Gamayun

Gamayun (representation in a painting by Viktor Vasnetsov).

Gamayun is a prophetic bird of Russian folklore.[1] It is a symbol of wisdom and knowledge and lives on an island in the mythical east, close to paradise.^[citation needed] She is said to spread divine messages and prophecies, as she knows everything of all creation, gods, heroes, and man. Like the Sirin and the Alkonost, other creatures likewise deriving ultimately from the Greek myths and siren mythology,[2] the Gamayun is normally depicted as a large bird with a woman's head.^[citation needed] In the books of the 17th-19th centuries, Gamayun was described as a legless and wingless bird, ever-flying with the help of a tail, foreshadowing the death of statesmen by her fall.

Popular culture

Catherynne M. Valente’s book Deathless features a scene with the Gamayun.^[citation needed]

Gamayun Tales is a comic book series created by Alexander Utkin for Nobrow Press, in which Gamayun serves as the narrator for adaptations of Slavic legends and folklore.

References

1. "Гамаюн". Bestiary.us.
2. Boguslawski, Alexander (1999). "Religious Lubok". Winter Park, FL | via Rollins College: self-published. Retrieved 16 April 2009.

Further reading

• Koryikova M.; Epimakhov A. (2007). The Urals and Western Siberia in the Bronze and Iron Ages (Cambridge World Archaeology). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521829281.

• Torpie, Kate (2007). Groovy Tubes: Mythical Beasts. Groovy Tube Books. Norwalk, CT: InnovativeKids. p. 23. ASIN B002YX0E8Y.
• The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A–Z of Fantastic Beings from Myth and Magic (children's illustrated ed.). London: HarperCollins UK. 25 February 2010. p. 16. ISBN 978-0007365050. Retrieved 18 November 2016.^[better source needed]