The fire bird flies. The fire bird is a fabulous creature. Flag of the Yuzhsky district of the Ivanovo region

The peacock (who doesn't know him?) chose the green hills of India and Ceylon as his residence. Families with few children, just companies, crowned firebirds fly out of the forest to the cultivated fields of farmers. They will frighten them from here, run away briskly into the bushes. They will fly only when the chase is about to overtake.

Only Muslims, Christians and pagans scare them. Anyone who professes Hinduism is forbidden to offend peacocks. Near the settlements, where their religious customs are guarded, peacocks feed fearlessly in the rice fields. In the hot hours they doze, bathe in the dust along the forest roads.

They sleep on trees chosen for more than one night, sometimes right in the villages.

The peacock is dedicated to the god Krishna. Not only for beauty, for considerable services as well.

The meowing call of the peacock "mi-au" in India is "translated" as "minh-ao", which means "it's raining", or, more precisely: "rain, go!" Indeed, before a thunderstorm and monsoons, peacocks are especially talkative, they “meow” a lot. During the rainy season they have current games. Well, it turns out, as if the peacocks are shouting "the abysses of heaven." For people whose lives depend on crops in thirsty fields, this means a lot.

The fire bird is a mythical creature from oral folk legends, epics and Russian folk tales. This mythical bird got its name due to its plumage, which, according to the legends, is fiery gold, with reddish tints, shines like the sun and just like the sun warms. When touched, her plumage burns.

In size, article, length of the tail and wingspan, this fiery bird is very reminiscent of a peacock.

The Firebird is a creature of divine origin, it is one of the incarnations of God the Thunderer Perun, the lord of lightning, thunderstorms and storms.

The Firebird is the Russian "sister" of the mythical Phoenix bird, better known to us from European culture. And, like the Phoenix bird, the Firebird of immortal nature

Motherland of the Firebird

Since the Firebird is of divine origin, the Gardens of Eden of Iria, the abode of the Gods in many Slavic traditions, are considered its cradle. Iriy is the heavenly abode of Gods and mythical creatures, where peace, serenity, bliss and abundance reign. Iriy is also considered the home of the sun, rivers of living water flow there and trees grow with fruits that give immortality.

Element

The Firebird, like all beings in the universe, is a child. But her main elements are, which determines her luminous and burning nature and the element, which allows her to fly, overcome great distances between worlds and gives her a magical healing voice.

Character Fire Bird

The character of the fiery bird born in paradise is gentle, trusting and not devoid of curiosity. As a creature deprived of need, little can distract the Firebird from his beloved, idle pastime.

And the Firebird loves to fly over the Gardens of Eden, eat magic rejuvenating apples that give immortality and beauty, and then, sitting on a tree, sing their beautiful songs.

However, curiosity makes her leave their homes and embark on journeys through numerous worlds, including human ones.

Habitats of the Firebird

Most of the time the fiery bird spends in paradise, however, out of curiosity, it often travels, especially to those regions where there are many apple orchards, especially orchards with rejuvenating apples.

There is a belief that the Firebird can stay with a person for a long time, in whose heart she feels selfless love for herself, she will delight her patron with her magical singing, which will attract a person, prosperity and well-being to the house.

However, she immediately leaves the person if she feels that his heart has cooled to her songs or self-interest has settled in his soul.

Due to the fact that greed easily penetrates into a person, it rarely stays with anyone for a long time, and in addition to the Paradise Gardens of Iriy, it is easiest to meet it in nature in the summer, in apple orchards.

Abilities and Traits of the Firebird

Like any creature of divine origin, the Firebird has magical and magical abilities. So, her plumage shines as brightly as the sun, and even one feather warms and illuminates everything around as brightly as thousands of simultaneously lit candles would illuminate.

After the feather of the fiery bird loses its luminosity, it cools down and turns into a feather of pure gold. But even the possession of the cooled golden feather of the Firebird brings good luck and prosperity to its owner, however, provided that greed does not completely take over his heart.

In this case, the pen can bring trouble.

Singing the Firebird has healing properties and can cure any disease with regular listening. In addition, when the firebird sings, pearls pour from its beak, which in modern language would sound like pearls.

A drop of bile from the Firebird restores sight to the blind.

And as mentioned earlier, the presence of the Firebird in the house can turn the dwelling into a paradise, provided, of course, that people do not lose their heads from such happiness and do not allow greed and selfishness to take over their hearts.

How to catch the Firebird

Despite all the warnings that only the pure of heart can hope to meet and befriend the Firebird, because of its magical properties, it has always been a desirable prey for many seeking wealth and fame.

Once the Firebird managed to capture Koshchei the Immortal and keep her in his cage for some time, but we know that this story did not end well for him.

The easiest way to track down the Firebird is in the apple orchards, especially where golden rejuvenating apples grow - her favorite food.

But it is impossible to catch the firebird with your bare hands, its plumage burns too much, at best you will have it in your hands if only the pen is lucky. You need to catch a bird with a net or in mittens.

However, this is unlikely to bring you happiness, it is better for the bird to want to stay with you. Therefore, if you want to catch the Firebird for some reason, it is better to have sincere intentions and admiration for this amazing creature in your heart. Then not only wealth will come to your home, but also health, happiness and good luck.

Feather Firebird

The Feather of the Fire Bird, accidentally dropped or even forcibly taken away for some time, retains its magical properties: to warm and illuminate. One feather illuminates and warms no worse than a thousand burning candles. Which was priceless in the old days.

After the feather has spent all its heat, it cools down and turns into pure gold. One such feather can make its owner rich. In addition, according to some folk tales, the golden feather of the Fire of Birds can point to a hidden treasure on magical nights, for example, on the night before Ivan Kupala.

However, you should always remember that if your only motive is self-interest, then magical powers can easily confuse you, and you will find yourself at least in the cold, and even in serious trouble.

The role of the Firebird in literature

The fire bird is a fairly common character in oral epics and Russian folk tales.

The fire bird is a symbol of prosperity, wealth, status and power. The kings sent their sons to capture her, thereby trying to evaluate their valor, courage and ingenuity. The Firebird served as a reward to the hero for the mission accomplished.

A chance meeting with the Firebird always promised new adventures with many trials and a well-deserved reward at the end.

Becoming the patron of the Firebird, or at least the owner of its feather, means both literally catching your bird of luck and finding your life path, revealing your talents, abilities and finding happiness.

And if the Firebird is not the main character of Russian fairy tales, then at least the key mythical character, without whose existence and the desire to possess him, many stories in Russian folklore literature would not begin at all.

The Firebird by its very existence inspired many heroes for adventures and exploits, no less than the Phoenix bird in European legends or the divine fire in ancient Greek myths.

Symbolism and Heraldry with the image of the Firebird

Since the Firebird is an exceptionally auspicious symbol, personifying not only wealth, abundance, status, but also divine origin and heavenly life, its image is very often found in Russian symbols and emblems.

In books on heraldry, one can find a large number of coats of arms and flags of Russian principalities, cities and estates, and in our time cities, districts and regions with the image of the Firebird.

The figurine of the Firebird or its image can be found on many souvenirs and folk art products. Like the matryoshka, the Firebird is a well-known souvenir made in Russia.

Below are some examples of coats of arms and flags depicting this mythical bird.

Coat of arms of the city of Palekh

Coat of arms of the city of Plast

Flag of the city of Vidnoe

Flag of the Yuzhsky district of the Ivanovo region

101 biographies of Russian celebrities who never existed Belov Nikolay Vladimirovich

Firebird

The Firebird is one of the most famous characters in Russian fairy tales. The feathers of the Firebird have the ability to shine and amaze the human eye with their brilliance.

Fabulous good fellows go after the Firebird, and great happiness comes to those who master at least one of its feathers.

The Firebird lives in a faraway kingdom, a faraway state, in a beautiful garden surrounding the tower of the Tsar Maiden (or near Koshchei the Immortal in stone caves among other treasures that he guards). Golden apples grow in the garden, restoring youth to the elderly. During the day, the Firebird sits in a golden cage and sings heavenly songs to the Tsar Maiden. When the Firebird sings, pearls fall from its beak. “At night, the Firebird flies through the garden, all burning like a fever; fly somewhere - everything around will be lit up at once. One of her feathers will cost more than a whole kingdom, but the Firebird herself will have no price at all.

The extraction of the Firebird is fraught with great difficulties and is one of the main tasks that the king (father) sets his sons in a fairy tale. According to the plot of the tale, only the kind youngest son manages to get the Firebird.

In mythology, the Firebird is often compared with medieval stories, very popular in both Russian and Western European literature, about the Phoenix bird, which is able to be reborn from the ashes. Rejuvenating apples, in turn, can be compared with the fruits of the pomegranate tree, a favorite delicacy of the Phoenix.

The Slavic myth of the Firebird describes it as a fiery bird the size of a peacock. The Firebird's feathers glow blue, and its armpits emit a crimson glow. On the plumage of a bird, you can easily get burned. The fallen feather retains the properties of the Firebird's plumage for a long time, that is, it glows and radiates heat. Eventually, when the heat wears off, the feather becomes golden.

In the forests, the Firebird guards the fern flower.

Among the many national symbols of Russia, the Firebird has a special place. This bird personifies a fairy tale in general and happiness as such, is a symbol of the eternal folk aspirations for happiness. Simply put, the Firebird is that miracle of miracles, that very cherished dream, reward, happiness that every person strives to achieve in his life. In addition, the Firebird is a wonderful gift-symbol that essentially personifies the message - "the fulfillment of all desires, even those that sometimes seem unrealizable."

In the "high art" with the Firebird can be found in the ballet of the same name by I. Stravinsky (this is one of his early works). Stravinsky admitted: “The Firebird attracted me not by its plot. Like all fairy tale ballets, it demanded descriptive music of the kind that I don't like to compose... least of all could I reconcile myself to the suggestion that my music was an imitation of Rimsky-Korsakov, especially since at that time I was particularly in revolt against Rimsky ". The premiere of the ballet took place in Paris on the stage of the Grand Opera on June 25, 1910. At the premiere of the performance, which was a great success, the highest artistic society (writers M. Proust, J. Giraudoux, etc.) gathered, and the aspiring composer himself was introduced to the "high society".

Like the matryoshka, the Firebird is produced in the form of gift souvenirs, a toy, however, less well-known. Firebirds are made from metal, wood, straw, birch bark, and synthetic materials. A symbol toy is given to someone who lacks a little magic to make all their wishes come true.

From the book by Valentin Gaft: ... I gradually learn ... author Groysman Yakov Iosifovich

BIRD Faster than you - an ordinary plane, But how can it compare with you! Its flight depends on me, And you are free, little

From the book Where the Earth Ended in Heaven: Biography. Poetry. Memories author Gumilyov Nikolai Stepanovich

Bird I dare not pray anymore, I have forgotten the words of the litanies, A threatening bird is above me, And its eyes are fires. Here I hear a restrained scream, Like the ringing of decayed cymbals, Like the distant roar of the sea, The sea beating in the chest of rocks. Here I see - steel claws

From the book ... I gradually learn ... author Gaft Valentin Iosifovich

BIRD Faster than you - an ordinary plane, But how can it compare with you! Its flight depends on me, And you are free, little

From the book The Last Autumn [Poems, letters, memoirs of contemporaries] author Rubtsov Nikolai Mikhailovich

The firebird When the dormant flock shelters A family of birches on a hill across the river, The shepherd, watching the play of leaf fall, Sits lazily and dangles with his foot... There is a small house in the crimson forest, And now there is no rest in sight: My father is preparing a gun for the fox And again

From the book My Unfilmed Movie author Vulfovich Teodor Yurievich

"... Like a bird" - Is it possible for a mother to worry about her child? It's not human. Not godly. Save her, Queen of Heaven!.. But where is it? Cancer is cancer, and in her leg, - Nadezhda Petrovna said and fell silent for a long time in thought. Nadezhda Petrovna has already gone to Donetsk three times

From the book My Merry England [compilation] author Goncharova Marianna Borisovna

"Bird of Happiness" At the youth center in Coventry, all guests were invited to an evening of relaxation. The invitation said: bring a bottle-or-two with you. That is, a bottle or two. Well, mine came. In suits. For a youth party. They each brought two liters with them. Well, the bottles are

From the book Kolyma Notebooks the author Shalamov Varlam

Firebird You are a soaring in the black sky, Mumbling at night. You are the rivalry of the mountain Talkative keys. You are the flight of a red-hot arrow, A frank fairy tale gift And a suddenly grounded dazzling blow, So that in its instantaneous light Those features that were held

From the book of Morbakk author Lagerlöf Selma

Bird of Paradise They lived in a tiny house at the beginning of Karlsgatan, and they liked it there so much that Lieutenant Lagerlöf and the children unanimously called this place Little Morbakka. A house in a foreign city could not have been awarded a more honorary title.

From the book Is It Me?! God... author Basilashvili Oleg Valerianovich

"The Blue Bird" Even before the war, I was at the Art Theatre. Let's say it was 1941: January or February. But I think it was before. So, I am six or seven years old. My mother brought me to the Blue Bird at the Moscow Art Theater. I remember the performance clearly. I was struck by the Kingdom of the Night, with Horrors,

From the book of Abd al-Qadir the author Oganisyan Julius

Bird on the neck

From the book Red Lanterns author Gaft Valentin Iosifovich

Bird Faster than you - an ordinary plane, But how can it compare with you? Its flight depends on me, And you are free, little one.

From the book of Revelation author Klimov Grigory Petrovich

From the book Self-Portrait: The Novel of My Life author Voinovich Vladimir Nikolaevich

Bird-troika From the seventieth year I fled to the two thousandth. I'm coming back. So, I wrote a protest to the magazine "Frontiers" about the publication without my permission of the first chapters of "Chonkin". Not the one that the party and union writers wanted, but still wrote. IN

From the book Selected Works. T. I. Poems, stories, stories, memoirs author Berestov Valentin Dmitrievich

FIREBIRD Seeing a wonderful light in the distance, A hot young man rushed towards him. Feather of the Firebird in his hand Burns, shimmering. Here's luck! The guy wrapped his pen in a rag, For glory he went to the capital. But, amazed, the prince said: “Good! Found a pen - so get it

From the book of the Baroness. In search of Nike, the Rothschild rebel author Rothschild Hannah

18 Bird For several months, at the end of 1954 - beginning of 1955, different aspects of Nika's life came together and something like peace of mind came: Jules was appointed French plenipotentiary in North America and moved with the children from Mexico City to

From the book 101 biography of Russian celebrities who never existed author Belov Nikolay Vladimirovich

The Firebird The Firebird is one of the most famous characters in Russian fairy tales. The feathers of the Firebird have the ability to shine and amaze the human eye with their brilliance. Fabulous good fellows go after the Firebird, and whoever masters at least one of her feathers comes

The uniqueness of Russian fairy tales lies in the fact that they combine pagan and Christian ideas about the world around them. Paganism is a fictional idea of the people about the universe. It is associated with the deification of various forces of nature: fire, water, earth, animals, plants, heavenly bodies. All this is widely reflected in fairy tales. Time and place are sometimes indefinite in a fairy tale, as well as in myths. The fairy tale is full of motifs that contain belief in the existence of the "other world" and the possibility of returning from there. Old Russian culture is turned to the inner world of man. It is characterized by "the emphasis not so much on the knowledge of the world as on understanding it, extracting human meaning, comprehending the laws of the moral life of a person." The heroes of fairy tales do not remake the world, but with the help of the elements, animals, birds, heavenly bodies, they find personal happiness.

Fire birds in mythology

Since ancient times, among the most diverse peoples, birds have been intermediaries between heaven and earth. The researcher of Slavic mythology P. Troshchin suggests that initially the "sky" and the huge bird "eagle" were designated by the Slavs in one word. In ancient times, there was a certainty that every ten years the eagle throws itself into the flame, then into the sea wave, and regains youth. Among the Khanty, a tree was considered sacred, on which eagles nested for several years in a row. The falcon among the ancient Slavs is the first bird and the first god of the world. According to legend, it was the FALCON bird that brought fire to the earth - a spark from the sun, and heavenly fire appeared from the ignition of a tree on earth. “The rooster was revered by the pagans as a bird dedicated to Perun and the hearth, and at the same time an emblem of happiness and fertility,” writes Afanasiev. The image of the Firebird goes back to the image of the Sacred Bird - the Fiery Messenger of the Gods. On Russian folk cups of the 18th - 20th centuries. The Firebird can often be seen depicted in the form of a Fiery - Fire-feathered bird, the Irian Messenger, somewhat reminiscent of a peacock. The firebird personified fire, the sun, and creativity.

Light image of the Firebird

This research work is based on the texts of Russian folk tales, revised by A. N. Afanasiev, P. P. Ershov's fairy tale "Humpbacked Horse".

How is the Firebird described in fairy tales? The verbal description by eyewitnesses of the Firebird is as follows: “bright, rare, flies through the air, glows, shimmers with different lights,” etc. - why not a peacock? Peacocks were known at princely courts. These birds were imported from the East. But why was this bird, little known to the common people, so popular among the people? What caused her deification? And why is it called "Heat" - that is, "burning coal"? A fire bird?

Under all descriptions of the "Firebird" falls not only a peacock. All these characteristics are a description of... ball lightning. Already such and such a "bird", flying through the air, glowing and shimmering with lights, was well known among the people. They knew and were afraid.

One of the bad habits of the Firebird is to leave circles of fallen cereals on the field. Judging by Russian fairy tales, for a long time the peasants guarded the villain. However, nothing could be obtained from the frightened watchmen, except for vague descriptions of either the FIRE-bird or the SHAR-bird. “Fiery red and golden feathers, wings like flames, and eyes sparkling like diamonds…”. Despite the blinding light, it has long been observed that the "Firebird" does not give off any smoke or heat.

The name of the Firebird is given by the color of plumage. The word heat in circulation is an old form of an adjective used as a definition. It is formed from hot "fiery, ore-yellow" or "red-yellow, orange", that is, it originally had a color meaning. In the fairy tale, the color of the Firebird is golden, and the golden cage, and the beak, and feathers. The symbolism here is obvious: the Firebird is a solar bird, the sky is the home of the Sun, gold is the metal of the sun.

In fairy tales, the Firebird acts as a kidnapper. She feeds on golden rejuvenating apples, which give eternal youth, beauty and immortality, and in their value are completely equal to living water. Perhaps that is why they believed that her singing heals people.

Both in Ershov's fairy tale and in the folk tale "The Firebird and Vasilisa the Tsarevna" the hero picks up the Firebird's feather, thus violating the ban.

What is the prohibition that the hero violated? Where does the miracle bird live and why can't everyone get there?

In a Russian folk tale, a bird lives in a garden behind a stone wall, which is the boundary between "own" and "foreign" worlds. In P.P. Ershov’s fairy tale, the Firebird lives in the kingdom of the thirtieth kingdom in the garden of the Tsar Maiden. This kingdom is fabulously rich lands that were dreamed of in ancient times. The Tsar Maiden lives in a fabulous golden palace, this motif is also taken from folklore, more precisely from the period of pagan beliefs about the palace of the god - Yarila. Ershov captured and embodied in his "fairy tale" the very essence of folk culture, which is associated with early pagan and later Christian ideas.

The firebird is created by popular imagination from the ideas of heavenly fire-flame, and its radiance blinds the eyes just like the sun or lightning. The unusual fiery color indicates her belonging to another, inhuman world, so it was impossible to pick up the Firebird's feather. “That” world is exactly “the other world”, the world of the dead. The main participant in the events of the tale is the hero because he manages to return from where no one returns.

But after all, not every person is given the Firebird in the hands. Why is help given to the third son in the fairy tale? What do we know about him? In fairy tales, these are the youngest sons in the family. The older sons got married, received their allotment, left the family, and the younger ones stayed with the elderly. They left behind that part of the inheritance that belonged not even to the father, but to the whole family, in a word, what was connected with the ancestors.

The attachment of the youngest son to the stove is also interesting, which is found in many fairy tales. According to ancient ideas, the Furnace, the home Hearth, is the basis and symbol of the House and tribal well-being. So, only those who are initially connected with their parents and ancestors are allowed to get into the “other” world and return from there, it is he who is given a magical assistant. But the protagonist achieves success thanks to his personal qualities. In search of the Firebird, the hero of the fairy tale overcomes his fear, doubts, makes mistakes, but still goes forward, achieves his goal. As a reward, the hero of the fairy tale receives not only a magical horse and the Firebird herself, but also a beautiful princess and a kingdom in addition. Even his appearance changes: he becomes handsome, handsome. The heroes of fairy tales are helped to acquire bodily health by the elements, spiritual health - the feather of a firebird - the fire of joy, creativity, strength. Thus, the study showed that in Russian folk and author's fairy tales, the image of the Firebird personifies good power and is a symbol of good luck, victory, embodies a person's dream of happiness, is given into the hands of only a kind person.

The image of the Firebird in the life and culture of the Russian people

The Slav often imagined himself as a free bird and dreamed of flying over the blue sea. The dream of freedom and happiness completely merged with the image of a bird. This bird, no doubt, is connected with the sun: this is evidenced by its plumage and the light that comes from it. The sun for ancient people was one of the main patron gods. According to popular ideas, life depends on the radiance of the sun, the creative, fertile power of which lies in its bright spring and summer rays. Among the Slavs, a bird with outstretched wings symbolized the sun.

In Russian folklore, most of all songs, fairy tales, legends, riddles are about birds. Light images of heavenly creatures often appear on dishes, spinning wheels, and in embroidery. The folk costume in its silhouette is similar to a bird: wide sleeves-wings, a headdress-tuft, chest and waist decorations-feathers. Sacred birds adorn the platbands of houses, and decorations - amulets in the form of birds are the strongest. Later, people began to paint dishes with bright images of a bird so that the luck and happiness bestowed by the Firebird would not leave them. So the Firebird became the guardian of the world and the embodiment of a dream.

Slavic mythology is the key to understanding the soul of the Russian people, its history and culture. The fiery birds, according to the views of our ancestors, include: the eagle, since it was associated with heavenly power, and it was a symbol of victory, speed; the falcon for an ancient Russian person was the embodiment of beauty and prowess, the speed of its flight was compared with the speed of lightning; the rooster was considered a symbol of the sun, fire, fertility. The firebird personified fire, the sun, and creativity. This is evidenced by her plumage and the light that comes from her. Perhaps this is a poetic image of the dawn. The firebird is the wind, the cloud, the lightning plus the heat in the peasant oven, the red rooster outside the outskirts.

Firebird - serves good. Radiates an unusual, magical color that helps people in their earthly affairs. A lot of trials and dangers lay in wait on the way of those who dared to go in search, for any path to a creature that keeps the fire of the original creation in itself is thorny and unpredictable. And one could try to go this long way - in one's heart, overcoming and changing oneself. Only a desperate daredevil with a pure soul and heart, led by a dream through life, could see her, having overcome many trials. The light of divine radiance that surrounded the Firebird fell on a person, endowing him with what he most wanted in his heart: talents, skills, happiness.

Since ancient times, man, protecting himself from evil forces, covered his clothes and dwelling with images - amulets. The firebird for the Slavic peoples was not only a symbol of fire, but also a symbol of happiness and good luck. A fairy tale always opens up the widest scope for reflection and comparison. The results of a survey among students showed that for a modern person the image of fire has become secondary, not so significant, the meaning of divinity, a talisman disappears. A person perceives this bird as a bird that brings good luck, wealth.

The firebird in the modern world is a symbol of happiness.