# The King — Russian Folktales character guide

> The King in Russian Folktales by A. N. Afanasyev.

**Role:** minor

**First appearance:** 0004-the-dun-cow

## Who they are

A generic king who appears in various folktales.

## Relationships

### [The Talking Bird](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/characters/the_talking_bird)

_friendship_

The King values the Talking Bird's wisdom or magical properties, often seeking its counsel or possession.

### [The Talking Bird](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/characters/the_talking_bird)

_friendship_

The King values the Talking Bird's wisdom or magical properties, often seeking its counsel or possession.

### [The Talking Bird](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/characters/the_talking_bird)

_friendship_

The King values the Talking Bird's wisdom or magical properties, often seeking its counsel or possession.

## In the story

### [The Language of the Birds](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-language-of-the-birds)

The King of Khvalýnsk who offers half his kingdom and his daughter's hand to anyone who can drive away the crows.

### [The Tsarítsa Harpist](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-tsar-tsa-harpist)

The Accursed King who imprisons the Tsar and is deceived by the disguised Tsarítsa.

### [The Midnight Dance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-midnight-dance)

Widower king who seeks to discover his daughters' nightly whereabouts.

### [A Story of Saint Nicholas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/a-story-of-saint-nicholas)

The father of Olyóna, who initially threatens Iván but later embraces him as a son.

### [The Realm of Stone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-realm-of-stone)

The ruler who hires the soldier as a garden sentry after hearing his story. He is concerned about the destruction of his best trees.

### [Donotknow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/donotknow)

The ruler who puts Donotknow in the garden as a scarecrow, later recognizes his valor and makes him heir after he kills the Arab prince.

### [The Singing-Tree and the Speaking-Bird](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-singing-tree-and-the-speaking-bird)

The inquisitive king who eavesdrops, marries the youngest sister, and later reunites with his children.

### [At the Behest of the Pike](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/at-the-behest-of-the-pike)

The king of the thrice-tenth kingdom whose daughter the boy seeks to marry.

### [The Snake Princess](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-snake-princess)

The father of the snake princess; he rewards the Cossack with the magical keg and later gives his daughter in marriage.

## Links

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