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TheAlkonost is alegendary woman-headed bird inEast Slavicfolklore. Alkonost is more likely an individual character, as was noted in some legends about this bird.[1]
The name of the Alkonost came from aGreek demigoddess whose name wasAlcyone. In Greek mythology, Alcyone was transformed by the gods into akingfisher.[2][better source needed]
Alkonost makes amazingly beautiful sounds, and those who hear these sounds forget everything they know and want nothing more ever again.[3][better source needed][1] She lives in the underworld with her counterpart, theSirin.[4][better source needed] The Alkonost lays her eggs on a beach and then rolls them into the sea. When the Alkonost's eggs hatch, athunderstorm sets in and the sea becomes so rough that it becomes impossible to traverse. She is also the sister of other birds from Slavic mythology, such asRarog and Stratim.[1]
According to folk tales, at the morning of theApple Feast of the Saviour day, Sirin flies into the appleorchard and cries sadly. In the afternoon, the Alkonost flies to this place, beginning to rejoice and laugh. Alkonost brushes dew from her wings, granting healing powers to all fruits on the tree she is sitting on.[5]
![Alkonosts on frontage of the House of Noble and Peasant Bank [uk] in Poltava, Ukraine (1906-1909, burned in 1943, restored in 1948)](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a%25D0%2591%25D1%2583%25D0%25B4%25D0%25B8%25D0%25BD%25D0%25BE%25D0%25BA_%25D0%25A0%25D0%25BE%25D1%2581%25D1%2596%25D0%25B9%25D1%2581%25D1%258C%25D0%25BA%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B3%25D0%25BE_%25D1%2581%25D0%25B5%25D0%25BB%25D1%258F%25D0%25BD%25D1%2581%25D1%258C%25D0%25BA%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B3%25D0%25BE(%25D0%25B4%25D0%25B2%25D0%25BE%25D1%2580%25D1%258F%25D0%25BD%25D1%2581%25D1%258C%25D0%25BA%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B3%25D0%25BE)_%25D0%25B1%25D0%25B0%25D0%25BD%25D0%25BA%25D1%2583._%25D0%25A2%25D0%25B5%25D0%25BF%25D0%25B5%25D1%2580_%25D0%25A1%25D0%2591%25D0%25A3.JPG)
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