THE SCENE: The Russian Primary Chronicle (also known as “Tales of Bygone Years”) provides a lively account of the moment when Kiev was purged of its pagan (wooden) Gods.
THE TEXT: When the Prince [Vladimir] arrived at his capital, he directed that the idols should be overthrown, and that some should be cut to pieces and others burned with fire. He thus ordered that Perun should be bound to a horse’s tail and dragged down Borichev to the stream. He appointed twelve men to beat the idol with sticks, not because he thought the wood was sensitive, but to affront the demon who had deceived man in this guise, that he might receive chastisement at the hands of men.
Great art thou, oh Lord, and marvelous are thy works! Yesterday he was honored of men, but today held in derision. While the idol was being dragged along the stream to the Dnieper, the unbelievers wept over it, for they had not yet received holy baptism. After they had thus dragged the idol along, they cast it into the Dnieper. But Vladimir had given this injunction, “If it halts anywhere, then push it out from the bank, until it goes over the falls. Then let it loose.” His command was duly obeyed. When men let the idol go, and it passed through the rapids, the wind cast it out on the bank, which since that time has been called Perun’s sandbank, a name that it bears to this very day.
There was joy in heaven and upon earth to behold so many souls saved. But the devil groaned, lamenting, “Woe is me! How am I driven out hence! For I thought to have my dwelling-place here, since the apostolic teaching do not abide in this land. Nor did this people know God, but I rejoiced in the service they rendered unto me. But now I am vanquished by the ignorant, not by apostles and martyrs, and my reign in these regions is at an end.”
– Tales of Bygone Years, Nestor, 12th Century AD
