Character History
Water - male analogue of the mythical mermaid, the spirit of water. As a rule, it is depicted by zoomorphic, having an upper body like a person, and instead of the legs - a fish tail. The character embodies the aquatic element as carrying danger. Therefore, traditionally depicts physically unattractive, instant fear, old. However, in some cultures, the opposite description of the hero is given.Water in mythology of different countries
In antiquity, primitive tribes animated nature and everything that was associated with her, they made the "soul" of non-living subjects, created the deities. Each of the elements associated with human life had a patron or spirit. Did not exception and water. The water was considered a source of life, but could also bring death. The patron of water spheres in many mythologies was water.
The origins of the character are rooted in the distant past. So, in the Sumero-Akkadian mythology, the God of Ea, managing underground waters, was depicted with a fish tail. In the ancient Greek myths, Triton, the son of the sea god of Poseidon and the goddess of the sea Amphitrite is mentioned. This hero was also described in the legends as half a person and half a fish. In Celtic legends, water images are represented as ugly creatures with green hair and skin. In stories, they are configured hostile towards people.
In the Turkic mythological culture, Su Anasa is occupied important place - anthropomorphic spirits guarding water. According to the ancient beliefs, these creatures live on the bottom of the reservoirs, under the stones. In the early stages of the formation of the mythological consciousness of the Turkic peoples, the spirits of water were brought victims, including human. In Japanese mythology, fame received a water called "Kappa".
Water in the myths of Slavic peoples are widely known. Traditionally, the character of Slavic mythology was portrayed as an old man with a fish tail, beard and green mustes. In some legends, the portrait of water is complemented by animal attributes - a cow tail, hooves, a horn on the head - what can frighten a person. One of the characteristics of the hero is the ability to tonight.
If necessary, water could take the appearance of large fish, cows, catfish, drowned, logs. It was believed that under the water, the Spirit could move on soma - because of such believes, this fish was called "damn horse". Slavs believed that it was possible to learn about the approach of the creature in his frightening loudness. And before attacking the sacrifice, the Spirit can clap your hands. In order to frighten the trails or, on the contrary, to lure into their possessions, water imitates sounds - can wash, scream, bleach and much more.
The ancient legends argued that waters, waterways, wormwood become the place of habitat of water spirits. But most often, mythical creatures preferred to settle under the wheels of water mills. Melnikov believed that it was necessary to constantly undermine the "neighbor" so that he did not break the wheel of the mill or did not destroy the dam. As a rule, a black pig was thrown into the water. The people were believed that Melniki sell the soul of water, fastening the union of the bloody victim. It is known that in Ukraine in the construction of the dam in its base, the skull of the horse was laid in order to restrain the power of water.
Interesting beliefs associated with the life of water, existed in Belarusians. The peasants believed that on the eve of baptism, their sleigh was needed to rescue their relatives from the water until she was sanctified. So that the river being did not take advantage of the sleigh, they were turned upside down. Russian peasants believed that in winter, the water was falling into the hibernation, and in the spring wakes up, angry from hunger. Therefore breaks ice on rivers.
At the Pomorro in the Russian north there were ideas about the water hierarchy, over which the water king stood. The legends said that he could create new reservoirs, rivers, lakes. The mythical character was called a vodik or water king. In Slavic myths, it was stated that at the bottom of the spirits there is their kingdom that they graze her herds there from fish.
In addition to Melnikov, the water was called their patron and buty. Victims for the keeper of the water element were performed on the night of an apple rescue. As a "treats", beams threw honey, wax and even bees.
Water in books and cartoons
The image of water appears in literary fairy tales. So, the figure of the spirit of water is mentioned in the fairy tales of the Grimm brothers, in the book of Alexei Tolstoy "Water". For the children's audience, the German writer Otfrid Prosisler created a fabulous work "Little Water". There was a mythological character and in cartoons. So, the spirit of water plays an important role in the animation tape "Flying Ship". He helps the guy Wan to create a magic ship and get a princess in his wife.The song "I Water" in the voice actor Anatoly Papanova became popular with the audience. The image of Slavic mythology and in a series of cartoons about Domotovka Kuze. The audience could see the spirit of water in the Mary-Skinniecker film bar, "Barbara-Beauty, a long braid," as well as in the film "The Last Bogatyr".
Bibliography
- 1910 - "Water"
- 1956 - "Little Water"
Filmography
- 1959 - "Marya-Skinnitsa"
- 1969 - "Varvara-Beauty, Long Spit"
- 1979 - "Flying Ship"
- 2017 - "Last Bogatyr"