Dobrynya Nikitich (Russian: Добрыня Никитич) is one of the most popular bogatyrs (epic knights) from the "Kievan" series of Russian folklore based on bylina (epic songs) originating from the area around the capital of the Kievan Rus, Kiev.[1] [2] Albeit fictional, this character is based on a real warlord Dobrynya, who led the armies of Svyatoslav the Great and tutored his son Vladimir the Great.
Many byliny center on Dobrynya completing tasks set him by prince Vladimir. Dobrynya is often portrayed as being close to the royal family, undertaking sensitive and diplomatic missions. As a courtier, Dobrynya seems to be a representative of the noble class of warriors. He is a professional archer, swimmer, and wrestler. He plays the gusli, plays tafl, and is known for his courtesy and cunning.[3]
The following summary is after the version localized in the Povenets District of Olonets Province, collected by A. F. Gilferding in 1871, from the singer P. L. Kalinin:[4]
The bylina starts with Dobrynya's mother telling Dobrynya to avoid the Saracen Mountains, not to trample on baby dragons, not to rescue Russian captives, and not to bathe in the Puchai River. Dobrynya disobeyed his mother and did all four things.
When he bathed in the Puchai River, he encountered a dragon with twelve trunks (in some variants identified as the Zmey Gorynych[3]). Unarmed and desperate, Dobrynya discovered "a hat of the Greek land" and used it to defeat the dragon.
The dragon, apparently a female, pleaded for Dobrynya not to kill her, and the two made a nonaggression pact. The dragon broke the promise immediately and flew off to Kiev, abducting Zabava Putyatishna, the niece of Prince Vladimir.
When Dobrynya arrived at Kiev, Prince Vladimir commanded him to rescue his niece, on pain of death. Dobrynya complained to his mother he had neither steed nor spear for the task, and is given the heirloom horse Burko and a magic Shemakhan whip of braided silk. (He carried a spear too, as revealed later).
Dobrynya rescued some captives and trampled on the dragon pups, but one of them bit into the horse's leg and immobilized it. Dobrynya remembered the magic whip, whose lashes restored vigor in the horse and he was freed. The dragon emerged angry for the death of her pups and refused to surrender Zabava without a fight.
Dobrynya fought the dragon at the Saracen Mountains for three days. On the third day he wanted to give up and leave, but a voice from Heaven told to fight for three more hours. Dobrynya eventually killed the dragon in three hours.
The dragon's blood did not seep into the ground, and Dobrynya wallowed in the pool for three days. A voice from Heaven eventually told him to stick his spear in the ground and say an incantation. The blood was then swallowed by the earth, and Zabava was rescued.
Since Dobrynya was a peasant, he could not marry Zabava and gave her to Alyosha Popovich. Dobrynya encountered a polyanitsa, Nastasia, and married her instead.[4]