This story skillfully explained a heroic period of Russian history, that is, the time before the Romanov dynasty began. Zmey Gorynych not only represents pre-Christian religions, but it also means the nations settled in the East of Moskva, whom were always a threat to the Rus' courts. The soldier returning to his home is a modification of the idols from epics. Of course, for the principle of socialist realism, he was also the voice of the common people, in opposition to the tsar - that is, the ruling class.

East Asian literature has very few characters like this, because Asians - especially those in the Sinosphere - have a very poor attitude towards cultural exchange. However, I can still tell a story that is quite famous in Vietnamese popular literature. It is said to have originated in my home province. It is the story of an ordinary farmer who dares to challenge both God and the spirit world. However, his victory was only due to his own cunning and the corruption from the ruling class. Even the name shows some personality : Cường Bạo ("healthy" + "recklessness").