Representation of Slavic Cultural Perspectives in the Folklore Theme “Maiden Seduction”

Abstract

The study relevance is determined by the need to identify the Ukrainian people worldview formation basis based on the folklore analysis. It is still possible because traditional formulas contained in songs have not changed, therefore a systematic analysis allows us to understand their original meaning. The spring, wedding, initiatory, Kupala motifs presence within the folklore plot “girl seduction” were analyzed. An archaic ritual reconstruction variant is presented on the conducted analysis basis. Following plot archaic components were considered: characters’ actions correspondence to “heavenly events”, the solar dramaturgy of the “burning” or “drowning” girl description, the Sanskrit etymology of words “ve-sna”, “so-sna” (spring, pine), pine using in the “World Tree” role. An analogy is shown between gods actions Thunderer and Cloud with World Tree ignition in the folklore. Plot solar elements are singled out: the similarity of first dawn rays touching the pine top with the ignition process, the Cossacks movement from the Don or to the Danube coincides with the sun movement, the Kasunya-Zorya image can be understood as the sun reflection in the “Danube” (“great water”). The pine is used in rituals because it is similar to the World Tree: under sun rays, the bark turns golden. And the girl's braid looks like a snake-cloud, so the fellow with sun first rays must cut it off. According to Sanskrit, “so-sna” can mean an illuminated by the sun tree in marriage ceremonies (as a ritual sacrifice), which “burns” and gives drops, “ve-sna” – enveloping nature by the solar wind with life initiation. The bride white veil in the marriage ritual makes her an analogue of Kasunya-Zorya. The plot general meaning is formulated as a world creation description with the cloud-snake breaking near the World Tree, the sun and water marriage, staged at an archaic wedding during the Kupala holiday.