Analysis of the work “Zadonshchina. “Zadonshchina” - a monument of ancient Russian literature of the Kulikovo cycle What is Zadonshchina, a brief definition in history

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A word about Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, how they defeated their adversary Tsar Mamai.

Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich with his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, was at a feast with the Moscow governor. And he said: “The news has come to us, brothers, that Tsar Mamai is standing at the fast Don, he has come to Rus' and wants to go to us in the Zalessk land.” And the Grand Duke and his brother, having prayed to God, steeling their hearts with their courage, gathered brave Russian regiments. All the Russian princes came to the glorious city of Moscow and said: “The filthy Tatars are standing near the Don, Mamai the Tsar is at the Mechi River, they want to cross the river and part with their lives for our glory.” And Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich turned to his brother: “Let’s go there, test our brave men and fill the Don River with blood for the Russian land and for the Christian faith.”

What makes noise, what thunders early before dawn? Then Prince Vladimir Andreevich builds regiments and leads them to the great Don. And the great prince Dmitry Ivanovich admonished him: “We have already appointed governors - seventy boyars, and the princes of Belozersk are brave, and both brothers Olgerdovich, and Dmitry Volynsky, and the soldiers with us are three hundred thousand men-at-arms. The squad has been tested in battles, and all, as one, are ready to lay down their heads for the Russian land.”

After all, those falcons and gyrfalcons and Belozersk hawks soon flew over the Don and struck countless herds of geese and swans. It was not falcons or gyrfalcons - it was the Russian princes who attacked the Tatar force. And the red-hot spears struck the Tatar armor, and the damask swords thundered against the Khinov helmets on the Kulikovo field, on the Nepryadva river.

The ground is black under the hooves, the fields are strewn with Tatar bones, and the ground is flooded with their blood. On that field, menacing clouds converged, and from them lightning continuously flashed and great thunder roared. It was not the tours that roared near the Don on the Kulikovo field. It’s not the Turs who were beaten, but the Russian princes, and the boyars, and the governors of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich. Peresvet the Chernets, a Bryansk boyar, was brought to the place of judgment. And Peresvet the Chernets said: “It’s better for us to be killed than to be captured by the filthy Tatars!”

At that time, in the Ryazan land near the Don, neither plowmen nor shepherds called in the field, only crows incessantly cawing over human corpses, it was scary and pitiful to hear this then; and the grass was drenched in blood, and the trees bowed to the ground in sadness. The birds sang pitiful songs - all the princesses, and boyars, and all the voivod's wives began to lament for the dead. So they said: “Can you, sir, great prince, block the Dnieper with oars, and scoop up the Don with helmets, and dam the Sword River with Tatar corpses? Lock the gates at the Oka River, sir, so that the filthy Tatars don’t come to us anymore. Our husbands have already been beaten in battle.” The wife of Mikula Vasilyevich, the Moscow governor, Marya cried on the visors of the Moscow walls, wailing: “Oh Don, Don, fast river, bring my master Mikula Vasilyevich to me on your waves!”

And, throwing out a cry, Prince Vladimir Andreevich rushed with his army to the shelves of the filthy Tatars. And he praised his brother: “Brother, Dmitry Ivanovich! In evil and bitter times, you are a strong shield for us. Do not give in, Great Prince, with your great regiments, do not indulge the seditious people! Don’t delay with your boyars.” And Prince Dmitry Ivanovich said: “Brothers, boyars and governors, here are your Moscow sweet honeys and great places! Then get a place for yourself and your wives. Here, brothers, the old must become younger, and the young must gain honor.” And then, like falcons, they flew headlong to the fast Don. It was not falcons that flew: the Grand Duke galloped with his regiments beyond the Don, and behind him the entire Russian army.

And then the Grand Duke began the offensive. Damask swords rattle against Khinov helmets. And so the filthy ones rushed back. The wind roars in the battles of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich, the Tatars are fleeing, and the Russian sons fenced off the wide fields with a clique and illuminated them with gilded armor. The battle has already begun! Here the Tatars scattered in confusion and ran along unbeaten roads into the Lukomorie, gnashing their teeth and tearing their faces, saying: “We, brothers, will not be in our own land, and will not see our children, and will not caress our wives, but we will caress the raw the earth, but we should kiss the green grass, and we should not go to Rus' as an army and we should not ask tribute from the Russian princes.”

Now the Russian sons have captured Tatar armor and horses, and are bringing wine, fine fabrics and silks to their wives. Fun and rejoicing already spread across the Russian land. Russian glory has overcome the blasphemy of the filthy. And the cruel Mamai darted away from his squad like a gray wolf and ran to Cafe-town. And the Fryags said to him: “You came to Russian land with great forces, with nine hordes and seventy princes. But, apparently, the Russian princes thoroughly treated you: there are neither princes nor governors with you! Run away, you filthy Mamai, from us beyond the dark forests.”

The Russian land is like a sweet baby to its mother: its mother caresses it, flogs it for mischief, and praises it for its good deeds. So the Lord God had mercy on the Russian princes, Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, between the Don and the Dnieper on the Kulikovo field, on the Nepryadva river. And Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich said: “Brothers, you laid down your heads for the Russian land and for the Christian faith. Forgive me and bless me in this age and in the next. Let’s go, brother Vladimir Andreevich, to our Zalesskaya land to the glorious city of Moscow and sit on our reign, and we have won honor and a glorious name.”

Retold

Alexey Ranchin, Berenika Vesnina

Zadonshchina is a monument of ancient Russian literature of the late 14th–15th centuries, dedicated to the victory of Russian troops led by the Grand Duke of Moscow Dmitry Ivanovich (Dmitry Donskoy) and his cousin Vladimir Andreevich over the Mongol-Tatar troops of the ruler of the Golden Horde, Mamai; the battle took place on the Kulikovo field on September 8 (according to the old style 1380).

The date of creation of Zadonshchina is unknown. According to researchers M.N. Tikhomirov and V.F. Rzhiga, this work was written shortly after the Battle of Kulikovo, between 1380 and 1393. Their evidence is as follows. Firstly, in the Zadonshchina the capital of the Bulgarian kingdom, the city of Tornava (Tarnovo), is mentioned, to which the news of the glorious victory won by Dmitry Donskoy reaches. But Tarnovo was conquered by the Turks in 1393, which means Zadonshchina was most likely written before that time. Secondly, in the text of the work there is an indication that 160 years passed from the battle on the Kalka River (1223), the first clash between the Russians and the Mongol-Tatars, to the victory on the Kulikovo Field. Apparently, this calculation refers not to the year of the Battle of Kulikovo, but to the time of writing of Zadonshchina, that is, to 1384 or, perhaps, a little earlier. M.A. Salmina argued that the author of Zadonshchina used the text of the so-called Long Chronicle, created in the 1440s; accordingly, Zadonshchina could not have been written earlier than the 1440s. But most scientists did not support this hypothesis. It is more likely that it was not Zadonshchina that was influenced by the chronicle story, but, on the contrary, the compiler of the chronicle story turned to the text of Zadonshchina.

There are 6 known lists of Zadonshchina. The earliest of them, containing an abbreviated text of the work (the so-called Short Edition), dates back to the 1470s; its copyist and probable editor is the famous ancient Russian scribe, monk of the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery Euphrosynus. 5 lists (the earliest dates back to the late 15th - early 16th centuries, the rest were compiled at the end of the 16th and 17th centuries) contain the text of the so-called Long Edition of Zadonshchina; in three of these five lists the text has been preserved in its entirety, in two only fragments have been preserved. There are serious discrepancies between the lists. None of the manuscripts preserved the original, author's text of the work.

There is debate in science about which of the two editions – the Brief or the Long – is closer to the original text of Zadonshchina. There is a prevailing opinion about the primacy of the Long version in comparison with the Short version. Zadonshchina researcher L.A. Dmitriev, having compared all the manuscripts of the work, reconstructed the author’s text. However, its reconstruction is not accepted by all scientists.

The word Zadonshchina is contained in the title of the work only in the earliest list, belonging to the scribe Evfrosin: “Zadonshchina of the Grand Duke Dimitri Ivanovich and his brother Prince Volodimer Ondreevich.” Although in scientific literature the word “Zadonshchina” became the name of the monument, in the text of the title itself, “Zadonshchina” refers to the Battle of Kulikovo, and not the work dedicated to it.

In the title of the same list, a certain monk (elder) Sophony, or Zephaniah of Ryazan, is mentioned as the author: “The Scripture of Zephaniah the Elder of Ryazan<…>"; In a similar way, Zephanius is mentioned in the title of one of the lists of the Long Edition - Synodal: “The Legend of Saphon the Rezant<…>" The name Zephaniah is also found in the text of Zadonshchina itself in several lists of the Long Edition. But here Zephaniah is spoken of in the third person: “I will remember Zephanius the cutter” (list by V.M. Undolsky), “And here we will remember Sophon the cutter” (Synodal list). The name Zephanius is also contained in some lists of the Main Edition of another work about the Battle of Kulikovo - The Legend of the Battle of Mamayev, and Zephanius is named as the author of the “Legend<…>" These contradictory news about Zephaniah gave grounds for the hypothesis that Zephanius was not the author of Zadonshchina and not the Legend of the Massacre of Mamai, but not the work that has survived to this day about the victory on the Kulikovo Field (the so-called Tale of the Massacre of Mamayev). Perhaps the text of this work was consulted by both the compiler of Zadonshchina and the compiler of the Legend of the Massacre of Mamaev. (This hypothesis belongs to R.P. Dmitrieva.)

The Battle of Kulikovo is depicted in the Zadonshchina as a feat of the Russian princes and army in the name of the Orthodox faith, as a victory ordained by God.

In various lists in the title of Zadonshchina the work is called “writing”, “legend”, “word”, “praise”. “Zadonshchina” combines the features of a word of praise for Prince Dmitry Donskoy and his brother Vladimir Andreevich and lamentation for the warriors killed on the Kulikovo Field. In the text itself, the monument is called “pity and praise.” The narrative about the battle in Zadonshchina is not developed, as if outlined with a dotted line: the author does not so much depict the battle as express his own feelings associated with it.

The author's text of Zadonshchina probably opened with the author's conventional address to “brothers and friends,” “Russian sons.” He calls to remember the past humiliation and grief of the Russian land, once conquered by Batu Khan. This fragment expresses the antithesis: the former plight of Rus', captured by the Tatars - the current greatness of the Russian land, which defeated the hordes of Mamai on the Don.

Following this comes a fragment, which also opens with an appeal to the Russian people. This appeal is a kind of refrain in the introduction to the main text of Zadonshchina. The author calls to cast sadness into the eastern land, into the Tatar borders, and glorify Dmitry Donskoy and his cousin Vladimir Andreevich. The narrator remembers the skilled singer (“gorazna gudtsa”) Boyan. Just as Boyan glorified the victories of the Kyiv princes in ancient times, the author of Zadonshchina, following Boyan and the here mentioned Zephanius of Ryazan, praises the victors of Mamai.

The central part of Zadonshchina opens with the news of how Dmitry Donskoy and Vladimir Andreevich opposed Mamai. The gathering of the Russian army is indicated by the metaphor “glory rings throughout the Russian lands” and is depicted by comparing Russian warriors with eagles. The author of Zadonshchina resorts to hyperbole, saying that all Russian princes and warriors, gathered in all Russian lands, opposed Mamai.

The description of the campaign and battle is dominated by speeches and dialogues. Dmitry Donskoy calls on his brother and soldiers not to disgrace their honor and glory, to shed blood “for the Russian land and for the peasant faith.” The brothers Andrei and Dmitry Olgerdovich, the sons of the Lithuanian prince Olgerd, who was the worst enemy of Dmitry Donskoy, talk among themselves: they decide to help the Moscow prince and oppose Mamai. Dmitry Donskoy strengthens the spirit of his cousin with a courageous speech before the battle, listing his glorious commanders and boyars. And the warrior-monk Peresvet inspires Prince Dmitry himself to fight with a brief reminder: “We would rather be sweated (killed - A.R.) than full of filthy Tatars.” Another warrior monk, Oslyabya, turning his speech to Peresvet, predicts death in battle for him and his own son Yakov.

The climax of the battle coincides with the crying of Russian wives for their murdered husbands, and the turning point in the battle occurs after new speeches by Vladimir Andreevich and Dmitry Donskoy, calling on the soldiers to perform a feat. The metaphor of the battle in the speech of Dmitry Donskoy is a feast: “Brother Prince Vladimer Andreevich, here, brother, drink the medvyana charm, we will, brother, send our strong regiments against the army of the filthy Tatars.” Another expanded metaphor for the battle in the Trans-Don region is the sowing and watering of the land: “The earth is black under the hooves, and the fields were sowed with Tatar bones, and the land was quickly shed with their blood.” The battle is also likened to a hunt, in which the hunting birds represent the Russian warriors, and their prey – the warriors of Mamai: “Already those falcons and gyrfalcons flew over the Don greyhounds and hit many herds of swan. So the Russian princes attacked the Tatar force<…>».

The speeches of the battle participants are interspersed with lyrical digressions by the author. He calls on the lark and the nightingale to sing glory to the princes who defeated foreign enemies: “O lark, summer bird, red day of joy, fly under the blue skies, look to the strong city of Moscow, sing glory to the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother Prince Vladimer Andreevy”; “Oh nightingales, summer bird, so that nightingales may tickle glory to the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother Prince Vladimer Andreevich and the land of Lithuania to his two brothers Olgordovich, Andrey and his brother Dmitry, and Dmitry Volynsky.”

The movement of Mamaev's troops and the battle are allegorically described in images borrowed from the natural world. The author paints ominous pictures of thunderstorms, full of symbolic and metaphorical meaning: “Already, brother, they were hovering across the sea at the mouth of the Don and Nepra, and the clouds were floating (cherished, brought. - A.R.) clouds to the Russian land, and bloody dawns emerged from them , and strong lightning bolts tremble in them”; “On that field strong clouds rolled in, and from them lightning bolts often shone and great thunder roared. Then the Russian daredevils came into conflict with the filthy Tatars for their great insult. And strong, golden armor shone in them, and the Russian princes thundered with damask swords<…>».

The end of the story about the battle in Zadonshchina is the lamentation of the Tatars fleeing the battlefield, and a mention of the flight of Mamai, who is taking refuge in the Genoese city of Cafe (now Feodosia) in the Crimea; immigrants from Genoa inhabiting Cafa reproach Mamai for defeat and disgrace, contrasting him with the victorious Khan Batu, who conquered the Russian land. This is how a compositional “ring” is created: both the introduction and this fragment contain memories of former times when Rus' was conquered by the Mongol-Tatars, and the past is contrasted with the present time, when the Mongol-Tatars are suffering a crushing defeat from the Russians.

The text of Zadonshchina in the Long Edition ends with a list of the names of the fallen princes and boyars (these names are given to Dmitry Donskoy by his boyar Mikhail Alexandrovich) and Dmitry’s words - a farewell to the dead and a call to his cousin to return to Moscow with honor and glory.

In Zadonshchina there are images and techniques characteristic of folk poetry: metaphors of battle-feast and battle-sowing of the land, comparison of Russian princes and warriors with falcons and eagles, appeals to the lark and nightingale to sing victory. But Zadonshchina is a monument to bookishness, and not a recording or reworking of a folk song about the Battle of Kulikovo.

Standing somewhat apart in the cycle of stories about the Battle of Kulikovo is a work briefly called “Zadonshchina,” which has different titles according to the lists. The timing of the text's creation remains controversial. The most substantiated point of view is that “Zadonshchina” was written in the 80s. XIV century, since in 1392 the two cities mentioned in it - Tarnovo and Ornach - were captured and destroyed: one by the Turks, the other by the Tatars. The author of the work is also unknown; the hypothesis about the authorship of Zephanius Ryazan, which was actively discussed in the scientific press, has not been thoroughly confirmed. Most researchers come to the conclusion that he was the author of some literary work about the Battle of Kulikovo, which has not reached us and preceded “Zadonshchina.”

Composition

The greatest attention to the work from the moment of its discovery was attracted by the fact that the author took “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” as a model of the narrative. But “Zadonshchina” did not become an imitation, following the sample text in everything; it is an independent work of art, which was undoubtedly influenced by two more traditions - folklore and the tradition of chronicle military stories. In the construction of the text, the author interweaves features of a military story and “The Word...”. The introduction is focused mainly on the poetic monument of the 12th century; it mentions Boyan, previously known only from the text of “The Words...”. But at the end of the fragment the time of the event is established (“And from the Kalat army to the Momayev massacre is 160 years”), which has no analogy in the “Word...”. The further text of "Zadonshchina" generally repeats the structural three-part scheme of the military story. However, within each of the parts the narrative is built on the basis of individual episodes-pictures, which alternate with the author’s digressions, both of which are often directly oriented towards the text of the earlier monument. At the same time, they are not in all respects similar to the “Word...”. First of all, "Zadonshchina" is characterized by documentary elements that are absent in the work of the 12th century. and expressed in the widespread use of digital data, for example in the speech of the Lithuanian princes: “And the brave Lithuanians are with us 70,000 chained armies”; the number of Novgorod soldiers is indicated: “And with them 7000 troops,” etc. There are lists of names of governors leading units of the army; boyars who died in the first half of the battle; losses of warriors from different lands at the end of the battle. These elements are associated with the tradition of military stories. The same range of documentaries includes three cases of mentioning dates according to the church calendar, for example: “And they fought from morning until noon on Saturday on the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God.” This is how the dates of events were often indicated in chronicles.

Basically, in “Zadonshchina” the chronological principle of narration characteristic of a military story is preserved, while in “The Lay...” one of the most important features of the composition can be considered historical digressions, correlated with the destinies of the main characters and the author’s idea. Minor deviations from the chronological order in “Zadonshchina” can be explained by various reasons. The passage predicting the victory of the Russian princes at the beginning of the battle (“Shibla glory to the Gallic Gates...”), although it uses the images of the “Word...”, but follows the military chronicle tradition, which allowed predictions of the outcome of the battle before it began, mainly in the form of a mention of the Divine protection of one of the parties.

Another case of fragments moving through time cannot be explained unambiguously. This is a transfer of Peresvet’s speech addressed to Dmitry, and Oslyabi’s prophecy addressed to Peresvet, after the story about the death of the boyars in battle, while both remarks could only be spoken before the battle, since Peresvet died at the very beginning. The most likely reason for this rearrangement is the relative compositional freedom of the text, built on the basis of a chain of episodes-pictures depicting the main moments of events. It is also possible that it arose during the process of rewriting the text, especially since all known copies of the monument contain defects. These minor chronological violations of the text do not change the very principle of the narrative, which is close to a military story.

A significant difference between the composition “Zadonshchina” and the composition “The Lay of Igor’s Campaign” is the smaller number of lyrical fragments. They are represented by the author's digressions, most often inspired by the text of an earlier monument, and the laments of Russian wives, which were created in imitation of Yaroslavna's lament, but occupy a different compositional place. Yaroslavna's lament is placed towards the end of the work, when the story about Igor's campaign has already been completed and the princes' call for unity has been made, immediately before the story of Igor's escape from captivity, which is symbolically caused by the lament. The wives' cries in "Zadonshchina" break the story of the Battle of Kulikovo, completing the story of its first half, which was extremely difficult for the Russian army, in which many soldiers died. They add an additional emotional touch to the story of the battle, but do not carry any symbolic meaning. In addition, each of the four laments is many times shorter than Yaroslavna’s lament, uses one image of him, often adding to it stylistic turns from other passages of “The Lay...”.

Of the other lyrical genres unknown to the text of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” “Zadonshchina” uses prayers, one of which is only mentioned, and the other is given in the text. Both were spoken by Dmitry Ivanovich before the battle. In military stories already in the 12th century. Similar fragments began to appear, and during the era of the Battle of Kulikovo they became widespread. The appearance of this genre in “Zadonshchina” is due to the fact that the text contains the motif of God’s patronage of the Russian army, sounding in the author’s remarks and in the refrain taken from “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, but modified. This very motif was widespread in military stories, where it was embodied in formulas of God’s wrath or the protection of one of the parties. In “The Word...” it sounds only in one fragment.

Thus, the lyrical fragments in “Zadonshchina” are few in number and are connected both with the tradition of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” and with the tradition of military stories.

Heroes of "Zadonshchina"

The main character of "Zadonshchina", Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, is presented as an ideal hero, both in chronicles and in "The Tale of Mamaev's Massacre". First of all, he is the unifier of the forces of the Russian princes, and in this regard, undoubtedly, continues the tradition of the image of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich of Kyiv in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.” But at the same time, the traits of a brave warrior and commander characteristic of Igor are transferred to him; the author directly borrows the characterization of this hero, giving it to Dmitry and Vladimir. They paint the image of the prince-defender of Rus', his speeches and actions during the preparation of the campaign and in its process. In general, the image of the main character is similar to the chronicle works of that era, and only certain stylistic means connect him with “The Word...”. At the same time, it must be recognized that “The Long Chronicle Tale” and “The Tale of the Massacre of Mamayev” paint the image of the main character in a more versatile and detailed way, paying close attention to his personality and inner world.

Other princes are depicted in “Zadonshchina” within the framework of the chronicle military tradition in one or two strokes: they emphasize the desire to unite all the forces of Rus' and military valor. Only in the images of Dmitry and Andrei Olgerdovich is the influence of the image of Igor and Vsevolod in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” noticeable.

The enemies of Rus' are depicted more schematically than in other monuments of the Kulikovo cycle. Mamai and his warriors appear only at the moment of flight from the battlefield, and the author conveys the fear and disappointment of the enemies through their gestures and direct speech. The depiction of enemies in “Zadonshchina,” as in “The Lay...” and in the tradition of the military story, is schematic and one-sided; The use of Russian folklore in the speech of the Tatars can be noted as a new feature.

Artistic media in “Zadonshchina”

The visual and expressive means of “Zadonshchina” are also associated with the combination of the three indicated traditions, although the leading influence in this area undoubtedly belongs to “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” (up to direct borrowings). The folklore influence is most noticeable in the use of negative comparisons (in contrast to “The Lay...”, where their function was usually metaphors-symbols, which, on the contrary, were almost never used by the author of “Zadonshchina”).

So, “Zadonshchina” is a monument created at the intersection of three artistic traditions (folklore, the tradition of the military story, in ideological and partly stylistic terms - “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”). Based on the structure of the text, the ways of depicting the heroes, the predominance of the epic narrative rather than the emotional-lyrical principle, the tradition of the military story should be recognized as the leading one, accordingly classifying the work as a genre of military story.

A word about Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother Prince Vladimir Andreevich, how they defeated their adversary Tsar Mamai.

Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich with his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, and with his governors were at a feast at Mikula Vasilyevich, and he said: “The news has come to us, brothers, that Tsar Mamai is standing at the fast Don, he has come to Rus' and wants to go on us in the Zalessk land."

Let's go, brothers, to the northern side - the destiny of Noah's son, Afet, from whom the Orthodox Russian people originate. Let's climb the Kyiv mountains, look at the glorious Dnieper, and then at the whole Russian land. And after that, let's look at the eastern lands - the inheritance of Noah's son, Shem, from whom came the Hinovs - the filthy Tatars, the Basurmans. It was they who defeated the Afet family on the river Kayal. Since that time, the Russian land has been gloomy: Or the Battle of Kalki before the Battle of Mamaev, it was overcome with melancholy and sadness, crying, remembering its sons - princes, and boyars, and brave people who left their homes, wives and children, and all their property, and, having earned the honor and glory of this world, they laid down their heads for the Russian land and for the Christian faith.

I described the ancient deeds and pity of the Russian land from book legends, and then I will describe the pity and praise for Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich.

Brothers and friends, sons of the Russian land! Let's get together, put it together word by word, let's rejoice the Russian land, throw away sadness to the eastern countries - the inheritance of the Sims, and praise the victory over the filthy Mamai, and glorify Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich! And let’s say this: it’s better, brothers, to tell us this story in sublime words about the campaign of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, descendants of the holy Grand Duke Vladimir of Kyiv. Let's begin to talk about their deeds, by deed and by story... Let's remember ancient times, let's praise the prophetic Boyan, a skilled guslar in Kyiv. That prophetic Boyan, fingering the living strings with his quick fingers, sang to the Russian princes of glory: the first glory to the Grand Duke of Kyiv Igor Rurikovich, the second to the Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavich of Kyiv, the third to the Grand Duke Yaroslav Vladimirovich.

I will remember the Ryazan resident Zephanius and praise with songs, to the sonorous playing of the gusli, our Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, the descendants of the holy Grand Duke Vladimir of Kyiv. Let us sing the deeds of the Russian princes who stood up for the Christian faith! And from the Battle of Kalka to the Massacre of Mamaev one hundred and sixty years. And so Prince Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, having prayed to God and his most pure mother, strengthening their minds with strength, tempering their hearts with their courage, filled with military spirit, organized their brave regiments in the Russian land and remembered their great-grandfather, Grand Duke Vladimir of Kyiv .

Oh, lark, summer bird, joyful days of joy, fly up to the blue skies, look at the mighty city of Moscow, sing glory to Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich! It was as if a storm carried the falcons from the land of Zalesskaya into the Polovtsian field! Glory rings throughout the Russian land: horses neigh in Moscow, trumpets sound in Kolomna, tambourines sound in Serpukhov, Russian banners stand on the banks of the Great Don.

The veche bells are ringing in Veliky Novgorod, the men of Novgorod have gathered at the Church of St. Sophia and say this: “Can’t we, brothers, be in time to help Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich?” And as soon as these words were uttered, they flew together like eagles. No, it was not the eagles that flocked - the mayors left Veliky Novgorod and with them seven thousand troops to Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, to help.

All the Russian princes came to the glorious city of Moscow and said this: “The filthy Tatars stand near the Don, Mamai the Tsar is at the Mechi River, between Churov and Mikhailov, they want to cross the river and part with their lives for our glory.”

And the Great Prince Dmitry Ivanovich said: “Brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, let’s go there, glorify our life, surprise the land, so that the old will tell and the young will remember! We will test our brave men and fill the Don River with blood for the Russian land and for the Christian faith!”

And Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich said to everyone: “Brothers and Russian princes, we are the nest of Grand Duke Vladimir of Kyiv! We were not born to offend either a falcon, or a hawk, or a gyrfalcon, or a black raven, or that filthy Mamai!”

O nightingale, summer bird, if only you, nightingale, could glorify with your singing the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother Prince Vladimir Andreevich, and from the land of Lithuania two Olgerdovich brothers, Andrey and his brother Dmitry, and Dmitry Volynsky! Those, after all, are the brave sons of Lithuania, gyrfalcons in the time of war and glorified commanders, they were swaddled to the sound of trumpets, they were cherished under helmets, they were fed from the end of a spear, they were given water from a sharp sword in the Lithuanian land.

Andrei Olgerdovich said to his brother: “Brother Dmitry, you and I are two brothers, the sons of the Olgerds, and we are the grandchildren of the Gediminos, and the great-grandsons of the Skolomendovs. Let us gather, brother, our beloved lords of daring Lithuania, brave daredevils, and we ourselves will mount our greyhound horses and stroke the fast Don, we will drink water from it with our helmets, we will test our Lithuanian swords against Tatar helmets, and our German swords against Basurman chain mail!”

And Dmitry said to him: “Brother Andrei, we will not spare our lives for the Russian land and for the Christian faith, and for the offense of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich! Already, brother, the knock is knocking and the thunder is thundering in white-stone Moscow. Well, brother, it’s not knocking that knocks, it’s not thunder that thunders, it’s the mighty army of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich that knocks, it’s the Russian daredevils who thunder with their gilded armor and scarlet shields. Saddle up, brother Andrey, your greyhound horses, and mine are already ready - saddled before yours. Let's go, brother, to an open field and review our regiments - how many brave Lithuanians are with us, brother. And seventy thousand brave Lithuanians are with us.”

Now, brothers, strong winds have blown from the sea to the mouths of the Don and Dnieper, brought menacing clouds to the Russian land, bloody lightning emerges from them, and blue lightning flutters in them. There will be great knocking and thunder on the Nepryadva river, between the Don and the Dnieper, the Kulikovo field will be covered with human corpses, the Nepryadva river will flow with blood!

The carts are already creaking between the Don and the Dnieper, and they are driving the khinove onto the Russian land! Gray wolves came running from the mouths of the Don and Dnieper, howling, hiding on the Sword River, wanting to rush to Russian land. These were not gray wolves - the filthy Tatars came, they want to go through the war all over the Russian land.

Then the geese cackled and the swans flapped their wings. No, it was not the geese who cackled and the swans who flapped their wings, but the filthy Mamai who came to the Russian land and brought his soldiers. And winged birds lie in wait for their death, soaring under the clouds, crows play incessantly, and jackdaws speak in their own way, eagles squawk, wolves howl menacingly, and foxes squawk, smelling bones. Russian land, you have now visited Solomon as if you were the king. And falcons, and gyrfalcons, and Belozersk hawks are tearing from golden stocks from the stone city of Moscow, breaking silk fetters, soaring under the blue skies, ringing gilded bells on the fast Don, wanting to strike at countless herds of geese and swans - then the Russian heroes and daredevils they want to attack the great forces of the filthy Tsar Mamai.

Then Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich stepped into his golden stirrup, sat on his greyhound horse and took his sword in his right hand, and prayed to God and his most pure mother. The sun shines clearly in the east and shows him the way, and Boris and Gleb offer a prayer for their relatives.

What makes noise, what thunders early before dawn? Then Prince Vladimir Andreevich sets up the regiments and leads them to the great Don. And he said to his brother, Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich: “Do not give in, brother, to the filthy Tatars - after all, the filthy Russians are already trampling the fields and taking away our patrimony!” -

And the prince, the great Dmitry Ivanovich, told him: “Brother Vladimir Andreevich! You and I are two brothers, and we are the grandchildren of Grand Duke Vladimir of Kyiv. We have already appointed governors - seventy boyars, and the brave princes of Belozersk Fyodor Semenovich and Semyon Mikhailovich, and Mikula Vasilyevich, and both Olgerdovich brothers, and Dmitry Volynsky, and Timofey Voluevich, and Andrei Serkizovich, and Mikhail Ivanovich, and with us there are three hundred soldiers thousands of men-at-arms. And our governors are reliable, and our squad is battle-tested, and the horses under us are greyhounds, and our armor is gilded, and our helmets are from Cherkassy, ​​and our shields are from Moscow, and our sulits are German, and our daggers are from Fryazh, and our swords are damask; but the paths are known to them, and crossings have been established for them, and all as one are ready to lay down their heads for the Russian land and for the Christian faith. Banners are fluttering as if living things, warriors are eager to gain honor and glorify their name.”

After all, those falcons and gyrfalcons and Belozersk hawks soon flew over the Don and struck countless herds of geese and swans. It was not falcons or gyrfalcons - it was the Russian princes who attacked the Tatar force. And the hardened spears struck the Tatar armor, the damask swords thundered against the Khinov helmets on the Kulikovo field on the Nepryadva river.

The ground is black under the hooves, the fields are strewn with Tatar bones, and the ground is flooded with their blood. These strong armies came together and trampled the hills and meadows, and the rivers, streams and lakes became muddy. Div called in the Russian land and ordered the formidable lands to listen. Glory spread to the Iron Gates, and to Ornach, to Rome, and to Cafe by sea, and to Tarnov, and from there to Constantinople for the praise of the Russian princes: Great Rus' defeated the Tatar army on the Kulikovo field, on the Nepryadva river.

On that field, menacing clouds converged, and from them lightning continuously flashed and great thunder roared. After all, the Russian sons got along with the filthy Tatars for their great insult. It was gilded armor that sparkled, and the Russian princes thundered with damask swords on Khinov’s helmets. And they fought from morning until noon on Saturday on the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God. It was not the tours that roared at the Great Don on the Kulikovo field. It’s not the Turks who were beaten at the Great Don, but the Russian princes, and the boyars, and the governors of the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich. The Belozersk princes, Fyodor Semenovich and Semyon Mikhailovich, and Timofey Voluevich, and Mikula Vasilyevich, and Andrei Serkizovich, and Mikhail Ivanovich and many others from the squad, died after being beaten by the filthy Tatars.

Peresvet the Chernets, a Bryansk boyar, was brought to the place of trial. And Peresvst the Chernets said to Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich: “It’s better for us to be killed than to be captured by the filthy Tatars!” Peresvet gallops on his greyhound horse, his gilded armor sparkling, and many already lie whipped on the shore of the Great Don.

At such a time, an old person should remember his youth, and brave people should test their courage. And Oslyabya the Chernets says to his brother Elder Peresvet: “Brother Peresvet, I see serious wounds on your body, already, brother, your head is flying onto the feather grass, and my son Yakov is lying on the green feather grass in the Kulikovo field, on the Nepryadva river, for the Christian faith and for the Russian land, and for the offense against Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich.”

And at that time, in the Ryazan land near the Don, neither plowmen nor shepherds called in the field, only crows incessantly cawing over human corpses, it was scary and pitiful to hear this then; and the grass was drenched in blood, and the trees bowed to the ground in sadness. The birds sang pitiful songs - all the princesses and boyars and all the voivod's wives began to lament for the dead. Mikula Vasilyevich’s wife Marya cried early in the morning on the visors of the Moscow walls, wailing: “Oh Don, Don, fast river, you have dug through stone mountains and are flowing into the Polovtsian land. Bring my master Mikula Vasilyevich to me on your waves!” And Timofey Voluevich’s wife Fedosya also cried, wailing: “My joy has already faded in the glorious city of Moscow, and I will no longer see my sovereign Timofey Voluevich alive!” And Andreev’s wife Marya and Mikhailov’s wife Aksinya wailed at dawn: “For both of us, the sun has already darkened in the glorious city of Moscow, sad news rushed to us from the fast Don, bringing great sadness: our daredevils from greyhound horses were defeated at a narrowed place on the Kulikovo field , on the Nepryadva River!

And Div is calling out under the Tatar sabers, and the Russian heroes will be wounded.

The Shchurs sang pitiful songs in Kolomna on the visors of the city walls at dawn on Sunday, the day of Akim and Anna. It wasn’t the Shchurs who sang pitiful songs early - the wives of Kolomna began to lament, saying: “Moscow, Moscow, fast river, why did you carry our husbands away from us to the Polovtsian land on your waves?” So they spoke; “Can you, Mr. Great Prince, block the Dnieper, and scoop up the Don with helmets, and dam the Sword River with Tatar corpses? Lock the gates at the Oka River, sir, great prince, so that the filthy Tatars will no longer come to us. Our husbands have already been beaten in battle.”

On the same day, Saturday, the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God, Christians defeated the filthy regiments on the Kulikovo field, on the Nepryadva river.

And, having shouted the cry, Prince Vladimir Andreevich rushed with his army to the shelves of the filthy Tatars, shining his gilded helmet. Damask swords rattle against Khinov helmets. And he praised his brother, Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich: “Brother Dmitry Ivanovich, in evil and bitter times you are a strong shield for us. Do not give in, Great Prince, with your great regiments, do not indulge the seditious people! The filthy Tatars are already trampling our fields and have beaten a lot of our brave squad - so many human corpses that greyhound horses cannot gallop: they wander knee-deep in blood. It’s a pity, brother, to see so much Christian blood. Do not delay, Great Prince, with your boyars.” And the Great Prince Dmitry Ivanovich said to his boyars: “Brothers, boyars and governors, and boyar children, here are your Moscow sweet honeys and great places! Then get a place for yourself and your wives. Here, brothers, the old must become younger, and the young must gain honor.” And the Great Prince Dmitry Ivanovich exclaimed: “Lord my God, I trust in you, may there never be shame on me, may my enemies not laugh at me!” And he prayed to God, and to his most pure mother, and to all the saints, and he shed bitter tears and wiped away his tears.

And then, like falcons, they flew headlong to the fast Don. It was not falcons that flew: the Great Prince Dmitry Ivanovich galloped with his regiments beyond the Don, and behind him the entire Russian army. And he said: “Brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, here, brother, let’s drink the circular honey spell, and let’s attack, brother, with our strong regiments against the army of the filthy Tatars.”

And then the great prince began to advance. Damask swords rattle against Khinov helmets. The filthy ones covered their heads with their hands. And so the filthy ones rushed back. The wind roars in the banners of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich, the filthy are fleeing, and the Russian sons fenced off the wide fields with a clique and illuminated them with gilded armor. The battle has already begun!

Then Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, turned back the regiments of the filthy ones and began to beat them and flog them mercilessly, bringing melancholy to them. And their princes fell from their horses, and the fields were strewn with Tatar corpses and the rivers flowed with their blood. Then the filthy ones scattered in confusion and ran along unbeaten roads into the Lukomorye, gnashing their teeth and tearing their faces, saying: “We, brothers, will no longer be in our own land and will not see our children, and will not caress our wives, but we will caress the damp earth.” , but we should kiss the green grass, and we should not go to Rus' as an army and we should not ask the Russian princes for tribute.” The Tatar land has already groaned, filled with troubles and grief; The kings and their princes lost their desire to go to the Russian land. Their joy has already faded.

Now the Russian sons have captured Tatar patterns, and armor, and horses, and oxen, and camels, and wine, and sugar, and expensive decorations, fine fabrics and silks, and take them to their wives. And now Russian wives began to jingle with Tatar gold.

Fun and rejoicing already spread across the Russian land. The Russian glory has overcome the blasphemy of the filthy. The Divas have already been cast down to the ground, and the thunder and glory of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, has swept across all lands. Shoot, great prince, across all lands, strike, great prince, with your brave squad of the filthy Mamai-Khinovin for the Russian land, for the Christian faith. The filthy ones have already thrown away their weapons, and the Russians have bowed their heads under their swords. And their trumpets do not sound, and their voices are dull.

And the filthy Mamai darted away from his squad like a gray wolf and ran to Cafe-town. And the fryags said to him: “Why are you, filthy Mamai, coveting the Russian land? After all, the Zalesskaya horde has now beaten you. You are far from being Tsar Batu: Tsar Batu had four hundred thousand men-at-arms, and he filled the entire Russian land from east to west. Then God punished the Russian land for its sins. And you came to the Russian land, Tsar Mamai, with great forces, with nine hordes and seventy princes. And now you, the filthy one, are running away to the Lukomorye, there is no one for you to spend the winter in the field with. Apparently, the Russian princes have thoroughly treated you: there are neither princes nor governors with you! Apparently, they got very drunk with the fast Don on the Kulikovo field, on the feather grass! Run away, you filthy Mamai, from us beyond the dark forests!”

The Russian land is like a sweet baby to its mother: its mother caresses it, but flogs it for mischief, and praises it for good deeds. So God had mercy on the Russian princes, Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, between the Don and the Dnieper, on the Kulikovo field, on the Nepryadva river. And Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich stood with his brother, with Prince Vladimir Andreevich, and with the rest of his commanders on the bones on the Kulikovo field, on the Nepryadva river. It was scary and sad, brothers, at that time to see: Christian corpses lay like haystacks on the banks of the Great Don, and the Don River flowed with blood for three days. And the Great Prince Dmitry Ivanovich said: “Count, brothers, how many governors do we not have and how many young people are missing?”

Then Mikhail Alexandrovich, the Moscow boyar, answers Prince Dmitry Ivanovich: “Mr. Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich! No, sir, we have forty Moscow boyars, twelve Belozersk princes, thirty Novgorod mayors, twenty Kolomna boyars, forty Serpukhov boyars, thirty Lithuanian lords, twenty Pereyaslav boyars, twenty-five Kostroma boyars, thirty-five Vladimir boyars, fifty Suzdal boyars, forty boyars Murom, seventy Razyan boyars, thirty-four Rostov boyars, twenty-three Dmitrov boyars, sixty Mozhaisk boyars, thirty Zvenigorod boyars, fifteen Uglich boyars. And two hundred and fifty-three thousand were flogged by the godless Mamas. And God had mercy on the Russian land, and countless Tatars fell.”

And the great prince Dmitry Ivanovich said: “Brothers, boyars and princes and boyar children, you are destined for that place between the Don and the Dnieper, on the Kulikovo field, on the Nepryadva river. You laid down your heads for the holy churches, for the Russian land and for the Christian faith. Forgive me, brothers, and bless me in this age and in the future. Let’s go, brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, to our Zalesskaya land to the glorious city of Moscow and sit down, brother, in our reign, and we, brother, have gained honor and a glorious name!” Glory to our God.

A poetic story about the events of the Battle of Kulikovo, in contrast to the documentary "Legend", is given in another monument of ancient Russian literature - "Zadonshchina". The story is dedicated to the glorification of the victory of Russian troops over the Mongol-Tatar hordes. The author drew his factual material from the chronicle story, and his literary model was “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” - he used the poetic plan and artistic techniques of the “Tale”. The story compares the events of the past and present. This manifests itself, according to D.S. Likhachev, the pathos of historical design. The fight against the Polovtsians is interpreted here as a struggle for national independence.

"Zadonshchina" expresses the author's poetic attitude to the events of the Battle of Kulikovo. His story, as in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” is transferred from one place to another: from Moscow to the Kulikovo field, again to Moscow, to Novgorod, again to the Kulikovo field. The present is intertwined with memories of the past. The author himself described his work as “pity and praise for Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich.” “Pity” is a cry for the dead. “Praise” is glory to the courage and military valor of the Russians, says one of the modern scientists.

"Zadonshchina", like "The Tale of Igor's Campaign", does not seek to consistently describe the entire course of events; its goal is different - to glorify the victory of the Russians, to glorify Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother - Prince Vladimir Andreevich of Serpukhov. This idea forced the author to consciously contrast the episodes of the Russian defeat in Igor’s campaign with the victorious battle on the Don. The author of "Zadonshchina" sees in the Battle of Kulikovo an important historical milestone: the defeat on Kalka began the time of "sorrow and sadness", and it ended with the victory in the battle on the Kulikovo Field.

The text of "Zadonshchina" is correlated with "The Tale of Igor's Campaign". The author consciously compares events, seeing in “The Lay” an aesthetic model to follow. To explain his idea to the reader, he prefaced it with a preface, composed in epic tones. “Let us come together, brothers and friends, Russian sons, let us compose word for word and exalt the Russian land, cast sorrow on the eastern country, proclaim victory over the filthy Mamai, and give praise to Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich, and to his brother Prince Vladimir Andreevich...” 1 .

The author turns to the past of Rus': "... let us remember the times of the first years and praise the prophetic Boyan, a skilled guslar in Kiev. That Boyan laid his skillful fingers on the living strings and sang glory to the Russian princes... And I praise with songs and with wild words under the harp and this Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich..." 2.

In “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” menacing omens accompany the march of the Russian troops: “wolves howl, foxes bark at Russian shields.” In "Zadonshchina" the same ominous signs accompany the campaign of the Tatar troops: the impending death of the Tatars makes birds fly under the clouds, eagles squeal, wolves and foxes howl. In the "Word" - "children of demons" (Polovtsians) by clicking the field "partition"; in "Zadonshchina" - "Russian sons fenced wide fields with a wedge." In the Lay, “black ground under the hooves” was sown with the bones of Russians. In "Zadonshchina" - "black ground under the hooves of Tatar bones" was sown. Everything that was addressed in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” to the Russian land, in “Zadonshchina” was addressed to its enemies.

The result of the battle is sad: it is scary and pitiful to hear crows cawing over human corpses, to see grass stained with blood. Nature itself expresses sympathy for the dead - the trees bowed to the ground in sadness. The sad news that many died near the Don reached Moscow. The wives wailed for the murdered women; their crying was compared to the pitiful singing of birds. The women in their crying seem to echo each other, the polyphonic crying grows, spreads, so the Kolomna wives began to wail, as if “the shuras sang pitiful songs early.” In the wives’ cries there is not only “pity” and grief, but also a strong-willed call to “drain the Don with helmets, and dam the Sword River with Tatar corpses,” “close the gates of the Oka River,” so that the filthy can no longer come to Russian land.

In the composition "Zadonshchina" the crying of the Moscow and Kolomna wives is the turning point of the battle. “And, having shouted the cry, Prince Vladimir Andreevich rushed with his army to the shelves of the filthy Tatars...” Thus, the cries and cries of Russian women merge with battle cries and calls on the Kulikovo field.

In "Zadonshchina" there is no detailed depiction of the decisive moment of the battle; the central place in the story of the final victory is occupied by the dialogue between Vladimir Andreevich and Dmitry Ivanovich. Vladimir Andreevich encourages his brother and calls on him not to give in, not to hesitate: “The Tatars are already trampling our filthy fields and have beaten a lot of our brave squad - so many human corpses that greyhound horses cannot gallop: they are wandering in blood up to their knees” 3. Dmitry Ivanovich's battle call and his appeal to Prince Vladimir Andreevich are based on the image of a “chalice” (“enchantment”), which goes back to the symbolic comparison of a battle with a feast. Dmitry Ivanovich tells the soldiers that here, on the Kulikovo field, is “your Moscow sweet honey,” and he calls on Vladimir Andreevich to drink the “honey circle spell” and attack the Tatar army with his strong regiments.

Swiftly and powerfully, burning with the desire to drink the “honey spell of the circle”, the Russian regiments are advancing - the wind roars in the banners, the Russian sons blocked the fields with a cry, the filthy regiments turned back, beat and flogged them mercilessly. The author depicts the confusion and helplessness of his enemies with such artistic details: the Tatars run, covering their heads with their hands, fleeing from swords, their princes fall from their horses. The confusion and fear were so strong that the Tatars gnashed their teeth and tore their faces. Their emotional state is also conveyed by the monologue-cry: “We, brothers, will no longer be in our own land, and we will no longer see our children, and we will not caress our wives, but we will caress the damp earth, but we will kiss the green grass, and we will go to Rus' with our army.” We should not go around and ask tribute from the Russian princes" 4 .

It is important that the enemies themselves admit their complete defeat; the author can only add that “the Tatar land groaned, filled with troubles and grief,... their joy has already waned.” Now, across the Russian land, which for a long time had been “gloomy” and “saddened,” “joy and rejoicing” spread, and the glory of victory spread across all lands.

Mamai, a once formidable conqueror, flees to Kafa. It is known that Mamai fled there some time after the Battle of Kulikovo and was killed there. But the author of "Zadonshchina" does not mention the death of Mamai, he only cites the caustic, mocking speech of the Friags (Genoese), woven from folklore images. The Friags compare Mamai with Batu and are ironic: Batu filled the entire Russian land with small forces, and Mamai came with nine hordes, and was left alone, “with no one to spend the winter in the field with.” Their words are especially caustic: “Apparently, the Russian princes thoroughly treated you... Apparently, they got very drunk at the fast Don on the Kulikovo field, on the feather grass.” The expressions “heavily treated”, “drunk heavily on the grass-feather grass” (that is, to death) again return to the image of the “battle-feast” and the “cup of honey”, but now in an ironic meaning. It is not the news of Mamai’s death, but ridicule in the mouths of other peoples that degrades the honor and glory of the once powerful enemy. In the minds of ancient Russian warriors, ridicule and disrepute were a disgrace worse than death, which is why they preferred death on the battlefield to defeat and captivity.

The author of "Zadonshchina" contrasts the inglorious end and loneliness of Mamai with the spiritual unity of Russian princes and warriors. He returns to the description of what is happening on the Kulikovo field, and ends the story with a scene of “standing on the bones”: on the battlefield, the victors gather the wounded, bury the dead, and count their losses. “It’s scary and sad” to look at the battle site - “Christian corpses lie like haystacks.” Dmitry Ivanovich and all the survivors pay tribute to those who laid down their heads “for the holy churches, for the Russian land, for the Christian faith.” 300 thousand soldiers took part in the Battle of Kulikovo on the Russian side, and 253 thousand were “cut” by Mamai. 5 Addressing the fallen, Dmitry Donskoy said: “Forgive me, brothers, and bless me in this century and in the future” 6. Having gained honor and a glorious name for themselves, brothers Dmitry Ivanovich and Vladimir Andreevich return home to the glorious city of Moscow.

“Pity and praise” - this is how the author himself defined the emotional mood and meaning of his work. He did not set out to give an accurate, detailed account of the movement, the deployment of troops, or the course of the battle itself. The entire text of "Zadonshchina" consists mainly of speeches, monologues, laments, dialogues, appeals, appeals. "Zadonshchina" is an emotional response to the Battle of Kulikovo, the glory of the great victory, and not a historical story.

The connection between “Zadonshchina” and oral folk art is palpable. This is manifested in folklore imagery, repetitions, epithets, comparisons, as well as in the crying of Russian women for fallen soldiers (their appeal to the wind, the Don, the Moscow River). Symbolic images of folk poetry (geese, swans, falcons, gyrfalcons, wolves, eagles) are constantly present in the work.

The national-patriotic pathos of the literary monument is emphasized by the lyrical proclamation of the idea of ​​unity and unity of all the forces of the Russian land.

QUESTIONS AND TASKS

1. Re-read the text. Why can “Zadonshchina” be considered a poetic expression of the author’s attitude to the events of the Battle of Kulikovo?
2. How is the story structured?
3. How is the patriotic idea expressed, the glorification of the Russian victory and the glorification of Dmitry Donskoy? Please provide the text.
4. What genre of folk art resembles the beginning of "Zadonshchina"?
5. What does the author want to talk about, remembering Boyan from “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”?
6. How does the author introduce the theme of the present and past of Rus' into the narrative? Why and for what does he glorify the Russian princes who “stood up for the Christian faith”?
7. How are events developing? Tell us about the ceremonial gatherings and marching, about the deeds of Russian soldiers and use the author’s description.
8. Which of the heroes of the Battle of Kulikovo does the author talk about in most detail and why? How is Peresvet portrayed? What role do the words: “It is better to be killed than captured” play in characterizing his personality? What is the author's assessment of the hero?
9. How does the author’s mood and description of events change after the defeat of the Russians (nature, wives’ lamentations, the spread of sad news throughout Rus')?
10. How does the cry of Russian wives respond to the actions of the princes and motivate them to a new battle? What is the outcome of the battle? Tell us about the flight of the Tatars, their crying.
11. Show, referring to the text, that “Zadonshchina” is an emotional response to the Battle of Kulikovo. How does the nature of the author’s depiction of events meet this goal? What does the author's voice sound like?
12. Why does the author end the story by listing the names of those killed in the Battle of Kulikovo?
13. Show that the narrative is also factual and historical in nature.
14. What is the meaning of Dmitry Donskoy’s words after the battle: “Forgive me, brothers, and bless me in this century and the future”? How do they characterize the prince?
15. The author defines the ideological and artistic meaning of his story as “pity” and “praise.” Is he right? Prove based on content.
16. Trace the connections of "Zadonshchina" with oral folk art (folklore images and artistic techniques).
17. How does “Zadonshchina” relate to “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” (poetic plan and artistic techniques)? Find common artistic images, constant epithets, comparisons.
18. Prepare a message: ““Zadonshchina” and “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”.” Compare the works by theme, plot, composition.
19. Compare the descriptions of the battle scenes in “The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan by Batu”, “The Tale of the Massacre of Mamaev” and “Zadonshchina”. What are the similarities and differences between these descriptions?