4. Peculiarities of Russian Folk Tales

A fairy tale is one of the main types of folklore. Artistic narrative fiction, adventurous or domestic plots made them interesting for people of all ages.

Funny and sad, funny and horrible, they are familiar to us from childhood. Our first view of the world is associated with tales. Children first learn about good and evil, about justice from tales. They inspire writers and poets, composers and artists to create their greate works. Tales are staged in the theatre, movies are created on

the base of folk tales. A lot of operas and ballets are written of their plots.. Fairy tales have come from ancient times. First they were told by poor wanderers, tailors or retired soldiers.

As it was written, Russian folk tales are divided into three groups:

• tales about animals ( the most ancient type of stories);

• household tales;

• fairy tales.

In the tales about animals the main characters can talk like humans. The fox is always cunning, the wolf is silly and greedy, the hare is coward.

The main characters in household tales are farmers, soldiers, shoemakers. The live in the real world and fight against their masters, generals or priests. Ordinary people are shown as witty, intelligent and courageous people.

In the fairy tales the main characters fight and defeat powerful enemies. They save friends from evil spirits. Most of these tales are associated with the search for a bride or a wife who was kidnapped.

4.1 Composition

1.The overture. ("In a certain kingdom, in some states upon a time lived...").

2. The main part.

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3. The ending. ("They began to live - happily ever after and acquired good or They made a feast for the whole world ...").

4.2 The Main Characters

The most popular characters of Russian fairy tales are Prince Ivan, Ivan the Fool, Ivan - the Peasant's Son. They are fearless, kind and noble young men who conquer all the enemies and help the weak and the poor. They always become heros and win happiness.

An important place in Russian fairy tales, is given to women. They are always beautiful, kind, intelligent and hardworking. The most popular characters are Vasilisa the Wise, Helen the Beautiful, Mary Morevna or Sineglazka.

Evil characters in Russian fairy tales are Koschey the Immortal, Dragon and Baba Yaga.

Baba Yaga is one of the most ancient Russian fairy tale character. She is a terrible and wicked old woman. She lives in the woods in a hut on chicken legs, riding in a mortar. She often hurts the characters, but sometimes she help them.

Dragon is the fire-breathing monster with multiple heads. It can fly high above the ground. It is also a very well- known character of Russian folklore. When the dragon appears it becomes dark, thunderstorm begins and the Earth trembles.

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4.3 Moral Values in Russian Fairy Tales

In ethics, there are two basic moral categories - good and evil. The moral requirements are associated with something good. Understanding this motivates someone to behave in accordance with the moral requirements of society.

Such moral categories as right and wrong, good and bad, can be set as examples given in folk tales, including animals. These tales show:

• how friendship helps to defeat the evil (" The Cabin");

• how kindness and love help the main characters to win ("The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids");

• that evil is always punished (" The Cat, the Cock and the Fox", "Zayushkina Izbushka").

Moral values in fairy tales are more specific than in the tales about animals. The goodies are usually endowed with courage, boldness, perseverance, beauty, disarming directness, honesty, and other physical and moral qualities, which have in people’s mind the highest value.

A tale does not give direct instruction to children, but its content always gives a lesson that they will gradually accept, repeatedly returning to the text of the tale.

For example, the fairy tale "The Turnip" teaches us to be friendly and hardworking. A fairy tale "Masha and the Bear" warns: try to find a way out of difficult situations. Such tales as "Tower", "Winter Quarters of Animals" teach how to help friends. The rule to obey their parents is given in the fairy tale “Geese - swans”, “Sister Alyonushke and brother Ivanushka”, “Snow Maiden”. Fear and cowardice is depicted in the fairy tale "Fear Has Big Eyes" . Slyness is shown in such tales as “The Fox and the Crane”, “The Fox and the Goose”. Diligence in folk tales is always rewarded, take for instance, “Khavroshechka”, “Moroz Ivanovich”,

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“Frog the Princess”. People’s wisdom and wit are prased in “The Man and the Bear”, “As the Man Geeese Shared”, “The Fox and the Goat”.

Russian fairy tales underline the importance of such traits of character as self-control, self-punishment, self-regulation. Besides, Russian fairy tales tell about family values such as the unity of the family. Misfortunes usually happened if the family was not united ( a granddaughter lived with her grand parents because her parents were dead; a father had three sons; a girl lived with her father and a stepmother. Only a nuclear family can give a sense of security, only mother can defend her children.

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