Zhar-Ptitsa (Firebird)

bird · Russia · Slavic

Zhar-Ptitsa (Firebird) is the Slavic magical glowing bird from a faraway land. Its golden feathers illuminate darkness; a single feather lights a room. Both a blessing and a harbinger of doom to its captor. Central to quest tales (Ivan Tsarevich and the Grey Wolf) where heroes seek it for a tsar. Inspired Stravinsky's ballet The Firebird. Parallel to Armenian Hazaran Blbul and Iranian Simurgh.

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