The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European

mythological tradition
and in neighboring traditions
Václav Blažek

I n the present contribution the role of “apple” in the daughter Indo-European

mythological traditions, particularly Iranian (Ossetic), Greek, Celtic, Germanic,
is studied from the point of view of both comparative mythology and comparative
linguistics. The data from Hittite, Armenian, German, Latvian and Slavic,
mediated by other types of texts, including folklore songs and folktales, are also
taken in account. Finally, the results are evaluated in a wider perspective of non-
Indo-European mythological traditions, namely with the Semitic traditions. The
most universal is the motif of “golden apples,” particularly of “three golden
apples” (Greek, Latin, Irish, German, Russian). The apple-tree bearing the golden
apples usually grows in the orchard or garden of some ruler who is the father of
sons guarding the apples (Nart epic; German, Latvian, Russian, Serbo-Croatian
folktales) or in the garden situaded in the periphery of the known world (Garden
of Hesperides in both Greek and Irish traditions).
Very interesting are the positions of thieves and guards which are sometimes
in the changeable roles:
• Heroes as guards: twin brothers Xsart & Xsartag (Ossetic Nart epic); three
brothers—usually only the youngest one is successful (German; Latvian;
Russian, Bulgarian, Serbo-Croatian folktales).
• Heroines as guards: three or four Hesperides (Hesiod: Theogony); Idunn
(Prose Edda: Gylfaginning); heroine Sinoglazka (= blue-eyed) + 30 warriors
(On the apples of youth and the living water);
• Dragons & big serpents as guards: dragon (Euripid: Heracles); guardian
serpent (Pseudo-Eratosthenes, Catasterismi); Ladon—guardian serpent
(Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica); immortal serpent (Pseudo-Apollodorus,
156 Václav Blažek

Library); she-dragon (Bulgarian version of the folktale Three brothers and

golden apples).
• Heroes as thieves: Greek Heracles; three Irish brothers: Brian, Iuchar,
Iucharba, changed into hawks.
• Birds as thieves: three pigeon-hens (Nart epic); fire-bird with golden feathers
(German); golden bird, in reality the enchanted goddess Laima (Latvia);
nine pea hens, enchanted maidens (Serbo-Croatian). Remarkable is that
three Irish brothers, Brian, Iuchar, Iucharba, changed themselves into birds,
namely hawks, and the Scandinavian giant Thjazi changed into an eagle to
steal the magic apples.
• Giants as thieves: Atlas (sent by Heracles); Thjazi changed into an eagle;
ogre Zmeu (Romanian folktale Prâslea the Brave and the Golden Apples).
The magic effects of the apples are explicitly described only in three traditions:
Ossetic—life-giving strength and healing all wounds; Nordic—eternal youth of
gods; Russian—youth. In the Greek tradition there is only an indirect witness
from Euripid (Hippolytus 742-751) who ascribed the “fonts immortal” (κρῆναί
τ᾽ ἀμβρόσιαι) “to the apple-bearing shore of the Hesperides” (Ἑσπερίδων δ᾽ ἐπὶ
μηλόσπορον ἀκτὰν). Cf. the connection of the golden apples of youth with the
living water from the Russian folktale On the apples of youth and the living water
and the Apple-tree standing over a  spring and growing blood-red in the hittite
mythological text KUB 28.6 obv. 10b-11b.
The collected variants allow us to reconstruct most probable archaic (1) and
recent (2) scenarios:
(1) The golden apples are guarded by a semidivine heroine together with a big
serpent in the garden situated in the periphery of the known world. The
brave hero is sent out to bring them.
(2) The apple-tree bearing three golden apples grows in the palace garden. The
apples are repeatedly stolen by an unknown thief. The sons of the ruler-
father guard them. Only the youngest one identifies the thief or thieves in
the bird-shape. All three brothers set out to find them. Finally it is shown
the bird-like thief (thieves) is (are) enchanted maiden(s).
The motif of magic effects of apples is probly connected with a spring providing
a rejuvenating water, situated near the apple-tree bearing the golden apples in the
same garden. There are interesting common features with the biblical tradition:
fruits from the tree of life growing in the garden and a role of the serpent.
The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition 157

Iranian

Ossetic
Nart epics
I. Yxsart ymæ ’Xsærtæg
1. Yrtæ Narty xsæn wydis Boræjæn baǧi saxwyr is yrta marǧy, ’mæ jyn baurætta
qaqqænæg aly xæʒaræj dær dywwæ læǵy ’xsæv. 2. Ymæ jyn afæʒmæ saǧd wydi
j’aly vars dywæ mixu, ymæ iw kæj rady bairvæstysty mærǧtæ, udonæn iv sæ iwæn jæ
sær ralygkotta, innæmæn jæ cong ymæ iw sæ dywwæ mixyi yrsaxta. 3. Wæd iw bon
yrzyldis Boræjæn jæxi rad. 4. Boræjæn ta wyd dywwæ fyrty: Yxsart ymæ ’Xsærtæg.
5. Ymæ syn zaxta Boræ: 6. Aj wyn fændaxxag. 7. Acæut, mæ xurtæ, ’mæ wæ baǧ
baqaqqænut, kænnod rajsom ærtæ Narty xæʒaræn lægaj yrbacæwʒysty ymæ wæ
iwæn jæ sær rakænʒysty, innæmæn jæ cong ymæ sæ dywwæ mixyl yrsaccysty, ymæ
yrtæ Narty xsæn ʒæǧæl bazzajʒynæn, ynæ daræg. 8. Arastysty dywwæ læppujy
ymæ nyccydysty baǧimæ. 9. Baǧijy astæu dynǵyr fætḳwy ’mæ jæ byny ’rbattysty.
10. Yxsævoer kwy baxorttoj wæd kæstær yfsymær Yxsærtæg zaxta ’Xsartæn: 11.
‘Yrxwyss wal, Yxsart, radygaj qaqqænæm. 12. Ymbisyxsævmæ dy fæfynæj kæ, umæj
bonmæ ta yz.’ 13. Yxsart yrxwyssydi ’mæ bafynæj. 14. Ymbixsæv feqalis ymæ zaxta:
15. ‘Xwycaw myn æj nypparæt, ygær afynæjdæn.’ 16. Wæd yn zaxta Yxsærtæg: 17.
‘Nyrma ymbisyxsæv næw ymæ wal xwyss.’ 18. Yxsæv ymæ bon kæræʒijæ xicæn
kwyd bajdyttoj, aftæ ’rbataxtysty ’rtæ marǧy. 19. Yxsærtæg bady, jæ fat ymæ je ’rdyn
jæ ḳuxy. 20. Fætḳwyjyl abattysty yrtæ marǧy ’mæ jæ zǧalync conxxaj. 21. Wæd
sæ ’Xsærtæg fexsta ’mæ sæ iwæn appærsta jæ bazyr ymæ jæ bazyrimæ iw fydy
qwymbyl. 22. Dywæ ataxtysty, yrtyxxag dær sæ fædyl tæxy fæcyliw-fæcyliw gængæ.
23. Wæd Yxsærtæg afysta gæxxæt jæ fynæj yfsymærmæ: 24. Yz sæfty mærǧty fædyl
cæwyn denǵyzy bylme. 25. Dy mæm yǧǧælmæ kæs afæʒy bonmæ. 26. Kæd syrx fynk
xæssa denǵyz, wæd iw dæ xæʒarmæ razdæx - mænæj dyn pajda nal is. 27. Kæd urs
fynk xæssa, wæd mæm iw afæʒy bonmæ ’ǧǧælmæ bakæs.

I. Xsart and Xsartag

  1. In the midst of three {clans of} Narts there was Bora’s orchard. Three
birds were used to entering it, and for this reason {Bora} established the
guard—two men from every house for each night.
  2. In {the orchard} two poles were set on both sides one year. It was ordained
to cut the head off one and the hand off the second {guard} and to put them
on the poles, if the birds penetrated into the garden during their watch.
  3. On a certain day it was Bora’s turn {to guard}.
  4. Bora had two sons: Xsart and Xsartag.
  5. Bora told them:
  6. ‘There is travel food here.
  7. Go, my suns, and guard your orchard. Otherwise tomorrow three Narts,
from every house {= clan} a  man, will come and cut the head off one
of you and a hand off the second one and put them on two poles. And I
158 Václav Blažek

among the three {clans of} Nart will remain in dejection, without any
breadwinner.’
  8. Both lads took off and came to the orchard.
  9. In the middle of the orchard there {was} a  big apple-tree and they sat
down under it {= apple-tree}.
10. When they had eaten dinner, the younger brother Xsartag said to Xsart:
11. ‘Lie down for a while, Xsart, I will take the first turn to guard.
12. Sleep till midnight, after that till the {break of} day I {will sleep}.’
13. Xsart lay down and fell asleep.
14. At midnight he waked up and said:
15. ‘May God forgive me, I slept too much.’
16. At that time Xsartag told him:
17. ‘It is not yet midnight, so sleep.” In sleepiness the youth again lies back
down.
18. When the night was separated from the day, suddenly three birds flew.
19. Xsartag sits, his arrow and his bow in his hand.
20. Three birds sat down on the apple-tree and shake down its branches.
21. At that time Xsartag shot them and tore a wing off one of them, and with
the wing a piece of flesh.
22. Two {birds} flew away, the third one flew after them, being wounded.
23. At that time Xsartag wrote a letter to his sleeping brother:
24. “I will track the ravaging birds, as far as the sea shore.’
25. Expect me in a year and day.
26. If the sea brings the red foam, in that case return home, from me no gain
will be.
27. If {the sea} brings the white foam, in that case expect me in a year and
a day.
(Abaev 1939: 13-14)

Narty fætḳuy (Iron version)

  1. Nartæn sæ cæxæradony zadis iu fætḳuy bælas; jæ didindžytæ-iu ærttyvtoj
ærvygau, æmæ jyl zadis iunæg fætḳuy. Fætḳuy uydis syzġærin fætḳuy,
zyngau ærttyvdtytæ kaldta. Æmæ uydis ælutony xos adæmæn, iu adzal ne
‘zdæxta fæstæmæ, uyjjedtæmæ cy qædgom næ dzæbæx kodta, cy nizæj næ
irvæzyn kodta, axæm næ uydis.
  2. Bon-izærmæ-iu aræġæd is uycy fætḳuy, æxsæv ta-iu æj cydær adavta.
Æmæ jæ qaqqædtoj radygaj Nart; æmæ jæ niči færæzta baqaqqænyn.
  3. Uæd iu bon ærzyldis Uærxægæn jæxi rad. Ærbasidtis jæ fyrttæm, Æxsar
æmæ Æxsærtægmæ, Uærxæg æmæ syn zaġta:
The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition 159

  4. -- Aj uyn fændaggag. Acæut, mæ xurtæ, æmæ uæ cæxæradon baqaqqænut,

kænnod rajsom Ærtæ Narty xædzaræn lægæj ærbacæudzysty æmæ uæ
iuæn jæ sær rakændzysty innæmæn -- jæ cong æmæ sæ dyuuæ mixyl
ærsadzdzysty, æmæ Ærtæ Narty ‘xsæn dzæġælæj bazzajdzynæn, ænæ
darægæj.
  5. Cæxæradon uydis sadžy syḳatæj bærzond æxgæd -- marġ ærbatæxæn dær
æm næ uyd.
  6. Læpputæ zaġtoj:
  7. -- Ma tærs, næ fyd, max acæudzystæm æmæ bælas baqaqqændzystæm!
  8. Uærxæg syn zaġta: Cæugæ bærgæ akændzystut, fælæ tærsyn, fæstæmæ
kuynæual \ ærcæuat -- kuy næ jæ bafærazat baqaqqænyn.
  9. Æxsar æmæ Æxsærtæg arast sty cæxæradonmæ, cæxæradony astæu
dissadžy fætḳuy bælasy byn ærbadtysty. Æxsævær kuy baxordtoj, uæd
kæstær æfsymær -- Æxsærtæg zaġta Æxsaræn:
10. -- Ærxuyss ual, Æxsar, radygaj qaqqænæy -- æmbisæxsævmæ dy bafynæj
kæn, uyrdygæj bonmæ ta -- æz.
11. Æxsar srazy is æmæ ’rxuyssydi æmæ bafynæj is. Æmbisæxsæv feqal is æmæ
dzury Æxsærtægmæ:
12. Xuycau myn æj nybbaræd -- ægær afynæj dæn.
13. Æxsærtæg æm fæstæmæ dzury:
14. Nyrma æmbisæxsæv næu, æmæ ual xuyss.
15. Xuyssægqældzæg læppu ta ‘rxuyssyd fæstæmæ æmæ ta afynæj is. Æxsæv
æmæ bon kærædzijæ kuyd xicæn kodtoj, aftæ cæxæradonmæ ‘rbataxtysty
ærtæ marġy. Æxsærtæg bady, jæ fat æmæ je ‘rdyn jæ ḳuxy, aftæmæj. Kæsy,
æmæ ‘vippajdy bælas nyrruxs i, æmæ jyl bady ærtæ ‘xsinædžy. Fætḳuymæ
kuyddær fæcæiævnældtoj, aftæ sæ Æxsærtæg fexsta, æmæ ataxtysty,
ærmæst sæ iuæn jæ tudžy ‘rtæxtæ ‘rkaldysty zæxmæ. Æxsærtæg raiqal
kodta Æxsary æmæ jyn zaġta:
16. -- Æxsinæg fæcæf kodton fætḳuy bælasyl, æmæ myn cæfæj ataxti. Mænæ
kæsys jæ tudžy ‘rtæxtæm! Kuy fæcæf is, uæd nyllædžyty ataxtis, æmæ
mænæn jæ tugvædyl ænæ cæugæ næj. Kænæ jæ quamæ ærcaxson, kænæ
jæ fædyl quamæ amælon, ændær gænæn myn næj.
17. Ærbambyrd kodta tudžy ‘rtæxty, batyxta sæ zældag kælmærzæny.
Kælmærzæn jæ fæsnaxy aṭysta æmæ, kuy ‘rbabon is, uæd zaġta Æxsaræn:
18. Æz nyr cæuyn sæfty mærġty fædyl, æmæ cy zæġys?
19. Æxsar yn zaġta:
20. Æz dær cæuyn, dy kædæm cæuaj, uyrdæm.
21. Arast sty ‘fsymærtæ æmæ cæuync tugvædyl, æmæ sæ uyj baxasta dendžyzy
bylmæ. Uym fæd dendžyzy bynmæ nyxxyztis.
22. Æxsærtæg zaġta Æxsaræn:
160 Václav Blažek

23. -- Æz cæuyn dendžyzy bynmæ, dy mæm am, dendžyzy byl, ænqælmæ

kæs, æmæ, kæd dendžyz syrx fynk xæssa, uæd-iu næ xædzarmæ azdæx --
mænæjdyn pajda nal is. kæd urs fynk xæssa uæd mæm-iu afædzy bonmæ
banqælmæ kæs.
24. -- Xorz, -- zaġta Æxcar æmæ bazzad dendžyzy byl, Æxsærtæg ta jæ
dzaumatæ ‘rbatymbyl kodta æmæ nyffardæg ic dendžyzy bynmæ.
(Gippert 2000)

Apple of the Narts

  1. In the orchard of the Narts an apple-tree grew. Its blossoms blazed in
celestial azure and during each day only one apple ripened. Golden was
this apple and it shone like fire. The apple ruled with life-giving strength,
medicated diseases of people and healed all wounds. Only from death it
did not protect.
  2. The whole day long the apple was ripening, shining on the top of the tree,
but in the night somebody stole it. The Narts guarded their apple, but none
of them saw the thief, and the apple disappeared every night.
  3. It was Warxag’s turn to guard the orchard. He summoned his sons Axsar
and Axsartag and told them:
  4. ‘Go, my suns, guard the golden apples. You are my whole hope. If you do
not protect {the apple}, know that all three Nart clans assemble here. They
will nominate one man from every clan; they will cut a head off one of you
and a hand off the second one, and as warning to me they will put the head
and hand on poles. I will remain alone in my old age, without protectors
and breadwinners.’
  5. The orchard of the Narts was enclosed by a fence of stag’s horns and {the
fence} was so high that no bird could fly over.
  6. The lads answered him:
  7. ‘Do not fear, our father, we will protect the apple and the thief will not flee
from us.’
  8. Warxag answered him: ‘Be prepared to leave. I know, you are not afraid of
anything, but I myself am afraid for you. If you do not guard the apples,
you will not return to me.’
  9. Axsar and Axsartag sat under the miraculous apple-tree, had dinner, and
the younger one, Axsartag, told the older one, Axsar:
10. ‘Let us guard by turns. Lie down now and sleep till midnight. And from
midnight I {will sleep}.’
11. Axsar agreed, lay down and fell asleep. He waked at midnight and said to
Axsartag:
12. ‘May God forgive me! It seems that I slept through.’
The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition 161

13. Axsartag answered him:

14. ‘It is not midnight yet; keep sleeping.’
15. The youth did not wake up, lay down and again fell asleep. Axsartag does
not sleep, sits under the apple-tree, keeps his bow and arrow ready. And
at the time, when night changed into day, it seemed that some three birds
flew into the orchard. Suddenly the apple-tree was lit up and Axsartag
sighted a she-dove near the magic apple. Just as she plucked the apple,
Axsartag shot the arrow, and half of a  wing fell down, but she herself,
stained with blood, she flew unevenly and low just above the ground, and
the apple fell onto the earth. At that time Axsartag waked up Axsar.
16. ‘Do you see the drops of blood?’, he asked his brother. ‘I have wounded
the pigeon-hen on our apple-tree. Low, just above the ground she flew,
leaving a bloody trace. I must follow this trace to take her captive or die.’
17. Axsartag carefully wrapped the half of wing of the she-dove in the silk
cloth. He inserted the cloth into his belt and the apple into his shirt, and
after dawn he told Axsar:
18. ‘I am leaving to seek this devastating bird. What do you say to me?’
19. Axsar answered:
20. ‘I will also go where you go.’
21. The brothers went along the bloody trace which brought them to the sea
shore. The trace led to the sea bottom there.
22. Axsartag said to Axsar:
23. ‘I go on to the sea bottom. Wait for me here. If waves wash bloody foam
onto the shore, it means I am no longer living, and get back home. If waves
wash white foam onto the shore, expect me here in exactly a year.’
24. ‘Well’, answered Axsar and stayed on the shore. Axsartag covered himself
in his clothing, tightened it, entered onto the sea bottom and disappeared
under water.
(Libedinski 2000)

Armenian

Erevan Matendaran, ms. 7709, fol. 95b-96a

mer vanuc‘ glxun veray On the roof of our monastery
oski gubēt‘ kay there is a golden cupola.
gubēt‘in veray glxoyn On the top of the cupola
oski xncor kay there is a golden apple.
xncorin veray glxun On the top of the apple
gṙuz xač‘ m‘ay kay is a gṙuz cross.
(Russell 1995: 84, fn. 15)
162 Václav Blažek

Hittite

KBo 4.1 rev. 29-30:

16 GIŠḪAŠḪUR ŠÀ.BA 4 [(GIŠḪAŠḪUR ŠA KÙ.GI)] 4 GIŠḪAŠḪUR ŠA KÙ.
BABBAR [4] GIŠḪAŠḪUR ŠA AN.BAR [(4 GIŠḪAŠ)]ḪUR ŠA ZAB[A]R “16
apples, including 4 apples of gold {= models}, 4 apples of silver, 4 apples of iron,
and 4 apples of bronze”

KUB 28.6 obv. 10b-11b:

ḪAŠḪUR TÚL-i šer artari n=at išḫaruieškizzi
GIŠ

“An apple-tree stands over a spring and grows blood-red.” (CHD 2002: 112-13)

Greek

Iliad: IX 529-542
Κουρῆτές τ᾽ ἐμάχοντο καὶ Αἰτωλοὶ μενεχάρμαι 530 ἀμφὶ πόλιν Καλυδῶνα καὶ
ἀλλήλους ἐνάριζον, Αἰτωλοὶ μὲν ἀμυνόμενοι Καλυδῶνος ἐραννῆς, Κουρῆτες
δὲ διαπραθέειν μεμαῶτες Ἄρηϊ. καὶ γὰρ τοῖσι κακὸν χρυσόθρονος Ἄρτεμις
ὦρσε χωσαμένη ὅ οἱ οὔ τι θαλύσια γουνῷ ἀλωῆς 535 Οἰνεὺς ῥέξ᾽: ἄλλοι δὲ
θεοὶ δαίνυνθ᾽ ἑκατόμβας, οἴῃ δ᾽ οὐκ ἔρρεξε Διὸς κούρῃ μεγάλοιο. ἢ λάθετ᾽ ἢ
οὐκ ἐνόησεν: ἀάσατο δὲ μέγα θυμῷ. ‘ ἣ δὲ χολωσαμένη δῖον γένος ἰοχέαιρα
ὦρσεν ἔπι χλούνην σῦν ἄγριον ἀργιόδοντα, 540 ὃς κακὰ πόλλ᾽ ἕρδεσκεν ἔθων
Οἰνῆος ἀλωήν: πολλὰ δ᾽ ὅ γε προθέλυμνα χαμαὶ βάλε δένδρεα μακρὰ αὐτῇσιν
ῥίζῃσι καὶ αὐτοῖς ἄνθεσι μήλων.

(Homer 1920)

The Curetes on a time were fighting and the Aetolians staunch in battle [530] around
the city of Calydon, and were slaying one another, the Aetolians defending lovely
Calydon and the Curetes fain to waste it utterly in war. For upon their folk had
Artemis of the golden throne sent a plague in wrath that Oeneus offered not to her
the first-fruits of the harvest in his rich orchard land; [535] whereas the other gods
feasted on hecatombs, and it was to the daughter of great Zeus alone that he offered
not, whether haply he forgat, or marked it not; and he was greatly blinded in heart.
“Thereat the Archer-goddess, the child of Zeus, waxed wroth and sent against him
a fierce wild boar, white of tusk, [540] that wrought much evil, wasting the orchard
land of Oeneus; many a tall tree did he uproot and cast upon the ground, aye, root
and apple blossom therewith.

(Homer 1924)
The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition 163

Odyssey VII 112-121

ἔκτοσθεν δ᾽ αὐλῆς μέγας ὄρχατος ἄγχι θυράων τετράγυος: περὶ δ᾽ ἕρκος
ἐλήλαται ἀμφοτέρωθεν. ἔνθα δὲ δένδρεα μακρὰ πεφύκασι τηλεθόωντα, 115
ὄγχναι καὶ ῥοιαὶ καὶ μηλέαι ἀγλαόκαρποι συκέαι τε γλυκεραὶ καὶ ἐλαῖαι
τηλεθόωσαι. τάων οὔ ποτε καρπὸς ἀπόλλυται οὐδ᾽ ἀπολείπει χείματος οὐδὲ
θέρευς, ἐπετήσιος: ἀλλὰ μάλ᾽ αἰεὶ Ζεφυρίη πνείουσα τὰ μὲν φύει, ἄλλα δὲ
πέσσει. 120 ὄγχνη ἐπ᾽ ὄγχνῃ γηράσκει, μῆλον δ᾽ ἐπὶ μήλῳ, αὐτὰρ ἐπὶ σταφυλῇ
σταφυλή, σῦκον δ᾽ ἐπὶ σύκῳ.

(Homer 1919)

But without the courtyard {of Alkinoos}, hard by the door, is a great orchard of
four acres, and a hedge runs about it on either side. Therein grow trees, tall and
luxuriant, [115] pears and pomegranates and apple-trees with their bright fruit, and
sweet figs, and luxuriant olives. Of these the fruit perishes not nor fails in winter or
in summer, but lasts throughout the year; and ever does the west wind, as it blows,
quicken to life some fruits, and ripen others; [120] pear upon pear waxes ripe, apple
upon apple, cluster upon cluster, and fig upon fig.

(Homer 1919)

Odyssey XXIV 336-344

εἰ δ᾽ ἄγε τοι καὶ δένδρε᾽ ἐϋκτιμένην κατ᾽ ἀλωὴν εἴπω, ἅ μοί ποτ᾽ ἔδωκας,
ἐγὼ δ᾽ ᾔτεόν σε ἕκαστα παιδνὸς ἐών, κατὰ κῆπον ἐπισπόμενος: διὰ δ᾽
αὐτῶν ἱκνεύμεσθα, σὺ δ᾽ ὠνόμασας καὶ ἔειπες ἕκαστα. 340 ὄγχνας μοι
δῶκας τρισκαίδεκα καὶ δέκα μηλέας, συκέας τεσσαράκοντ᾽: ὄρχους δέ μοι
ὧδ᾽ ὀνόμηνας δώσειν πεντήκοντα, διατρύγιος δὲ ἕκαστος ἤην: ἔνθα δ᾽ ἀνὰ
σταφυλαὶ παντοῖαι ἔασιν— ὁππότε δὴ Διὸς ὧραι ἐπιβρίσειαν ὕπερθεν.

(Homer 1919)

And come, I will tell thee also the trees in the well-ordered garden which once
thou gavest me, and I, who was but a child, was following thee through the garden,
and asking thee for this and that. It was through these very trees that we passed,
and thou didst name them, and tell me of each one. [340] Pear-trees thirteen thou
gavest me, and ten apple-trees, and forty fig-trees. And rows of vines too didst
thou promise to give me, even as I say, fifty of them, which ripened severally at
different times—and upon them are clusters of all sorts—whensoever the seasons
of Zeus weighed them down from above.

(Homer 1919)
164 Václav Blažek

Hesiod, Theogony 211-216

νὺξ δ᾽ ἔτεκεν στυγερόν τε Μόρον καὶ Κῆρα μέλαιναν καὶ Θάνατον, τέκε δ᾽
Ὕπνον, ἔτικτε δὲ φῦλον Ὀνείρων: δεύτερον αὖ Μῶμον καὶ Ὀιζὺν ἀλγινόεσσαν
οὔ τινι κοιμηθεῖσα θεὰ τέκε Νὺξ ἐρεβεννή, 215 Ἑσπερίδας θ᾽, ᾗς μῆλα πέρην
κλυτοῦ Ὠκεανοῖο χρύσεα καλὰ μέλουσι φέροντά τε δένδρεα καρπόν.

(Hesiod 1914)

And Night bore hateful Doom and black Fate and Death, and she bore Sleep and
the tribe of Dreams. And again the goddess murky Night, though she lay with
none, bare Blame and painful Woe, [215] and the Hesperides who guard the rich,
golden apples and the trees bearing fruit beyond glorious Ocean.

(Hesiod 1914)

Euripides, Heracles 394-402

ὑμνῳδούς τε κόρας 395 ἤλυθεν ἑσπέριον ἐς αὐλάν, χρυσέων πετάλων ἄπο
μηλοφόρον χερὶ καρπὸν ἀμέρ-ξων, δράκοντα πυρσόνωτον, ὅς σφ᾽ ἄπλατον
ἀμφελικτὸς ἕλικ᾽ ἐφρούρει, κτανών: 400 ποντίας θ᾽ ἁλὸς μυχοὺς εἰσέβαινε,
θνατοῖς γαλανείας τιθεὶς ἐρετμοῖς.

(Euripides 1913)

And he came to those minstrel maids, [395] to their orchard in the west, to pluck
from golden leaves the apple-bearing fruit, when he had slain the tawny dragon,
whose terrible coils were twined all round to guard it; [400] and he made his way into
ocean’s lairs, bringing calm to men that use the oar.

(Euripides 1938)

Euripides, Hippolytus 742-751

Ἑσπερίδων δ᾽ ἐπὶ μηλόσπορον ἀκτὰν | ἀνύσαιμι τᾶν ἀοιδῶν, | ἵν᾽ ὁ πορφυρέας
πον-|τομέδων λίμνας | 745 ναύταις οὐκέθ᾽ ὁδὸν νέμει, | σεμνὸν τέρμονα κυρῶν
| οὐρανοῦ, τὸν Ἄτλας ἔχει: | κρῆναί τ᾽ ἀμβρόσιαι χέον-|ται Ζηνὸς | μελάθρων
παρὰ κοίταις, | 750 ἵν᾽ ὀλβιόδωρος αὔξει ζαθέα | χθὼν εὐδαιμονίαν θεοῖς.

(Euripides a)

To the apple-bearing shore of the Hesperides, famous singers, would I go my way,

there where the lord of the deep-blue mere [745] forbids further passage to sailors,
fixing the sacred boundary of the skies, the pillar held up by Atlas. There fonts
immortal flow by the place where Zeus lay, [750] and holy Earth with her gifts of
blessedness makes the gods’ prosperity wax great.

(Euripides b)
 The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition 165

Apollonius Rhodius (3rd BCE), Argonautica IV, 1393-1405, 1427-1435

1393
Λυσσαλέοις δἤπειτ’ ἴκελοι κυσὶν ἀίσσοντες Then, like raging hounds, they
1394
πίδακα μαστεύεσκον: ἐπὶ ξηρὴ γὰρ ἔκειτο rushed to search for a spring; for
1395
δίψα δυηπαθίῃ τε καὶ ἄλγεσιν, οὐδ’ besides their suffering and anguish,
ἐμάτησαν a parching thirst lay upon them, and
1396
πλαζόμενοι: ἷξον δ’ ἱερὸν πέδον, ᾧ ἔνι not in vain did they wander; but
Λάδων they came to the sacred plain where
Ladon, the serpent of the land, till
1397
εἰσέτι που χθιζὸν παγχρύσεα ῥύετο μῆλα
yesterday kept watch over the golden
1398
χώρῳ ἐν Ἄτλαντος, χθόνιος ὄφις: ἀμφὶ δὲ
apples in the garden of Atlas; and all
νύμφαι
around, the nymphs, the Hesperides
1399
Ἑσπερίδες ποίπνυον, ἐφίμερον ἀείδουσαι. were busied, chanting their lovely
1400
δὴ τότε δ’ ἤδη τῆμος ὑφ’ Ἡρακλῆι song. But at that time, stricken by
δαϊχθεὶς Heracles, he lay fallen by the trunk of
1401
μήλειον βέβλητο ποτὶ στύπος: οἰόθι δ’ the apple-tree; only the tip of his tail
ἄκρῃ was still writhing; but from his head
1402
οὐρῇ ἔτι σκαίρεσκεν: ἀπὸ κρατὸς δὲ down his dark spine he lay lifeless;
κελαινὴν and where the arrows had left in his
1403
ἄχρις ἐπ’ ἄκνηστιν κεῖτ’ ἄπνοος: ἐκ δὲ blood the bitter gall of the Lernaean
λιπόντων hydra, flies withered and died over
1404
ὕδρης Λερναίης χόλον αἵματι πικρὸν the festering wounds.
ὀιστῶν
1405
μυῖαι πυθομένοισιν ἐφ’ ἕλκεσι
τερσαίνοντο.
(Apollonius Rhodius)
1427
Ἑσπέρη αἴγειρος, πτελέη δ’ Ἐρυθηὶς Hespere became a poplar and
ἔγεντο: Eretheis an elm, and Aegle
1428
Aἴγλη δ’ ἰτείης ἱερὸν στύπος. ἐκ δέ νυ a willow’s sacred trunk. And forth
κείνων from these trees their forms looked
1429
δενδρέων, οἷαι ἔσαν, τοῖαι πάλιν out, as clear as they were before,
ἔμπεδον αὔτως a marvel exceeding great, and Aegle
1430
ἐξέφανεν, θάμβος περιώσιον, ἔκφατο δ’ spake with gentle words answering
Aἴγλη their longing looks: “Surely there
has come hither a mighty succour to
1431
μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσιν ἀμειβομένη
your toils, that most accursed man,
χατέοντας:
who robbed our guardian serpent of
1432
“̂Ἠ ἄρα δὴ μέγα πάμπαν ἐφ’ ὑμετέροισιν life and plucked the golden apples
ὄνειαρ of the goddesses and is gone; and
1433
δεῦρ’ ἔμολεν καμάτοισιν ὁ κύντατος, has left bitter grief for us.
ὅστις ἀπούρας
1434
φρουρὸν ὄφιν ζωῆς παγχρύσεα μῆλα
θεάων
1435
οἴχετ’ ἀειράμενος: στυγερὸν δ’ ἄχος
ἄμμι λέλειπται.
(Apollonius Rhodius 1912a; Apollonius Rhodius 1990)
166 Václav Blažek

Pseudo-Eratosthenes (1st cent. CE), Catasterismi 3

3. Δράκοντος
Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ μέγας τε καὶ δι ̓ ἀμφοτέρων τῶν Ἄρκτων κείμενος· λέγεται δὲ
εἷναι ὁ τὰ χρύσεα μῆλα φυλάσσων, ὑπὸ δὲ Ἡρακλέους ἀναιρεθείς· ᾧ καὶ ἐν
τοῖς ἅστροις τάξις ἐδόθη δι ̓ Ἥραν, ἣ κατέστησεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὰς Ἑσπερίδας
φύλακα τῶν μήλων· Φερεκύδης γάρ φησιν, ὅτε ἐγαμεῖτο ἡ Ἥρα ὑπὸ Διὸς,
φερόντων αὐτῇ τῶν θεῶν δῶρα τὴν Γῆν ἐλθεῖν φέρoυσαν τὰ χρύσεα μῆλα·
ἰδοῦσαν δὲ τὴν Ἥραν θαυμάσαι καὶ εἰπεῖν καταφυτεῦσαι εῖς τὸν τῶν
θεῶν κῆπον, ὃς ἦν παρὰ τῷ Ἄτλαντι· ὑπὸ δὲ τῶν ἐκείνου παρθένων ἀεὶ
ὑφαιρουμένων τῶν μήλων κατέστησε φύλακα τὸν ὄφιν ὑπερμεγέθη ὄντα·
μέγιστον δὲ ἔχει σημεῖον· ἐπίκειται δὲ αὐτῷ Ἡρακλέος εἴδωλον, ὑπόμνημα
τοῦ ἀγῶνος Διὸς θέντος ἐναργέστατον τῇ σχηματοποιίᾳ.

(Pseudo-Eratosthenis 1897: 3-4)

3. Draco
This is the large dragon that lies between the two Bears. It is said to be the dragon
that guarded the golden apples and was slain by Heracles. Hera placed the dragon
in the land of Hesperides as guardian of apples and granted it a position among
the stars. Pherecydes says that at the marriage of Zeus and Hera the gods brought
many gifts for the bride and the Gaea came bearing the golden apples. Hera
marvelled at the apples and ordered that they be planted in the garden of the gods,
which was near Mount Atlas. She placed a dragon of extraordinary size to guard
against the daughters of Atlas, who were constantly snatching away the apples.
The constellation itself is very large. Above it lies the constellation of Heracles,
very prominent by its configuration, and placed there by Zeus as a reminder of the
struggle.

(Condos 1997: 101)

Pseudo-Apollodorus (2nd cent. CE), Library 2.5.11

τελεσθέντων δὲ τῶν ἄθλων ἐν μηνὶ καὶ ἔτεσιν ὀκτώ, μὴ προσδεξάμενος
Εὐρυσθεὺς τόν τε τῶν τοῦ Αὐγέου βοσκημάτων καὶ τὸν τῆς ὕδρας, ἑνδέκατον
ἐπέταξεν ἆθλον παρ᾽ Ἑσπερίδων χρύσεα μῆλα κομίζειν. ταῦτα δὲ ἦν, οὐχ ὥς
τινες εἶπον ἐν Λιβύῃ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἄτλαντος ἐν Ὑπερβορέοις: ἃ Διὶ Γῆ γήμαντι
Ἥραν ἐδωρήσατο. ἐφύλασσε δὲ αὐτὰ δράκων ἀθάνατος, Τυφῶνος καὶ
Ἐχίδνης, κεφαλὰς ἔχων ἑκατόν: ἐχρῆτο δὲ φωναῖς παντοίαις καὶ ποικίλαις.
μετὰ τούτου δὲ Ἑσπερίδες ἐφύλαττον, Αἴγλη Ἐρύθεια Ἑσπερία Ἀρέθουσα.
(…)
ὡς δὲ ἧκεν εἰς Ὑπερβορέους πρὸς Ἄτλαντα, εἰπόντος Προμηθέως τῷ
Ἡρακλεῖ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὰ μῆλα μὴ πορεύεσθαι, διαδεξάμενον δὲ Ἄτλαντος τὸν
πόλον ἀποστέλλειν ἐκεῖνον, πεισθεὶς διεδέξατο. Ἄτλας δὲ δρεψάμενος παρ᾽
 The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition 167

Ἑσπερίδων τρία μῆλα ἧκε πρὸς Ἡρακλέα. καὶ μὴ βουλόμενος τὸν πόλον ἔχειν
... καὶ σπεῖραν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς θέλειν ποιήσασθαι. τοῦτο ἀκούσας Ἄτλας,
ἐπὶ γῆς καταθεὶς τὰ μῆλα τὸν πόλον διεδέξατο. καὶ οὕτως ἀνελόμενος αὐτὰ
Ἡρακλῆς ἀπηλλάττετο. ἔνιοι δέ φασιν οὐ παρὰ Ἄτλαντος αὐτὰ λαβεῖν, ἀλλ᾽
αὐτὸν δρέψασθαι τὰ μῆλα, κτείναντα τὸν φρουροῦντα ὄφιν. κομίσας δὲ τὰ
μῆλα Εὐρυσθεῖ ἔδωκεν. ὁ δὲ λαβὼν Ἡρακλεῖ ] ἐδωρήσατο: παρ᾽ οὗ λαβοῦσα
Ἀθηνᾶ πάλιν αὐτὰ ἀπεκόμισεν: ὅσιον γὰρ οὐκ ἦν αὐτὰ τεθῆναί που.

(Apollodorus 1921)

When the labours had been performed in eight years and a  month, Eurystheus
ordered Hercules, as an eleventh labour, to fetch golden apples from the Hesperides,
for he did not acknowledge the labour of the cattle of Augeas nor that of the
hydra. These apples were not, as some have said, in Libya, but on Atlas among
the Hyperboreans. They were presented [by Earth] to Zeus after his marriage
with Hera, and guarded by an immortal dragon with a hundred heads, offspring of
Typhon and Echidna, which spoke with many and divers sorts of voices. With it
the Hesperides also were on guard, to wit, Aegle, Erythia, Hesperia, and Arethusa.

(…)

Now Prometheus had told Hercules not to go himself after the apples but to send
Atlas, first relieving him of the burden of the sphere; so when he was come to Atlas
in the land of the Hyperboreans, he took the advice and relieved Atlas. But when
Atlas had received three apples from the Hesperides, he came to Hercules, and
not wishing to support the sphere <he said that he would himself carry the apples
to Eurystheus, and bade Hercules hold up the sky in his stead. Hercules promised
to do so, but succeeded by craft in putting it on Atlas instead. For at the advice
of Prometheus he begged Atlas to hold up the sky till he should> put a  pad on
his head. When Atlas heard that, he laid the apples down on the ground and took
the sphere from Hercules. And so Hercules picked up the apples and departed.
But some say that he did not get them from Atlas, but that he plucked the apples
himself after killing the guardian snake. And having brought the apples he gave
them to Eurystheus. But he, on receiving them, bestowed them on Hercules, from
whom Athena got them and conveyed them back again; for it was not lawful that
they should be laid down anywhere.

(Apollodorus 1921)

Latin

Ovid, Metamorphoses: Atalanta v. 644-665

Est ager, indigenae Tamasenum nomine There is a field there which the natives call
dicunt, the Field Tamasus—the most prized of all
645
telluris Cypriae pars optima, quam mihi the fertile lands of Cyprus. This rich field,
prisci in ancient days, was set apart for me, by
168 Václav Blažek

sacravere senes templisque accedere dotem
hanc iussere meis. Medio nitet arbor in arvo,
fulva comas, fulvo ramis crepitantibus auro.
Hinc tria forte mea veniens decerpta
ferebam
650
aurea poma manu: nullique videnda nisi
ipsi
Hippomenen adii docuique, quis usus in illis.
Signa tubae dederant, cum carcere pronus
uterque
emicat et summam celeri pede libat
harenam.
Posse putes illos sicco freta radere passu
655
et segetis canae stantes percurrere
aristas.
Adiciunt animos iuveni clamorque favorque
verbaque dicentum: “Nunc, nunc incumbere
tempus!
Hippomene, propera! nunc viribus utere
totis!
pelle moram, vinces!” Dubium, Megareius
heros
660
gaudeat, an virgo magis his Schoeneia
dictis.
O quotiens, cum iam posset transire, morata
est
spectatosque diu vultus invita reliquit!
Aridus e lasso veniebat anhelitus ore,
metaque erat longe. Tum denique de tribus
unum
665
fetibus arboreis proles Neptunia misit.
chosen elders who decreed it should enrich
my temples yearly. In this field there grows
a tree, with gleaming golden leaves, and
all its branches crackle with bright gold.
Since I was coming from there, by some
chance, I had three golden apples in my
hand, which I had plucked. With them I
planned to aid Hippomenes. While quite
invisible to all but him, I taught him how
to use those golden apples for his benefit.
The trumpet soon gave signal for the race
and both of them crouching flashed quickly
forth and skimmed the surface of the
sandy course with flying feet. You might
even think those two could graze the sea
with unwet feet and pass over the ripened
heads of standing grain. Shouts of applause
gave courage to the youth: the cheering
multitude cried out to him:
—“Now is the time to use your strength.
Go on! Hippomenes! Bend to the work!
You’re sure to win!” It must be doubted
who was most rejoiced by those brave
words, Megareus’ son, or Schoeneus’
daughter. Oh, how often, when she could
have passed him, she delayed her speed;
and after gazing long upon his face
reluctantly again would pass him! Now
dry panting breath came from his weary
throat—the goal still far away.—Then
Neptune’s scion threw one of three gold
apples.
(Ovid 19221)

Ireland

Oidhe chloinne Tuireann (The Fate of the Children of Tuireann)

§31. (...)‘Maiseadh’, ar Lugh, ‘is iad na trí h-úbhla d’iarras orraibh, .i. trí h-úbla do
Ghargha na h-Isbéirne, a n-oirthear an domhain, agus ní fhoghnaifid úbhla dham
acht iad, óir is iad sin úbhla is feárr buaidh agus is áille ’san domhain iad, agus
is amhlaidh atáid agus dath an óir órloisgthe orra, agus ní mo ceann mic míora

1
English translation: <http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0959.phi006.perseus-
eng1:­10.652>
The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition 169

’ná gach úbhall diobh, agus blas meala bhior orra le n-a g-caitheamh; agush ní
fhágbharo gaotha cró, na aicíd aingcise air aoinneach do chaitheann iad; agus
ní lúghaide iad a m-beith dá síorchaitheamh go brádh; agus do ghnídh gach aon
theilgeas úbhall diobh, a rogha éachta, agus tig chuige tar ais arís; agus gidh calma
sibhse, a thriar laoch, saoilimse nach bh-fuil do chumas agaibh, (nidh, nach doiligh
liom), na h-úbhla sin do bhreith o’n muintir agá bh-fuilid, óir do rinneadh fáistine
dhóibh go rachfadaoir trí rideireadha óga ó iarthar na h-Eórpa da m-breith leo air
éigean.’

(O’Curry 1901: 26-27)

§31. (...) ‘Well’, said Lugh, ‘these are the three apples I have asked of you, namely,
three apples of the Garden of the Hesperides, in the east of the world; and only
these apples will satisfy me; for these are apples of attributes the best; they are
the most beautiful in the world, and thus it is with these apples; the colour of
burnished gold is upon them, and the head of a month’s old child is not larger than
each apple of them; the taste of honey is upon them whilst they are being eaten;
and everyone who casts one of them does a choice feat, and the apple again returns
to him; and though brave you be, O three warriors, I think that you do not possess
the power (a matter that I do not feel regret for) to take these apples from those
who have them; for there was a prophecy made to them that three young knights
would go from the west of Europe to take these apples from them by force.’

(O’Curry 1901: 95-96)

§39. Agus air n-dul annsin dóibh, d’fhiaf-ruigh Brian d’a bhráithrib: ‘Cionnor
dob’ áil libh dul d’ionnruighe Gardha na h-Isbeirne anoir, óir ir dóigh liom’, ar sé,
‘gunab amhlaidh bhíos ríogh-churaidh agus cath-mhilidh na criche agá chóimhéud,
agus an rígh féin ina cheann-phort orra.’ ‘Creud do dheunfamaois’, ar an chlann
eile, ‘acht dul d’a n-ionnruighe agus má’s treire dhúinn ’ná dhóibh na h-ubhla
sin do thabhairt uatha, nó sinn féin do thuitim ann air a ron, ó nach linn dul ó’n
g-cuntabhairt seo atá ionár g-cionn, gan bár d’fághail a n-áit éigin.’ ‘Tairir sin’,
ar Brian, ‘ir feárr linn ár n-álladh agus ár n-árdnór do chur ór áro orruinn agus ár
ngliocas agus ár ngairge d’aitris ionár n-diaidh, ’ná míghliocas agus meatacht do
dhul ós áro orruinn. Agus da réir sin, is í cómhairle ir indheunta dhúinn do’n chor
ro, .i. dul a reachtaibh seabhac séitreach, sárlúthmhar, d’ionnsuighe an Ghardha
úd; agus ní fhuil ag a chóimhéuduidhthibh acht a n-ainm eudtroma, ionchaithte d’ár
d-teilgean; agus tabhraídhse da bhur n-aire iadsan do léigean thorraibhgo lúthmhar,
lán-tapaidh, agus an tráth do theilgfid siao a  m-biaidh urlámh, ionchaithte aca,
dhíobh sin, cromaídhse air na h-úbhlaibh agus beiridh úbhall, gacha fin díobh agus
má fheudaimse é, do bhér dá úbhall liom, .i úbhall am’ ingnibh agus úbhall ann mo
bheul’.

§40. Do mholadar-san an chómhairle sin; agus do bhuail Brian do fhleisg doilbhthe

draoidheachta iad, iona d-triúr, go n-deárna reabhaic áille ėagsamhla dhíobh,
agus gluairid d’ionnsuighe na n-úbhall. Agus mothuighid an lucht cóimheuda iad,
agus do chaitheadar frasa feargacha fírnimhneacha leo; agus do bhádar-san air
a g-cóimheudh amhail d’aithin Brian roimhe, nó gur chuireadar an lucht cóimheuda
170 Václav Blažek

a  lámh-arma dhíobh uile, agus cromaid air na h-úbhlaibh go h-uirmheisneach;

agus do rig Brian dá úbhall leis, agus úbhall le gachfear do’n dís eile, agus fillid
slán, gan fuiliúghadh gan fóirdheargadh.

(O’Curry 1901: 33-34)

§39. And as they were going there, Brian thus questioned his brothers: “How
would you desire to go to the Garden of the Hesperides now, for it seems to me/’ he
continued, “that there are royal champions and warriors guarding it, and the king
himself is their leader.” “What should we do, “answered the other children, “but
go forward to attack them, and if we are stronger than they, wrest the apples from
them, or fall ourselves there on account of them, since we cannot escape from the
peril that impends over us without dying in some place.” “Instead of that,” said
Brian, “it is preferable that our fame and high renown should be promulgated
about us, and our ingenuity and our valour related after us, rather than folly and
cowardice should go abroad respecting us. And, therefore, this is the advice that
is very fitting for us to take on an occasion such as this namely, to go in the forms
of strong and very swift hawks towards yonder garden; its guards have only their
light arms, capable of being used for casting at us, and do you take care that these
shall go over you with agility and great activity; and when they shall have cast
what they have at hand, and fit to be cast, swoop down upon the apples, and let
each man of you carry off an apple; and if I can effect it, I will carry off two apples
with me namely, an apple in my talons and an apple in my beak.”

§40. They applauded that counsel, and Brian struck the three of them with a magic
and Druidical wand, so that he made of them beautiful and incomparable hawks;
and they forthwith made towards the apples. The guarding party perceived them,
and they raised an outcry upon every side of them; they threw fierce and very
deadly showers (of missiles) at them; they (the brothers) were upon their guard,
as Brian had previously enjoined, until the guarding party had thrown their and-
weapons from all of them, and then they swooped down upon the apples with very
great courage. Brian bore way with him two apples, and each of the other two an
apple, and they returned safe without bleeding or bloodshed.

(O’Curry 1901: 102-104)

Sage on Cú Roí
As-bert frie tria diuiti do dídnad a bróin, tipre boí i toíb Slébe Mis aníar, h-éo da-
n-aidbded and dia secht m-blíadne, uball óir boí inna medón. No teinfide a n-uball
sin cona chlaidiub fadeisin, is and boí a anim.

(Die Sage von CuRoi)

Er sagte ihr in seiner Einfalt, um sie in ihrem Kummer zu trösten, eine Quelle,
die westlich an der Seite von Sliab Mis sei, in der pflege sich am Ende von sieben
Jahren ein Salm zu zeigen; ein goldener Apfel sei in seinem Innern; dieser Apfel
könne nur mit seinem eigenen Schwert gespalten werden; seine Seele sei darin.

(Thurneysen 1913: 192, 195-96)

 The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition 171

In his simplicity, Cú Roí told her in order to comfort her that there was a source
{of water} in the West at the side of Sliab Mis, and every seven years a salmon
surfaced there. In the salmon was a golden apple (or ball); this apple could only be
split with his {Cú Roí’s} sword, which held his soul inside.

(Pfannenschmidt 2011: 251)

Imram Brain maic Febail, ocus a Echtra andso sís

The Voyage of Bran son of Febal, and his Expedition here below
2. Is ed tossach in sceóil. Imluid Bran
laa n-and a óinur i comocus dia dún,
cocúala, a ceól far íarna chúl. A
n-donécad tar a éissi, ba íarna chúl
beus nobíth a ceól. Contuil asendath
frissa ceól ar a bindi. A n-dofúsig asa
chotlud, conacca in cróib n-arggait
fua bláth find ina farruth, na bu hasse
etarscarath a bláthe frissin cróib
ísin. Dobert íarum Bran in cróib
ina láim dia rígthig. Órobatar inna
sochuidi isind rígthig conaccatar in
mnái i n-étuch ingnuth for láur in
tige. Is and cachain in cóicait rand so
do Braun arranchúale in slóg, ocus
adchondarcatar uili in mnái.
2. This is the beginning of the story. One day, in
the neighbourhood of his stronghold, Bran went
about alone, when he heard music behind him.
As often as he looked back, ’twas still behind
him the music was. At last he fell asleep at the
music, such was its sweetness. When he awoke
from his sleep, he saw close by him a branch of
silver with white blossoms, nor was it easy to
distinguish its bloom from that branch. Then
Bran took the branch in his hand to his royal
house. When the hosts were in the royal house,
they saw a woman in strange raiment on the
floor of the house. ‘Twas then she sang the
fifty quatrains to Bran, while the host heard her,
and all beheld the woman.
And she said:

Onus asbert:
3. ‘Cróib dind abaill a hEmain
dofed samail do gnáthaib,
gésci findarggait fora,
abrait glano co m-bláthaib.
4. ‘Fil inis i n-eterchéin
immataitnet gabra réin,
rith find fris’ tóibgel tondat,
cetheóír cossa foslongat.
3. ‘A branch of the apple-tree from Emain 
I bring, like those one knows;
Twigs of white silver are on it,
Crystal brows with blossoms.
4. ‘There is a distant isle,
Around which sea-horses glisten:
A fair course against the white-swelling surge,
Four feet uphold it.

5. ‘Is lí súla, sreth íar m-búaid,
am-mag forclechtat ins slúaig:
consna curach fri carpat
isin maig tess Findarggat.
5. ‘A delight of the eyes, a glorious range,
Is the plain on which the hosts hold games:
Coracle contends against chariot
In southern Mag Findargat.
(Meyer 1895: 10-11)2

2
aball, f., which glosses Lat. malus in Sg. 61 b, has come to denote any fruit-tree, as in fic-
abull mór arsata, “a large ancient fig-tree,” LBr. 158 a, 55. CL Stokes, Rev. Celt. x. p. 71, n. 3.
172 Václav Blažek

Lebor gabála Érenn, section VII, vv. 2557-2560

§16. Aidlidh abaill aillem li
dosfuil i fail Fhindchairi,
atá fo diamair amuigh —
ced dúib héc menefagbaigh.
§16. “Quest for the apple, most beautiful of colour,
which is about Findchairi,
it is concealed without —
if ye find it not, ye must die!”
(Macalister 1941)

The Wooing of Luaine and Death of Athirne

§7. Robadar .iiii. Manannan and 7 ni in enaimsir dobadar. Manandan mac Alloit,
drai an do Thuathaib de Danann, 7 a n-aimsir Tuaithi de Danann robai. Oirbsean
immorro a ainm diles. IS e in Manandan sin ro bai a n-Araind, 7 as fria side adbfrar
Eamain Ablach, 7 is e ro marbad i cath Cuilleann la hUilleann Abradruad mac
Caithir meic Nuadad Airgedlaim i cosnum righi Connacht, 7 intan roclas a adnocol
is ann ro mebaid Loch nOirbsen fo thir, conid uad ainmnighther Loch nOirbsean in
cét-Manannan.
§7. There were four Manannâns, and not at the same time were they. Manannân
son of Allot, a  splendid wizard of the Tuath dé Danann, and in the time of the
Tuath dé Danann was he. Orbsen, now, (is) his proper name. “Tis that Manannân
who dwelt in Arran, and from him Emain Ablach is called, and “tis he that was
killed in the battle of Cuillenn by Uillenn of the Red Eyebrows, son ofCaither, son
of Nuada Silverhand, contending for the kingship of Connaught. And when his
grave was dug, “tis there Loch n-Oirbsen broke lorth under the earth, so that from
him, the first Manannân, Loch n-Oirbsen is named.

(Stokes 1903: 274-75)

Welsh

The Black Book of Carmarthen XVII: Afallen “Apple-trees”

I.
Afallen peren per ychageu.
Puwaur maur weirrauc enwauc invev.
In diffrin machavuy merchyrdit crev.
Gorvolet y gimry goruaur gadev.
In amuin kyminaud clefytaud clev.
Aer o Saesson. ar onn verev.
A guarwyaur pelre ac ev pennev.
A mi disgoganafe gwir heb gev.
Dyrchafaud maban in advan y dehev.
I.
Sweet appletree, your branches delight me, 
Luxuriantly budding my pride and joy! 
I will put before the lord of Macreu, 
That on Wednesday, in the valley of
Machawy 
Blood will flow.
Lloegyr’s (England’s) blades will shine.
But hear, O little pig! on Thursday
The Cymry will rejoyce
In their defence of Cymimawd,
Furiously cutting and thrusting.
The Saesons (Saxons) will be slaughtered
by our ashen spears,
And their heads used as footballs.
I prophesy the unvarnished truth -
The rising of a child in the secluded South.
 The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition
II.
Afallen peren pren hyduf glas.
Pvwaur y chagev hy ae chein wanas.
Ami dysgoganafe kad am dias.
Penguern kywetyrn mety hatas.
[Ac am glych kyminawd kymyn leas
Eingyl gan pendeuic eryri eri attkas.]
III
Awallen peren. a pren melin.
A tyw in hal art. heb art inychilchin.
Ami discoganwe kad im prydin.
In amvin ev terwin aguir dulin.
Seith log. y deuant dros lydan lin.
A seith cant. dros mor y oreskin.
Or saul y deuant. nydant y kenhin.
Namuin seith lledawc gwydi ev llettkint.
IV
Awallen peren. Atyf tra run.
Kymaeth lissvne iny bon. ir bot y wun.
Amyscud. ar wy isguit. amdet ar wydun.
Ac yg coed. keliton y kisceisse vyhun.
Oian a perchellan. pir puyllutte hun.
Andaude adar dywir ev hymevtun.
Teernet dros mor adav dyv. llun.
Guin ev bed ve kymri or arowun.
V V
Awallen peren atif in llanerch.
Y hangert ae hargel rac riev ryderch.
Amsathir inybon. maon ynychilch.
Oet aelav vt vt dulloet diheueirch.
Nu nym cari guendit ac nimeneirch.
Oef kas gan gwassauc guaessaf rydirch.
Ryrewineis y mab ae merch.
Aghev aduc paup. pa rac nam kyueirch.
A. guydi guendolev nep riev impeirch.
Nym gogaun guarvy. nym goffvy gorterch.
Ac igueith arywderit. oet eur. wygorthorch
Kin buyf. aelav hetiv gan eiliv eleirch.
173
II
Sweet and luxuriant appletree,
Great its branches, beautiful its form!
I predict a battle that fills me with far.
At Pengwern, men drink mead,
But around Cyminawd is a deadly hewing
By a chieftain from Eryri—til only hatred
remains.
III
Sweet yellow appletree,
Growing in Tal Ardd,
I predict a battle at Prydyn,
In defense of frontiers.
Seven ships will come
Across a wide lake,
Seven hundred men come to conquer.
Of those who come, only seven will return
According to my prophecy.
IV
Sweet appletree of luxuriant growth! 
I used to find food at its foot,
When because of a maid,
I slept alone in the woods of Celyddon, 
Shield on shoulder, sword on,
Hear, O little pig! listen to my 
As sweet as birds that sing on Monday 
When the sovereigns come across the sea, 
Blessed by the Cymry (Welsh), because of
their strength.
Sweet appletree in the glade,
Trodden is the earth around its base.
The men of Rhydderch see me not,
Gwendyyd no longer loves nor greets me
I am hated by Rhydderch’s strongest scion.
I have despoiled both his son and daughter:
Death visits them all—why not me?
After Gwnddoleu no one shall honour me,
No diversions attend me,
No fair women visit me.
Though at Arderydd (Arthuret) I wore
a golden torque
The swan-white woman despises me now.
174 Václav Blažek
VI
Afallen peren. blodev essplit.
Atiff in argel in argoydit.
Chuetlev a giklev ir inechrev dit.
Ryssorri guassauc guaessaf. meufit.
Duywetih atheirgueith. pedeirguieth in vn. powerful minister,
dit.
Och iessu. na dyffv wynihenit.
Kyn dyffod ar willave lleith mab guendit. Christ! that my end has come
VII
Afallen peren atiff ar lan. afon.
Iny llurv. ny lluit maer. arychlaer aeron. Who will thrive on its wondrous fruit?
Trafu vm puyll. wastad. am buiad inibon.
A. bun wen warius. vn weinus vanon
Dec inlinet adev ugein iny gein anetwon
It vif inymteith gan willeith agwillon.
Guydi da diogan aditan kertorion.
Nv nev nam guy. guall. gan wylleith
a guyllon.
Nv nev nachyscafe ergrinaf. wynragon.
Vy argluit guendolev ambrorryv brodorion. Can lead me astray. I never sleep, but
Guydi porthi heint a hoed am cylch coed
keliton.
Buyf guas guinwydic. gan guledic
gorchortion.
VIII
Afallen peren blodev essplit.
Atyf igwerid ag hiid y guit.
Disgogan hwimleian hwetil adiwit.
Id lathennaur gan brid gurhid erwit.
Rac dreigev arderchev. riev rybit.
Goruit grat wehin din digrefit.
Rach maban hvan heolit arweit.
saesson ardiwreit beirt ar kinit.
VI
Sweet appletree, with delicate blossom, 
Growing concealed, in the wind! 
At the tale was told to me
That my words had offended the most
Not once, not twice, but thrice in a single
day.
Before the killing of Gwndydd’s son
Was upon my hands!
VII
Sweet appletree, growing by the river, 
 
When my reason was intact
I used to lie at its foot
With a fair wanton maid, of slender form.
Fifty years the plaything of lawless en
I have wandered in gloom among spirits
After great wealth, and gregarious
minstrels,
I have been here so long not even sprites
tremble at the thought
Of my Lord Gwenddoleu, and y own
native people.
Long have I suffered unease and longing--
May I be given freedom in the end.
VIII
Sweet appletree with your delicate
blossom,
Growing amid the thickets of trees!
Chwyfleian foretells,
A tale that will come to pass
A staff of gold, signifying bravery
Will be given by the glorious Dragon
Kings. 
The grateful one will vanquish the
profaner, 
Before the child, bright and bold,
The Saesons shall fall, and bards will
flourish
 The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition 175

IX
Afallen peren a pren fion
Attif y dan gel yg coed keliton.
Kid keisseer ofer vit heruit y haton.
Iny del kadwaladir oe kinadil kadwaon.
Y erir tywi a teiwi affon.
A dyuod grande o aranwinion.
A guneuthur guar. o. willt. a gwallt hirion.
IX
Sweet appletree of crimson colour,
Growing, concealed in the wood of
Celyddon:
Though men seek your fruit, their search
is vain
Until Cadwaladyr comes from Cadfaon's
meeting
To Teiwi river and Tywi’s lands,
Till anger and anguish come from
Arawynion,
And the long-hairs are tamed.

X X
Afallen peren a pren fion.
Attif. y dan gel yg coed keliton.
Kid keisser ofervit herwit. y havon.
Yn y del kadwaladir oe kinadyl. rid reon.
Kinan iny erbin ef kychwin ar saesson.
Kimry a orvit kein bid endragon.
Kaffaud paub y teithi. llauen vi bri brython.
Kenhittor kirrn eluch. kathil hetuch a hinon.
Sweet appletree of crimson colour,
Crowing, concealed, in the wood of
Celyddon
Though men seek your fruit, their search
is vain,
Till Cadwalad comes from Rhyd Rheon’s
meeting,
And with Cynon advances against the
Saeson.
Victorious Cymry, glorious their leaden,
All shall how their rights again,
All Britons rejoice, sounding joyful horns.
Chanting songs of happiness and peace!
(Afallen; Appletrees)

Geoffrey of Monmouth referred about Insula Avallonis in the Historia Regum

Brittanniae (IX, 1; XI, 2). In the later Vita Merlini he called it Insula Pomorum
the “isle of fruit trees” (from Latin pōmus “fruit tree”). The name is generally
considered to be of Welsh origin (though an Old Cornish or Old Breton origin is
also possible), derived from Old Welsh aball, “apple/fruit tree” (in later Middle
Welsh spelled avall; now Modern Welsh afall). .. It is also possible that the
tradition of an “apple” island among the British was influenced by Irish legends
concerning the otherworld island home of Manannán mac Lir and Lugh, Emain
Ablach (also the Old Irish poetic name for the Isle of Man),[1] where Ablach means
“Having Apple Trees”—derived from Old Irish aball (“apple”) - and is similar to
the Middle Welsh name Afallach, which was used to replace the name Avalon in
medieval Welsh translations of French and Latin Arthurian tale.

(Avalon)
176 Václav Blažek
Geoffrey of Monmouth, Vita Merlini
Jnsula post nostram prestantior omnibus
esse
Fertur hibernensis felici fertilitate
Est etenim maior nec apes- nec aues nisi
raras
Educit- penitus que negat generare
colubres
Vnde fit ut tellus illinc auecta lapis ue
Si superaddatur serpentes tollat apes que
Gadibus herculeis adiungitur insula gades
Nascitur hic arbor cuius de cortice gummi
Stillat- quo gemine fiunt super illita iura
Hesperides uigilem perhibentur habere
draconem
Quem seruare ferunt sub frondibus aurea
poma
Gorgades habitant mulieres corprois hirci
Que celeri cursu lepores superare
feruntur
Argire crisse que gerunt ut dicitur aurum
Argentum que simul ceu uilia saxa
corinthus
Taprobana uiret fecundo cespite grata
Bis etenim segetes anno producit in vno
Bis gerit estatem- bis uer- bis coligit uuas
Et fructus alios nitidis gratissima gemis
Atilis eterno producit uere uirentes
Flores et frondes per tempora cuncta
uirendo
Jnsula pomorum que fortunata uocatur
Ex re nomen habet quia per se singula
profert
Non opus est illi sulcantibus arua colonis
Omnis abest cultus nisi quem natura
ministrat
Vltro fecundas segetes producit et uuas
Nataque poma suis pretonso germine siluis
“The most outstanding island after our own
is said to be Ireland with its happy fertility.
It is larger and produces no bees, and no
birds except rarely, and it does not permit
snakes to breed in it. Whence it happens
that if earth or a stone is carried away
from there and added to any other place it
drives away snakes and bees. The island of
Gades lies next to Herculean Gades, and
there grows there a tree from whose bark
a gum drips out of which gems are made,
breaking all laws. The Hesperides are said
to contain a watchful dragon who, men say,
guards the golden apples under the leaves.
The Gorgades are inhabited by women
with goats’ bodies who are said to surpass
hares in the swiftness of their running.
Argyre and Chryse bear, it is said, gold and
silver just as Corinth does common stones.
Sri Lanka blooms pleasantly because of
its fruitful soil, for it produces two crops
in a single year; twice it is summer, twice
spring, twice men gather grapes and other
fruits, and it is also most pleasing because
of its shining gems. Tiles produces flowers
and fruits in an eternal spring, green
throughout the seasons.
The island of apples which men call “The
Fortunate Isle” gets its name from the fact
that it produces all things of itself; the
fields there have no need of the ploughs of
the farmers and all cultivation is lacking
except what nature provides. Of its own
accord it produces grain and grapes, and
apple trees grow in its woods from the
close-clipped grass. The ground of its own
accord produces everything instead of
merely
 The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition 177

Omnia gignit humus uice graminis ultro grass, and people live there a hundred
redundans years or more. There nine sisters rule by
Annis centenis aut ultra viuiter illic a pleasing set of laws those who come to
Jllic iura nouem geniali lege sorores them from our country. She who is first
Dant his qui ueniunt nostris ex partibus ad of them is more skilled in the healing art,
se and excels her sisters in the beauty of her
Quarum que prior est fit doctior arte person. Morgen is her name, and she has
medendi learned what useful properties all the herbs
Excedit que suas forma prestante sorores contain, so that she can cure sick bodies.
Morgen ei nomen didicit que quid utilitatis She also knows an art by which to change
her shape, and to cleave the
Gramina cuncta ferant ut languida corpora air on new wings like Daedalus; when she
curet wishes she is at Brest, Chartres, or Pavia,
Ars quoque nota sibi qua scit mutare and when she will she slips down from
figuram the air onto your shores. And men say that
Et resecare nouis quasi dedalus aera pennis she has taught mathematics to her sisters,
Cum uult est bristi- carnoti- siue papie Moronoe, Mazoe, Gliten, Glitonea, Gliton,
Cum uult in uestris es aere labitur horis Tyronoe, Thitis; Thitis best known for her
Hanc que mathematicam dicunt didicisse cither. Thither after the battle of Camlan
sorores we took the wounded Arthur, guided by
Barinthus to whom the
Moronoe- mazoe- gliten- glitonea- gliton waters and the stars of heaven were well
Tyronoe- thiten- cithara notissima thiten known. With him steering the ship we
Jlluc post bellum camblani uulnere lesum arrived there with the prince, and Morgen
Duximus arcturum nos conducente barintho received is with fitting honour, and in her
Equora cui fuerant et celi sydera nota chamber she placed the king on a golden
Hoc rectore ratis cum principe uenimus bed and with er own hand she uncovered
illuc
Et nos quo decuit morgen suscepit honore his honourable wound and gazed at it for
Jnque suis talamis posuit super aurea a long time. At length she said that health
regem could be restored to him if he stayed
Stulta manu que sibi detexit uulnus honesta with her for a long time and made use of
Jnspexit que diu. tandem que redire salutem her healing art. Rejoicing, therefore, we
Posse sibi dixit- si secum tempore Longo entrusted the king to her and returning
Esset et ipsius uellet medicamine fungi spread our sails to the favouring winds.”
Gaudentes igitur regem commisimus illi
Et dedimus uentis redeundo uela secundis
(Monmouth 1925)

Geoffrey of Monmouth, Historia Regum Brittanniae

IX.4. Accinctus etiam Caliburno gladio
optimo, et in insula Avallonis fabricata:
lancea dexteram suam decorat, quae
nomine Ron vocabatur: haec erat ardua
lataque lancea, cladibus apta.
“Then girding on his Caliburn, which was
an excellent sword made in the Isle of
Avallon, he graced his right hand with his
lance, named Ron, which was hard, broad,
and fit for slaughter.”
178 Václav Blažek

XI.2. Corruerunt etenim in parte “For on Modred’s side fell Cheldric,

Modredi: Cheldricus, Elafius, Egbrictus,
Bunignus, Saxones: Gillapatriae, Gillamor,
Gislafel, Gillarium, Hybernenses. Scoti
etiam et Picti cum omnibus fere quibus
dominabantur. In parte autem Arturi
Olbrictus rex Norwegiae, Aschillius rex
Daciae, Cador Limenic, Cassibellanus,
cum multis milibus suorum tam Britonum
quam caeterarum gentium quas secum
adduxerat. Sed et inclytus ille Arturus
rex letaliter vulneratus est, qui illinc ad
sananda vulnera sua in insulam Avallonis
advectus, cognato suo Constantino,
filio Cadoris ducis Cornubiae,
diadema Britanniae concessit, anno ab
incarnatione dominica quingentesimo
quadragesimo secundo.
Aleasius, Egbrict, and Bunignus,
Saxones; Gillapatric, Gillamor, Gistafel,
and Gillarius, Irish; also the Scots and
Picts, with almost all their leaders; on
Arthur’s side, Olbrict, kong of Norway,
Aschillius, well Brittons as foreigners,
that he had brought with him. And even
the renowned King Arthur himself was
mortally wounded; and being carried
thence to the isle of Avallon to be cured
of his wounds, he gave up the crown of
Britain to his kinsman Constantine, the
son of Cador, duke of Cornwall, in the
five hundred and forty-second year of our
Lord’s incarnation.”
(Monmouth 1854; Thompson 1842)

The Prose Edda of Snorri Sturlson

Gylfaginning = “The beguiling of Gylfi” XXVI:
26. Frá Braga ok Iðunni

Bragi heitir einn. Hann er ágætr at speki ok mest at málsnilld ok orðfimi. Hann kann
mest af skáldskap, ok af honum er bragr kallaðr skáldskapr, ok af hans nafni er sá
kallaðr bragr karla eða bragr kvinna, er orðsnilld hefir framar en aðrir, kona eða
karlmaðr. Kona hans er Iðunn. Hon varðveitir í eski sínu epli þau, er goðin skulu á
bíta þá er þau eldast, ok verða þá allir ungir, ok svá mun vera allt til ragnarökrs.”
Þá mælti Gangleri: “Allmikit þykkir mér goðin eiga undir gæzlu eða trúnaði
Iðunnar.”
Þá mælti Hárr ok hló við: “Nær lagði þat ófæru einu sinni. Kunna mun ek þar af at
segja, en þú skalt nú fyrst heyra fleiri nöfn ásanna.”
26. “One is called Bragi: he is renowned for wisdom, and most of all for fluency of
speech and skill with words. He knows most of skaldship, and after him skaldship
is called bragr, and from his name that one is called bragr-man or -woman, who
possesses eloquence surpassing others, of women or of men. His wife is Idunn: she
guards in her chest of ash those apples which the gods must taste whensoever they
grow old; and then they all become young, and so it shall be even unto the Weird
of the Gods.” Then said Gangleri: “A very great thing, methinks, the gods entrust
to the watchfulness and good faith of Idunn.” Then said Hárr, laughing loudly: “I
was near being desperate once; I may be able to tell thee of it, but now thou shalt
first hear more of the names of the Æsir.”

(Snorri Sturlson 1916)

 The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition 179

Skáldskaparmal I:
Hann hóf þar frásögn, at þrír æsir fóru heiman, Óðinn ok Loki ok Hænir, ok fóru
um fjöll ok eyðimerkr, ok var illt til matar. En er þeir koma ofan í dal nakkvarn, sjá
þeir öxnaflokk ok taka einn uxann ok snúa til seyðis. En er þeir hyggja, at soðit mun
vera, raufa þeir seyðinn, ok var ekki soðit. Ok í annat sinn, er þeir raufa seyðinn,
þá er stund var liðin, ok var ekki soðit. Mæla þeir þá sín á milli, hverju þetta mun
gegna. Þá heyra þeir mál í eikina upp yfir sik, at sá, er þar sat, kvaðst ráða því, er
eigi soðnaði á seyðinum. Þeir litu til, ok sat þar örn ok eigi lítill. Þá mælti örninn:
”Vilið þér gefa mér fylli mína af uxanum, þá mun soðna á seyðinum.” Þeir játa því.
Þá lætr hann sígast úr trénu ok sezt á seyðinn ok leggr upp þegar it fyrsta lær uxans
tvau ok báða bóguna. Þá varð Loki reiðr ok greip upp mikla stöng ok reiðir af öllu
afli ok rekr á kroppinn erninum. Örninn bregzt við höggit ok flýgr upp. Þá var föst
stöngin við bak arnarins, en hendr Loka við annan enda stangarinnar. Örninn flýgr
hátt svá, at fætr Loka taka niðr grjót ok urðir ok viðu, en hendr hans, hyggr hann, at
slitna munu ór öxlum. Hann kallar ok biðr allþarfliga örninn friðar. En hann segir,
at Loki skal aldri lauss verða, nema hann veiti honum svardaga at koma Iðunni út
of Ásgarð með epli sín, en Loki vill þat. Verðr hann þá lauss ok ferr til lagsmanna
sinna, ok er eigi at sinni sögð fleiri tíðendi um þeira ferð, áðr þeir koma heim. En at
ákveðinni stundu teygir Loki Iðunni út um Ásgarð í skóg nökkurn ok segir, at hann
hefir fundit epli þau, er henni munu gripir í þykkja, ok bað, at hon skal hafa með sér
sín epli ok bera saman ok hin. Þá kemr þar Þjazi jötunn í arnarharn ok tekr Iðunni
ok flýgr braut með ok í Þrymheim til bús síns.

En æsir urðu illa við hvarf Iðunnar, ok gerðust þeir brátt hárir ok gamlir. Þá áttu
þeir æsir þing, ok spyrr hverr annan, hvat síðast vissi til Iðunnar, en þat var sét
síðast, at hon gekk út ór Ásgarði með Loka. Þá var Loki tekinn ok færðr á þingit, ok
var honum heitit bana eða píslum. En er hann varð hræddr, þá kvaðst hann mundu
sækja eftir Iðunni í Jötunheima, ef Freyja vill ljá honum valshams, er hon á. Ok er
hann fær valshaminn, flýgr hann norðr í Jötunheima ok kemr einn dag til Þjaza
jötuns. Var hann róinn á sæ, en Iðunn var ein heima. Brá Loki henni í hnotarlíki ok
hafði í klóm sér ok flýgr sem mest. En er Þjazi kom heim ok saknar Iðunnar, tekr
hann arnarharminn ok flýgr eftir Loka, ok dró arnsúg í flugnum. En er æsirnir sá,
er valrinn flaug með hnotina ok hvar örninn flaug, þá gengu þeir út undir Ásgarð
ok báru þannig byrðar af lokarspánum. Ok þá er valrinn flaug inn of borgina, lét
hann fallast niðr við borgarvegginn. Þá slógu æsirnir eldi í lokarspánuna, en örninn
mátti eigi stöðva sik, er hann mássti valsins. Laust þá eldinum í fiðri arnarins, ok
tók þá af fluginn. Þá váru æsirnir nær ok drápu Þjaza jötun fyrir innan ásgrindr, ok
er þat víg allfrægt.

(Skáldskaparmal I)

“He {= Bragi} began the story at the point where three of the Æsir, Odin and
Loki and Hönir, departed from home and were wandering over mountains and
wastes, and food was hard to find. But when they came down into a certain dale,
they saw a herd of oxen, took one ox, and set about cooking it. Now when they
thought that it must be cooked, they broke up the fire, and it was not cooked. After
a while had passed, they having scattered the fire a second time, and it was not
180 Václav Blažek

cooked, they took counsel together, asking each other what it might mean. Then
they heard a voice speaking in the oak up above them, declaring that he who sat
there confessed he had caused the lack of virtue in the fire. They looked thither,
and there sat an eagle; and it was no small one.” Then the eagle said: “If ye are
willing to give me my fill of the ox, then it will cook in the fire.” They assented
to this. Then he let himself float down from the tree and alighted by the fire, and
forthwith at the very first took unto himself the two hams of the ox, and both
shoulders. Then Loki was angered, snatched up a great pole, brandished it with
all his strength, and drove it at the eagle’s body. The eagle plunged violently at the
blow and flew up, so that the pole was fast to the eagle’s back, and Loki’s hands
to the other end of the pole. The eagle flew at such a height that Loki’s feet down
below knocked against stones and rock-heaps and trees, and he thought his arms
would be torn from his shoulders. He cried aloud, entreating the eagle urgently for
peace; but the eagle declared that Loki should never be loosed, unless he would
give him his oath to induce Idunn to come out of Ásgard with her apples. Loki
assented, and being straightway loosed, went to his companions; nor for that time
are any more things reported concerning their journey, until they had come home.
But at the appointed time Loki lured Idunn out of Ásgard into a  certain wood,
saying that he had found such apples as would seem to her of great virtue, and
prayed that she would have her apples with her and compare them with these.
Then Thjazi the giant came there in his eagle’s plumage and took Idunn and flew
away with her, off into Thrymheimr to his abode. But the Æsir became straitened at
the disappearance of Idunn, and speedily they became hoary and old. Then those,
Æsir took counsel together, and each asked the other what had last been known of
Idunn; and the last that had been seen was that she had gone out of Ásgard with
Loki. Thereupon Loki was seized and brought to the Thing, and was threatened
with death, or tortures; when he had become well frightened, he declared that he
would seek after Idunn in Jötunheim, if Freyja would lend him the hawk’s plumage
which she possessed. And when he got the hawk’s plumage, he flew north into
Jötunheim, and came on a certain day to the home of Thjazi the giant. Thjazi had
rowed out to sea, but Idunn was at home alone: Loki turned her into the shape of
a nut and grasped her in his claws and flew his utmost. Now when Thjazi came
home and missed Idunn, he took his eagle’s plumage and flew after Loki, making
a mighty rush of sound with his wings in his flight. But when the Æsir saw how
the hawk flew with the nut, and where the eagle was flying, they went out below
Ásgard and bore burdens of plane-shavings thither. As soon as the hawk flew into
the citadel, he swooped down close by the castle-wall; then the Æsir struck fire to
the plane-shavings. But the eagle could not stop himself when he missed the hawk:
the feathers of the eagle caught fire, and straightway his flight ceased. Then the
Æsir were near at hand and slew Thjazi the giant within the Gate of the Æsir, and
that slaying is exceeding famous.”
 The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition
Der goldene Vogel
Es war vor Zeiten ein König, der hatte
einen schönen Lustgarten hinter seinem
Schloß, darin stand ein Baum, der goldene
Äpfel trug. Als die Äpfel reiften, wurden sie
gezählt, aber gleich den nächsten Morgen
fehlte einer. Das ward dem König gemeldet,
und er befahl, daß alle Nächte unter dem
Baume Wache sollte gehalten werden. Der
König hatte drei Söhne, davon schickte er
den ältesten bei einbrechender Nacht in den
Garten. Wie es aber Mitternacht war, konnte
er sich des Schlafes nicht erwehren, und am
nächsten Morgen fehlte wieder ein Apfel. In
der folgenden Nacht mußte der zweite Sohn
wachen, aber dem erging es nicht besser.
Als es zwölf Uhr geschlagen hatte, schlief er
ein, und morgens fehlte ein Apfel. Jetzt kam
die Reihe zu wachen an den dritten Sohn;
der war auch bereit, aber der König traute
ihm nicht viel zu und meinte, er würde noch
weniger ausrichten als seine Brüder; endlich
aber gestattete er es doch. Der Jüngling
legte sich also unter den Baum, wachte
und ließ den Schlaf nicht Herr werden. Als
es zwölf schlug, so rauschte etwas durch
die Luft, und er sah im Mondschein einen
Vogel daherfliegen, dessen Gefieder ganz
von Gold glänzte. Der Vogel ließ sich auf
dem Baume nieder und hatte eben einen
Apfel abgepickt, als der Jüngling einen Pfeil
nach ihm abschoß. Der Vogel entfloh, aber
der Pfeil hatte sein Gefieder getroffen, und
eine seiner goldenen Federn fiel herab. Der
Jüngling hob sie auf, brachte sie am andern
Morgen dem König und erzählte ihm, was
er in der Nacht gesehen hatte. Der König
versammelte seinen Rat, und jedermann
erklärte, eine Feder wie diese sei mehr wert
als das gesamte Königreich. “Ist die Feder so
kostbar,” erklärte der König, “so hilft mir die
eine auch nichts, sondern ich will und muß
den ganzen Vogel haben.”
3
Probably inspired by a tale from the collection Kindermährchen from Christoph Wilhelm
Günthers (1787).
4
English translation: <https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~spok/grimmtmp/046.txt>
181
In olden times there was a king, who had
behind his palace a beautiful pleasure-
garden in which there was a tree that bore
golden apples. When the apples were getting
ripe they were counted, but on the very next
morning one was missing. This was told to
the king,
and he ordered that a watch should be kept
every night beneath the tree.
The king had three sons, the eldest of whom
he sent, as soon as night came on, into the
garden, but when midnight came he could
not keep himself from sleeping, and next
morning again an apple was gone.
The following night the second son had to
keep watch, but it fared no better with him,
as soon as twelve o’clock had struck he fell
asleep, and in the morning an apple was
gone.
Now it came to the turn of the third son to
watch, and he was quite ready, but the king
had not much trust in him, and thought
that he would be of less use even than his
brothers, but at last he let him go. The youth
lay down beneath the tree, but kept awake,
and did not
let sleep master him. When it struck twelve,
something rustled through the air, and in
the moonlight he saw a bird coming whose
feathers were all shining with gold. The bird
alighted on the tree, and had just plucked
off an apple, when the youth shot an arrow
at him. The bird flew off, but the arrow had
struck his plumage, and one of his golden
feathers fell down. The youth picked it up,
and the next morning took it to the king
and told him what he had seen in the night.
The king called his council together, and
everyone declared that a feather like this
was worth more than the whole kingdom. If
the feather is so precious, declared the king,
one alone will not do for me, I must and will
have the whole bird.
(Brüder Grimm 18123; Brüder Grimm4)
182 Václav Blažek

Baltic

Latvian
Gauži raud Saulīte The Sun weeps bitterly
Ābeļu dārzā: in the apple-orchard,
Ābelei nokrita from the apple-tree
Zeltītai ābols. a golden apple has fallen.
Neraudi, Saulīt, Do not weep, Sun,
Dievs dara citu, the god gives {you} another,
Dievs dara citu - the god gives {you} another –
No zelta, no vara, of gold, of copper,
No zelta, no vara, of gold, of copper,
No sudrabiņa of silver.
(Lt dz III, 7970; Ivanov 1986: 27, including the comparison with the golden apples of
Hesperides)
Ritu jâs dieva dêli In the morning the divine sons will ride horses
zelt’ âboļu ritinât! to roll the golden apple.
(Ivanov, Toporov 1974, 21 after Sprogis 1868, 312, nr. 24)

Vienam vecam, vecam, neredzīgam tēvam bija trīs dēli—divi gudri, viens muļķis.
Tēvs bija izaudzinājis tādu ābeli, kam zelta āboli. Bet no tā laika, kad vecais
piepeši palicis neredzīgs, sāka katru nakti viens zelta ābols nozust. Tēvs beidzot
iedomājās, lai abi gudrie brāļi ābeli sargā. Bet miega pūžņi tev nosargās: noliekas
gaŗšļaukus, aizmieg. Nu sūta muļķīti pie ābeles. Tas izsēžas līdz mazai gaismiņai -
nekā. Patlaban muļķītis domā istabā iet, te pašulaik mazs putniņš zelta spalviņām
klāt un noknābj vienu zelta ābolu. Bet muļķītis manīgi notver putniņu aiz astītes
un nes ar visu ābolu iekšā. Pie durvīm zelta putniņš viņu gauži lūdzas, lai palaižot.
Šim paliek žēl, un tādēļ saka:
«Es tevi labprāt palaistu, man tevis nevajaga, bet kā atbildēšu tēvam?»
«Še, puisīt, ābols, še viena zelta spalviņa - un atbildi tēvam tā: noķēru putniņu,
noņēmu ābolu, palaidu putniņu, spalviņu paturēju!»
No rīta muļķītis iedod tēvam ābolu un saka, kā putniņš mācījis. Tēvs, to dzirdēdams,
žēlojas:
«Kāpēc viņu palaidi, tā bija mana Laima. Būtu to pie manis ienesis, tad es būtu
palicis redzīgs. Tagad, mani dēli, visi trīs eita tēva Laimiņu meklēt.»
Visi trīs aiziet. Aiz vārtiem gudrie vairs neņem muļķīti līdz—šie aiziet kopā, viņš
viens pats. Mežā muļķītis apmaldās. Te gadās sirms, sirms vilks un saka:
«Ko bēdā, lai gudrie iet. Sēdies man mugurā, es tevi aiznesīšu tur, kur tas putniņš
ir. Tas putniņš būs jauks, būrītis vēl jaukāks. Tomēr klausi mani: to būrīti neņemi,
paņemi putniņu un nāci tūdaliņ ārā.» Te muļķītis apsolās, bet tur tam citāds prāts:
«Kā lai putniņu bez būrīša pārnesu - ņemšu abus.»
Bet būrītis bijis ar smalku zelta stīgu pie ķēniņa gultas piestiprināts. Līdzko šis
nu būrīti ņem, te ķēniņš atmostas un liek saviem sargiem ņēmēju saķert. Par sodu
 The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition 183

ķēniņš uzliek muļķītim tādu zirgu atvest, kam sudraba spalva, zelta krēpes. Te nu
bija - būrīti ņemdams, dabūja pie meklētā vēl meklējamo klāt.
(Neredzīgā tēva āboli)

“One old, {very} old and blind father had three sons—two clever and one
foolish. The father had cultivated a kind of apple-tree which bore golden apples.
But from the time when the old man became blind, one gold apple began to
disappear every night. Finally it occurred to the father to send the clever sons to
guard the apple-tree. But how these sleepyheads watch: they lie down full-length,
and fall asleep. Now the silly one is sent {to guard} the apple-tree. He sat there till
dawn and nothing {happened}. Just at the moment when the silly {one} thought
of returning home, a little bird with golden wings approached and tried to peck off
one golden apple. But the silly one skillfully caught the little bird by his tail and
carried him together with the apple home. By the door the golden bird pleadingly
begged to be released. The silly felt sorry for him and for this reason told him:
‘I would like to release you, but what shall I tell my father?’ ‘There is, youth, the
apple and one golden feather here. Answer your father as follows: I have caught
the little bird, taken from him the apple, I have released the little bird and I have
kept the golden feather!’ In the morning the silly gave the apple to his father and
said what he was taught by the little bird. Listening to him, the father lamented:
‘Why did you release her? It was my Laima (= fate)?! If you had brought me the
bird, I could be seeing again. Now, my sons, all three of you go to seek Laimiņa
for your father.’ All three set out. Just past the gate the clever brothers left the
foolish one, and they went together, while he went alone. In the forest the silly
got lost. Suddenly a grey, quite grey wolf appeared and said: ‘It is nothing, let the
clever {brothers} go. Sit down, I’ll carry you to where the bird is. The bird will be
beautiful and his cage still more beautiful. However, obey me: Do not carry the
cage, take only the bird and come out right away.’ Thus the silly promised, but
on arriving there he thought otherwise: ‘How can I transfer the bird without the
cage—I will take both.’ But the cage was fastened by a fine golden string to the
bed of the king. As soon as the silly took the cage, the king was awakened, and he
commanded his guards to catch the thief. As a punishment he ordered to the silly
to fetch a horse of silver color and with a golden mane. So, upon taking the cage,
now the silly still had to find something else.”
184 Václav Blažek

Slavic

Serbo-Croatian
Vuk Stefanović Karadžić: Zlatna jabuka i devet paunica
Bio jedan car, pa imao tri sina i pred dvorom zlatnu jabuku koja za jednu noć i
ucveta i uzre i neko je obere, a nikako se nije moglo doznati ko. Jednom stane se
car razgovarati sa svojim sinovima: “Kud se to deva rod s naše jabuke!” Na to
će reći najstariji sin: “Ja ću noćas čuvati jabuku, da vidim ko je to bere.” I kad se
smrkne, on otide pod jabuku, pa legne pod njom da je čuva, ali kad jabuke već
počnu zreti, on zaspi, pa kad se u zoru probudi, a to jabuka obrana. Onda on otide
ocu i kaže mu sve po istini. Tada se ponudi drugi sin da čuva jabuku, ali i on prođe
kao i onaj: zaspi pod jabukom, pa kad se u zoru probudi, a to jabuka obrana. Sad
dođe red na najmlađega sina da i on čuva jabuku; on se opravi, dođe pod jabuku i
namesti krevet pod njom, pa legne spavati. Kad bude ispred ponoći, on se probudi
pa pogleda na jabuku, a jabuka već počela zreti, sav se dvor sjaji od nje. U taj čas
doleti devet zlatnih paunica, osam padnu na jabuku, a deveta njemu u krevet, kako
padne na krevet, stvori se devojka da je nije bilo lepše u svemu carstvu. Tako su
se njih dvoje grlili i ljubili do posle ponoći. Pa onda devojka ustane i zahvali mu
na jabukama, a on je stane moliti da mu ostavi barem jednu; a ona mu ostavi dve:
jednu njemu, a  drugu da odnese svome ocu. Devojka se potom opet pretvori u
paunicu i odleti sa ostalima. Kad ujutru dan osvane, ustane carev sin pa odnese ocu
one obadve jabuke. Ocu bude to vrlo milo, i pohvali najmlađega sina.

(Karadžić)

“There was a certain tsar and he had three sons. In front of his palace there was
a golden apple-tree. At night it always came into bloom and its fruits ripened. But
always somebody stole them and it was impossible to identify who it was. Once
the tsar talked with his sons: ‘What happens to the fruit from our apple-tree?!’
The oldest son answered: ‘Tonight I will guard the apples to see who steals them.’
After nightfall he left {home} for the apple-tree, and lay down under it to guard
the apples. But {just} at the time when apples began to ripen, he fell asleep. When
he waked up, the apples were picked. At that time he went to his father and talked
truthfully about it all. Then the second son offered to guard the apple-tree, but he
ended up as the first one: he fell asleep under the apple-tree and when he waked
up at dawn, the apples were picked. Now it is the turn of the youngest son to guard
the apple-tree. He set off, and when he reached the apple-tree, he placed a bed
under it and lay down to sleep. Before midnight he waked up and looked [up] at the
apple-tree. The apples were already beginning to ripen and the whole palace was
lighted up by them. At that moment nine peafowl {hens} flew in. Eight of them
swooped down on the apple-tree and the ninth one to him in his bed. Scarcely had
she touched the bed, but she changed into a maiden such that there was no more
beautiful {maiden} in the whole kingdom. So they embraced each other and loved
one another till midnight. At that moment the maiden ended {the lovemaking} and
expressed her thanks for the apples. He began to beg her to leave him at least one
 The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition 185

{apple}. And she left him two {apples}: one for him and the second one to bring
to his father. Then the maiden changed back into a pea hen and flew away after the
others. At dawn the young prince waked up and carried both apples to his father.
The father was pleased and praised him.”

РУССКАЯ НАРОДНАЯ СКАЗКА: Сказка о молодильных яблоках и

живой воде
(The apples of youth and the living water)
В некотором царстве, в некотором In a certain kingdom, in a certain land,
государстве жил да был царь, и было у there lived a Tsar, and he had three sons.
него три сына: старшего звали Федором, The eldest was named Fedor, the second was
второго Василием, а младшего Иваном. named Vasilij, and the youngest was named
Царь очень устарел и глазами обнищал, Ivan.
а слыхал он, что за тридевять земель, This Tsar was in his old age, and his
в тридесятом царстве есть сад с eyesight was poor. And he heard that past,
молодильными яблоками и колодец с in the kingdom, there was an orchard where
живой водой. Если съесть старику это apples of youth grew, and where a well full
яблоко — помолодеет, а водой этой of living water could be found. If the old
умыть глаза слепцу — будет видеть. man could eat such an apple, he would find
Царь собирает пир на весь мир, зовет на youth, and if he could wash his eyes with
пир князей и бояр и говорит им: that water, his sight would be restored.
—  Кто бы, ребятушки, выбрался из Therefore the Tsar ordered a feast to be
избранников, выбрался из охотников, prepared, and he called all the princes and
съездил за тридевять земель, в all the knights, and he told them: “Who
тридесятое царство, привез бы among you, faithful noblemen, would be first
молодильных яблок и живой воды among the chosen, first to volunteer, who
кувшинец о двенадцати рылец? Я бы would ride beyond three-nine lands, into the
этому седоку полцарства отписал. three-tenth kingdom, and would bring me
(…) some apples of youth and a ewer full of
living water? I would give half my kingdom
to such a man.”
Так и быть, помогу я тебе, Иван- “Many a youth went this way, few spoke
царевич. Девица Синеглазка, моя courteously. Oh, well, I will help you.
племянница, — сильная и могучая The maiden Sineglazka is my niece, she
богатырка. Вокруг ее царства — стена is a powerful and mighty warrior. Her
три сажени вышины, сажень толщины, kingdom is surrounded by a wall, high,
у ворот стража — тридцать богатырей. thick. There is a watch at the gate, 30
Тебя и в ворота не пропустят. Надо тебе warriors. They won’t even let you in. You
ехать в середину ночи, ехать на моем have to go there in the middle of the night,
добром коне. Доедешь до стены — и бей on my own good horse. Once you’re at the
коня по бокам плетью нехлестанной. foot of the wall, whip the horse with a never-
Конь через стену перескочит. lashed whip: it will jump the wall.
Ты коня привяжи и иди в сад. Увидишь Tie down the horse and go into the garden.
яблоню с молодильными You will see the apple tree with the
яблоками, а под яблоней колодец. Три apples of youth, and a well under the tree.
яблока сорви, а больше не бери. Take three apples, not one more.
И зачерпни из колодца живой воды And fill a ewer with the water.
кувшинец о двенадцати рылец.
186 Václav Blažek

Девица Синеглазка будет спать, ты в The maiden Sineglazka will be sleeping,

don’t you go into her chambers, get back on
терем к ней не заходи, а садись на коня и
бей его по крутым бокам. Он тебя через the horse and whip him stoutly: he’ll jump
стену перенесет. the wall again.”
Иван-царевич не стал ночевать у этой Ivan did not spend the night at this old
старухи, а сел на ее доброго коня и woman’s, he mounted her good horse and
поехал в ночное время. Этот конь rode off in the dark. This horse hopped over
поскакивает, мхи-болота перескакивает, swamps and bogs, jumped over rivers and
реки, озера хвостом заметает. lakes.
Долго ли, коротко ли, низко ли, высоко After a long time or a short, having ridden
ли, доезжает Иван-царевич в середине high, or maybe low, Prince Ivan arrived
ночи до высокой стены. У ворот стража in the middle of the night to the foot of
спит — тридцать могучих богатырей. a towering wall. There was a guard of 30
warriors at the gates.
Прижимает он своего доброго коня, бьет Ivan squeezed the horse with his legs,
его плетью нехлестанной. Конь осерчал whipped him with his never-lashed whip.
и перемахнул через стену. Слез Иван- The horse was angered, and jumped over the
царевич с коня, входит в сад и видит — wall. Prince Ivan dismounted, went into the
стоит яблоня с серебряными листьями, garden, and saw: there stood an apple tree
золотыми яблоками, а под яблоней with silver leaves and golden apples, and
колодец. there was a well under the tree.
Иван-царевич сорвал три яблока, а Prince Ivan picked three apples and filled
больше не стал брать да зачерпнул his ewer from the well. And then he desired
из колодца живой воды кувшинец о to see the powerful, mighty warrior-maiden
двенадцати рылец. И захотелось ему Sineglazka with his own eyes.
самою увидать сильную, могучую
богатырку, девицу Синеглазку.
(Skazka o molodil’nych jablokach i żiwoj wodje5)

Bulgarian: Тримата братя и златната ябълка

(Three brothers and golden apples)
Една жена имала трима синове. В
градината на къщата им растяло
чудно красиво ябълково дърво. Всяка
година то раждало само по една
ябълка, но не каква да е, а златна. Ала
в нощта, когато ябълката узрявала и
така заблестявала между клоните,
че цялата градина грейвала, долитала
една хала и откъсвала златната
ябълка.
There was a woman with three sons.
Although they were poor, they had one
treasure: in their little yard grew a most
wondrous apple tree. Every year, it bore but
a single fruit – an apple of the purest gold.
However, the family had never had the joy
of picking the tree’s gift, as every year a
hala would swoop down and steal the apple
just as it bloomed.
The sons watched this repeat year after
year, their anger growing at the hala’s

5
English translation: <http://russian-crafts.com/russian-folk-tales/apple-of-youth-tale.html>
 The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition
Една година, щом дошло време
ябълката да узрее, най-големият син
рекъл на майка си:
— Мале, ще отида да вардя ябълката.
Дай ми един нож и орехи, та да не
заспя.
Седнал най-големият син под
ябълката и започнал да троши орехи.
Изведнъж задухал силен вятър и
дърветата се превили чак до земята.
Тъмен облак закрил луната и звездите,
а от него се спуснала халата, грабнала
златната ябълка и докато големият
син се усети, отлетяла.
На другата година средният син казал
на майка си:
— Мале, отивам да вардя ябълката.
Дай ми един нож и орехи, че тръгвам.
Седнал той под ябълката, ала се
улисал да троши и да яде орехи и така
и не разбрал как халата откъснала
златната ябълка и изчезнала с нея.
На третата година най-малкият син
рекъл:
— Мале, този път аз ще вардя
ябълката. Дай ми ножа!
И вечерта се качил на дървото,
седнал в клоните близо до ябълката и
зачакал. Към полунощ се дочуло силно
бучене, въздухът затреперил и халата
се стрелнала към златната ябълка.
Тогава най-малкият брат изведнъж
изскочил и с нож в ръка се хвърлил
към чудовището. Започнала такава
борба, че чак земята се разтресла.
Най-малкият син се биел юнашки и
безстрашно нападал халата. Най-
накрая й нанесъл силен удар с ножа.
Тя изревала от болка, плеснала с криле
и с мъка се вдигнала към облаците.
Най-малкият син откъснал златната
ябълка и я отнесъл на майка си.
187
insolence. Finally, the eldest son decided
to try and stop the monster. On the eve
the apple was to bloom he went to his
mother and said, “Mother, give me a
knife and a bag of walnuts. I am going
to guard the apple”. His mother begged
him to be careful, but gave him the knife
and walnuts. He took them and went to sit
underneath the tree, eyes trained on the
horizon. Night fell. The hours passed with
not a sight of the hala (= she-dragon). The
eldest son’s eyes began closing despite
his efforts to keep awake by eating the
walnuts and soon, he was fast asleep. When
he awoke the next morning, the apple
was gone. He went back to his mother,
shame-faced. The next year, the second
son decided to try his hand at stopping
the hala. He, too, asked for a knife and
a bag of walnuts. This time, however, he
climbed the tree and waited for the hala
there, knife at the ready. Unfortunately,
it was no natural sleep that had fallen his
brother and he, too, woke to an empty tree.
On the third year, the third son went up
to his mother and said, “Mother, give me
the knife to guard the apple”. As he was
her youngest, the mother was hesitant to
let him near the tree, but finally relented
to his determination. The older brothers,
ashamed at their failures the years past,
mocked him as he went to sit in the tree:
“You better come back inside! If we could
not catch the monster, you might well die,
puny that you are!”
The youngest did not answer. Like his
second brother, he climbed the tree and
trained his eyes on the branch that was to
bear the golden apple.
As the hour of the apple’s bloom grew near,
weariness began weighting the boy’s eyes.
Realizing it was likely one of the hala’s
tricks, the boy made a shallow cut into his
arm. The pain cleared his mind and he was
wide-awake as the hala swooped into their
yard, monstrous form wrapped in wind and
dust. Not expecting the boy to be awake,
188 Václav Blažek

the hala stretched its muzzle towards the

apple without paying the human much
heed. This was to the youngest son’s
advantage and he slid the knife into the
hala’s neck, dealing an almost-mortal
wound. He then hid within the tree’s foliage
and out of the enraged monster’s sight. Hurt
and confused, the hala roared and fell back.
The winds fell away as its power waned
and, with a final angry look at the golden
apple weighting the tree’s branch, the
monster took off into the skies. The third
son watched it go, then quickly grabbed the
apple and brought it to his mother.

(Trimata bratja i zlatnata jabălka6)

Semitic

Hebrew
Old Testament (King James Version)
Genesis 3
1
  wəhannāḥāš hāyâ ‘ārûm mikōl ḥayyaṯ haśśāḏeh ’ăšer ‘āśâ yəhwâ ’ĕlōhîm
wayyō’mer ’el-hā’iššâ ’af kî-’āmar ’ĕlōhîm lō’ ṯō’ḵəlû mikōl ‘ēṣ hagān:
2
 watō’mer hā’iššâ ’el-hannāḥāš mipərî ‘ēṣ-hagān nō’ḵēl:
3
  ûmipərî hā‘ēṣ ’ăšer bəṯōḵə-hagān ’āmar ’ĕlōhîm lō’ ṯō’ḵəlû mimmennû wəlō’
ṯigə‘û bō pen-təmuṯûn:
4
 wayyō’mer hannāḥāš ’el-hā’iššâ lō’-mōṯ təmuṯûn:
5
 kî yōḏē‘a ’ĕlōhîm kî bəywōm ’ăḵāləḵem mimmennû wənifəqəḥû ‘ênêḵem wihəyîṯem
kē’lōhîm yōḏə‘ê ṭwōḇ wārā‘:
6
  watēre’ hā’iššâ kî ṭwōḇ hā‘ēṣ ləma’ăḵāl wəḵî ṯa’ăwâ-hû’ lā‘ênayim wəneḥəmāḏ
hā‘ēṣ ləhaśəkîl watiqqaḥ mipirəywō watō’ḵal watitēn gam-lə’îšāh ‘immāh wayyō’ḵal:
7
 watipāqaḥənâ ‘ênê šənêhem wayyēḏə‘û kî ‘êrummim hēm wayyiṯəpərû ‘ălēh ṯə’ēnâ
wayya‘ăśû lâem ḥăḡōrōṯ:
(…)
22
 wayyō’mer| yəhwâ ’ĕlōhîm hēn hā’āḏām hāyâ kə’aḥaḏ mimmennû lāḏa‘aṯ ṭōḇ wārā‘
wə‘atâ| pen-yišəlaḥ yāḏō wəlāqaḥ gam mē‘ēṣ haḥayyîm wə’āḵal wāḥay lə‘ōlām:
23
  wayəšalləḥēhû yəhwâ ’ĕlōhîm migan-‘ēḏen la‘ăḇōḏ ’eṯ-hā’ăḏāmâ ’ăšer luqqaḥ
miššām:

6
English translation: http://bg-read.livejournal.com/5954.html.
The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition 189
24
 wayəḡāreš ’eṯ-hā’āḏām wayyašəkēn miqqeḏem ləḡan-‘ēḏen ’eṯ-hakəruḇîm wə’ēṯ
lahaṭ haḥereḇ hammiṯəhapeḵeṯ lišəmōr ’eṯ-dereḵə ‘ēṣ haḥayyîm:
(Genesis/Bereshit, chap. 3)

Genesis 3
1
 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD
God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat
of every tree of the garden?
2
 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of
the garden:
3
 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye
shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4
 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5
 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened,
and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6
 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant
to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof,
and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
7
 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and
they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
(…)
22
 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good
and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and
eat, and live for ever:
23
 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the
ground from whence he was taken.
24
  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden
Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the
tree of life.
Proverbs 25
11
 tapûḥê zâāḇ bəmaśəkîyōṯ kāsef dāḇār dāḇur ‘al-’āfənāyw
11
 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
(Proverbs/Mishlei, chap. 25)
Song of Solomon 2
3
 kəṯapûḥa ba‘ăṣê hayya‘ar kēn dōḏî bên habānîm bəṣillwō ḥimmaḏətî wəyāšaḇətî
ûfirəyō māṯōq ləḥikî
3
 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons.
I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

Song of Solomon 7
 zō’ṯ qōmāṯēḵə dāməṯâ ləṯāmār wəšāḏayiḵə lə’ašəkōlōṯ
7(8)

  ’āmarətî ’e‘ĕleh ḇəṯāmār ’ōḥăzâ bəsanəsinnāyw wəyihəyû-nā’ šāḏayiḵə

8(9)

kə’ešəkəlōṯ hagefen wərêḥa ’apēḵə katapûḥîm

190 Václav Blažek
9(10)
wəḥikēḵə kəyên haṭṭōḇ hōlēḵə ləḏwōḏî ləmêšārîm dōḇēḇ śifəṯê yəšēnîm
(Song of Solomon/Shir Hashirim, chap. 7)

7
 This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.
8
 I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now
also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like
apples;
9
 And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down
sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.
(King James Version Bible)

Ugaritic
00-1. 20:II:10 d ti̓t . yspi̓ . spu̓ . q[ … ]
R1-1. 20:II:11 tpḥ . tṣr . shr--[ … ]
“who came to eat...., apples” (Zamora 2003).

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The present study was prepared thanks to a  grant from the The Czech Science
Foundation (GAČR), GA15-12215S. The author is grateful to John D. Bengtson
for his correction of English.
tradition color place guard thief magic power source text
194

Ossetic syzġærin orchard of Narts twins three birds = life-giving Nart epic:
fætḳuy Xsart & pigeon- strength Narty fætḳuy
“red-gold Xsartag hens healing all “apple of Narts”
apple”” wounds
Greek μῆλα Hesperides Hesiod, Theogony 211-
χρύσεα 216
“golden
Apples”
Characteristics of apples

χρυσέων maid’s (= dragon Euripides, Heracles

πετάλων ἄπο Hesperides) 394-402
Václav Blažek

μηλοφόρον χερὶ orchard in the

καρπὸν west
“from golden
leaves the apple-
bearing fruit”
παγχρύσεα μῆλα garden of Atlas Ladon, Heracles Apollonius Rhodius,
“golden apples” guardian serpent Argonautica IV, 1393-
1405, 1427-35

χρύσεα garden of the guardian serpent Heracles Pseudo-Eratosthenes,

μῆλα gods, near Mount Catasterismi 3
“golden Atlas
Apples”
(τρία) χρύσεα on Atlas among immortal serpent & Heracles through Pseudo-Apollodorus,
μῆλα “3 the Hyper-boreans four Atlas Library 2.5.11
“golden Hesperides
Apples”
tradition color place guard thief magic power source text
Latin tria aurea poma field Tamasus on Ovid,
Cyprus Metamorphoses:
Atalanta
Irish trí h-úbhla garden of warriors three brothers: Oidhe chloinne
“3 apples” Hesperides Brian, Iuchar, Tuireann
dath an óir (< Greek) Iucharba, (The Fate of the
órloisgthe changed in hawks Children of Tuireann)
“colour of
burnished gold”
Nordic epli chest of ash goddess Idunn giant Tjazi eternal youth Gylfaginning XXVI +
“apples” changed in eagle of gods Skáldskaparmal I
German goldene Äpfel pleasure-garden three brothers fire-bird with golden Brüder Grimm,
“golden apples” behind the palace feathers Kinder- und
Hausmärchen
Latvian zelta ābols “golden (implicitly) three brothers golden bird Latvian folk-tales
apple” apple-orchard (Laima)
Russian три orchard heroine three brothers youth Folktale O molodiľnyx
золотыe Sinoglazka jablokax i živoj vode
яблока (= blue-eyed) + 30 (On the apples of youth
”3 golden warriors and the living water)
Apples”
Croatian zlatna jabuka in front of tsar´s three brothers nine pea hens, Vuk S. Karadžić:
“golden apple- palace enchanted maidens Zlatna jabuka i devet
The role of “apple“ in the Indo-European mythological tradition

tree” paunica

Bulgarian златна ябълка small yard of three brothers she-dragon Trimata bratja i
“golden apples” mother zlatnata jabălka (Three
brothers and golden
195

apples)