Ancient Wisdom Atlas

Motif

ash-hidden simpleton becomes serpent-slayer

ash_hidden_simpleton_becomes_serpent_slayer

A motif of the Divine Warrior and Sacred Combat family. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.

1 occurrences

1 traditions


slavic

  • Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore INTRODUCTORY. / FOOTNOTES: / CHAPTER II. / MYTHOLOGICAL.; lines 3078-3192 confidence: medium

    Ivan Popyalof is the simpleton third son of an old couple; after twelve years among the ashes he rises, shakes off six poods of ashes, lives in a land of perpetual night caused by a Snake, and asks his father for a five-pood mace.

    Ivan is introduced as a simpleton who lies among stove ashes for twelve years, then rises, prepares a massive mace, and undertakes the killing of the Snake.

    read in the book