В этой исследовательской работе мы изучили образ кошки в русских и английских сказках.
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First School Scientific Conference of Young Researchers "My 1st Steps into Science"
AIR HUMIDITY AS A HEALTH-SAVING FACTOR
Russian Federation
Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Ugra
Surgut
“The cat in Russian and English fairy tales”
Author:
Ponomareva Vlada Olegovna
Secondary School №46 with advanced study
of separate subjects, 3d grade
Research advisor:
Zamanova Gulnara Fuatovna,
The teacher of English Language,
Secondary School №46 with advanced study
of separate subjects
2018
The context
Introduction
The cat is important for many people. We used to see a cat in every second family. There are a lot of songs, movies, stories about cats.
This topic of our research is very interesting because we can’t imagine our lives without this animal. I wonder if this animal was so close to people in ancient time, that’s why I chose this topic.
Object of the research work - general concepts about cats.
Subject of the research work – Russian and English tales
Purpose:
To get acquainted with the Russian and English folklore, to study tales about cats
Targets:
• to find out cats in Slavic and English and Scottish mythology
• to know the generalities of concept “cat” in English and Russian tales.
The hypothesis of our research work is:
Cat’s character in both cultures is similar.
The cat in Slavic, English and Scottish mythology
First we decided to refer to mythology. In Slavic mythology we can find a figure of furry cat. He is Veles’s sacred animal( Veles is one of central deities). In Mythology of Ancient Rus the cat is creator and destructor simultaneously. There are some types of mythical cat:
Devil cat
The cat acts devil’s personification or assistant. Sometimes he can play witch’s role. The result of his action is illness, damage, death. Devil cat is black.
Guide cat
The cat can be a guide between people’s (human’s) world and other world (afterlife). He is a connecting link and victim simultaneously.
House cat
In Ancient Rus they reverence the cat for housekeeper, symbol of cozy. Before entering new house they let a cat in. He brang welfare. In the place where the cat slept they put their bed. Before putting a newborn to his new cradle they let the cat sleep there for baby’s better sleeping.
Baiyun Cat is a Russian fairy tale character. This cat tells fairy tales, sitting on the tree, but near this cat people want to sleep. The word “Baiyun” according to Dal’s dictionary comes from «баять» or «баить». That means “to tell”, and Baiyun Cat is storyteller and narrator.
If we refer to mythology of England and Scotland we notice that black cat is a magical animal like in Russian mythology. They considered that meeting black cat brang troubles. But in Northern England black cat brang happiness to house. They believed cat could forecast the weather. In Scotland they thought that the cat mustn’t sleep near the newborn. Otherwise he harms newborn
These superstitions influenced in fairy tales.
According to Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurusfairy tale is a traditional storywritten for children that usually involves imaginary creatures and magic.
The cat in Russian fairy tales
The cat often is an assistant: he helps his friends or owner to avoid troubles or to save from death.
The cat sometimes does unselfish acts, but sometimes he tries benefit. In tale “Magic ring” cat Vaska is eager to be more loved by his owner than the dog that he deceives this dog and quarrels. But the cat always tries to help his owner.
In the tale “The wise wife” the man sells his cat to ship. He helps shipman killing rats because of loyalty. In tale “Baba Yaga” the Baba Yaga’s cat saves the girl from his owner.
In Russian tales the cat is similar to the fox. In tale ‘The Cat and the Fox” the Cat married to the Fox. He doesn’t help anyone here, his activities are elaborated. He is very sly. In tale “The cat, the rooster and the Fox” the Cat and the Fox are enemies. The Fox tries to steal and eat the Rooster? For what the Cat punished him.
The Cat in English and Scottish tales
The cat is an assistant in English and Scottish tales too. In tale “How jack went to seek his fortune” the Cat saves Jack from bandits threatening with his shout. The cat sometimes helps by accident. In tale “Tom Thumb” the cat taking the boy as a mouse, opens the door of his cage and lets him go. In tale “The Old Woman and Her Pig” the cat agreed to help the old woman.
In English fairy tales the cat often is usual animal, he doesn’t do any human act, he doesn’t speak, etc. for example the tale “Whittington and his cat”. The hero sells his cat to a ship which is directing to Africa. The cat kills mice. This tale is similar to Russian “The wise wife”/
But the cat sometimes acts in unexpected way. The King of the Cats the black cat is usual pet. When his owner tells about a group of cats holding a royal funeral, suddenly the housecat cries something like "Then I am the king of the cats!", rushes up the chimney or out of the door, and is never seen.
The black cat is an magician’s attribute in tale «Питер-простачок».
Conclusion
Comparing English and Russian tales about cat we understand:
1. The cat is an assistant, helper
2. Black cat is magic.
3. The cat is freedom-loving
4. The cat isn’t negative hero.
The cat is similar in Russian and English tales but in Russian tales the cat is more humanized
Bibliography
Как нарисовать зайчика
Рождественский венок
Лиса и волк
Какая бывает зима
Кактусы из сада камней