"Storm-Bogatyr, Ivan the Cow's Son" () is a Russian fairy tale (skazka) #136 collected by Alexander Afanasyev in Narodnye russkie skazki, categorized as Aarne-Thompson type 300 A and 519.
"Blast Bogatyr Ivan the Cow's Son" or "Ivan the Cow's Son" are alternative English titles given by other translators.
General information
"Burya-Bogatyr Ivan-Korovich syn" () is tale #136 in Alexander Afanasyev's mid-19th-century collection Narodnye russkie skazki ("Russian Folk Tales"). It occurs as tale number 136 "Storm-Bogatyr, Ivan the Cow's Son", in the complete translation by Jack V. Haney (2014). Other translations include "Blast Bogatyr Ivan the Cow's Son" in the dual-language edition by Sergei Levchin (2014), and "Ivan the Cow's Son", translated by Norbert Guterman (1946).
The tale is categorized as AT tale type 300 A and 519. It was recorded in the Orenburg guberniya in the Imperial Russian era.
Synopsis
The birth of three Ivans
The story begins by explaining how three Ivans were born on the same day: the main hero who was the son of a cow, the prince, and a maidservant's son.
The king of a foreign realm made a worldwide plea for anyone who could make his childless queen pregnant. A certain peasant's son, instructed by a wise old hag, presented the king with a gold-winged pike () netted near the palace. That day, the cow that drank the slop water from the fish the cooks were cleaning, the servant-girl who tasted the fish while carrying the dish, and the queen who was served the dish all conceived a child. The three women came to term simultaneously, and on the same day delivered Ivan the Cow's Son, Ivan Tsarevich the prince, and Ivan the maid's son. The three grew up with exceeding speed beyond the norm.
Three Ivans on a journey
When they come of age, the three Ivans ask the king to let them go on a journey to see the world. They have a contest throwing a glass marble high up in the air, in order to choose among them the one who should be considered the "senior". Ivan the Cow's Son, called Storm-Bogatyr is victorious. The prince suggests a rematch by competing over who can make the reptile (serpent) of the Black Sea stop its clucking, but no amount of shouting by the other two Ivans perturbs the creature, and it was only the Storm-Bogatyr who made it flee with his shouting and stick-throwing. The other two Ivans are dissatisfied by the outcome, and they part ways, continuing their journey on their own.
Storm-Bogatyr reports to the king and is punished
The Storm-Bogatyr returns to the kingdom alone and is thrown into the fortress, left starving without food for three days. He demands an explanation of his mistreatment, as he has done nothing wrong, threatening to knock down the walls. The king comes to see him personally, and Ivan assures him the other two son's are alive and well, but have continued their journey by themselves in a place where three serpents with six, nine, and twelve heads appears out of the Black Sea. The Storm-Bogatyr declares only he is capable of tracking them down, and at the king's request, goes in pursuit, armed with his battle club and magic sword (Sword Kladenets, although this sword does not play much of the role in the tale).
Storm-Bogatyr defeats the three water-dragons
The Storm-Bogatyr catches up with his brothers at Kalin Bridge ("blazing bridge", "white hazelwood bridge"). A pillar is marked with a warning-sign that three zmei ("serpents", or "dragons") are known to appear at this spot. On the night the six-headed zmei is supposed to appear, they cast lots to choose who will stand watch. Although Ivan the Maid's Son is picked, he sleeps through the night, and it is the Storm-Bogatyr who faces off against the six-headed (or "sea-monster") that appears out of the water. The monster summons its horse Sivko-Burko () or "Dun-gray", which stumbles, recognizing the scent of their nemesis, the Storm-Bogatyr. The fight begins, and the hero destroys his foe by knocking off three heads of the enemy at each turn. He hides all the heads under the bridge, while cutting up the corpse and sinking it in the Black Sea. He returns to their hut and ties the captured horse to Ivan Maid's Son, who wakes up in the morning and imagines the horse to be God's gift to him.