#yarila

You are right, there is no reliable sources about Slavic gods or myths about them. All the “legends” about them and their relations are mystifications and interpretations. Or often it’s just innovations of the neo-pagans.

Even the real facts about Slavic gods are actually quite shaky and incomplete.

For example, the myth of the confrontation between Veles and Perun is actually a hypothesis of the Soviet philologists V.N.Toporov and V.V. Ivanov. They deduced this hypothesis on the basis of three facts:

1.In the Rus'–Byzantine Treatyof 907, the Rus people swore by the gods Veles and Perun.

2. Quite often, the idol of Perun stood on a hill, and the idol of Veles at the bottom of this hill.

3. Veles is associated with serpents and earth. Perun associated with warriors, sky and thunder.

According to the logic of Toporov and Ivanov, these three facts speak of the conflict between Veles and Perun. But many Russian researches criticize this approach for a lack of evidence.

Or, for example, the “myth” about Marzanna/Morana and Yarila (the plot is similar to the story of Hades and Persephone). This myth couldn’t exist among Slavic people because of two reasons:

1. The divine status of Marzanna and Yarila is rather doubtful.

‘Yarilo’ by Maksim Kuleshov.

Jarylo, Jaryla, alternatively Yarylo, Iarilo, or Gerovit, is a Slavic deity of vegetation, fertility and springtime.

The Slavic root jar or yar means spring or summer or strong.

The only historic source that mentions this deity is a 12th-century biography of the proselytizing German bishop Otto of Bamberg, who, during his expeditions to convert the pagan tribes of Wendish and Polabian Slavs, encountered festivals in honor of the war-god Gerovit in the cities of Wolgast and Havelberg. Gerovit is most likely a German corruption of the original Slavic name Jarovit.

Up until the 19th century in Russia, Belarus and Serbia, folk festivals called Jarilo were celebrated in late spring or early summer. Early researchers of Slavic mythology recognised in them relics of pagan ceremonies in honor of an eponymous spring deity. In Northern Croatia and Southern Slovenia, especially Bela krajina, similar spring festivals were called Jurjevo or Zeleni Juraj or Zeleni Jurij (Green George), nominally dedicated to St. George, and fairly similar to the Jarilo festivals of other Slavic nations.

Runaway Princess Yarila: Hermine always seemed rather strange. She is utterly helpless at some things, yet… I would never have escaped with my eggs without her. She barely knows how to do anything by herself, but she never complained, always tried. She bore her share of our burdens and… I am glad she is with us. I am glad to have her as man-sister.

Dragon of the South Yarila: I worried at first. We had escaped the South, only to find a Southern ruler in what was to be our refuge. I thought Hermann was a fellow refugee at first, someone who had been hurt like we had, and when we found the truth… it was a relief. He understood, and like us- he was alone. I am glad to help. 

I know some people see her as Hermann’s mum, but if she were human she’d be in her late teens- Hermann’s age. Think harried, hassled and constantly worried teeanged single mum. 

No make up, clothes a bit hap-hazard, hair pulled back in a ponytail but slipping free to hang around her face. Big bag to carry nappies and milk, probably a sling or baby-carrier rather than a pushchair.

The young prince stops in his tracks, at the open door;

“Oh wow;”

Hermann turns, a wire brush still in his hands where he’d been cleaning Yarila’s scales for the ceremony;

It’s the first time he’d seen his would-be husband, save for a little cameo sent ahead of time; it had been a tempting thing, but he’d worried it might have been exaggerated;

It wasn’t, the young man is sweet- round faced and bright eyed, awed but not in fear as he steps forwards, no eyes for Hermann, his gaze fixed on Yarila;

She snorts in amusement; “Who should this one be marrying?”

“Hush you,” Hermann raps her nose with the brush,

The prince blinks, looks at him for the first time; “You can speak to them?”

“Yes, I-” Hermann stops, catches himself, “Yes,” he continues, “I was born with the skill;”

“Wow;” he looks back up at the dragon, “What’s your name then-”

Yarila frowns, not liking his tone, “Yarila,” she snorts;

“She isn’t a horse;” Hermann steps over to stand next to him, “She’s a person,”

He blinks at him, then flushes, “Sorry;” he offers Yarila, and she unruffles a bit, scale-plates folding down along her back; he glances at Hermann, “I’m Newt,”

Prince Newton Geiszler of the Dark Lands beyond the Barrier Mountains; Hermann can’t help but look a little closer at this small, odd man, from such a strange, unknown land;

He wonders if his paleness is due to the Southern styling for pale skin, or because they truly have no sun for months of the year; his traveling clothes are of dark hide, and strangely clean after what much have been days of travel- unlike Hermann’s own flying leathers;

He self-consciously tries to brush off the dust and squashed flies from his clothes;

“Do you fly with her-” Newt breathes,

Hermann blinks, and nods; “Yes, it’s been a long flight, and with the winds-” he breaks off, because Newt isn’t listening, eyes wide in awe and- Hermann cannot help it, no one has ever looked at him like that, and he loves it; “Would you like to come up- I can get you a helmet-”

2-4 songs that are probably on their iPod

Well, besides the fact that there are no ipods in my fantasy verse, I particularly associate her with Avicii’s Levels and Hey Brother.

the one place they sometimes end up falling asleep — where they’re not supposed to

Well, dragons can comfortably sleep anywhere, but she doesn’t want to admit that when she and Hermine were on the run, she was so tired she actually drifted off once or twice in mid-air.

the game they’d destroy everyone else at

Hermann once played her at a game called stormdance which is a bit like chess. Just once, never again. Hermann thought he was good at chess.

the emoticon they’d use most often

Emoticons again, don’t exist. Dragons sometimes use pictograms carved into mountainsides to warn of bad winds or spread news and gossip. She used to tag hers with a scrawl meaning ‘watch your tail’ which doubles at once as a warning and an invitation to mate. Eventually, someone came.

what they act like when they haven’t had enough sleep

*Growl growl grumble grumble* walks into tree

A shame coffee isn’t widely available.

their preferred hot beverage on really cold nights. or mornings. or whenever.

But they can sometimes get it, brought in from Tottenlea on barges. It costs a lot, but Hermine sorts out some issues among the owners and they enjoy delicious home-ground coffee.

how they like to comfort/care for themselves when they’re in a slump

Yarila likes to be alone on bad days, Hermine usually takes the babies for the day and lets her work it out. If the babies are in bed, she might come and sit with her, just sitting quietly together.

what they wanted to be when they grew up

She just wanted to grow up. It was far from certain.

their favorite kind of weather

Good flying weather, cold mornings in spring or late evenings in summer when the ground’s been baking all day and the thermals are wonderful.

thoughts on their singing voice (decent? terrible? soprano? alto?)

Fairly bass, she’s a dragon after all, big lungs. There is a style of songs among dragons, deep singing, which is when they press close against stone and hum; and the song carries. Yarila loves it, and it’s a good way of clearing their house of spiders.

how/what they like to draw or doodle