The Myth of Yarilo and Folk Narrative: Pagan Motifs in the Tale «The Enchanted Princess» from A. N. Afanasyev’s Collection

This study aims to conduct a mythological reconstruction of the image of Yarilo through a comprehensive analysis of Tale No. 272, The Enchanted Princess, from A. N. Afanasyev’s collection of Russian folk tales. In addition to this primary narrative, comparative materials drawn from Ancient, Germanic-Scandinavian, Celtic, and Hittite mythological traditions serve as sources. Particular attention is devoted to the analysis of ethnographic sources pertaining to the calendar festivals Yarilo’s Day and St. George’s Spring Day (Yegoriy Veshniy). The methodological framework of this research encompasses the comparative, historical-genetic, typological, and systemic methods of data analysis and synthesis. The analysis entailed a detailed examination of the tale and the decomposition of its plot into distinct motifs. These identified motifs were then compared with similar narratives found in other mythological systems. Numerous parallels with pan-Indo-European mythological plots were established, including the myth of Cupid and Psyche, the story of Persephone’s abduction, Thor’s journey to the realm of Útgarða-Loki, the motif of the Wild Hunt, the Hittite myth of Kumarbi, and Celtic beliefs concerning the Cauldron of Abundance alongside Scandinavian conceptions of the river of death, Gjöll. The ritual correlation and inter-source coherence of these motifs were determined, enabling the establishment of the myth’s context. Through the analysis of ethnographic materials related to the Yarilo and Yegoriy Veshniy festivals, it was possible to trace the connection between spring-cycle ritual practices and plot elements of the tale. This confirms the preservation of an archaic mythological substratum within the folkloric tradition. The synthesis of data and their holistic interpretation allowed for the reconstruction of one version of the Yarilo myth, corresponding to the widely recognized archetype of the dying and resurrecting deity. The examined fairy-tale episodes represent a manifestation of pagan rites intrinsically linked to spring-summer seasonal festivities. It has been demonstrated that the fairy-tale narrative constitutes a complete myth that has undergone some degree of distortion over time. The results indicate the presence of specific mechanisms for the myth’s preservation and adaptation within the fairy tale: euhemerization, the metamorphosis of individual plot elements, and the retention of the myth’s deep semantic structure beneath a “domestic” narrative layer. “The Enchanted Princess” attests to the remarkable preservation of archaic mythological structures, rendering it a valuable source for the reconstruction of the Yarilo cult.