The article discusses the meaning of phraseology "milk rivers and jelly banks". It is told about how and when this expression appeared, in what fairy tales and other sources of world literature it can be found. Examples from the texts will be given.
Origin
"Milk rivers and sweet and sour banks" is a rather well-known expression, which owes its origin to Russian folklore. For example, in the Russian folk tale "Three kingdoms - copper, silver and gold" tells of a long, unusual, abundant time:
In the old days, when the world of God was filled with devils, witches and mermaids, when the rivers flowed dairy, the banks were sour, and fried partridges flew through the fields, at that time there was a king named Peas with Queen Anastasia the Beautiful ...
It is characteristic that original “markers” of that time are not only these rivers and banks, but also King Gorokh. This character personifies the distant prescription of years, literally meaning - it was not known when, but a very long time ago.
Thus, the rivers of milk and the sour banks symbolize abundance and prosperity - such that it’s not worth laboring, everything will come to hand. In addition, it is understood that well-being and carelessness, since the rivers are magical, will never run dry. And in the context of the aforementioned fairy tale - such a time was once very long ago, it was, but has passed.
"Vasilisa the Wise and the Sea King"
True, in folklore sources this expression is mentioned in various variations. In the Tale of the Sea King and Vasilisa the Wise, the heroine turns horses into a honey river and jelly banks - after all, folk tales were in the oral version, if the storyteller did not like milk, he could replace it with honey.
By the way, pay attention that this is not about the bee-keeping product that we are familiar with - thick honey, in which sometimes a spoon stands (it will be difficult to imagine such a river), but about the Russian national drink - honey. It is a non-alcoholic or alcoholic beverage based on honey. He was known and prepared, however, not only in Russia, but also in almost all of old Europe. There are quite a few types of drink: honey, mead, sbiten, etc. But in the fairy tale, not honey could be mentioned, but, for example, it is full - water just sweetened with honey.
"Swan geese"
And in this Russian folk tale, the milk river with the jelly banks meets in a completely different context: it arises in the way of a girl who has lost her little brother. It occurs twice - and both times, not as a symbol of abundance and prosperity, but as a kind of pass into the world of the dead. Indeed, oatmeal jelly and milk are the traditional “funeral” and “funeral” food, in particular, in the Russian North. Refusing to taste this refreshment, the heroine entered the "interworld", located in a special space - not in the world of the living, and not in the world of the dead. There is the hut of Baba Yaga, in which a boy, the girl’s brother, is held captive.
And in order to return to the "world of the living", the heroine has to taste both from the kissel shore and from the dairy river. This is a kind of sacrifice to the ancestors.
The apple tree with apples in the Russian folk tale "Geese-Swans" personifies life forces, and the bread and the oven act as a symbol of human society - sitting in the oven, the girl and the boy seem to hide from the messenger birds from the world of the dead among people.
In fairy tales of other nations and in mythology
In Romanian folktales, milk rivers were enclosed in shores from Hominy (the so-called steeply cooked porridge made from cornmeal).
And the Bulgarian legend tells how St. George cut off the heads of the three-headed snake Lamy, and milk, wheat and wine flowed from these places.
The Slovenian legend is interesting in content: it tells us that long ago there was such a blessed time when the udders of the cows were so huge that there was no difficulty getting milk. There were a lot of him, and women even bathed children in him and washed themselves. Because of such abundance, people were completely lazy, which is why the Creator became angry with them and took this mercy away. But at the request of a cat who was very fond of milk, he left several nipples in the cow.
In the medieval epic of the Armenian people, "David Sasunsky" tells of an unusual dairy spring that beats on top of a mountain. According to the story, David drank from this source, and his strength increased so much that he could engage in battle with the forces of Melik.
Milk rivers can be called a kind of symbol of the “upper world”, if we are talking about mythological tradition. For example, the Yakut myths will tell about the upper rivers, personifying contentment and abundance, and the lower ones, dirty ones, which are filled with blood and tar.
In the bible
And here is what can be read in the Bible, in the Book of Exodus: God told Moses that he would bring the people of Israel out of Egypt and lead him “to the land boiling with milk and honey” - that is, where there is eternal abundance and wealth.
By the way, later the biblical expression was gladly picked up by writers. For example, at M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin in the collection "Well-meaning speeches" (essay "Father and Son", 1876) says:
At that time ... the general's house was boiling with milk and honey.
In addition, in the Old Testament Apocryphal Book of Enoch and the Qur'an, heavenly blessed rivers of honey and milk are mentioned.
In the household
Finally, we can mention the traditional treat of Russian cuisine - a hearty milk jelly or an oat-based dish filled with milk. It is worth mentioning that domestic cattle, in particular, the cow was the basis of peasant farming. But not in all families she was.
Therefore, a dish of milk and jelly served to guests as a treat, testified to the well-being of the host at home. Perhaps it is thanks to this culinary tradition that the expression “milk rivers and jelly banks” appeared - that is, everything that you could wish for.