Article

Name: The Russian fairy tale “The Frog Princess” in Siberia: transformation of the plot and characters

Authors: M. V. Reili

Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkin House) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

In the section Повествовательный фольклор

Abstract:

Siberian variants of the Russian fairy tale “Tsarevna-lyagushka” (“The Frog Princess”) exhibit a profound distinctiveness, genetically linked to the myths and folklore of both Slavic and indigenous Siberian peoples. In these regional traditions, the frog, belonging to the ancestral realm of Yagishen, serves as a foundational element of the universe and is semantically associated with female primordial ancestors. The heroine appears in various guises, a frog, an old woman, or a “water maiden,” representing a zoomorphic or elderly state that is often temporary, resulting from a curse or a pretransformative trial. She commands “wild winds,” water, and celestial fire, where the wind acts as a mediator between the profane and sacred worlds, while water and fire serve as potent transformative forces. The interaction between the three cosmic zones (upper, middle, and lower worlds) is reflected in her ability to shapeshift into a spindle, a snake, or a bird. Through a journey to the “otherworld” and the ritual burning of her animal skin, the hero and heroine undergo a profound social and age-based initiation. Ultimately, the heroine acquires a permanent human form through marriage. By preserving her magical properties, she brings prosperity and abundance to her husband’s family. This study highlights how the Siberian landscape and contact with local mythological systems have enriched the classical plot with archaic, world-building motifs.

Keywords: Siberian peoples, Russian fairy tales, mythology, frog, plot

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