Hedgehogs, the Keepers of Order and Knowledge in Slavic Fairy Tales

http://tinydonkey.fairytalereview.com/2016/04/hedgehogs-the-keepers-of-order-and-knowledge-in-slavic-fairy-tales/

by lermontov • 10 years ago

94 27 10 years ago

tinydonkey.fairytalereview.com

Ygg22• 10 years ago

If there is one interesting thing about Slavic Fairy Tales is that no embodiment is considered truly, irredeemably evil. Everything is sort of gray.

Even Death can be called to be Godmother, embodiment of diseases can return a favor, etc.

kbart3• 10 years ago

Not to offend anyone, but considering something/someone "truly, irredeemably evil" is very American attitude. For example, compare contemporary movies from Hollywood vs European.

amelius• 10 years ago

I always hated fairy tales, even as a child, probably for this very reason. Perhaps I should subscribe to the Slavonic storytelling. Is there a good story-bundle that can be recommended both for adults and children?

Ygg22• 10 years ago

I don't think that's necessarily American. Thing is God in Abrahamic (Judaism, Christanity and Islam) religions is unquestionable force of goodness.

oldmanjay• 10 years ago

Not to offend you in turn, but you can't impress people with your provincial pigeonholing when it's clearly borne of ignorance. This is about as compelling and defensible a statement as those made by all the people who think Scandanavia constitutes "the rest of the world"

vintermann2• 10 years ago

Trying to think of some counterexamples. How about Koschei? I'd also argue that redemption isn't usually a topic even when a classically evil figure does something not simply evil.

pavel_lishin2• 10 years ago

I'd also argue that Baba Yaga is also unequivocally evil in every tale I've ever heard.

_pmf_• 10 years ago

The original Witcher books (the ones the game is based on) embody this principle very nicely. Although more in a "The road to hell is paved with good intentions" way.

realusername• 10 years ago

I could also add The Night/Day watch books to this list. Even if you have a dark side and a light side actually, not everything is black and white when you dig a bit.

Steko• 10 years ago

The still as noted is from Hedgehog in the Fog which is an amazing animated short and well worth your 10 minutes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rugwd8ZNHY

cel1ne• 10 years ago

There's even a chrome theme: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hedgehog-in-the-fo...

kbart3• 10 years ago

You beat me posting this, amazing short -- one of my all times favorites. Fun fact, it was considered animation for children and in my childhood (nearly 30 years ago) and was shown on kids TV programme in evenings. If I ever have children, this will definitely be on their schedule too.

pavel_lishin2• 10 years ago

Ditto, along with Nu Pogodi - which is also great because it doesn't require working knowledge of Russian!

deutronium• 10 years ago

I just found a subtitled version - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW0jvJC2rvM

phillc732• 10 years ago

Another one I really like is "There once was a dog":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWBBODkPlpY

And of course Gena and Cheburashka:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xrr9mcdFvw

Not from my childhood, but rather my wife's and now our son's.

jnsaff2• 10 years ago

Or the 420 edition of Gena and Cheburashka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GpHp9jzUDM

colinbartlett• 10 years ago

When I first saw this film, I was so touched by it that I had the hedgehog, complete with fog, tattooed on my arm.

Different people take away different meanings from the story but for me it's a reminder to live a life outside your comfort zone, driven by curiosity.

miiiiiike• 10 years ago

After the sky was finally installed: https://gfycat.com/KlutzyPointedAmericancrocodile

andrewclunn• 10 years ago

Ah, that explains why the Russian ports of Sonic the Hedgehog are all puzzle games.

Hedgehogs, the Keepers of Order and Knowledge in Slavic Fairy Tales

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