Legends
This Belarusian genre explains the origin of place names like hills, lakes, or stones.
a padanne
This round, yellow bread character rolls away from his grandmother and grandfather in a popular East Slavic tale.
Kolobok
Female water spirits who inhabit rivers and lakes, often appearing during Rusalka Week.
rusalki
The name of Belarus's national film studio that has produced over 300 animated films.
Belarusfilm
Belarusian lands were a core part of this medieval state that existed from the 13th to 18th centuries.
the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
A bylichka is a short supernatural story typically told in ________person.
the first person
The animal that finally catches and eats Kolobok after he escapes many others.
the fox
The male water spirit counterpart to the rusalka in Slavic folklore.
the vodyanoy
Belarus's first puppet animated film (1971), featuring a curious little character whose name means "I don't know."
Neznaika ("The Little Unknown One")
The historical coat of arms of Belarus featuring an armored knight on horseback with a raised sword.
Pahonia
In the legend "Why the Stork Hunts Bugs and Snakes," this creature was punished by God for harming a bug.
the stork
In Belarusian versions of fairy tales, heroes often receive help from this magical object that shows the way.
a ball of yarn/thread
A forest guardian spirit, sometimes said to be married to the swamp kikimora.
the leshy
The decade when Belarusfilm officially began producing its own animated films (not just co-productions).
the 1970s? (specifically 1971–1972)
The meaning of "Pahonia" in English (the name of Belarus's historical coat of arms).
"the chase" or "the pursuit"
During this week in late spring/early summer, rusalkas were believed to leave the water and dance in forests and graveyards.
Rusalka Week (Rusalnaya Week)
A traditional Belarusian fairy tale character who lives in a hut that stands on chicken legs.
Baba Yaga
A female house spirit who can be helpful or harmful depending on how cleanly the household is kept.
the kikimora (house kikimora)
This technique was used for Belarus's very first animated co-production with Soyuzmultfilm in 1963.
stop-motion animation
The year when Belarusfilm studio was founded in Leningrad before moving to Minsk.
1928
The story "Vuzhova Gara" (Eel's Hill) explains how a witch created this geographical feature after her son drowned.
a hill/mound
The phrase "Once upon a time, when God walked the earth..." often introduces this type of explanatory tale.
an etiological legend/tale
A swamp-dwelling creature sometimes considered the wife of the leshy, known for frightening travelers at night.
the swamp kikimora
By 2016, Belarusfilm had completed approximately this many animated films in its history.
200 (approximately)
This city served as the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and remains culturally significant to Belarusian history.
Vilnius