![]() ![]() In the afternoon, the Alkonost flies to this place, beginning to rejoice and laugh. Īccording to folk tales, at the morning of the Apple Feast of the Saviour day, Sirin flies into the apple orchard and cries sadly. ![]() People would attempt to save themselves from Sirin by shooting cannons, ringing bells and making other loud noises to scare the bird off. Men who heard her would forget everything on earth, follow her, and ultimately die. Sirin sang beautiful songs to the saints, foretelling future blisses. She was usually portrayed wearing a crown or with a nimbus. This half-woman half-bird is directly based on the later folklore about sirens. She symbolizes eternal joy and heavenly happiness. People in those times believed only happy people could hear a Sirin, while only very few could see one because she is as fast and difficult to catch as human happiness. Later (17-18th century), the image of Sirin changed and she started to symbolize world harmony (as she lives near paradise). Pomors often depicted Sirin on the illustrations in the Book of Genesis as birds sitting in paradise trees. ![]() Due to the history, the Russian culture has experienced a very strong correlation with Byzantine Empire through its steppes, the Volga river and Dniepr river. In the cities of Chersonesos and Kiev she is often found on pottery, golden pendants, even on the borders of Gospel books of tenth-twelfth centuries. The legend of Sirin might have been introduced to Rus' by Persian merchants in the 8th-9th century.
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