Ivasyk-Telesyk

Lore & Background

The tale begins with an old man and old woman who have no children. The old woman asks the old man to carve a log from a tree, which she places in a cradle; the next day the log becomes a real boy named Ivasyk-Telesyk. When the boy grows up, he asks his father to make him a boat and oar so he can fish and feed his parents. An evil snake along the shore tries to deceive him by imitating his mother's voice, first failing, then after forging a new voice at a blacksmith, succeeds in tricking the boy into swimming to shore, where the snake grabs him and carries him to its home.

Reader's Guide

The tale Ivasyk-Telesyk is significant as a variant of the international tale types ATU 327C and 327F, which involve a witch or devil luring a boy and being tricked into an oven. Ukrainian folklorist Petro Lintur noted its popularity in Ukraine and its close links to Belarusian and Russian variants. The story also carries cultural interpretations: folklorist Viktor Davidyuk suggested it teaches about belonging to a family through recognizing the mother's voice, possibly rooted in matriarchal times, and warns against revealing magical meanings to outsiders. The tale has been adapted into a children's opera by Kyrylo Stetsenko, two animated films in 1968 and 1989, and referenced in a 2018 play. A water fountain in Lviv's Stryiskyi Park also commemorates the tale.

Did You Know?

• The tale is classified as East Slavic types SUS 327C and 327F.
• The snake forges a new voice at a blacksmith to deceive Ivasyk-Telesyk.
• A young goose rescues the boy and is later fed grain by his parents.