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Revision as of 22:01, 18 February 2006
In Russian mythology, Koschei (Template:Lang-ru, Koshschey) is an evil person of ugly senile appearance, menacing principally young women. Koschei is also known as Koschei the Immortal or Koschei the Deathless (Коще́й Бессме́ртный). As is usual in Russian transliterations, there are numerous other spellings, such as Koshchei, Kashchej and Kaschei. The spelling in other slavic languages (like Polish "Kościej") suggests that his name may be derived from "kost" (rus. кость = pol. kość = bone); thus meaning "of bone", "boney", "turning <people> into bones", etc. English translation "Skeletor" is a good approximation.
Koschei is extremely difficult to kill. His soul is hidden separate from his body inside a needle, which is in an egg, which is in a duck, which is in a hare, which is in an iron chest, which is buried under a green oak tree, which is on the island of Buyan, in the ocean. As long as his soul is safe, he cannot die. If the chest is dug up and opened, the hare will bolt away. If it is killed, the duck will emerge and try to fly off. Anyone possessing the egg has Koschei in their power. He begins to weaken, becomes sick and immediately loses the use of his magic. If the egg is tossed about, he likewise is flung around against his will. If the needle is broken (in some tales this must be done by specifically breaking it against Koschei's forehead), Koschei will die. This kind of Russian-egg type story is actually fairly common in Russian fairy stories.
Appearances
- A villain in Igor Stravinsky's The Firebird.
- Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov wrote an opera involving Koschei, titled The Immortal Koschei.
- In Neil Gaiman's American Gods, Koschei is referenced as an evil wizard.
- James Branch Cabell used the spelling Koshchei in several of his books. His character, however, was a sort of over-deity who presides over all the "first-level" human gods (such as Jehovah and Loki). Robert A. Heinlein used Cabell's version in his book Job: A Comedy of Justice.
- David A. McIntee's Doctor Who novels The Dark Path and Face Of The Enemy have Koschei as a name used by the Master before he adopts the Master as a name.
- In John C. Wright's Everness Saga Koschei is the bringer of death, the taker of souls when someone has to die.
- In the role-playing game Runescape, one of the quests features Koschei as an opponent. However he is practically impossible to kill.
- In Charles Stross's novelette A Colder War, Koschei is the American code name for sleeping Cthulhu, captured along with shoggot'im (shoggoths) from Nazi Germany by the Soviet Red Army.
- Mercedes Lackey's novel "The Firebird" features Katschei as the main villain, retelling the classic tale for a modern audience.
External links
- JOURNEY OF THE SOUL AS ILLUSTRATED IN THE CELTIC FOLK TALE THE YOUNG KING OF EASAIDH RUADH
- Sir James George Frazer (1854–1941). The Golden Bough.
- The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer (Project Gutenberg)