This is BirdNode.

You might have heard of the phoenix, the legendary bird who burst into flames and is reborn from its ashes.

The story may have its roots in ancient Egypt.

Well, its literary cousin is the Slavic myth of the firebird,

an elusive creature whose feathers burn and light up the night.

One of the most common versions of the folktale was written by Alexander Afanasiev,

Tarevich Ivan, the firebird, and the grey wolf.

In the folktale, the firebird steals the Tsar's golden apples.

The hero Ivan Zarevich goes on a quest for the firebird and along the way

finds a horse and a princess thanks to an unlikely ally, a grey wolf. He returns with the

magical bird and becomes the Tsar's heir. Myths about fiery birds may have been inspired partly by the golden pheasant, a bird native to China.

It's a magnificent game bird with a golden crest, a worthy quest for a birder.

The mythical Chinese phoenix is known as the Feng

Wang. Stories about phoenix-like birds have spread all over, and firebird legends are found in

most Slavic cultures. These stories, like connective tissue, help unite people throughout the world.

This show is also available in Spanish.

Visit our website, birdnote.org, to learn more.

I'm Camillo Garso.