Everyone in childhood heard: “And Ivanushka went to distant lands ...” Then it was clear that it was very, very far away. But only if children do not have any questions about this, then adults can think about it. What is really the meaning of the phraseology “for distant lands”?
Co bi pomislio
Of course, the most obvious meaning, familiar to everyone since childhood, is absolutely true. In the context of the modern understanding of fairy tales, anyway. The meaning of the phraseology “for distant lands” is really “very far”, and often also in an unknown direction. The synonyms may well be the expressions “no one knows where”, “where Makar did not drive calves”, etc. And perhaps, to a person born in the twentieth century, to a person listening to fairy tales only in childhood, in the form of naive magical stories, this is quite enough.
But fairy tales weren’t always fun for children. And the expression "beyond the distant lands" is not so harmless. The meaning of phraseology is actually far from the usual “far away”. Although in a certain sense it is also very, very far away.
According to the theory of the prominent culturologist and folklorist Propp, a fairy tale is a former myth, a retelling of an ancient, already forgotten rite, an echo of past beliefs. The verbal tradition has remained, but the practical meaning that once filled it has been lost. That is why fairy tales often seem absurd to contemporaries. From the point of view of the interpretation of a resident of the twentieth century, the logical connectives of events in a fairy tale do not withstand any criticism - that is, by default, it refers to children's literature. After all, children do not care about logic, they will not even notice inconsistencies!
But in fact, there are no inconsistencies. Just the decryption code is lost. To understand a fairy tale literally, without knowing its historical, cultural, mythological context, is the same as reading “co pomyslio” (“who would have thought”) as a Russian expression, and not as a Serbian one and being surprised at an absurd gibberish. This applies to all elements of a fairy tale, including, it would seem, obvious definitions, such as “for distant lands.” The meaning of phraseology is rooted in a deep, already forgotten past. Contemporaries do not even suspect the true meaning of an apparently innocent phrase.
Entertaining math
By the way, why "far away"? What does phraseologism mean, built on the simplest example of multiplication? Three by nine ... Twenty seven. Why not just say for twenty-seven lands? It’s also easier.
There is a theory that explains this nuance with the traditions of counting. There was a ternary number system in use, and numerals are formed in such a cunning way. Twenty-seven is formulated by virtue of tradition as “for distant lands.” The meaning of phraseology, defined in this way, seems quite logical. They did not use decimal notation then, they considered triples. True, then the question arises of the kingdom of the thirties. Ten is not a multiple of three. Three is a sacred number, and not only in Slavic mythology. And distant is not just three times nine. It is three times multiplied by itself three times. After all, the nine is also three times three:
3 * (3 * 3) = 3 * 9.
Three days, nine days ... Familiar numbers, right?
There is one more characteristic moment for fairy tales. This is a plot design associated with a place located at distant lands. The meaning of phraseology really comes down to "far." This is a remote, unknown and unprecedented place where the main character must penetrate, overcoming a lot of difficulties or obstacles. And no one knows where to go. More precisely, no one except ... conductors. Gray Wolf. Crow. Baba Yagis. Sun or wind. Classic totem patron spirit. Sorceress living in a house with a picket fence made of skulls. The elements. Curious guides, right?
And the hero always goes on a trip after his misconduct or driven by the desire to return a partner who has disappeared to an unknown location. An act is usually expressed in non-compliance with the prohibition, violation of the ritual. The closest analogy is non-observance of tribal traditions, a failed initiation rite, after which the offender was expelled from the tribe.
Guests from the outside
The partner who perished in the distant kingdom without a trace is also unusual. This is not a neighbor's daughter and not a guy from the other end of the village. No. This is a falcon arriving at night, turning into a beautiful young man, this is a frog that turned into an incredibly beautiful girl. Characters in relation to the hero of the tale come from somewhere outside. Aliens, in fact, characters. If you think about it, imagine these mysterious guests, then they may seem at least suspicious, or even frankly creepy.
In addition, often the path to the legendary far-away kingdom lies across the river, which the inhabitants of a mysterious country cannot cross. Their water stops, this is how the heroes escape from persecution. For reference: in the legends of many nations, people from the afterlife are not able to cross the flowing water. One way to get rid of a vampire is to throw a coffin into the river.
Another option is a secluded house in a forest or in a deserted field, it is there that you can find answers to all questions. The forest is necessarily dark, dense, unmanaged. The field is uninhabited, wild. In Scandinavian mythology, the entrance to the afterlife is the gate to the field. In the European forest - a classic image of the transition to death.
Door between worlds
It’s not just anyone who lives in the house, but the Baba Yaga, and the functions performed by her in a fairy tale are very similar to the functions of a gatekeeper. Why does everyone consider her a negative character, if in no fairy tale did she do anything wrong to anyone? She didn’t eat, she didn’t kill, on the contrary, she fed and steamed in the bathhouse. But precisely because she is the gatekeeper. One who misses the soul. Charon was also harmless, but he had few fans.
Here is such a trip for distant lands. The origin of phraseology, familiar from children's tales, is just that. This is a journey to the afterlife, the afterlife, the magical world. Orpheus, following Eurydice, went to the distant kingdom. Proserpine returned every spring from it. Indeed, it is very far. Further than you can imagine. A lot further. And all that remains of ancient legends and magical rites is half an hour by the crib with a book in hand.