The language of the Drevlyans. Prince Mal: years of life

East Slavic union of tribes living in the basin of the upper and middle reaches of the Oka and along the Moscow River. The settlement of the Vyatichi occurred from the territory of the Dnieper left bank or from the upper reaches of the Dniester. The substrate of the Vyatichi was the local Baltic population. The Vyatichi preserved pagan beliefs longer than other Slavic tribes and resisted the influence of the Kyiv princes. Disobedience and belligerence are the calling card of the Vyatichi tribe.

Tribal union of the Eastern Slavs of the 6th-11th centuries. They lived in the territories of what are now Vitebsk, Mogilev, Pskov, Bryansk and Smolensk regions, as well as eastern Latvia. They were formed on the basis of the incoming Slavic and local Baltic population - Tushemlinskaya culture. The ethnogenesis of the Krivichi involved the remnants of local Finno-Ugric and Baltic tribes - Estonians, Livs, Latgalians - who mixed with the numerous newcomer Slavic population. The Krivichi are divided into two large groups: Pskov and Polotsk-Smolensk. In the culture of the Polotsk-Smolensk Krivichi, along with Slavic elements of decoration, there are elements of the Baltic type.

Slovenian Ilmenskie- a tribal union of Eastern Slavs on the territory of the Novgorod land, mainly in the lands near Lake Ilmen, adjacent to the Krivichi. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, the Ilmen Slovenes, together with the Krivichi, Chud and Meri, participated in the calling of the Varangians, who were related to the Slovenes - immigrants from the Baltic Pomerania. A number of historians consider the ancestral home of the Slovenes to be the Dnieper region, others trace the ancestors of the Ilmen Slovenes from the Baltic Pomerania, since the legends, beliefs and customs, the type of dwellings of the Novgorodians and Polabian Slavs are very similar.

Duleby- tribal union of the Eastern Slavs. They inhabited the territories of the Bug River basin and the right tributaries of the Pripyat. In the 10th century The association of Dulebs disintegrated, and their lands became part of Kievan Rus.

Volynians- an East Slavic union of tribes that lived on the territory on both banks of the Western Bug and at the source of the river. Pripyat. In Russian chronicles, Volynians were first mentioned in 907. In the 10th century, the Vladimir-Volyn principality was formed on the lands of the Volynians.

Drevlyans- East Slavic tribal union, which occupied in the 6th-10th centuries. the territory of Polesie, the Right Bank of the Dnieper, west of the glades, along the rivers Teterev, Uzh, Ubort, Stviga. The area of residence of the Drevlyans corresponds to the area of the Luka-Raykovets culture. The name Drevlyans was given to them because they lived in forests.

Dregovichi- tribal union of the Eastern Slavs. The exact boundaries of the habitat of Dregovichi have not yet been established. According to a number of researchers, in the 6th-9th centuries the Dregovichi occupied territory in the middle part of the Pripyat River basin, in the 11th - 12th centuries the southern border of their settlement ran south of Pripyat, the northwestern - in the watershed of the Drut and Berezina rivers, the western - in the upper reaches of the Neman River . When settling Belarus, the Dregovichi moved from south to north to the Neman River, which indicates their southern origin.

Polotsk residents- a Slavic tribe, part of the tribal union of the Krivichi, who lived along the banks of the Dvina River and its tributary Polota, from which they got their name.
The center of Polotsk land was the city of Polotsk.

Glade- a tribal union of Eastern Slavs who lived on the Dnieper, in the area of modern Kyiv. The very origin of the glades remains unclear, since the territory of their settlement was at the junction of several archaeological cultures.

Radimichi- an East Slavic union of tribes that lived in the eastern part of the Upper Dnieper region, along the Sozh River and its tributaries in the 8th-9th centuries. Convenient river routes passed through the lands of the Radimichi, connecting them with Kiev. The Radimichi and Vyatichi had a similar burial rite - the ashes were buried in a log house - and similar female temple jewelry (temporal rings) - seven-rayed (among the Vyatichi - seven-paste). Archaeologists and linguists suggest that the Balt tribes living in the upper reaches of the Dnieper also participated in the creation of the material culture of the Radimichi.

Northerners- an East Slavic union of tribes that lived in the 9th-10th centuries along the Desna, Seim and Sula rivers. The origin of the name northerners is of Scythian-Sarmatian origin and is traced back to the Iranian word “black”, which is confirmed by the name of the city of northerners - Chernigov. The main occupation of the northerners was agriculture.

Tivertsy- an East Slavic tribe that settled in the 9th century in the area between the Dniester and Prut rivers, as well as the Danube, including along the Budjak coast of the Black Sea in the territory of modern Moldova and Ukraine.

Ulichi- East Slavic tribal union that existed in the 9th - 10th centuries. The Ulichi lived in the lower reaches of the Dnieper, Bug and on the shores of the Black Sea. The center of the tribal union was the city of Peresechen. The Ulichi for a long time resisted the attempts of the Kyiv princes to subjugate them to their power.

DREVLYANE, a union of East Slavic tribes in the 6th - early 12th centuries. in Polesie on the right bank of the Pripyat and in the basins of its right tributaries Goryp, Uzh and a tributary of the Dnieper river. Grouse From the end of the 9th century. tributaries of the Old Russian state. After the uprising 945 946... ... Russian history

DREVLYANE, a union of East Slavic tribes between the Sluch and Teterev rivers, in the north in the area of the Pripyat River. They bordered on the Dregovichi. From the end of the 9th century. depending on the Kyiv princes. In 945, Prince Igor was killed. From 946 they were finally conquered by the princess... ... Modern encyclopedia

Union of East Slavic tribes in the 6th - 10th centuries. north to the river Pripyat, between the rivers. Sluch and Teterev. From the end 9th century tributaries of Kievan Rus. After the Drevlyansky uprising they were completely subordinated to Kyiv... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

The Drevlyans, one of the tribes of the Russian Slavs, lived in Pripyat, Goryn, Sluch and Teterev. The name D., according to the chronicler's explanation, was given to them because they lived in the forests. Describing the morals of D., the chronicler puts them in contrast to his fellow tribesmen in the glades... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Ian; pl. Union of East Slavic tribes in the Dnieper basin in the 6th - 9th centuries. (included in the 10th century as part of Kievan Rus). ◁ Drevlyansky, oh, oh. D e tribes. D e settlements. * * * Drevlyans were a union of East Slavic tribes in the 6th and early 12th centuries, located... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Drevlyans- east glory group of us. (tribe), formed in the 6th-7th centuries. Name came from the characteristic wooded habitat of D. (according to the chronicle: These Slavs also came and sat along the Dnieper and were called Polyans, and others Drevlyans, because they sat in the forests... Russian humanitarian encyclopedic dictionary

A tribal association of Eastern Slavs, which occupied in the 6th - 10th centuries. territory of Polesie, Right Bank Ukraine, west of the glades (See Polyane), downstream pp. Grouse, Snake, Harvest, Stviga. In the west, the lands of D. reached the river. The case where the area began... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

One of the tribes of Russian Slavs, they lived in Pripyat, Goryn, Sluch and Teterev. The name D., according to the chronicler's explanation, was given to them because they lived in the forests. Describing the morals of D., the chronicler sets them up in contrast to his fellow tribesmen in the clearing people... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

East glory tribal association, which occupied in the 6th - 10th centuries. terr. Polesie, Right Bank Ukraine, west of the glades, along the river. Grouse, Snake, Harvest, Stviga. In the west, the lands of D. reached the river. The case where the region of the Volynians and Buzhans began, in the north to the territory ... Soviet historical encyclopedia

Mn. Union of East Slavic tribes in the Dnieper basin in the 6th - 10th centuries, which entered the 10th century. into Rus'. Ephraim's explanatory dictionary. T. F. Efremova. 2000... Modern explanatory dictionary of the Russian language by Efremova

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From your living keys, Russia, Pyotr Petrovich Kotelnikov. What is the point of arguing now about where and when our ancestors came to our land? It is possible that from time immemorial they lived along the banks of the Desna and Seim. And the name of my tribe is the Drevlyans. Root of the word…

Drevlyans

They lived along the rivers Teterev, Uzh, Uborot and Sviga, in Polesie and on the right bank of the Dnieper (modern Zhitomir and western Kyiv region of Ukraine). From the east their lands were limited by the Dnieper, and from the north by Pripyat, beyond which the Dregovichi lived. In the west they bordered with the Dulebs, and in the southwest with the Tivertsy. The main city of the Drevlyans was Iskorosten on the Uzh River; there were other cities - Ovruch, Gorodsk and others, whose names have not been preserved, but archaeologists have excavated settlements in the lands of the Drevlyans.

As Nestor says, their name comes from the fact that they lived in the forests. He also says that even in the time of Kiy, the Drevlyans had their own reign. At the same time, the chronicler treats them much worse than the glades. Here's what he writes: “And the Drevlyans lived according to bestial customs, they lived like bestials: they killed each other, ate everything unclean, and they did not have marriages, but they kidnapped girls near the water.” However, neither archaeological data nor other chronicles support such a characterization.

The tribe was engaged in arable farming, owned various crafts necessary for subsistence farming (pottery, blacksmithing, weaving, leatherworking), people kept domestic animals, and there were also horses on the farm. Finds of many foreign objects in silver, bronze, glass and carnelian indicate international trade, and the absence of coins suggests that trade was barter.

The Drevlyans for a long time resisted their inclusion in Kievan Rus and Christianization.

According to the legend of the Tale of Bygone Years, in ancient times the Drevlyans offended their neighbors, the Polans; but Prince Oleg the Prophet subjugated them to Kyiv and imposed tribute on them. They took part in Oleg's campaign against Byzantium, after his death they made an attempt to free themselves, but Prince Igor defeated them and imposed an even greater tribute.

In 945, Igor tried to collect tribute twice and paid for it.

“That year the squad said to Igor: “The youths of Seeneld are dressed in weapons and clothes, and we are naked. Come with us, prince, for tribute, and you will get it for yourself and for us.” And Igor listened to them - he went to the Drevlyans for tribute and added a new one to the previous tribute, and his men committed violence against them. Taking the tribute, he went to his city. When he walked back, after thinking it over, he said to his squad: “Go home with the tribute, and I I’ll come back and look again.” And he sent his squad home, and he himself returned with a small part of the squad, wanting more wealth. The Drevlyans, having heard that he was coming again, held a council with their prince Mal: “If a wolf gets into the habit of the sheep, he will carry out the entire flock until they kill him; so is this one: if we don’t kill him, he will destroy us all.” And they sent to him, saying: “Why are you going again? I’ve already taken all the tribute.” And Igor did not listen to them; and the Drevlyans, leaving the city of Iskorosten, killed Igor and his squad, since there were few of them.

And Igor was buried, and his grave remains near Iskorosten in Derevskaya land to this day.”

After this, the leader of the Drevlyans, Mal, attempted to woo Igor’s widow, Princess Olga, but she, avenging her husband, deceitfully killed Mal and his matchmaking embassy, burying him alive in the ground. After this, Olga, together with Igor’s young son Svyatoslav, went to war against the Drevlyans and defeated them. So in 946 the Drevlyans were included in Kievan Rus.

Svyatoslav Igorevich planted his son Oleg in the Drevlyansky land. Vladimir the Holy, distributing volosts to his sons, planted Svyatoslav in the Drevlyansky land, who was killed by Svyatopolk the Accursed.

The last time the name of the Drevlyans appears in the chronicle was in 1136, when their land was donated by the Grand Duke of Kyiv Yaropolk Vladimirovich to the Tithe Church.

From the book History, myths and gods of the ancient Slavs author Pigulevskaya Irina Stanislavovna

The Drevlyans lived along the rivers Teterev, Uzh, Uborot and Sviga, in Polesie and on the right bank of the Dnieper (modern Zhitomir and western Kyiv region of Ukraine). From the east their lands were limited by the Dnieper, and from the north by Pripyat, beyond which the Dregovichi lived. In the west they bordered with Dulebs,

From the book Great Secrets of Civilizations. 100 stories about the mysteries of civilizations author Mansurova Tatyana

Those same Drevlyans After the campaign of 944, Prince Igor no longer fought and even sent the squad of his boyar Sveneld to collect tribute, which began to affect the level of well-being of Igor’s squad. Igor’s squad soon began to grumble: “The youths (combatants) of Sveneld

From the book The Hidden Life of Ancient Rus'. Life, customs, love author Dolgov Vadim Vladimirovich

“The Drevlyans live in a bestial manner”: their own “strangers” The question of the attitude towards the population of foreign lands-volosts is closely connected with the problem of realizing the unity of Rus'. As is known, in the 12th century. Russian lands did not form a single monolithic state. At the same time they were not

From the book Ancient Slavs, I-X centuries [Mysterious and fascinating stories about the Slavic world] author Soloviev Vladimir Mikhailovich

Glades, Drevlyans and other Archaeological data suggest that the Eastern Slavs - the ancestors of today's Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians - began to settle in the territory of modern Western Ukraine and the Eastern Dnieper region approximately from the 5th and in the 6th and 7th centuries of our

From the book Features of Folk South Russian History author Kostomarov Nikolay Ivanovich

I SOUTH RUSSIAN LAND. POLYANE-RUSS. DREVLYANE (POLESIE). VOLYN. PODOL. CHERVONAYA Rus' The most ancient news about the peoples who occupied the South Russian land is very scarce; however, not without reason: guided by both geographical and ethnographic features, it should be attributed to

From the book Slavic Antiquities by Niderle Lubor

Drevlyans This tribe lived, as evidenced by the name itself (from the word “tree”), in dense forests stretching south from Pripyat, namely, judging by various later chronicle reports, between the Goryn River, its tributary Sluch and the Teterev River, behind which already

From the book Slavic Encyclopedia author Artemov Vladislav Vladimirovich

From the book Encyclopedia of Slavic culture, writing and mythology author Kononenko Alexey Anatolievich

The Drevlyans were engaged in agriculture, beekeeping, cattle breeding, and developed trades and crafts. The lands of the Drevlyans constituted a separate tribal principality headed by a prince. Large cities: Iskorosten (Korosten), Vruchy (Ovruch), Malin. In 884, the Kyiv prince Oleg conquered

From the book What happened before Rurik author Pleshanov-Ostaya A. V.

Drevlyans The Drevlyans have a bad reputation. The Kyiv princes twice imposed tribute on the Drevlyans for raising an uprising. The Drevlyans did not abuse mercy. Prince Igor, who decided to collect a second tribute from the tribe, was tied up and torn in two. Prince Mal of the Drevlyans immediately

), with the tribes of White Croats, Serbs and Horutans who came in the 7th century and settled in the Dnieper region.

In a letter to Svyatoslav, the Byzantine Emperor John Tzimiskes recalled the fate of Prince Igor, calling him Inger. In the account of Leo the Deacon, the emperor reported that Igor went on a campaign against certain Germans, was captured by them, tied to the treetops and torn in two.

Period of independence

Before subordination to Kyiv, the Drevlyans had a developed tribal early state organization. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, the Drevlyans had their own reign.

The chronicle also mentions Prince Mal and “the best men who ruled the Derevskaya land.” Describing the morals of the Drevlyans, the chronicler presents them, in contrast to their contemporaries, the Polans, as a wild people: “The Drevlyans live in a bestial manner, they live bestially: they kill each other, eat everything uncleanly, and they have never had marriage, but they snatch a maiden from the water.”

However, this characterization may have been due to the Christian chronicler's views on the customs of the pagan period.

The political center of the Drevlyans in the era of their independence was the city of Iskorosten, later the center, apparently, shifted to the city of Ovruch.

Archaeological data

For the first time, the area of settlement of the Drevlyans, based on burial materials, was undertaken by V. B. Antonovich in the second half of the 19th century. Considering burials in ground burial pits to be specifically Drevlyan, he determined the zone of their settlement from the middle reaches of the Sluch in the west to the Middle Dnieper in the east.

In the process of further archaeological study of the Drevlyans, these data were corrected and the most detailed archaeological map of the Drevlyansk land was compiled in 1982 by V.V. Sedov. In addition to pit inhumations, he identified among the characteristic Drevlyan burials mounds with inhumations at horizon level with ash layers in the embankment above the burial (ritual traces of the remnants of cremation or funeral feast).

In addition, mounds with cremation are also known, with the burial of the burned remains of the deceased in a clay urn in an embankment at the top of the mound or at its base.

The largest political center of the Drevlyan land was Iskorosten (Korosten). On the territory of modern Korosten there are 4 ancient settlements of the 8th-13th centuries. Three small ones (up to 0.5 hectares each) occupy high granite outcrops on the right bank of the river. Already; the fourth (with an area of 9 hectares) is located on the left bank of the river. Already. In the immediate vicinity of the ancient settlements, 6 burial mounds (more than 300 mounds) have been discovered.

The burial rite includes burning of corpses, deposition of corpses at the horizon level and deposition of corpses in pits.

Subordination to Kyiv

According to the Tale of Bygone Years, the glades for a certain time were in a subordinate position to the Drevlyans: “the Derevlyans were offended by the indirect people”; but Oleg (-) for the first time imposed tribute on the Drevlyans. Among the tribes subordinate to Oleg and participating in his campaign against the Greeks, the Drevlyans are also mentioned; but they did not submit without a stubborn struggle. After Oleg's death, they made an attempt to free themselves; Prince Igor defeated them and imposed even greater tribute on them.

When the Kyiv prince Igor tried to collect a second tribute from the Drevlyans (), they were indignant and killed him. According to the Byzantine historian Leo the Deacon, Igor “was taken prisoner by them, tied to tree trunks and torn in two.” The prince of the Drevlyans, Mal, attempted to woo Igor's widow, Princess Olga, but she, driven by a sense of revenge, deceitfully killed the Drevlyan embassy, burying her alive in the ground. In the Polish chronicle of Jan Dlugosz, however, another name of the Drevlyan prince is mentioned - Niskin. After this, Olga, together with Igor’s young son Svyatoslav, went to war against the Drevlyans and defeated them. The chronicle attributes the final subjugation of the Drevlyans to Igor's widow, Olga.

Svyatoslav Igorevich planted (-) his son Oleg in the Drevlyansky land. Vladimir the Holy (c. 960 -), distributing volosts to his sons, planted (c. 990 -) Svyatoslav in the Drevlyansky land, who was killed by () Svyatopolk the Accursed. Since the time of Yaroslav the Wise (-), the Drevlyansky land has been part of the Principality of Kyiv.

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Literature

// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
Antonovich V. B.

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Excerpt characterizing the Drevlyans

She still held herself straight, she also spoke directly, loudly and decisively to everyone her opinion, and with her whole being she seemed to reproach other people for all sorts of weaknesses, passions and hobbies, which she did not recognize as possible. From early morning in the kutsaveyka, she did housework, then went: on holidays to mass and from mass to prisons and prisons, where she had business that she did not tell anyone about, and on weekdays, after getting dressed, she received petitioners of different classes at home who came to her every day, and then had lunch; There were always about three or four guests at the hearty and tasty dinner; after dinner I made a round of Boston; At night she forced herself to read newspapers and new books, and she knitted. She rarely made exceptions for trips, and if she did, she went only to the most important people in the city.
She had not yet gone to bed when the Rostovs arrived, and the door on the block in the hall squealed, letting in the Rostovs and their servants who were coming in from the cold. Marya Dmitrievna, with glasses down on her nose, throwing her head back, stood in the doorway of the hall and looked at those entering with a stern, angry look. One would have thought that she was embittered against the visitors and would now throw them out, if at this time she had not given careful orders to people on how to accommodate the guests and their things.
- Counts? “Bring it here,” she said, pointing to the suitcases and not greeting anyone. - Young ladies, this way to the left. Well, why are you fawning! – she shouted at the girls. - Samovar to warm you up! “She’s plumper and prettier,” she said, pulling Natasha, flushed from the cold, by her hood. - Ugh, cold! “Undress quickly,” she shouted at the count, who wanted to approach her hand. - Cold, I guess. Serve some rum for tea! Sonyushka, bonjour,” she said to Sonya, highlighting her slightly contemptuous and affectionate attitude towards Sonya with this French greeting.
When everyone, having undressed and recovered from the road, came to tea, Marya Dmitrievna kissed everyone in order.
“I’m glad with my soul that they came and that they stopped with me,” she said. “It’s high time,” she said, looking significantly at Natasha... “the old man is here and they are expecting their son any day now.” We must, we must meet him. Well, we’ll talk about that later,” she added, looking at Sonya with a look that showed that she didn’t want to talk about it in front of her. “Now listen,” she turned to the count, “what do you need tomorrow?” Who will you send for? Shinshina? – she bent one finger; - crybaby Anna Mikhailovna? - two. She's here with her son. My son is getting married! Then Bezukhova? And he's here with his wife. He ran away from her, and she ran after him. He dined with me on Wednesday. Well, as for them - she pointed to the young ladies - tomorrow I’ll take them to Iverskaya, and then we’ll go to Ober Shelme. After all, you will probably do everything new? Don't take it from me, these days it's sleeves, that's what! The other day, the young Princess Irina Vasilyevna came to see me: I was afraid to look, as if she had put two barrels on her hands. After all, today the day is a new fashion. So what are you doing? – she turned sternly to the count.
“Everything suddenly came together,” answered the count. - To buy rags, and then there is a buyer for the Moscow region and for the house. If you're so kind, I'll find some time, go to Marinskoye for a day, and show you my girls.
- Okay, okay, I’ll be intact. It’s like in the Board of Trustees. “I’ll take them where they need to go, scold them, and caress them,” said Marya Dmitrievna, touching the cheek of her favorite and goddaughter Natasha with her big hand.
The next day, in the morning, Marya Dmitrievna took the young ladies to Iverskaya and to m me Ober Shalma, who was so afraid of Marya Dmitrievna that she always gave her outfits at a loss, just to get her out of her hands as quickly as possible. Marya Dmitrievna ordered almost the entire dowry. When she returned, she kicked everyone except Natasha out of the room and called her favorite to her chair.
- Well, now let's talk. Congratulations on your fiance. Got the guy! I'm happy for you; and I’ve known him since those years (she pointed to an arshin from the ground). – Natasha blushed joyfully. – I love him and his whole family. Now listen. You know, old Prince Nikolai really did not want his son to get married. Good old man! It is, of course, Prince Andrei is not a child, and he will manage without him, but it is not good to enter the family against his will. It must be peaceful, loving. You're smart, you can do it right. Treat yourself kindly and wisely. Everything will be fine.
Natasha was silent, as Marya Dmitrievna thought, out of shyness, but in essence Natasha was unpleasant that they were interfering in her love affair with Prince Andrei, which seemed to her so special from all human affairs that no one, according to her concepts, could understand it. She loved and knew one Prince Andrei, he loved her and was supposed to come one of these days and take her. She didn't need anything else.
“You see, I’ve known him for a long time, and I love Mashenka, your sister-in-law.” Sisters-in-law are beaters, but this one won’t hurt a fly. She asked me to set her up with you. Tomorrow you and your father will go to her, and give her a good hug: you are younger than her. Somehow yours will arrive, and you already know your sister and father, and they love you. Yes or no? Surely it will be better?
“Better,” Natasha answered reluctantly.

The next day, on the advice of Marya Dmitrievna, Count Ilya Andreich went with Natasha to Prince Nikolai Andreich. The count prepared for this visit with a gloomy spirit: in his heart he was afraid. The last meeting during the militia, when the count, in response to his invitation to dinner, listened to a heated reprimand for not delivering people, was memorable for Count Ilya Andreich. Natasha, dressed in her best dress, was on the contrary in the most cheerful mood. “It’s impossible that they wouldn’t love me,” she thought: everyone has always loved me. And I’m so ready to do for them whatever they want, I’m so ready to love him - because he’s a father, and her because she’s a sister, that there’s no reason why they wouldn’t love me!”
They drove up to an old, gloomy house on Vzdvizhenka and entered the hallway.
“Well, God bless,” said the count, half jokingly, half seriously; but Natasha noticed that her father was in a hurry, entering the hall, and timidly, quietly asked if the prince and princess were at home. After the report of their arrival, there was confusion among the prince's servants. The footman, who ran to report them, was stopped by another footman in the hall and they whispered about something. A girl maid ran into the hall and also hurriedly said something, mentioning the princess. Finally, one old footman with an angry look came out and reported to the Rostovs that the prince could not receive him, but the princess was asking to come to her. M lle Bourienne was the first to greet the guests. She met the father and daughter especially courteously and took them to the princess. The princess, with an excited, frightened face covered with red spots, ran out, stepping heavily, towards the guests, and tried in vain to appear free and welcoming. Princess Marya did not like Natasha at first sight. She seemed too elegant, frivolously cheerful and vain to her. Princess Marya did not know that before she saw her future daughter-in-law, she was already ill-disposed towards her out of involuntary envy of her beauty, youth and happiness and out of jealousy of her brother’s love. In addition to this irresistible feeling of antipathy towards her, Princess Marya at that moment was also excited by the fact that at the report of the Rostovs’ arrival, the prince shouted that he did not need them, that he should let Princess Marya receive them if she wanted, and that they should not be allowed to see him . Princess Marya decided to receive the Rostovs, but every minute she was afraid that the prince would do some kind of prank, since he seemed very excited about the Rostovs’ arrival.
“Well, dear princess, I brought you my songbird,” said the count, shuffling and looking around restlessly, as if he was afraid that the old prince might come up. “I’m so glad that you met... It’s a pity, it’s a pity that the prince is still unwell,” and after saying a few more general phrases, he stood up. “If you would allow me, princess, to give you an idea of my Natasha for a quarter of an hour, I would go, just two steps away, to the Dog Playground, to see Anna Semyonovna, and pick her up.”
Ilya Andreich came up with this diplomatic trick in order to give his future sister-in-law space to explain himself to his daughter-in-law (as he said this after his daughter) and also in order to avoid the possibility of meeting with the prince, whom he was afraid of. He did not tell this to his daughter, but Natasha understood this fear and anxiety of her father and felt insulted. She blushed for her father, became even more angry for blushing, and looked at the princess with a bold, defiant look that said that she was not afraid of anyone. The princess told the count that she was very happy and only asked him to stay longer with Anna Semyonovna, and Ilya Andreich left.