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Help with book title translation - Kremeshok-Bogatyr
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Thread poster: bureaucrat

Help with book title translation - Kremeshok-Bogatyr

bureaucrat
United States
English

May 14, 2005

I recently found this wonderfully illustrated paperback storybook, but need some help in figuring out the title, and any other info about the book you folks might have.

Thanks so much, in advance!

Talyb Samedov

Canada
Local time: 17:59
English to Russian
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Mighty Flint

May 14, 2005

Богатырь means a very stong man. They are frequent characters in Russian fairy tales.
Кремешок is a diminitive of кремень (flint). It is used in this context because flint is considered to be a very strong rock.

I would translate the title as "Mighty Flint". It sounds a bit too American and you lose the Russian flavour, but I think it conveys the meaning.

Hope this helps.

Larissa Dinsley

United Kingdom
Local time: 00:59

Member (2003)
English to Russian
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born out of a flint stone

May 15, 2005

This is Russian fairy-tale. The main hero was actually "born out of a flint stone". Hence, his name.

Botagyr means a supernaturally strong man.

Cheers!

mk_lab

Ukraine
Local time: 02:59

Member (2004)
English to Russian
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Bogatyr - not just strong man

May 15, 2005

"Bogatyr" - is not just strong man(as in contemporary life usage). In old Russian tales it's something equal to heroes, "knight without fear and blemish" - people's guard like Robin Hood, or like Knights of the Round Table. All Russian bogatyri also were friends and in some tales they struggled together, but mostly they were "lone rangers".

But sure, all of them were extremelly stony strong. All tales include stories about their hero power - squeezing water from stone, bending oak,...

[Edited at 2005-05-15 10:16]

ttagir

Russian Federation
Local time: 04:59

Member (2002)
English to Russian
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Please look at the pictures

May 15, 2005

In the lower picture you see a small boy. The cover shows a hero/ Please note that KREMESHOK is not a flint, but a "flinty";) Therefore, rather close (but not too literature) translation could be "Flinty Hero" of "Hero Flinty". Maybe Hercules-Flinty or Flinty-Hercules (BOGATYR' origin is in Turkic words "bogadur", "bagatur", or "batyr". Means a powerful, mighty man or (more often) young man. So, the tale name has a bit contrasting words (a little flint which also is a hercules). The idea is that a small but firm boy turned into a fellow much stronger than others.
Yours,
T.

[Edited at 2005-05-15 21:15]