Petr Pavlovich Ershov
Petr Pavlovich Ershov was a notable Russian writer born in western Siberia, who eventually moved to St. Petersburg where he developed a passion for literature and folklore, particularly influenced by Alexander Pushkin. At just nineteen, he authored his most famous work, "The Little Humpback Horse," which is a whimsical fairy tale that intertwines themes from various Russian folk stories. The narrative follows Ivan the Fool, a peasant who, with the help of his diminutive, magical horse, accomplishes seemingly impossible tasks at the czar's court, ultimately leading to his marriage to a beautiful maiden. Ershov's tale is distinguished by its rich blend of reality and fantasy, along with the incorporation of traditional Russian folklore elements, which have contributed to its enduring appeal, especially among children. Despite his other literary efforts, including poetry and opera librettos, Ershov's later works did not achieve similar acclaim, leading him to a teaching career in Siberia. He passed away in relative obscurity and poverty, yet "The Little Humpback Horse" remains a cherished part of Russian literary heritage, ensuring his legacy lives on.
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Petr Pavlovich Ershov
Fiction Writer
- Born: February 22, 1815
- Birthplace: Bezrukovo, Tobol'sk province, Siberia
- Died: August 18, 1869
- Place of death: Tobol'sk, Siberia
Biography
Petr Pavlovich Ershov was born into the family of a police official in western Siberia. As his father was moved, so was Ershov, and eventually they ended up in St. Petersburg, where Ershov studied philosophy. He was attracted to literature and folklore, especially to Alexander Pushkin’s fairy tales in verse. Under Pushkin’s influence, Ershov wrote his own fairy tale when he was only nineteen: The Little Humpback Horse: A Russian Tale. Eventually, he would become best, if not almost exclusively, known for this fairy tale.
The Little Humpback Horse is based on several themes from several Russian folk tales. A gold-maned horse appears so often in Russian fairy tales that it has become one of the symbols of Russian folk poetry. Even as a manuscript, Ershov’s tale appealed to several literary critics and poets like Pushkin. In this three-part, rhymed tale, a peasant called Ivan the Fool, the youngest of three brothers, uses his humpback horse—which is only six inches tall yet has enormous ears—to solve problems whose solutions escape his brothers. Ivan eventually becomes a groom at the czar’s court. There, an envious coworker tries to harm him by suggesting to the czar tasks he is sure Ivan cannot solve; in fact, the coworker thinks that the tasks would kill Ivan. With the help of his little horse, though, Ivan solves all the problems. He captures a firebird; brings a beautiful maiden for the czar, finds the maiden’s ring at the bottom of the ocean, and performs other seemingly impossible tasks. After solving the final task—bathing in boiling water and emerging from it younger and more handsome—the czar tries to emulate Ivan and dies. Ivan marries the beautiful maiden and they live happily ever after. This mixture of reality and fantasy, the use of Russian folklore staples, and literary qualities, assured The Little Humpback Horse, and its author, everlasting fame.
After his father died, Ershov supported himself by publishing poetry in literary journals. He also actively pursued his writing career. He published a collection of poetry and continued to write lyric poems, opera librettos, a few short stories, and even some plays. All these pieces have barely survived as worthwhile literary endeavors, and they are seldom discussed nowadays. Because of the lack of successes of these works, Ershov moved back to Siberia as a high school teacher, where he taught the famous chemist Dmitrii Mendeleev. He continued to write, but added little to his reputation. He died in poverty, and remains a minor writer of mid-nineteenth century Russian literature. His reputation rests on The Little Humpback Horse, which continues to keep his popularity alive, especially among younger readers.