Nightingale the Robber
Encyclopedia
Nightingale the Robber or Solovei the Brigand (Russian: Солове́й-Разбо́йник, Solovey-Razboynik), also known as Solovey Odikhmantievich (Соловей Одихмантьевич), was an epic robber from bylina
s poetry of Kievan Rus'
.
The bylina concerning Nightingale the Robber is also called "The First Journey of Ilya Muromets", and is one of the most popular Russian epics, having been recorded 132 times (Bailey, p. 25). This monster had partial human and bird like features, was able to fly, and lived in a nest, had a human family, and received drinks with his hands (Bailey, p. 27). He was said to live in a forest near Bryansk
, and would sit in a tree by the road to Kiev
and stun strangers with his powerful whistle. It is said that Nightingale the Robber would scream, "All the grasses and meadows become entangled, the azure flowers lose their petals, all the dark woods bend down to the earth, and all the people there lie dead!" (Bailey, p. 34).
According to legend, he was defeated by Ilya Muromets
, who survived even though Razboynik levelled half of the surrounding forest. Nightingale the Robber was shot down with arrows to the eye and temple by Ilya Muromets, who then dragged the defeated monster to Vladimir, the prince of Kiev. Vladimir the Great wished to hear Nightingale the Robber whistle, but the creature claimed he was too wounded to whistle. Nightingale the Robber requested wine to drink so that his wounds would disappear, then he would whistle for the prince. When he whistled all of Vladimir's palaces were destroyed and many lay dead. After this, Ilya Muromets took Nightingale the Robber into an open field and cut off his head (Bailey, pp. 28–36).
Bylina
Bylina or Bylyna is a traditional Russian oral epic narrative poem. Byliny singers loosely utilize historical fact greatly embellished with fantasy or hyperbole to create their songs...
s poetry of Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....
.
The bylina concerning Nightingale the Robber is also called "The First Journey of Ilya Muromets", and is one of the most popular Russian epics, having been recorded 132 times (Bailey, p. 25). This monster had partial human and bird like features, was able to fly, and lived in a nest, had a human family, and received drinks with his hands (Bailey, p. 27). He was said to live in a forest near Bryansk
Bryansk
Bryansk is a city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Moscow. Population: -History:The first written mention of Bryansk was in 1146, in the Hypatian Codex, as Debryansk...
, and would sit in a tree by the road to Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
and stun strangers with his powerful whistle. It is said that Nightingale the Robber would scream, "All the grasses and meadows become entangled, the azure flowers lose their petals, all the dark woods bend down to the earth, and all the people there lie dead!" (Bailey, p. 34).
According to legend, he was defeated by Ilya Muromets
Ilya Muromets
Ilya Muromets is a Kievan Rus' epic hero. He is celebrated in numerous byliny . Along with Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich he is regarded as the greatest of all the legendary bogatyrs...
, who survived even though Razboynik levelled half of the surrounding forest. Nightingale the Robber was shot down with arrows to the eye and temple by Ilya Muromets, who then dragged the defeated monster to Vladimir, the prince of Kiev. Vladimir the Great wished to hear Nightingale the Robber whistle, but the creature claimed he was too wounded to whistle. Nightingale the Robber requested wine to drink so that his wounds would disappear, then he would whistle for the prince. When he whistled all of Vladimir's palaces were destroyed and many lay dead. After this, Ilya Muromets took Nightingale the Robber into an open field and cut off his head (Bailey, pp. 28–36).
Depictions
- Vladimir Toropchin's animated feature, Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber, to be released on July 7, 2007. http://3bogatirya.ru/
- Aleksandr PtushkoAleksandr PtushkoAleksandr Lukich Ptushko is a Soviet animation and fantasy film director, and Meritorious Artist of the RSFSR. Ptushko is frequently referred to as "the Soviet Walt Disney," due to his prominent early role in animation in the Soviet Union, though a more accurate comparison would be to Willis...
's 19561956 in filmThe year 1956 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 5 - The Ten Commandments opens in cinemas and becomes one of the most successful and popular movies of all time, currently ranking 5th on the list of all time moneymakers * February 5 - First showing of documentary films by...
film Ilya MurometsIlya Muromets (film)Ilya Muromets , known in the US as The Sword and the Dragon and in the UK as The Epic Hero and the Beast , is a Russian fantasy film directed by the noted fantasy director Aleksandr Ptushko, made at Mosfilm and released in 1956. It is based on the byliny tales of the bogatyr Ilya Muromets...
.
External links
- Recording of this bylina.
- Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber, as included by A. H. Wratislaw in Sixty Folk-Tales from Exclusively Slavonic Sources
- Reinhold Gliere and his Third Symphony Ilya Murometz