Sirin, the Bird of Paradise
Russian legend tells of a bird with a woman's face whose song is so beautiful that anyone who hears it forgets everything, and follows it until they die.
What was reported
Sirin is a creature of Russian legend, a bird with the head and breast of a beautiful woman, said to live in or near paradise. Her song brings joy, but it's dangerous: people who hear it forget their homes and families and follow her.
She appears with Alkonost, a bird of joy, and Gamayun, a bird of prophecy. Medieval books and carvings show her, and in 1896 the painter Viktor Vasnetsov painted Sirin and Alkonost side by side, one joyful, one sorrowful.
Explanations offered
Sirin descends from the Sirens of Greek myth, whose songs lured sailors to their deaths, reaching Russia through Byzantine art and books. She's a folk figure, often shown on old Russian decorated objects.
- When
- Told since the Middle Ages
- Where
- As told across Russia
- Witnesses
- Russian folklore
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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