Firebird (Slavic folklore)

In Slavic mythology and folklore, the Firebird (Russian: жар-пти́ца, romanized: zhar-ptitsa; Ukrainian: жар-пти́ця, zhar-ptytsia; Serbo-Croatian: žar-ptica, жар-птица; Bulgarian: Жар-птица, romanized: Zhar-ptitsa; Macedonian: Жар-птица, romanized: Žar-ptica; Polish: Żar-ptak, rarely also ptak-żar; Czech: Pták Ohnivák; Slovak: Vták Ohnivák; Slovene: Rajska/zlata-ptica) is a magical and prophetic glowing or burning bird from a faraway land which is both a blessing and a harbinger of doom to its captor.

The Firebird is described in one of the texts collected by Alexander Afanasyev as having "golden feathers, while its eyes were like unto oriental crystal".

portray a large bird with majestic plumage that glows brightly emitting red, orange, and yellow light, like a bonfire that is just past the turbulent flame.

iconography, the form of the Firebird is usually that of a smallish fire-colored falcon, complete with a crest on its head and tail feathers with glowing eyes.

The Firebird is a marvel, highly coveted, but the hero, initially charmed by the wonder of the feather, eventually blames it for his troubles.

Because of this last insult to his ego he turned Maryushka into a Firebird, and himself into a great black Falcon, picked her up in his talons, and stole her away from her village.

The archer weeps to his horse, who instructs him to put corn on the fields in order to capture the firebird.

In Czech folklore, it is called Pták Ohnivák (Fire-like Bird) and appears, for example, in a Karel Jaromír Erben fairy tale, also as an object of a difficult quest.

In the most common version of the legend, a Tsar commands his three sons to capture the firebird that keeps flying down from above and eating his apples.

The story of the Firebird quest has inspired literary works, including "The Little Humpback Horse" by Pyotr Yershov and "These Feathered Flames" by Alexandra Overy.

In Stravinsky's ballet, with a scenario written by Michel Fokine and Alexandre Benois, the creature is half-woman, half-bird.

The story takes place in late 19th century Congress Poland and follows the everyday life of the peasantry in a typical Polish village.

In the tenth chapter of book two, some of the characters gather together to exchange stories and legends, among which are mentioned the firebirds (ptaki-żary).