SUMMARY:
The tale of Kotyhoroshko is an ancient Ukrainian legend that symbolizes selfless courage, indomitable spirit and the triumph of good over evil, sharing many similarities to the classical legends of Heracles and Ramayana. Kotyhoroshko himself was magically born from a pea-pod. Endowed with super strength, he wanders the countryside, carrying his mace, righting wrongs through his courage, intellect, strength and goodness. In this depiction, he rescues a Princess from an old and evil snake who captured her and took her back to his lair.

The characters in this story epitomize the Ukrainian connection to nature. His three companions wield power deeply connected to the mountains, the forests and the rivers; they appear to be patrons of the land and Kotyhoroshko’s relationship with them mirrors a man’s complementary relationship with the natural world.