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Polkan or Palkan (Russian language: Полка́н or Палкан, from the Italian language Pulicane) is a half-human, half-horse creature (in some variants, half-dog) from Russian folktales, known for his immense power and speed. In folk etymology, his name is interpreted as полуконь ( polukon, meaning half-horse). He initially appears as the enemy of the hero Prince Bova, but after a battle, he becomes Bova's loyal friend and ally. He eventually dies fighting lions while protecting Bova's wife and children.
Polkan is originally based on Pulicane, a half-dog character from Andrea da Barberino's poem I Reali di Francia, which was once popular in the Slavonic world through prosaic translations.
In the 19th century, '
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