A brief biography of the cat Bayun — the most ambiguous fairy-tale hero
Among all the heroes of Slavic mythology, the cat Bayun can be considered the most mysterious. He is found infrequently in fairy tales, very little is known about him and it is impossible to describe him unambiguously as a negative or positive hero. We can find the mention of this animal not only in folklore, but also in A.S. Pushkin — in the classic he walks along the chain in the Lukomorye and, although not named by name, is easily recognizable.
One of the legends says that the Bayun cat was created by Veles himself to protect his grain reserves from impudent mice. Catching a rodent spoiling food, God became enraged and threw his mitt at them. It was she who turned into a big and dangerous cat with a complex character and a passion for privacy.
According to legend, Bayun the cat lived in the woods, away from people and did not like guests too much. The beast was sitting on an iron pole and when he saw a traveler approaching, he began to purr and speak to him. Having lulled the vigilance of a person, the cat rushed at him, killed and ate him.
Because of the ability to speak, the mythical beast was called Bayun, from the word "bayit" — to chat, to talk. This is where the well—known word "lull" came from - to put to sleep, to deprive of vigilance. Despite the danger, they were looking for meetings with the cat on purpose, because he could cure ailments and even give eternal life with his purring.Therefore, the Bayun cat was a coveted prey for kings, sorcerers and witches, who, in order not to take risks, sent others in search of him. The beast with steel claws and fangs saw the guest from afar and started his conversations a mile away, so it was impossible to catch him by surprise.
In the fairy tale "Go there — I don't know where, bring that — I don't know what", the main character Andrey-the shooter caught Bayun thanks to three iron caps. The cat had a habit of jumping on the head of his victim, but then three layers of metal prevented him. While the beast was tearing the caps with its claws, Andrey managed to grab him and capture him.
In some fairy tales, the cat Bayun is mentioned as a faithful assistant of Baba Yaga. He reported the news to the old witch, and also helped her with the housework. Despite his reputation as a predatory magical beast, Bayun the cat was not a completely negative character. The heroes could find a common language with him and then he became an indispensable assistant and even a savior.
Keywords: Ancient Rus | Beast | Cat | Legends | Myth | Story | Fairy tales | Slavs | Pillars | Folklore