Vikhor (Whirlwind Abductor)

Overview

Ralston’s located summary of Khudyakof no. 82 begins with a queen walking in a garden when a gale rises. Within it is the Vikhor-bird, who carries her away. Her youngest son Vasily reaches the steep hill and palace where she lives with the abductor. She conceals him and instructs him to wait until Vikhor’s angry speech turns to conversation, then greet him as father and seize the little finger of his right hand. The son follows her advice.

Vikhor tries to shake him off by flying around the house and then outside it, but the grip holds. After soaring high, the abductor strikes the ground and falls apart into fine yellow sand. The little finger remains with Vasily, who gathers the sand and burns it in a stove. The summary combines bird terminology, flight and a humanlike hand; it does not resolve those into a single illustrated body. Ralston discusses whirlwind personification around this episode, while the specific capture and finger-grip belong to the named collected story.

Origins & earliest records

Khudyakof, no. 82, summarized by Ralston; not represented here as a complete independently collated Russian transcription.

Records & interpretation

Ralston’s English translation or explicitly identified story summary, with collected-source reference. His comparative interpretation is distinct from the narrated events.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Russian Fairy Tales: Vikhor analysis, pp. 232–234, footnote 293

   W. R. S. Ralston, translator and commentator, after the collector identified here · Undated Hurst title page; London edition catalogued 1873

   Khudyakof, no. 82, summarized by Ralston; not represented here as a complete independently collated Russian transcription. Hurst title page is undated; hosted Gutenberg publication metadata is not used to identify it as the London copy.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Primary translated narrative or located summaryRalston: Vikhor analysis, pp. 232–234, footnote 293Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.