A mysterious mythical creature - the bird of Syria - appears in many tales, legends and traditions. The name Sirin itself is consonant with "Siren", and it is no coincidence. Indeed, ancient Greek mythical creatures are genetically related to Slavic. According to legend and legend, the beautiful Sirens fascinated with their singing sailors and drowned entire ships. The appearance of these creatures was described by the ancient Greeks in different ways. In some sources, they are more like mermaids. Most agreed that the Siren is a half-bird, half-woman.
In Slavic mythology, Sirin has exactly the same characteristic. This is a beautiful bird with a virgin head. The main distinguishing feature is a singing voice. The ancient Slavs believed that the bird Syrin lives in paradise, but the Greeks settled it in the depths of the sea. The characteristics of this mythical creature are different. In some sources, the bird Syrin is an exceptionally dark beginning. She charms any person with her sweet voice, and he can no longer tear herself away from her singing until she dies. But the Ural tales, on the contrary, attribute positive features to it. The bird of paradise Sirin does not live in them in the garden, but on the slopes of the mountains, and few were able to see it. The thing is that not everyone believes in its existence. She can cast a spell on her and destroy, or she can bestow what a person is looking for. The tales speak of people who go to her place to find out about their future, ask where they can look for happiness or persuade her to help in the search for treasures. If she starts to sing, then the wanderer falls asleep. Even if he wakes up, she will never forget her voice. The Sirin bird can tell a lot, it is wise, it has been to many wonderful countries.
What does the Sirin bird look like? Photos of engravings by artists, drawings can be seen in collections of fairy tales and legends of Slavic peoples. Almost everywhere she is portrayed the same way. This is a divine beauty large bird with a girl's head. Her face is beautiful, calm and static. She proudly holds her head, and quite often she is depicted with a flap of large wings. A crown or diadem flaunts on her head. The Sirin bird sits among the lush branches of flowering shrubs (with the exception of the Ural tales, where mountains are clearly visible).
The fact that the mysterious bird is associated with Greek mythology can be judged by the poem of the same name by K. Balmont. In it, he writes about a fabulous bird that settled on a steep cliff in the middle of the deep sea.
In mythology, the sister of the bird Sirin, Alkonost, is also known. The latter is said to have laid eggs in sea rocks and immersed them in water until the chicks hatch. For seven days, the sea remained calm.
Alkonost also has a marvelous voice. Unlike Sirin, its wings smoothly pass into the hands.
Oddly enough, on Russian soil the legend of the Sirens took root pretty well, but in a slightly different way. In most Slavic traditions, the bird Syrin plays a positive role, saving heroes from torment and vanity. She gives peace and tranquility with her wondrous voice, helps with advice.