The Firebird (Zhar-ptitsa) is a creature found in the wonder tale (volshebnaia skazka). She represents a rare treasure. Her eyes are crystals, and her feathers are silvery, golden, or orange-red and glow like embers. A single feather shines brighter than numerous candles. It can brighten a room as if a thousand lights were shining within or as if the setting sun itself illuminated the room. When the light in the feather finally dims and goes out, the feather itself turns to gold. Like attracts like, and so the feather, being a treasure, will enable one to find other treasures, particularly gold within the earth.

Her feathers burn to the touch. Because of her flaming feathers, she is linked to the sun. She is said to be the keeper of the world. She covers the fiery vision of the sun to protect all Earthly life from being devoured by the heat of the sun.

She lives an idle life eating and singing. Her diet is golden apples or magical grasses. The apples are prized by humankind because they bestow youth, beauty, and immortality on the consumer. Her song is a powerful healer. It can cure any disease, prolong life, and restore sight to the blind to any who listen to her sing. When she sings, lightning appears and pearls fall from her beak.

A single feather, whether taken from her or found by the wayside, has magical powers and its golden color is a symbol of prosperity. But to take a feather spells doom. It becomes a blessing and a curse for the one who bears the feather on his journey.

Rich men lust after the Firebird. When they see a single feather that glows bright as the sun, they desire to hold her captive in a golden cage to behold her beauty and listen to her enchanting song. She is said to live in a garden in Iria, where the Tree of Live grows. But when she flies free at nighttime, it is poor to whom the Firebird shows her benevolence.

She becomes a Slavic Robin Hood, a folk hero, stealing golden apples from the rich and giving them to the poor. Lacking apples, she’ll drop pearls from her beak as she flies over peasant villages. These treasures, although by themselves have no use to the peasants, are a means for them to trade for food, clothing, and every other necessity for their humble existence.

Ivan Bilibin’s illustration of “Tsarevitch Ivan, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf.” Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Origins

Where did this marvelous bird come from?

The Firebird has been said to be descended from the god Simargl, a winged dog, who was the protector of seeds, new shoots, and roots. The name Simargl is theorized to have come from simurgh, a Persian magical bird-deity. Although both of these concepts are debatable. The simurgh, however, was a mediator between worlds as is the Firebird.

Some sources claim that Perun, the Slavic god of thunder, traveled in the guise of the Firebird when he left the thirtieth kingdom. This was a fertile and prosperous land, where the Slavic pantheon was said to live. The fruit on the trees added years to one’s life, and the waters there restored life.

A medieval Russian creation story says it was the Firebird who soared over the great ocean that engulfed the universe. Within the primal chaos, she laid an egg from which all life was brought forth, as well as Heaven, the Earth, the Underworld, and all the stars.

Another legend places the Firebird in the Garden of Eden. She observed mankind’s downfall after Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit (which some sources say was the quince, which has been called a golden apple). While all others in the garden also partook of the taste-test, the Firebird alone refrained. For her loyalty, God granted the bird immortality, but that came with a cost. She would suffer a painful death each autumn to be reborn in the spring. Other tales say each dawn, she enters a death-like sleep, from which she revives when the sun sets.

One Tale

The golden-apple stealing Firebird in “Tsarevitch Ivan, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf” is perhaps one of the most well-known stories about this mythical creature. Ivan Bilibin’s illustration portrays this story wonderfully. I’ve always been fascinated by this renowned artist’s colorful illustrations. Back in 1990, I had the opportunity to visit Moscow. A street called Arbat is filled with art. Think of Montmartre in Paris. The Arbat has existed since at least the 15th century, which makes it one of the oldest surviving streets in the Russian capital. Among the many other fascinating artwork, I discovered hand-painted boxes from the famous Palekh school. These, as well as a reproduction of a book with Bilibin illustrations, now are part of my collection. One of the tales is in the book is “Tsarevitch Ivan, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf.”

But, the Zhar-ptitsa appears in other tales, as well, like the summary below from Ralston’s Russian Folk-tales. (London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1873, pp. 283-285, tale taken from Khudyakof, No. 110, from the Nijegorod Government).

It had been predicted that a certain baby princess would begin flying about the world as soon as she was fifteen. So her parents shut her up in a building in which she never saw the light of day, nor the face of a man. For it was illuminated by artificial means, and none but women had access to it. But one day, when her nurses and Mamzeli had gone to a feast at the palace, she found a door unlocked, and made her way into the sunlight. After this her attendants were obliged to allow her to go where she wished, when her parents were away. As she went roaming about the palace, she came to a cage in which a Zhar-Ptitsa, ‘lay [as if] dead.’ This bird, her guardians told her, slept soundly all day, but at night her papa flew about on it. Farther on she came to a veiled portrait. When the veil was lifted, she cried in astonishment ‘Can such beauty be?’ and determined to fly on the Zhar-Ptitsa to the original of the picture. So at night she sought the Zhar-Ptitsa, which was sitting up and flapping its wings, and asked whether she might fly abroad on its back. The bird consented and bore her far away. Three times it carried her to the room of the prince whose portrait she had so much admired. On the first and second occasion he remained asleep during her visit, having been plunged into a magic slumber by the Zhar-Ptitsa. But during her third visit he awoke, ‘and he and she wept and wept, and exchanged betrothal rings.’ So long did they remain talking that, before the Zhar-Ptitsa and his rider could get back, ‘the day began to dawn—the bird sank lower and lower and fell to the ground.’ Then the princess, thinking it was really dead, buried it in the earth—having first cut off its wings, and ‘attached them to herself so as to walk more lightly.’

After various adventures she comes to a land of mourning. ‘Why are you so mournful?’ she asks. ‘Because our king’s son has gone out of his mind,’ is the reply. ‘He eats a man every night.’ Thereupon she goes to the king and obtains leave to watch the prince by night. As the clock strikes twelve the prince, who is laden with chains, makes a rush at her; but the wings of the Zhar-Ptitsa rustle around her, and he sits down again. This takes place three times, after which the light goes out. She leaves the room in search of the means of rekindling it, sees a glimmer in the distance, and sets off with a lantern in search of it. Presently she finds an old witch who is sitting before a fire, above which seethes a cauldron. ‘What have you got there?’ she asks. ‘When this cauldron seethes,’ replies the witch, ‘within it does the heart of Prince Ivan rage madly.’

Pretending to be merely getting a light, the princess contrives to splash the seething liquid over the witch, who immediately falls dead. Then she looks into the cauldron, and there, in truth, she sees the prince’s heart. When she returns to his room, he has recovered his senses. ‘Thank you for bringing a light,’ he says. ‘Why am I in chains?’ ‘Thus and thus,’ says she. ‘You went out of your mind and ate people.’ Whereat he wonders greatly.

Kickstarter Campaign

The Firebird plays an integral role in our story and is at the center of an evil demon’s plot to conquer the world.

We’re planning to launch the complete Dragon Village series on September 26. Here’s a preview of our campaign story.

Dangers lurk in Dragon Village, but also secrets. Can Theo solve the mysteries before an evil creature conquers the magical and human worlds?

• Do you have an adventurous soul, ready to encounter strange magical creatures?
• Have you ever wished you could travel through a portal to another world?
• Do you love the reluctant hero, strong female friends, and quirky sidekicks?

If this sounds like you, then step through the gate into the magical world of Dragon Village.

Campaign link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/dragon-village?ref=3i92sy

If you’re interested in other Bulgarian beliefs, why not check out one of our book Light Love Rituals: Bulgarian Myths, Legends, and Folklore, available direct from us or from retail stores.