# Alyósha Popóvich — Russian Folktales character guide

> Alyósha Popóvich in Russian Folktales by A. N. Afanasyev.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Alyósha

**First appearance:** 0040-aly-sha-pop-vich

## Snapshot

Called the Mocker of Women, this cunning knight steals a magic chain to expose the Swan-maiden and nearly costs Danílo the Unfortunate his head.

## Who they are

Alyósha Popóvich serves Prince Vladímir by tricking the Swan-bird into revealing herself, seizing her little chain and showing it to the court. His meddling sets off a chain of feasts and rivers of beer, mead, wine, and vodka that strand the Prince's army along the road. He matters because his cleverness cuts both ways: it exposes truth, but it also drives the story toward Danílo's peril and the Swan-maiden's strange revenge.

## In the story

### [Danílo the Unfortunate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/dan-lo-the-unfortunate)

The Mocker of Women, who tricks Danílo into boasting and reveals his wife.

### [Alyósha Popóvich](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/aly-sha-pop-vich)

The titular hero, a supernaturally strong young knight, son of Pope León, who defeats the monster Túgarin.

### [The Story of the Brave and Doughty Knight Ilyá Múromets and the Nightingale Robber](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-story-of-the-brave-and-doughty-knight-ily-m-romets-and-the-nightingale-robber)

A knight at Prince Vladímir's court who confirms Ilyá's capture of the Nightingale Robber.

### [General Notes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/general-notes)

One of the great knights at the court of Prince Vladímir, known as the 'Mocker of Women' and more of a jibe-maker than a warrior.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/endnotes)

Mentioned as a hero of the Kíev cycle in a prose version of a bylína.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/characters/alysha_popovich
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/characters