Wonderful fairy-tale creatures and sweet-voiced birds of paradise have always inspired both medieval masters and modern artists. Let's get acquainted with the main ones.
Alkonost
The wonderful bird Alkonost, or Alcyon, with a female appearance and similar to a kingfisher, lives either on the banks of the Euphrates, or on the island of Buyan, or in the ancient Slavic paradise of Iria. The creature of fabulous beauty lays its eggs on the seabed, at the edge of the sea, and for seven days, until the chicks are born, according to legends, the weather is calm and calm. Alkonost is a bird of goodness and sorrow. She does not pose any danger to humans, but on the contrary, mourns those who died on the field after the battle. And the singing of Alkonost, like love itself, is so beautiful that he who hears it can forget everything in the world.
Sirin
Another bird of paradise - Sirina, reminiscent of the ancient Greek Sirens - is usually attributed to the dark forces. Outwardly, it is very similar to Alkonost and is his frequent companion. However, despite the fact that, unlike Alkonost, Sirin sings songs of Joy, promising soon-to-come bliss, his singing is destructive for people, because hearing him can lose your mind.
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Gamayun
Prophetic Gamayun-bird is a wise messenger of the Slavic gods and a harbinger of happiness. Her name probably comes from the old word "gamayunit", that is, to lull. Gamayun's cry is good news, and she sings divine songs to people. Gamayun knows about everything in the world, knows the secrets about the origin of the earth and the sky and is ready to tell about the future to everyone who knows how to understand the secret. In Slavic mythology, it was customary to turn to her for advice. According to popular beliefs, this miracle bird was born together with our world and its purpose is to remind people of the highest values of life.
Stratim
The mysterious and gigantic Stratim-bird, also known as the Straphil-bird, is the archetype of the progenitor, the mother of all birds. She lives on the sea-ocean and keeps all the white light under her right wing. Stratim personified the most terrible and permissive forces of nature. It flaps its wing - the sea will agitate, scream - the storm will rise, and it will fly - so it will cover the white light … Ships will sink into the sea, the deepest abysses will open up, cities and forests will hide under water.
Firebird
The most famous and late bird in the world of Russian folk fantasy is the Firebird, which has taken over some of the properties of many other fabulous birds. Its prototype was obviously Phoenix. Similar to a peacock, she also lives in the beautiful Garden of Eden of Iria in a golden cage, from which she flies out only at night. Her golden feathers are able to shine in the darkness and amaze human eyesight, but at the same time, the Firebird returns the ability to see to the blind, and her singing heals the sick. At the same time, when she sings, pearls fall from her beak. The Firebird feeds on golden apples, which give it eternal youth, beauty and immortality. Perhaps that is why fairy-tale heroes hunted for her, and musicians and artists sang her in their works.
Finist Clear Falcon
The Phoenix bird is also associated with the appearance in Russian fairy tales of another famous character - Finist the Clear Falcon. The image of a young man who can turn into a falcon is considered borrowed from Western mythology, like a wonderful spouse visiting his beloved under the guise of a bird.
The Swan Princess
The graceful Princess, half a swan, half a beautiful girl, has become not so much a character in the mythology of folk tales as a common image in Russian art. The wonderful swan bird, living on the shores of the blue-blue sea, first flew to Pushkin's "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", then to the opera of the same name by Rimsky-Korsakov, and then remained forever in Vrubel's most famous masterpiece.