Dorvyzhy


Dorvyzhy is the Udmurt literary national epic. It was originally compiled and written in Russian by Mikhail Khudiakov in the 1920s with the title Песнь об удмуртских батырах. The original was based on the folklore works of N. Pervuhin, G. Potanin, B. Gavrilov, B. Munkácsi, Kuzebay Gerd and. The structure of the Finnish epic Kalevala was influential in its creation. The epic was later translated into Udmurt in 2004 and given its Udmurt title Дорвыжы by V. M. Vanyushev and then Finnish in 2009 with a Kalevala metre structure by Esa-Jussi Salminen and Jorma Vakkuri. In 2012 the epic was published in Hungarian translation by Dyekiss Virág and Elena V. Rodionova.
Dorvyzhy is a mix of myth and history, recounting the deeds of the heroes such as Selty, Burśin-Mozhga and the sons of Dondy. The main gods in the epic are the god of the heavens Inmar, the earth god Kyldyśin and weather god Kuaź. The epic also makes references to the surrounding peoples of the area such as the Tatars and Maris and geographic places such as the Cheptsa, Kilmez River.

Cantos

Dorvyzhy consists of 10 cantos plus an introduction or beginning words:
  • Beginning words
  • 1st canto: Inmar, Kyldyśin and Kuaź
  • 2nd canto: The Zerpals
  • 3rd canto: The Year of Kyldyśin
  • 4th canto: Vanished Luck
  • 5th canto: Vorshud
  • 6th canto: Heroes of Dondy
  • 7th canto: Heroes of Kalmez
  • 8th canto: Battle with the Maris
  • 9th canto: Book of the Ancestors
  • 10th canto: Times to Come
  • conclusion