Alatyr (mythology)

Mythology

In the Russian medieval legends and the Slavic folklore, Alatyr' is the “father of all the stones” (a Omphalos) who has capacities of magic and cure. It is supposed to be in the middle of the world, on the Bouïan island. It is affirmed that this stone is kept by the mythical monsters Gagana the bird and Garafena the snake.

On Alatyr' the Tree of the World pushes, and the rivers healers run out of in lower part towards the whole world. The Russians believed that one could reach the sky by the Tree of the World, which binds between them the Low World, the Earth and the new skies. It is thought besides that this tree was similar to a very large and very beautiful Chêne (some speak about a Pommier or a Cyprès).

Only one difference with the other oaks: on this one the fruits and the seeds of all the other trees and plants of the ground mature.

Where the Tree exceeds the seventh heaven, there is a named island “Iriï” or “Vyriï”, from where perhaps, the word “spoke” which means in Russian “paradise”.

The Tree of the world on Alatyr' has several resemblances to Yggdrasil, the Tree-World of the Scandinavian Mythologie: this last supports also nine worlds, it is in the center of the world, an eagle and the snake Nídhögg lives there.

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