Zhabka and Other Ukrainian Folk Tales Retold in English

Edith Fowke is professor emerita of folklore at York University, the
1986 winner of the Vicky Metcalf award for her body of work for
children, and the author of Canadian Folklore: Perspectives on Canadian
Culture and Legends Told in Canada.

These two important collections present 30 Ukrainian folktales known in
Canada. Both include a pronunciation guide and glossary, amusing line
drawings, and notes on each tale.

This was a family project: Danny Evanishen’s father stimulated his
interest by translating some stories he found in an old Ukrainian book
handed down by his father; his mother provided one story and encouraged
him; and his niece and sister did the artwork. When Evanishen started to
investigate, he discovered thousands of Ukrainian folktales, of which
these volumes represent a small fraction.

Many stories in Zhabka have international plots. “The Bear from That
Other World” is like other tales from Eastern Europe, particularly the
Russian Firebird tales. “The Frog Princess” has parallels in many
lands. “The Flying Ship” and “The Gossip” are well-known tales
from Ukraine, although Russians often claim them. Two are rare (“The
Enchanted Castle” and “The Raven”). “The Cossack and the
Spider” illustrates how stories cross borders; it’s a well-known
Scottish tale the author’s mother told him in Ukrainian. “The
Deceitful Nanny Goat” is an example of a cante-fable—a story told
partly in prose with interspersed verses.

Several items in The Raspberry Hut come from the collections of J.B.
Rudnyckyj and Robert B. Klymasz (Ukrainian Folklore in English and Folk
Narrative Among Ukrainian-Canadians). The stories follow much the same
pattern as those in Zhabka, with some international and many common in
Ukrainian collections. The majority are animal tales, some of which are
found in every culture. Two are moralistic (“Danylo Burmylo, the
Bear” and “Zhabka”), one is an Aesop’s fable, and “The Big
Round Bun” parallels the English “Gingerbread Man.”

Libraries and schools in Ukrainian-Canadian settlements will appreciate
these books for their good selection of the main types of folktales.
Folklorists will regret that tale types and motifs are not given,
although sources are indicated and Evanishen plans to give comparative
references when he completes the series.