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The Three Kingdoms: Russian Folk Tales from Alexander Afanasiev's Collection
An illustrated collection of thirty-three traditional tales from Russia.
158 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1985
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198 people want to read
About the author
Alexander Afanasyev
269 books110 followersAlexander Nikolayevich Afanasyev (Russian: Александр Николаевич Афанасьев) was a Russian folklorist who recorded and published over 600 Russian folktales and fairytales, by far the largest folktale collection by any one man in the world. His first collection was published in eight volumes from 1855-67, earning him the reputation of a Russian counterpart to the Brothers Grimm.
Born in 1826 in Boguchar, in Voronezh Governate, he grew up in Bobrov, becoming an early reader thanks to the library of his grandfather, a member of the Russian Bible Society. He was educated at the Voronezh gymnasium and from 1844-48 he studied law at the University of Moscow. Despite being a promising student, he did not become a professor, due largely to attacks upon his work by the conservative Minister of National Enlightenment, Count Sergey Uvarov.
Afanasyev worked for thirteen years at the Moscow's Main Archive Directorate under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire, during which time he also amassed a huge library and published numerous articles and reviews. In 1862 he was fired from his position, because of his association with philosopher Alexander Herzen. Jobless for a number of years thereafter, he sold his library in order to support his family, eventually finding work as a secretary at the Moscow City Duma and at the Moscow Congress of Justices of the Peace.
Afanasyev wrote a large theoretical work (three volumes of 700 pages each) – "The Poetic Outlook of Slavs about Nature" (Поэтические воззрения славян на природу) – which came out between 1865 and 1869. In 1870 his Русские детские сказки (Russian Children's Fairy Tales) were published. He died in poverty in 1871, at the age of forty-five.
(source: Wikipedia)
Born in 1826 in Boguchar, in Voronezh Governate, he grew up in Bobrov, becoming an early reader thanks to the library of his grandfather, a member of the Russian Bible Society. He was educated at the Voronezh gymnasium and from 1844-48 he studied law at the University of Moscow. Despite being a promising student, he did not become a professor, due largely to attacks upon his work by the conservative Minister of National Enlightenment, Count Sergey Uvarov.
Afanasyev worked for thirteen years at the Moscow's Main Archive Directorate under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire, during which time he also amassed a huge library and published numerous articles and reviews. In 1862 he was fired from his position, because of his association with philosopher Alexander Herzen. Jobless for a number of years thereafter, he sold his library in order to support his family, eventually finding work as a secretary at the Moscow City Duma and at the Moscow Congress of Justices of the Peace.
Afanasyev wrote a large theoretical work (three volumes of 700 pages each) – "The Poetic Outlook of Slavs about Nature" (Поэтические воззрения славян на природу) – which came out between 1865 and 1869. In 1870 his Русские детские сказки (Russian Children's Fairy Tales) were published. He died in poverty in 1871, at the age of forty-five.
(source: Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 12, 2018
Zdravstvuyte, lads! We got 33 Mesmerizing Russian Fairytales filled with fair princesses, wicked witches, cunning strangers, Jealous siblings, golden Kingdoms and innumerable iterations of Prince Ivan in this cool little collection of tales! Some of them are repetitive, nevertheless, these stories are richly presented and told with a full heart!
There were many celebrated characters present in these stories, but undoubtedly my favorite was Baba Yaga, the witch lady. Not only she has the coolest name, but also the best house (a turning, chicken-legged hut), eco-friendly transportation (A bucket looking object), and a beautiful wicked mind!
*Go Green!*
*Yo, Welcome to MTV Cribs! We are today at Baba Yaga's house!*
I was a bit disappointed that the new Baba Yaga, John Wick was not mentioned during the stories. I know! Such a snub!
I learned a lot of lessons too! Like:
(1) Do NOT trust foxes. They are way too cunning for you to handle.
(2) Always trust Animals and trees more than humans.
(3) If Tinder isn't helping you, go to the forest and wait for a magical dove to shed her wings and turn in to a beautiful woman. Steal the discarded wings and she will be your wife, no questions asked!
(4) Never mess with an Ivan. They are unbeatable.
(5) Always listen to your horses. If you don't have one, get one.
(6) Never go for a walk in the Garden. Someone will kidnap you. Period. Better stay home and read a book!
On a serious note, It's amazing to see some stories featured in Arabian nights or even Indian folklore present in Russian folklore. Just like early explorers, many stories have traveled across the world and retold to form new sibling to the earlier versions. One of the examples was "The Wise maid and Seven Robbers", which I've read before as "Ali Baba and forty thieves" in Arabian tales!
Some of my favorite stories from this collection were:
►Baba Yaga and Puny,
►Evening, Midnight and Dawn,
►Marya Morevna,
►The Horse, the Table-Cloth and the Horn,
►Elena the Wise,
►The Prophetic Dream,
►The White Duck
Oh wait, after reading this book, you will be able to enrich the way you answer to mundane questions, Like If someone asks you "Will you be able to finish the project on time?" And you're like "Yes, of course". But after reading this folklore, you'll be able to answer more dramatically, like:
"If I were to sow some barley, wait till it ripened, reap and thresh it, brew beer out of it, drink till I am drunk and not start the project till I had slept it off, I should still be able to submit it on time."
Works like a charm!
There were many celebrated characters present in these stories, but undoubtedly my favorite was Baba Yaga, the witch lady. Not only she has the coolest name, but also the best house (a turning, chicken-legged hut), eco-friendly transportation (A bucket looking object), and a beautiful wicked mind!
*Go Green!*
*Yo, Welcome to MTV Cribs! We are today at Baba Yaga's house!*
I was a bit disappointed that the new Baba Yaga, John Wick was not mentioned during the stories. I know! Such a snub!
I learned a lot of lessons too! Like:
(1) Do NOT trust foxes. They are way too cunning for you to handle.
(2) Always trust Animals and trees more than humans.
(3) If Tinder isn't helping you, go to the forest and wait for a magical dove to shed her wings and turn in to a beautiful woman. Steal the discarded wings and she will be your wife, no questions asked!
(4) Never mess with an Ivan. They are unbeatable.
(5) Always listen to your horses. If you don't have one, get one.
(6) Never go for a walk in the Garden. Someone will kidnap you. Period. Better stay home and read a book!
On a serious note, It's amazing to see some stories featured in Arabian nights or even Indian folklore present in Russian folklore. Just like early explorers, many stories have traveled across the world and retold to form new sibling to the earlier versions. One of the examples was "The Wise maid and Seven Robbers", which I've read before as "Ali Baba and forty thieves" in Arabian tales!
Some of my favorite stories from this collection were:
►Baba Yaga and Puny,
►Evening, Midnight and Dawn,
►Marya Morevna,
►The Horse, the Table-Cloth and the Horn,
►Elena the Wise,
►The Prophetic Dream,
►The White Duck
Oh wait, after reading this book, you will be able to enrich the way you answer to mundane questions, Like If someone asks you "Will you be able to finish the project on time?" And you're like "Yes, of course". But after reading this folklore, you'll be able to answer more dramatically, like:
"If I were to sow some barley, wait till it ripened, reap and thresh it, brew beer out of it, drink till I am drunk and not start the project till I had slept it off, I should still be able to submit it on time."
Works like a charm!
December 23, 2015
I remember this one from my childhood. I fought my cousin (I'm ashamed to admit this) over this book because the illustrations were breathtakingly beautiful.... None of the usual Disney type characters, but traditional Russian art! Loved looking at the pictures and when I got old enough, the tales too. I'd love to gift this to my daughter now.
..............
This is an update on the book. I found a copy of it on Amazon and purchased it right away for my daughter. When I received it, I couldn't believe how this book had the same magical effect on me even now, 22 years later! I've been reading stories from it to my daughter whenever she cares to sit still enough. She's way too young right now to comprehend even the pictures, but someday, I hope, she will love it as much as I do.
..............
This is an update on the book. I found a copy of it on Amazon and purchased it right away for my daughter. When I received it, I couldn't believe how this book had the same magical effect on me even now, 22 years later! I've been reading stories from it to my daughter whenever she cares to sit still enough. She's way too young right now to comprehend even the pictures, but someday, I hope, she will love it as much as I do.
November 29, 2020
beautiful illustrations accompany the sometimes abruptly-ended and interestingly translated fairy tales. Although I read these as a hobby, there were a few I hadn't read before.
May 3, 2021
*La rana Zarevna.
December 31, 2021
Definitivamente me gustan los cuentos rusos.
Tienen unas moralejas bastante peculiares, pero me gusta lo directos que son.
Tienen unas moralejas bastante peculiares, pero me gusta lo directos que son.
November 30, 2014
This book is full of short Russian folk tales like “The Animals in the Pit”, “Baba-Yaga and Puny” and “Ivan the Fool”.
The Animals in the Pit is a story of a farmer’s only possession which was a hog; the hog goes into the woods where he meets a wolf who wants to go with him. There is a pit on the way which the hog jumps over but the wolf falls down into. The next day the Hog meets a bear and the same thing happens. The third day the hog meets squint-eye (hare) and again the hog jump over and the hare falls in. The fourth day the hog meets a fox and he falls in also. Then the four animals got hungry and start competing to see who to eat. The hare is the first to die then the wolf. The fox tricks the bear into killing itself. The fox seeing a thrush threatens it to bring him food and water and then to free him from the pit. Then he tells the thrush to make him laugh, so he leads the fox into the village where he calls dogs which kill the wolf.
Love Russian folk tales because they are so different than the ones people in North America normally hear. This example shows that difference very well but there are also those that have definite morals and lessons which are also fun to read.
The Animals in the Pit is a story of a farmer’s only possession which was a hog; the hog goes into the woods where he meets a wolf who wants to go with him. There is a pit on the way which the hog jumps over but the wolf falls down into. The next day the Hog meets a bear and the same thing happens. The third day the hog meets squint-eye (hare) and again the hog jump over and the hare falls in. The fourth day the hog meets a fox and he falls in also. Then the four animals got hungry and start competing to see who to eat. The hare is the first to die then the wolf. The fox tricks the bear into killing itself. The fox seeing a thrush threatens it to bring him food and water and then to free him from the pit. Then he tells the thrush to make him laugh, so he leads the fox into the village where he calls dogs which kill the wolf.
Love Russian folk tales because they are so different than the ones people in North America normally hear. This example shows that difference very well but there are also those that have definite morals and lessons which are also fun to read.
November 17, 2013
Collection of authentic tales by the famed Russian folklorist. I read new Vasalisa and Baba Yaga tales I hadn't encountered in other collections. The tales embody the sort of pure episodic repetition that became the hallmark of fairy tale structure as described and cataloged so thoroughly by his countryman, Vladimir Propp.
February 21, 2009
I got this as a birthday present in probably 2nd or 3rd grade. Wonderful stories, I still go back and re-read some every once in a while
June 17, 2015
Another good stories collection, It results interesting the death's view of Russians, and how several stories doesn't have a happy ending.
July 18, 2020
Los rusos tienen una forma muy extraña de contar cuentos.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews