1857, but judging by Mérimée's correspondence, he did not know about these publications and received the proverb from Ivan Turgenev. "Meška" and "lokys" are different names (synonyms) for the "bear" in Lithuanian, so the proverb almost literally means "Grizzly and bear are both the same." According to an (incorrect) explanation given by professor Wittembach at the end of the novella, "miszka" is not a Lithuanian word but a rendering of "Mishka", a Russian-language hypocoristic form of "Michael", the protagonist's name. In the English translation the proverb is footnoted with the following comment: "The two together make a pair"; word for word, Michon (Michael) with Lokis, both are the same. Michaelium cum Lokide, ambo [duo] ipsissimi. Inaccuracies The novella draws elements, such as thunder god Perkūnas or cult of žaltys (grass snakes), from the pagan Lithuanian rituals and beliefs, but is not historically or culturally accurate. For example, the plot takes place in 1866, but the work does not address social or political situation after the January Uprising of 1863–1864. The extinction of the Prussian language is dated a full century later than it actually happened. The protagonist is a Protestant, though that is very rare in Catholic Samogitia. Some cultural elements, like rusalka or card games Durak and Preferans, were taken from Slavic (Russian) culture rather than Lithuanian. Adaptations Film The Marriage of the Bear (1926), a Russian film by Konstantin Eggert and Vladimir Gardin. It was based on the 1922 Russian play with the same name () by Anatoli Lunacharsky loosely based on Lokis. Lokis (1970) by Janusz Majewski La Bête (1975) by Walerian Borowczyk, loosely based on the novella (2010) by , a Belarusian film with the plot loosely based on Lokis and Belarusian legends. Opera Lokys (2000) was commissioned by the Vilnius Festival (2000) to libretto by Aušra Marija Sluckaitė-Jurašienė and composition by Bronius Kutavičius. This afterwards entered the repertoire of the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre. See also Jean de l'Ours ("John-of-the-Bear") Valentine and Orson References External links Sprenger, Scott (2009). "Mérimée’s Literary Anthropology: Residual Sacrality and Marital Violence in 'Lokis,'" Anthropoetics XIV, no. 2 Winter 2009. 1869 short stories French short stories Fictional shapeshifters Horror short stories Works by Prosper Mérimée Works originally published in Revue des deux Mondes Novels set in Lithuania Short stories adapted into films