answered her sweet speeches: “Although I may be hanged, I will not renounce the Christian faith.” The princess ordered to put Bova in prison and not feed him in the hope that he would change his mind. But five days later, Bova replied that he did not even want to hear about the Latin faith. Finding a sword in the corner of the dungeon, having dealt with the guards, he runs. He boards a ship and after a year and three months ends up in the Zadonsk kingdom.

There he learns that King Markobrun is marrying Druzhnevna. Bova put on black dress the old man and entered the palace. On the eve of the wedding, Druzhnevna distributed gold to the poor. The elder approached the princess and said: "Give me alms for the brave knight Bova the prince." Druzhnevna's bowl of gold fell out of her hands. She began to ask the old man what he knew about Beauvais. She did not immediately recognize her lover, but guessing who was in front of her, she fell at the feet of Bove with the words: “My lord, the brave knight Bova prince! Don't leave me, we'll run away with you from Markobrun." Markobrun, waking up from his sleep, sent a chase after the fugitives. And Bova took the sword, jumped on a horse and beat the thirty thousandth army. And King Markobrun commanded to blow the horn and gather forty thousandth army. But the young warriors prayed: “Our sovereign! We can't take the bows, but only put our heads down. You have a strong hero, his name is Polkan, to the waist - dog legs, and from the waist - a man. He gallops seven miles and will be able to deliver Bova to you. And Bova heard that Polkan was riding. He took the sword, swung it, but the sword fell out of his hands and went halfway into the ground. And Polkan struck Bova with his club, and Bova fell. Polkan jumped on his horse and sped away. But Bova came to his senses and returned to Druzhnevna in the tent. Soon Polkan also rushed there. Druzhnevna reconciled them and asked to call each other brothers.

The three of them arrived in the city of Kostel. At the same time, Markobrun was there and began the siege of the city, demanding to give him Bova and Polkan. But brave heroes defeated the army of Markobrun, and he went to his kingdom, vowing not to pursue Bova again. Druzhnevna soon gave birth to two sons, and Bova gave them names: Simbalda and Licharda. Suddenly, the governors of King Dodon arrived, who were ordered to deliver Bova to the sovereign. Bova instructs Polkan to help Druzhnevna and sets off. But Polkan was eaten by lions, and Druzhnevna came to the Rakhlen kingdom. She washed herself with a black potion and became black as coal; she began to sew shirts at the widow’s farmstead, to earn bread. And Bova, not finding either his wife or his children, decided that they, like Polkan, had been eaten by lions.

Arriving in the Army Kingdom, the prince killed the butler who had once sent him to his death. In the Rakhlen kingdom, Princess Minchitriya again asks the prince to take her as his wife. And she agrees to be baptized. But once I heard Bova in the royal chambers, how two children sing a song about him. Druzhnevna went out to meet her children at the royal court, and Bova rushed to her. Bova with Druzhnevna and the children went to the city of Sumin, to uncle Simbalda.

The insidious Dodon Bova is severely wounded, and then, under the guise of a doctor, enters the palace and, avenging the death of his father, cuts off Dodon's head. He takes this trophy to Queen Militrissa. She orders the killer to be executed, but Bova asks her not to rush. And he ordered Bova to make a coffin, and buried his mother alive. And Bova went to the Rakhlen kingdom, and married his uncle's son to the beautiful princess Minchitriya. And Bova went to his patrimony, and lived with his family, dashing to get rid of, but to make good.

Bova Korolevich

a tale very common among the Russian people about the valiant knight Bova Gvidonovich, who, having fled from the house from the evil mother Militrisa Kirbityevna and the stepfather of King Dodon, ends up with King Zenziviy Andronovich and falls in love with his daughter Druzhevna. In honor of her, he performs miracles of courage, defeats one whole army of contenders for the hand of Druzhevna - kings Markobrun and Lukoper Saltanovich. Thanks to the intrigues of one envious courtier, B. falls into a series of dangerous adventures, is saved only thanks to his courage, the treasure-sword and the heroic horse, on which no one but B. dares to sit down. In his exploits, B. is not only a brave defender of Druzhevna, but also a champion of Christianity. Even when he is threatened with death, he does not want to give up Christianity and believe in "the Latin faith and God Ahmet". Fate, however, favors B.; he manages to free Druzhevna from Markobrun and escapes with her. He easily defeats the rati sent against him by Markobrun, and with the hero Polkan (half-man, half-dog), detached against him, concludes an alliance. But even after marrying Druzhevna B., trials are ahead; he goes to take revenge on King Dodon for the murder of his father; at this time, Druzhevna was forced to hide as a seamstress from the daughter of King Saltan, Minchitrisa. B., having lost Druzhevna, wants to marry Minchitrisa, whom he converted to Christianity. But Druzhevna turns out to be alive, B. returns to her and her two sons, while Minchitrisa marries the son of Licharda, B.'s faithful servant. The tale of B. the prince belongs to the least studied narrative works our folk literature. Despite purely Russian names, she is undoubtedly of foreign origin. The source of the tale is the famous chronicle poem Reali di Francia, dating back to the 14th century. The poem is divided into 6 books, of which the 4th is dedicated to Buovo de Antona, the prototype of B. prince. This part has undergone innumerable revisions, of which the most remarkable is the Northern French and Italian verse poem about Buovo, which appeared around 1480 in Bologna and had until the 17th century. about 25 editions. The Russian fairy tale adjoins the Italian edition, but it is difficult to determine with accuracy whether it is borrowed from the poem Buovo d "Antona or from the 4th book of Reali di Francia. The facts are transmitted in the same way as in the Italian novel, the names are partly transferred with Russian pronunciation, partly changed against Italian. So, B. corresponds to Buova, Gvidon - to Duke Guido d "Antoni, uncle B. Simbald - Sinebaldo, Dodon - Duodo di Maganza, Druzhevna - Drusiniana; but, on the other hand, Licharda, Guidon's servant - in the Italian text is an unnamed messenger, Guidon's wife is not Militris, but Brandoria, etc.

It is difficult to determine in what ways the Italian novel entered Russia. A. N. Pypin in his "Essay literary history old Russian stories and fairy tales" stands for a direct transition, in view of the fact that in the content and appearance of the tale there are no traces of extraneous processing, noticeable in other stories and novels that came to us from the West. Significant change noticeable only in style - to Russian. the tone and details of the Russian fairy tale epic took root in the fairy tale. According to the Russian lists of the fairy tale about B. the king, one can judge about its long-term circulation in Russia. Particularly complete are the lists of the 17th century, closer to the spirit of the Italian original (in "Monuments ancient writing"1873, issue I, printed the text of B. the king, borrowed from the manuscript collection of the Public. Bibl. of the end of the 17th century). They retain the original meaning of the novel - the struggle of Christianity with Islam and are clearly expressed in the person of B. the knightly ideal: courage , devotion to faith and his lady. The characters are depicted with the same certainty and some immobility: B. - the embodiment of virtue, Militris - deceit, Druzhevna - love and devotion. In later lists and in popular prints, the original edition is distorted: the religious character is completely lost sight of , characters they speak in a pretentious and vulgar language that does not correspond to their position, sharp features are smoothed out in the characters.

Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron. - St. Petersburg: Brockhaus-Efron. 1890-1907 .

See what "Bova Korolevich" is in other dictionaries:

Bova queen. Painting on the lid of the chest. Veliky Ustyug, XVII century. Bova Korolevich is the hero of Russian folklore, a heroic story, as well as numerous popular prints of the 16th century. The story is ... Wikipedia

The hero of the Russian magical heroic story of the 17th century, and in the 18th century. popular tales (see Lubok literature). * * * BOVA KOROLEVICH BOVA KOROLEVICH, the hero of the Russian magical heroic story, and from con. 18th century popular tales (see Lubochnaya ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

The hero of the Russian magical heroic story, and from the con. 18th century popular tales (see Lubok literature) ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

The hero of the Russian magical heroic story. Overcoming various obstacles, B.K. achieves beautiful princess Friendly, performs feats, shows miracles of courage. The Russian story about B.K. goes back to that which arose in France in the era ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Bova queen. Painting on the lid of the chest. Veliky Ustyug, XVII century. Bova Korolevich is the hero of Russian folklore, a heroic story, as well as numerous popular prints. The story goes back to medieval times. French novel about exploits ... ... Wikipedia

The history of Russian literature for the convenience of reviewing the main phenomena of its development can be divided into three periods: I from the first monuments to Tatar yoke; II to the end of the XVII century; III to our time. In reality, these periods are not sharply ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

This term has other meanings, see Polkan. Polkan. Painting on the lid of the chest. Veliky Ustyug, XVII century ... Wikipedia

Bovo-Bukh- Le Bovo Bukh (Livre de Bovo; aussi connu sous le nom de Baba Buch, etc.), écrit en 1507 1508 par Élie Lévita, est le roman de chevalerie le plus populaire écrit en yiddish. Imprimé en 1541, c est le premier livre non religieux imprimé en… … Wikipedia en Français

Oral folk poetry. Bibliography. U. l. before late XVIII in. Bibliography. U. l. first half of XIX Art. U. l. 60 90s U. l. late XIX and the beginning of the XX century. Bibliography. Ukr. Soviet literature. Oral folk poetry. &nbs … Literary Encyclopedia