 | The epic songs of Russia |  |
Merchant Sadko the Rich Guest of
Novgorod
THE hero of this poem, whose adventure with the
fish of Lake Ilmen is suggestive of the Arabian
Nights, and whose later experience with the
Tzar Morskoi recalls Jonah, or Arion in Greek mythology,
is not a purely imaginary being.
The Chronicles state that he founded a church in
Novgorod, though they differ as to the particular
edifice. He probably lived in the twelfth century, and
in the song preserves the type of the great traders of
that Venice of the North in the middle ages, Novgorod
the Great.
He must have been a prominent figure in his day,
for frequent reference is made to him in the Chronicles,
in connection with the church which he built, for
about two hundred years.
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