This report is part of the research work on deciphering the symbols of Slavic mythology. Developments on this topic were repeatedly presented by the author at conferences of past years [Zaporozhets 2020 a), b), c), d), e)]. Today we will look at the symbolism of one fairy-tale formula, which is known as "Over three-ninth land in three-tenth kingdom". What does it mean? Where did it come from? What changes have been made? All these questions, which interested the author at one time, will be considered in our report
Children's fairy tale folklore, over three-ninth land in three-tenth kingdom
We all know from childhood a fabulous formula that is present in almost all fairy tales, denoting some distant land, which has come down to us in such versions as:
a) "in the distant kingdom, in the thirtieth state" (the formula is at the beginning of the tale);
b) "distant lands in the thirtieth state" (the formula is in the middle of the tale).
So, in connection with this formula, we are faced with several questions:
1. What exactly does this formula mean?
2. Which wording is correct?
3. Why are some “kingdoms” designated this way?
Let's try to figure it out.
Let's start with the fact that, probably in Russia, the "dual", "triple" measure of counting (doubling, tripling any number) was very popular in antiquity. It is described, for example, in P.P. Ershov's fairy tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse" as "two-five caps of silver" (that is, ten). What is it connected with: the binary form of the scales - two bowls, or some other factor of convenience, the question remains open. We have the very fact of the existence of such an account.
In the fairy tale, there is a ternary counting formula. But the counting principle is the same: three measures of one thing (three-nine, three-ten ...). Let's say right away, "distant (tridevyatoye)" or "tridesyatoe" kingdom, designated as one whole - in this case does not fit into any single measure of counting. Therefore, let's look at the second, more precise counting system: "In the distant lands in the thirtieth kingdom", and then return to the first consideration.
"Thirtieth kingdom" is a triple something, coming in tenth in the overall "large" account. Therefore, there is additional information, such as clarification of the description - "distant lands!". That is, the trinity of some "objects" that are similar to each other ("lands") persists throughout a certain space or time. By analogy with the previous myths, where each animal, plant, etc., symbolized a certain period of time, let's see what time the dominant symbol "Thirtieth kingdom" can mean. Despite the seeming impossibility of understanding the thirtieth code, the answer lies on the surface. We just have to answer two questions combined in the cipher under consideration:
1. What are the three components which time is divided into?
2. What is the tenth time in a row?
Here are the answers.
1.A month is divided into three components in the calendar structure. Each month is divided into three decades (plus one more day, in some months, which we will trace in other myths). Therefore, they are described in the same way - distant lands(tridesyatoe)! But! These are simply "lands", they do not dominate the separate name "STATE".
2. What is the "Tenth State" famous for? And the fact that it is the tenth month in a row. How is the tenth month different from all the others? And the fact that if the count is from the March New Year (the point of the spring solstice, the entry of the Sun into the sign of Aries), then we will get a month - December ("December" - that is, "ten"), the month before the winter solstice! This is the hardest and darkest time of the year! This is the time dominated by winter, night, sleep and death of nature. The time of the reign of Koshchei, with whom Summer fights, life, warmth, with which the main character of the fairy tale - the Sun - Ivan Tsarevich fights, conquering the Earth for himself! This is the meaning of the myth!
Thus, it turns out that:
1. The first earth, consisting of three decades – March;
2. Three-second land – April;
3. Three-third land – May;
4. The three-fourth earth – June;
5. Three-fifths of the earth – July;
6. The three-sixth earth – August;
7. The three-seventh earth – September;
8. Three-eighth earth – October;
9. Three-ninth earth – November;
10. Thirtieth kingdom – December;
11. The three-eleventh earth – January;
12. Three-twelfth earth – February.
Here is the whole bill of the annual solar circle.
In this case, the version of the code "the distant lands in the thirtieth kingdom" that exists at the beginning of some fairy tales is a destroyed, late, distorted formula.
(In some tales, the “thirtieth kingdom” is also called the “mouse state” [Afanasyev 1985]. In the previously considered myths, we also came to the conclusion that the symbol of the Mouse denotes the month of December! [Zaporozhets 2020 b)]).
So, what conclusions can be drawn from all of the above? Deciphering the myth formula tells us that:
1. The formula "In the distant lands in the thirtieth kingdom" describing the time of the dominance of the power of Winter is the month of December, after which, after passing the point of death, the point of the winter solstice (when Ivan Tsarevich was killed), the Sun "resurrects" (Raven or Wolf revives the Main Hero, having sprinkled it with Dead and Living water), the Sun is gradually gaining strength and the rebirth of nature begins. In ancient times, after the Winter Solstice, when the Sun entered the constellation Aquarius (one stream of which was considered Dead, still belonging to Winter, and the other - Living, belonging to Summer), the awakening of nature began. And even now, in greenhouses, plants begin to hatch from seeds precisely in February, according to the old cycles, when the Sun enters the constellation Aquarius!
2. Also, once again we saw how, in connection with the likely resettlement of the people to warmer regions due to a sudden cooling of the climate, the New Year's point from the winter solstice moved to the moment of the spring solstice. But, despite this, the Winter Turning Point remained dominant in the legends.
3. And also, considering the myths, we see clearly not a spontaneous appearance of certain fairy-tale images and their transformation. How could a people move the same dominant symbol from one solstice point to another? This should have been the absolute consent of ALL people. And perfect knowledge of the code! To all the people! The whole race! If everything really was so, then why then this knowledge has not been openly preserved at least in part to this day? It was preserved precisely encoded, in a cipher. It turns out that knowledge was sacred, and belonged to a certain clan of people - guardians-priests, who: both adjusted the points of the New Year celebration, and corrected myths to preserve information in a figurative, easy-to-remember structure! For example, in the deciphering of the fairy tale "Chicken Ryabushka" [Zaporozhets 2020 b)], we saw how the initially dominant New Year at the point of the Winter Solstice, then moved to the point of the Spring Solstice. In other myths (which have already been considered by us, and which are awaiting publication), there is also a clear confusion of several New Year traditions, it is specially noted: the entry of the Sun into the constellation of Aquarius, and the rising above the Pleiades horizon, etc. …
Probably later, due to the danger of loss of information, the keepers of knowledge were forced to throw out all the legends to the people, so that in this way the knowledge was somehow preserved, at least in some form could reach us. Thus, the Main Heroes of the legends acquired the status of Gods. And even later, among the common people, the myths acquired a social and moral background, where a stepmother or an evil witch offends a stepdaughter and then receives a well-deserved punishment, etc., etc. …
So, all the myths say the same thing: about the rebirth of the Life of the Earth after death - the Winter Dream. A myth is, fixed in a figurative structure, a calendar of nature, a star map of the ancient sky, created in order to preserve the memory of the original place of residence of the people and preserve the history of the resettlement of the people along the earth through easy-to-remember symbols!
1. Afanasiev 1985 - A. N. Afanasyev, fairy tale "The Magic Ring" № 191. "Russian folk tales of A. N. Afanasyev in three volumes." Volume 2. The edition was prepared by L. G. Barag and N. V. Novikov. M., "Science", 1985. P. 36.
2. Zaporozhets 2020 a) - Zaporozhets V.V. Article «The symbolism carols (from the “History of the symbols of Slavic mythology”)». Collection of materials of the international conference “Scientific research of the SCO countries: synergy and integration”. Materials of the Integrational Conference. Part 1: Participants’ reports in English. Date: August 5, 2020. Beijing, PRC. Infinity Publishing, RAS, 2020. P. 68 - 79.
3. Zaporozhets 2020 b) - Zaporozhets V.V. Article «The symbol of hen in Russian folklore (from the “History of the symbols of Slavic mythology”)». Collection of scientific articles following the international conference SCIENCE. EDUCATION. PRACTICE: proceedings of the International University Science Forum (Canada, Toronto), August 19, 2020. - Infinity Publishing. P. 59 - 70.
4. Zaporozhets 2020 c) - Zaporozhets V.V. Article «The origin history of the symbol of Grass snake (Serpent) in the traditional culture of the Slavs (from the “History of the symbols of Slavic mythology”)». Collection of scientific articles following the international conference SCIENCE. EDUCATION. PRACTICE: proceedings of the International University Science Forum (Canada, Toronto), August 19, 2020. - Infinity Publishing. P. 71 - 82.
5. Zaporozhets 2020 d) - Zaporozhets V.V. Article “Symbols of fairytales “Hut on the forest edge”, “Cockerel and hen”, “No goat with nuts” (from the “History of the symbols of Slavic mythology”)”. Collection of materials of the international conference, International «Process Management and Scientific Developments»? Birmingham, United Kingdom. (Novotel Birmingham Centre, February 24, 2021). P. 190 - 199.
6. Zaporozhets 2020 e) - Zaporozhets V.V. Article "The harmonizing role of calendar rituals (on the example of the celebration of the Savior)." Collection of scientific articles on the results of the International Scientific Forum "Science and Innovation - Modern Concepts". Moscow, 2020. Ex. ed. D. R. Khismatullin. - Moscow. Infinity Publishing, 2020. P. 91 - 101.
