Fairy Tales of the Slav Peasants and Herdsmen

By Joanne Asala

A Rich Collection of Slavic Folktales

This rich collection of folktales reflects the local and regional flavor of the Slavic people, although the same plots, motifs, and structural elements occur in stories told around the world.

Universal Themes in Slavic Folklore

For example, in the tale "The Three Golden Hairs," we see the Soudiche—the eastern European equivalent of the Greek Fate Sisters. A peasant child is ordered to be killed to evade an ominous prophecy, is abandoned to die, but survives to fulfill the dire predictions, much like Oedipus in the play by Sophocles. The endangered child is found in a basket floating down the river and eventually becomes part of the king's household—as does the biblical Moses.

Recognizable Motifs Across Cultures

In Shakespeare's Hamlet, a message to kill the hero is secretly changed to save the bearer. An apple tree in this Slavic tale bears "The Fruit of Everlasting Youth," which evokes the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. The ages of man described by the Fate Sisters are quite similar to the ancient "Riddle of the Sphinx." A snake impedes the function of the Tree of Everlasting Youth, again reminiscent of Garden of Eden motifs.

Familiar Characters and Timeless Tales

There are many more familiar themes in these tales: perhaps the reader will recognize Cinderella in the character of Marouckla, or Rumpelstiltskin in the story of Kinkach Martinko. These familiar motifs serve to connect Slavic folklore to a broader tapestry of human experience and shared cultural heritage.

ISBN Information

ISBN-13: 9780941016995

ISBN-10: 0941016994