Bylinas of the Kiev cycle

Bylinas of the Kiev cycle include epic legends, the plot of which unfolds in or near the capital city of Kiev, and the central images are Prince Vladimir and the Russian heroes: Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich. The main theme of these works is the heroic struggle of the Russian people against external enemies, nomadic tribes.

In the epics of the Kiev cycle, folk narrators glorify military prowess, unbreakable power, the courage of all Russian people, their love for their native land and the unrestrained desire to protect it. The heroic content of Kiev bylinas is explained by the fact that Kiev in the 11th and 13th centuries was a frontier city subjected to frequent raids by nomads.

The image of Ilya Muromets

Ilya Muromets is the favorite epic hero. He is endowed with extraordinary strength and great courage. Ilya is not afraid of one to join the battle with the enemy, thousands of times more than his number. Always ready to stand for Mother Earth, for the Russian faith.

In the epic "Ilya Muromets and Kalin-Tsar" tells about the battle of the hero with the Tatars. Prince Vladimir planted Ilya into a deep cellar, and when “the Kalin-Tsar dog” approached “to the capital city of Kiev”, there was no one to resist him, no one to defend the Russian land. And then the Grand Duke appeals for help to Ilya of Murom. And he, without holding offense to the prince, without hesitation, goes to fight the enemy. In this epic, Ilya Muromets is endowed with exceptional strength and boldness: he alone stands against the numerous Tatar troops. Having been captured by Kalin-Tsar, Illya is not tempted by either the treasury of gold, or expensive clothes. He remains faithful to his Fatherland, the faith of the Russian and Prince Vladimir.

The call to unite the lands of the Russians is also heard here - one of the main ideas of the Russian heroic epos. 12 saint Russian heroes help Ilya to overcome enemy force

Dobrynya Nikitich - bogatyr Svyatorussky

Dobrynya Nikitich is no less a favorite hero of the bylin of the Kiev cycle. He is as strong and mighty as Illya, as he enters into an unequal battle with the enemy and defeats him. But, in addition, it still has a number of advantages: an excellent swimmer, a skillful guslar, plays chess. Of all the heroes, Dobrynya Nikitich is closest to the prince. He comes from a noble family, clever and educated, a skilled diplomat. But, above all, Dobrynya Nikitich is a warrior and defender of the Russian land.

In the epic "Dobrynya and the Serpent" the bogatyr enters into combat with the Serpent the twelve-headed and defeats him in an honest duel. The cunning Serpent, in violation of the treaty, kidnaps Prince's niece, Zabava Putyatichna. Dobrynya is sent to rescue the captive. He acts as a diplomat: he frees the Russian people from captivity, concludes a peace treaty with the Serpent, rescues the Serpent from the hole, Zabava Putyatichna.

Bylins of the Kiev cycle in the images of Ilya Muromets and Dobrynia Nikitich show the powerful, unbreakable strength and power of the entire Russian people, their ability to resist foreigners, to protect the Russian land from the raids of nomads. It is no coincidence that Ilya and Dobrynya are so loved by the people. After all, for them, serving the Fatherland, the Russian people, is the highest value in life.

But Novgorod bylinas are told quite differently, they are more devoted to the way of life of a large trading city, but we'll tell you about it next time.