Of course, folk traditions of this kind do not provide more or less accurate historical information neither about the hero himself, nor about the events that occurred then, in 1773-1775. A lot of water has since flowed, and all this is a matter of bygone days. But the Russian people always remembered their "people's" tsar, a rebel and the leader of the Peasant War. There was a legend about Pugachev. The summary of the work has almost no plot, the events are fragmentary and fragmentary. In addition, superstition was also reflected in the legend (for example, werewolves were introduced into the circle of characters). But the image itself is of the main character - a simple person who conceived a rebellion, and the events are described by the storytellers as really happening: "It was all, it was definitely."
Tradition of Pugachev. Summary
The legend itself consists of small fragments reflecting any case in the life of Emelyan. In total, several are known: “Pugachev and the cannon”, “Pugachev and Sheludyakov”, “Pugachev on the Yaik”, “Pugachev - Peter the Third”, “The marriage of Pugachev”. All these legends are short and display only a few stories and character traits of the protagonist.
Pugachev and the gun
The people’s tsar was a sorcerer, charmed by poison, a bullet, a knife - the legend of Pugachev reads. A brief summary of this small work tells us that Pugachev was never wounded. Once, at the entrance to one of the towns, the cannon did not want to drive onto the bridge. Then Pugachev ordered the gun to be chopped off, chopped off the ears and dropped into Yaik. At the same time, the cannon roared like a human, as much as a moan went, and is still sometimes heard in the water.
Pugachev entered the city. They brought him bread and salt and icons. He ordered Ataman Lazarevich to be brought to him (he himself did not want to go). And he ordered Ataman to bow. But Lazarevich reproached Pugachev with various bad words. But Pugachev ordered to hang Lazarevich in a frontal place in full view of everyone.
What tells the legend about Pugachev "Peter the Third"
In the people he was known by the name of Peter the Third, only called Pugach. And he married either the princess, or the young lady, but she threw him off and took the throne. And she gave the order to catch Pugachev. He is caught by a platoon of colonels, werewolf Cossacks. Colonels have a feast, and Pugachev asks them for a cup. But they say that he supposedly will have a lot of water. Only one Cossack gives his share to the king. And when Pugachev is brought to Catherine, she asks Yemelyan: did he run in? He replies that he was running. Then Catherine stood up and gave the throne to Pugachev, ordered the colonel to chop off his head and made a simple Cossack colonel. Here is a folk legend about Pugachev. The summary of other works of oral folklore looks no less expressive. But so the people saw Emelyan.