Firebird's Feather
Golden feather of the Firebird (Zhar-ptitsa) of Russian fairy tales, which shines so brightly that it lights a whole dark room and is carried by heroes such as Ivan Tsarevich into the tsar's palace. In Afanasyev's tale the feather, and later the bird itself, is sought as a task set by the tsar; the radiant Firebird became a favourite motif of Russian decorative art. The feather is usually the first test: the hero who takes it must then capture the living bird, often with a golden cage, and afterwards the horse with the golden mane and the fair princess Vasilisa. Because the bird is otherworldl