On the involvement of DEER in "The All-Joking, All-Drunken Synod of Fools and Jesters"

[Tatiana Filimonova]

Dear SEELANGers,

Do you know how (if at all) deer were involved in the "Vsepianeishii
...sobor" of Peter I? Boris Pilniak writes "k kozlam byl priviazan olen' "
when he describes the wedding procession of his elderly jester, elected
"Prince-Pope" Zotov. Does this imply the deer actually rode in the
coach-seat, or was it loosely tied to the coach-box and simply ran along?

The accounts of Jacob de Bie and a certain visitor from Hannover who were
present do not mention the deer. I wonder where Pilniak could have found
this description, or did he just invent it?

Also, what book would you recommend for a detailed account of Zotov's mock
wedding?

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated,

Tatiana Filimonova

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