Are you Warm, Girlie?.. (The Frost Motif in the Fairy-Tale Plot)

Abstract

A famous Russian folk tale about Jack Frost (Морозко) nos. 95 and 96 in the collection by A.N. Afanasyev is the starting point of the analysis by the author of this paper. He presents the features of the characters in this tale i.e. The Old Bat (Step Mother), the Old Man, Step Daughter and Step Mother’s Daughters (her own daughter in the second variant).

These features are presented in the roles of Step Mother as the domineering persecutor and administrator, the Old Man as the obedient executor of her will, the Step Daughter as a tormented wretch who was later sentenced to death, The Step Mother’s own daughters as the spoiled misshapen girls. The characteristic motifs of Frost are presented and described according to the tale in both variants. These are: 1. border and foreign space (forest, woods, wilderness, middle of nowhere; 2. the arrival of the main character (i.e. Jack Frost) from the sky, pine trees, getting closer; 3. the motor activity of audible but not visible movements (cracks, clangs, jumps); 4. the triple intensification of the freezing effect on the object; 5. the wealth and the possibility of giving due to it; 6. the kind of polite forms of addressing to Jack Frost, welcomming him, “wise speeches”; 7. the death caused by frost; 8. the wedding motif; 9. singing songs in the freezing cold weather (being still alive).

The obtained results are compared with the motifs and themes typical for the national culture and so this is reflected in proverbs, sayings, customs and folk rites as well as in author’s songs.

In the summary the general outline of the plot is presented.