Gagana

For the Indian film, see Gagana (film).

Gagana is a miraculous bird with an iron beak and copper claws featured in Russian folklore.[1][2] She is said to live on the Buyan Island. The bird is often mentioned in incantations. It is also said this bird guards the Alatyr, alongside Garafena the snake.

Gagana knows how to conjure and work miracles and, if she is asked correctly, can help a person. This bird is also the only one capable of giving the milk of the birds.[3]

## Background

[edit]

The bird Gagana is possibly attested in a tale compiled by author A. A. Erlenwein, and translated by Angelo de Gubernatis in his Florilegio with the name Vaniúsha, where the hero's sisters marry a bear, an iron-nosed bird ("uccello dal naso di ferro") and a pike ("luccio").[2][4] The "bird with iron beak" appears to be a creature that inhabits several Slavic folktales.[5]

William Ralston Shedden-Ralston, citing Alexander Afanasyev's notes on Slavic folklore, writes that on the mythical island of Buyan there lives "The Tempest Bird", "the oldest and largest of all the birds", said to possess "an iron beak" and "copper claws".[6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Ladygin Mikhail Borisovich, Ladygina Olga Mikhaylovna 2003.
2. ^ a b Gubernatis, Angelo de. Florilegio delle novelline popolari. Milano U. Hoepli. 1883. pp. 212-214.
3. ^ Vagurina, Lyudmila (1998). Славянская мифология [Slavic mythology] (in Russian). Linor & Sovershenstvo. ISBN 9785808900240.
4. ^ Erlenwein, A. A. Narodnyja skazki sobrannyja seljskimi uciteljami. Moscow: 1863.
5. ^ Brlic-Mazuranic, Ivana. Croatian tales of long ago. Translated by Fanny S. Copeland. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Co.. 1922. pp. 256-257.
6. ^ Ralston, William Ralston Shedden. The songs of the Russian people, as illustrative of Slavonic mythology and Russian social life. London: Ellis & Green. 1872. p. 375.

### Sources

[edit]

* Ladygin Mikhail Borisovich, Ladygina Olga Mikhaylovna (2003). "Brief mythological dictionary. Gagana" (in Russian).

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Slavic mythology and religion

Deities|

* Chernobog and BelobogH
* ChernoglavF
* Dazhbog
* DevanaH
* Dyi [ru]H
* Diviya [ru; uz]H
* Khors
* KresnikH
* Lada mythology
* MoranaH
* Mokosh
* PizamarHH
* YariloH
* HennilH
* KyiH
* Lel and PolelH
* Niya
* Perun
* PodagaF
* Porenut
* Porevit
* Prove [ru] or ProneF
* RadegastH
* Rod
* Rugiaevit
* PereplutH
* PerperunaH
* Simargl
* Stribog
* Pogoda [ru; cs; fr]H
* Zelu [cs]H
* Svarog
* Svarozhits
* Svetovit
* Triglav
* Veles
* Yarovit
* ZhivaF
* Zorya
* ŻywieH

Personifications|

* Dola
* Karna and Zhelya [ru]H
* Koliada
* Mat Zemlya
* Moryana
* Rod
* Rozhanitsy
* Zorya

Pseudo-deities|

* Chislobog
* Chur
* Dana [ru]
* Dzidzileyla
* Flins
* Krodo
* Kupala
* Lada
* Lelya [ru]
* Pogvizd [ru]
* Troyan [ru]
* Uslad
* Vesna
* Voloska
* Yesha

Priesthood and cult|

* Vedmak
* Volkhv
* Zhrets
* Shamanism

Legendary heroes|

* Alyosha Popovich
* Burislav
* Damned Jerina
* Đerzelez Alija
* Dobrynya Nikitich
* Dragon of Bosnia
* Hrnjica Brothers
* Ilya Muromets
* Ivan Kosančić
* Ivan Tsarevich
* Jugović brothers
* Kyi, Shchek and Khoryv
* Lech, Czech, and Rus'
* Libuše
* Mikula Selyaninovich
* Mila Gojsalić
* Milan Toplica
* Miloš Obilić
* Misizla
* Mustay-Bey of Lika
* Nikita the Tanner
* Popiel
* Prince Marko
* Sadko
* Solovey-Razboynik
* Svyatogor
* Vasilisa the Beautiful
* Volga Svyatoslavich

Legendary creatures|

| Unquiet dead|

* Vila
* Drekavac
* Kikimora
* Mavka
* Upiór

|

Place spirits|

* Bannik
* Bolotnik
* Cornflower Wraith
* Domovoy
* Dvorovoy
* Lady Midday
* Leshy
* Boruta
* Mistress of the Copper Mountain
* Moryana
* Ovinnik
* Polevik
* Vodyanoy
* Shubin
* Water spirits

Entities|

* Ala
* Alkonost
* Baba Yaga
* Babay
* Baš Čelik
* Bauk
* Berehynia
* Bies
* Black Arab
* Błędnica
* Blud
* Boginki
* Bukavac
* Chernava
* Chuhaister
* Cikavac
* Chort
* Čuma
* Dukljan
* Dziwożona
* Fern flower-Chervona Ruta
* Firebird
* Gagana
* Gamayun
* Indrik
* Ispolin
* Karzełek
* Koshchei
* Krsnik
* Likho
* Likhoradka
* Mare
* Meduza
* Molfar
* Nav
* Nocnitsa
* Płanetnik
* Povitrulya
* Psoglav
* Raróg
* Rahmans
* Raskovnik
* Rozhanitsy
* Rusalka
* Samodiva
* Sirin
* Shishiga
* Skrzak
* Strzyga
* Stuhać
* Stricha
* Sudice
* Tintilinić
* Topielec
* Ved
* Vesna
* Zduhać
* Zmey
* Werewolf

Ritual figures|

* Baba Marta
* German
* Dodola and Perperuna
* Koliada
* Kupala
* Kostroma
* Marzanna
* Maslenitsa
* Jarilo

Mythological places|

* Alatyr
* Bald Mountain
* Buyan
* Faraway Tsardom
* Oponskoye Kingdom
* Kitezh
* Lukomorye
* Vyraj

Objects|

* Axe of Perun
* Sword Kladenets

Beliefs|

* Creation myths
* First humans in Slavic mythology
* Russian traditions and superstitions
* Serbian folk astronomy

Folklore|

* Czech
* Russian
* Serbian
* Ukrainian
* Polish

Literature|

* Bosniak epic poetry
* Bylina
* Russian fairy tale
* Serbian epic poetry
* Ukrainian fairy tale

Christianization|

* Moravia (830s)
* Bulgaria (860s)
* Bohemia (880s)
* Poland (960s)
* Kievan Rus' (980s)
* Pomerania (1120s–60s)
* Bogomilism

Folk practices|

* Apocryphal prayer
* Zagovory
* Egg decoration
* Martenitsa

| Folk cults (also including Ossetian)|

* Ognyena Maria
* Paraskeva of Iconium
* Paraskeva Friday
* Nicholas the Wonderworker
* Veles
* Ilya the Prophet
* Uacilla
* George the Victorious
* Dazhbog
* Uastyrdzhi
* Saint Anastasia
* Saint Nedelya
* Saint Vlasius
* Veles
* Maslenitsa
* Saint Peter
* Donbettyr
* Saint Theodore
* Tutyr
* Saint Eustace
* Apsat

|

Revivalist organizations|

* God-Building
* Slavic Native Faith
* Authentism
* Bazhovism
* Ivanovism
* Kandybaism
* Levashovism
* Peterburgian Vedism
* Ringing Cedars' Anastasianism
* Slavic-Hill Rodnovery
* Sylenkoism
* Vseyasvetnaya Gramota
* Ynglism
* Roerichism
* Russian Zoroastrianism

In popular culture|

* Fantasy
* Film

Related topics|

* Book of Veles
* Slavic Native Faith's calendars and holidays

Notes: H historicity of the deity is dubious; F functions of the deity are unclear.

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