Poems and Songs of Vladimir Vysotsky. A Tale about the Wood Dwellers.
Commentary to “A Tale about the Ill-Fated Wood Dwellers”.
In Russian folklore, Koschey the Deathless (also known as “Koschey the Immortal”) is a bony, emaciated old man, rich and wicked, who knows the secret of eternal life.
Ivan the Dolt (known as “Ivan the Fool” or “Ivan the Ninny”) is a stock character of lucky fool — a very simple-minded, but, nevertheless, lucky young man.
The presented text is partly adapted from Anonymous’ translation.