Russian Folktales · Chapter
Vazúza and Vólga explained
The Vólga and Vazúza rivers argue over which is wiser, stronger, and more honorable.
What happens
The Vólga and Vazúza rivers argue over which is wiser, stronger, and more honorable. They agree to sleep and race to the Khvalýnsk Sea; the Vazúza cheats by waking early and flowing off, but the Vólga overtakes her at Zubtsóv. The Vazúza submits as the younger daughter and is carried to the sea, and ever since she wakes first in spring to rouse the Vólga.
Themes in this chapter
Trickery and Cunning
The Vazúza uses deception by waking early and running away while the Vólga sleeps, but ultimately submits when overtaken.
Family and Betrayal
The Vazúza is revealed as the younger daughter who betrays the agreement, yet is forgiven and carried by the elder Vólga.
Key passages
“The Vólga and the Vazúza had a long argument whether who was the wiser and the stronger and the more honourable of the two.”
The Vólga and Vazúza rivers argued endlessly about which was wiser, stronger, and more honorable.
Establishes the central conflict of the tale.
“But at night the Vazúza got up quietly and ran away from the Vólga; she took the next nearest way and flowed off.”
During the night, the Vazúza silently rose and fled by the shortest route.
Highlights the Vazúza's trickery in breaking the agreement.
“At Zubtsóv she overtook the Vazúza, and looked so threatening that the Vazúza was frightened, and owned she was the younger daughter, and begged the Vólga to take her in her arms into the Sea of Khvalýnsk.”
At Zubtsóv, the Vólga caught up and glared so fiercely that the Vazúza admitted she was the younger sister and asked to be carried to the Khvalýnsk Sea.
Climax where the Vazúza submits and acknowledges the Vólga's superiority.