Finist- Slavic HeroHero"The Bright Falcon"
Also known as: Finist Yasny Sokol, Финист Ясный Сокол, and Финист
Description
A prince who arrives as a falcon through an open window, summoned by a magic feather. When jealous sisters line the sill with broken glass, he flies away bleeding, and his beloved sets out to find him, wearing through three pairs of iron shoes.
Mythology & Lore
The Feather
A merchant's youngest daughter asked her father for one gift: a feather from Finist the Bright Falcon. When she threw the feather to the ground, it became a handsome prince. He visited her at night, departing at dawn to resume his falcon form. They fell in love. The elder sisters grew suspicious.
The Wounding and the Journey
The sisters discovered the secret and embedded broken glass and needles in the window frame. Finist flew in and tore his wings. He called out as he fled: whoever wanted to find him must wear out three pairs of iron shoes and three iron staffs.
The youngest daughter left at once. She wore through the iron shoes on endless roads and broke the staffs against mountains. She met Baba Yaga, who tested her and gave her three magic gifts. When she found Finist, he was married to another woman through enchantment. She traded each gift for one night at his bedside. The first two nights, his enchanted wife drugged him and he did not wake. On the third night, he opened his eyes and knew her. The enchantment broke.
Relationships
- Associated with