Sirin

Sirin (Russian Сирин ) is the name of a legendary figure of the Russian folk belief. These are birds that purely external owls are similar, but have the head and chest of a beautiful woman.

Features

The story according to these beings lived in Indian lands near the Garden of Eden or in the area around the Euphrates. This semi-entity pointing away reference to the Greek tales of sirens. The Sirin sang for the Holy songs in which it came to future joys - for mortals, however, the beings were dangerous; who listened to their songs, who forgot all earthly things, followed the Sirin and ran to his death. It is said that loud noises, such as gunshots or ringing bells should deter the animals.

The Sirin are the magical birds of sorrow and grief. In contrast to this are the Alkonost, the birds of happiness and hope. The Sirin are minded people rather angry that Alkonost not.

Interpretation

The Sirin are sometimes seen as a metaphor for the word of God and how it gets into the human soul. Another time, they are the metaphor for a heretic who threatens to seduce the weak. The beings were already equated with the sirens or the Polish Wila ( fairy-like beings ).

In Russian folk belief " Sirin " was connected with Revered by many religious writers St. Ephram the Syrian. Therefore, used farm lyre players such as Nikolai Kliuew " Sirin " as a synonym for " Poet".

The Russian-American writer Vladimir Nabokov used in its Russian plant the pseudonym " Sirin ".

Gallery

Sirin (postcard from 1908 )

Sirin Russia, 19th century

Sirin Russia, 19th century

Viktor Vasnetsov. Sirin (left) and Alkonost (1896 )

A Sirin on a grape vine