Firebird

Nationality/Culture

Russian

Alternate Names

Zhar-ptitsa (Russian)

Appears In

Russian folktales

Myth Overview

The firebird is a magical bird with golden feathers and crystal eyes that appears in many Russian folk stories. Several of the tales involve young Prince Ivan, son of the tsar, or leader of Russia.

In one story, the firebird stole magical golden apples from the tsar's garden. The tsar promised his kingdom to the son who could catch the firebird. The youngest son, Ivan, found a magic gray wolf, which helped him capture the bird. While Ivan and the wolf were on their journey, they met a beautiful princess and a horse with a golden mane. When Ivan's two jealous brothers saw them, they killed Ivan and took the horse and princess for themselves. The wolf found Ivan and brought him back to life just in time to stop Ivan's older brother from marrying the princess. When their father heard the full story, he imprisoned his two evil sons and allowed Ivan to marry the princess.

In another tale, Ivan captured the firebird in a castle garden but set it free in exchange for a magic feather from the firebird. Thirteen princesses came out of the casde and told Ivan that the owner was an evil magician who turned people into stone. But Ivan, who fell in love with one of the princesses, ignored the warning and decided to face the magician and his demons. The magic feather protected Ivan, and the firebird cast a spell on the demons. When the bird showed the prince an egg that contained the magician's soul, Ivan broke the egg, killing the magician and freeing the princesses.

The Firebird in Context

Although the main character of many tales about the firebird is a young prince, the tales themselves also offer an appealing message to more common people. In some tales, the firebird steals from the rich—as with the golden apples from the tsar's garden—and gives those riches to the peasants. The firebird is also believed to drop pearls from its beak when passing over peasant villages, to give the poor something to trade for food and other necessities. In this way, the firebird is a folk hero for the Russian people.

Key Themes and Symbols

In Russian folklore, the firebird represents a treasure that is rare and difficult to possess. This is emphasized by descriptions of the bird, which often refer to its golden or glowing feathers and eyes that resemble jewels. The fact that just one of its feathers contains magic suggests the great power of the bird. The color gold is used repeatedly in the tales of the firebird to indicate not only material riches, but also magical power.

The Firebird in Art, Literature, and Everyday Life

Folktales about the firebird inspired Russian composer Igor Stravinsky to write a ballet called The Firebird in 1910. The animated Disney film Fantasia 2000 used a suite of Stravinsky's music from The Firebird as the inspiration and score for its final segment. “Firebird” has also been used as the name of a car created by Pontiac, a Marvel Comics superheroine, and a line of electric guitars made by Gibson.

Read, Write, Think, Discuss

In Russian mythology, the firebird is a one-of-a-kind creature that is rarely seen. In recent times, some birds have been discovered to be nearly extinct, often because humans have destroyed their natural habitats. Do you think humans should be required to protect animal species that exist only in small numbers, or do you think extinction should be allowed to happen as a natural part of the animal world? Does your opinion depend upon whether or not humans helped contribute to the disappearance of the species?

SEE ALSO Animals in Mythology