Fairy Tales

The first 19 fairy tales on this page courtesy of www.lacquerbox.com.

Maria Morevna

There once lived a young tsar named Ivan. He had three sisters who married princes who had appeared in his garden as magic birds to ask for their hands; Marya married the hawk, Olga married the eagle, and Anna married the raven. All of them lived in different kingdoms and Ivan decided to visit them.

On the way Ivan stopped at the palace of the beautiful warrior-princess Marya Morevna. They also fell in love and got married.

One day Marya went to war and forbade him to go into one dark cellar room. But out of curiosity Ivan went into the room, where he found Koshchey the Deathless in iron chains. Ivan felt sorry for him and gave him some water to drink. Koshchey got his power back, broke the chains, flew away and stole Marya Morevna.

Ivan found her and they tried to escape, but Koshchey caught up with them and cut Ivan into small pieces. Ivan's brothers-in-law revived him. Prince Ivan found out that the only way to outrun Koshchey's horse was with a horse from Baba Yaga, who lived beyond the Fire River.

On the way to Baba Yaga's he became very hungry. He wanted to kill nestlings, but the mother bird begged him not to. Then he wanted to take honey from a beehive, but the bees asked him not to destroy it. When he wanted to kill a lioness' cub, the lioness begged him to be kind. Prince Ivan did not hurt anybody.

In gratitude these animals helped him be a herdsman for Baba Yaga's horses for three days, which saved him from Baba Yaga's wrath. Ivan took the wise advice of the bees to take one scruffy small horse and run away from the evil witch. Prince Ivan took good care of the horse and when it became strong he returned to Koshchey's house to take his beloved wife home. Koshchey overtook them, but Ivan's horse vanquished Koshchey. Ivan and Marya Morevna visited his sisters and their husbands and lived happily after that.

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By the Pike's Wish

In one village there lived three brothers. The two elder brothers were successful merchants, but the youngest brother was a fool named Emelya who slept on the stove all day long. Once it happened that when he went to the ice-hole for water and he caught a magic pike. The pike asked him to let her go free and promised him to grant any of his wishes. "Just say these magic words: 'By the pike's wish, at my command,' and everything will be done" the pike said. Emelya agreed.

He ordered his water-pails to go home by itself, which they did, much to the suprise of his sisters-in-law. Then he ordered the sledge to go by itself to the nearest forest where his ax felled wood for the fire.

The tsar of the land heard about that wonder and ordered his officer to bring Emelya to the palace. When Emelya came to the Tsar's courtyard he saw the tsar's daughter and used the pike's magic to make her fall in love with him.

Then the tsar gave orders to place the princess and Emelya in a barrel and throw them into the sea. But Emelya again used the magic words and the waves rolled the barrel onto the shore of a beautiful island. With the pike's help Emelya "built" a big marble palace.

Then the princess asked him to become handsome and smart, and he turned himself into a fine young prince. They started to live peacefully in the palace.

One day the tsar visited the island and, oh! What a wonder!, he recognized his own daughter and Emelya who was changed into a fine prince. The tsar wept and asked their forgiveness. They celebrated the family's reunion and lived happily after that.

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The Tale of dead princess

A long time ago, a widowed tsar married a beautiful but capricious and jealous woman, who became the queen. She had a magic mirror and asked it very often who was the fairest throughout the land. The mirror always answered that the queen was the most beautiful lady of all. But one day when she asked the question, her mirror said that the tsar's daughter from his first marriage was the most beautiful of them all.

The queen became angry and ordered her chambermaid to take the princess into the heart of the woods and abandon her. As the princess wandered alone through the deep woods, she came across an old country house where seven bogatyrs (knights) lived and she was invited to stay with them. One of them even asked for her hand in marriage, but she was already engaged to a brave young man named Prince Elisey.

Meanwhile, the jealous queen asked her magic mirror again who was the fairest throughout the land and the mirror replied again that the princess was the most beautiful one.

The chambermaid was sent out again. Disguised as an old beggar woman, she gave a poisoned apple to the princess as a present. Despite the heroic actions of her little dog, who first barked furiously to warn her and then died by biting into the apple himself, the princess ate the rest of the apple and died. The seven knights carried her in a crystal coffin to a small desert cave.

And this would be the end of the story, but ever since the princess had disappeared her fiancee Prince Elisey had been trying to find her. He went to the four quarters of the earth, asking the sun and moon where she was, but they could not tell him. At last he asked the wind, who gave him directions to the cave where the princess lay.

When Elisey saw his beloved one he broke into sobs, then hit the crystal coffin with all his might, and the princess magically came to life!

When they returned to her home, the queen died of rage and grief when she saw the princess alive and well. The princess and Elisey married and lived happily ever after.

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Finist the Falcon

Once upon a time a merchant went to the market and asked his three daughters what presents they wanted. The two older daughters wanted new scarves and jewelry, while the kind and modest daughter named Marya asked him to bring the feather of Finist the Falcon. The merchant eventually fulfilled all their wishes and in the room of the youngest daughter the feather magically turned into a handsome prince and they fell in love with each other.

He came to see her every night and flew out the window after each meeting. But once her jealous sisters saw him and stuck sharp knifes and thorns into the window frame. Marya was asleep and did not hear anything. Finist hurt his wings, could not come to her room and had to fly far away to another kingdom. Marya cried and decided to find him. Three kind old ladies helped her and gave her a silver plate, gold egg, gold needle and small spindle, but warned her not to sell these presents.

Marya came to the palace of a princess where she heard that Finist lived. That princess wanted him to marry her. Marya started to work at the palace in the day and played with the presents from the old ladies at night. The princess wanted to buy them, but Marya refused to sell. Instead, she offered them as a present to the princess in exchange for seeing Finist at night. The sly Princess agreed, but put some sleep powder into his dinner. Marya came to see Finist three times trying to wake him up. She succeeded only the third time when her tear fell on his cheek and burned him. They hugged and kissed each other and left the palace. They returned to her home town, forgave Marya's sisters and married.

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Fisherman and the Fish

Once upon the time lived a poor fisherman. One day he caught a golden fish. The fish talked with him in a human voice and begged him to go free. She promised to fulfill any of his wishes. He was a kind man and simply let her go free.

After hearing the story, the fisherman's wife shouted at him and sent him back to see the magic fish - she needed a new trough. The fish granted the wish, and a new trough magically appeared at their hut.

But his wife continued to scream and yell at him. She wanted a new house, then she wanted to be a noble lady, then wanted to be the Queen of the Land. Every time she sent her old husband to the shore, the golden fish fulfilled the wishes of the wicked wife.

The woman now wanted to be Empress of the Land and the Sea, and that the golden fish be her servant. The fisherman went to the shore, called the fish and when she came he explained the last wish of his wife. The gold fish disappeared without a word. The old man then went home and found his old mud hut, his poor wife, and a broken trough.

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The Frog Princess

One Tsar wanted his three sons to marry. He ordered each to shoot an arrow and marry whatever woman lived where the arrow landed. The eldest brother's arrow landed in the courtyard of a boyar's daughter; the middle brother's arrow landed in the yard of a merchant's daughter. The youngest son's arrow went into a swamp. He discovered that a frog had found the arrow and he dutifully but sorrowfully married the frog.

When the tsar ordered his daughters-in-law to make him fine shirts and bake him fine bread, the frog turned into a beautiful princess, Vasilisa the Wise, at night when everyone else was sleeping and made the best shirts and bread.

The Tsar then announced a feast at the palace and commanded his sons to come with their wives. There for the first time Vasilisa the Wise appeared for everyone to see, including her husband Ivan. Later at the dance, Vasilisa performed magical feats with the wave of her sleeves. The wives of the other sons tried to do the same but only succeeded in making a mess.

Prince Ivan, the youngest son, wanted his wife to remain a beautiful princess so he ran home and burned her discarded frog skin. Vasilisa sadly told him that now she would have to become the prisoner of the sorcerer Koshchei the Deathless, and she disappeared.

Searching for her in the forest, Prince Ivan spared several animals who promised to help him in the future. He then came to the hut of a Baba Yaga, a grandmother spirit, who told him he could only free his wife by killing Koshchei. Koshchei's death was well-hidden at the point of a needle, in an egg, in a duck, in a rabbit, in a chest at the top of an oak tree.

Although Ivan could not get the chest out of the tree himself, the animals he had spared broke each thing open until Ivan had the egg. He broke it, broke off the tip of the needle inside, and Koshchei died instantly. Ivan lived happily ever after with Vasilisa.

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Tale of the Golden Cockere

Once upon a time, there was a proud and warlike tsar named Dadon. When he was young, he had a penchant for invading and destroying neighboring lands. As he grew older and his strength began to fail, Dadon wanted peace, but now his enemies sensed his weakness and it was their turn to wage war on him. For advance warning of invasion, he asked for help from his court magician, who gave him a present--a golden cockerel. If any enemies approached, the cockerel, sitting on a spire atop Dadon's palace, would see them and crow loudly in warning. The tsar was very pleased with the magician's gift and promised to grant him any reward he desired.

For two years Dadon's people lived in peace as the cockerel did its job, crowing whenever there was danger. One day the golden cockerel cried out more loudly than ever before and Dadon sent a great army, under the command of his elder son, to seek out the danger. Nothing was heard of them for eight days. The cockerel cried out again and the tsar sent out more troops, led by his younger son. There was no news again for eight days and then the cockerel cried out for a third time.

Tsar Dadon, with a small contingent of his best warriors, decided to go investigate for himself. After several days' march, he came upon a terrible battlefield where both of his armies and his two sons lay slain. At the edge of the battlefield he saw a tent with a woman of stunning beauty inside. Her name was the Queen of Shamakha. She invited him into the tent with a bewitching smile, and Dadon stayed with her for a week. Madly smitten with love, he then took her back home to his kingdom. The magician appeared at the gates and asked the tsar to pay for the golden cockerel by giving him the Queen of Shamakha. Infuriated, Dadon hit the magician with his staff, wounding him fatally. The golden cockerel left his spire, flew down and pecked Tsar Dadon to death.. The Queen of Shamakha then disappeared, as if she had never been there. Dadon had learned too late that the most dangerous enemies are not without, but within.

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The Tale of Ivan Tsarevich, the Firebird, and the Gray Wolf

Long ago in a faraway land, there was a tsar who had a magnificent orchard, second to none. However, every night a firebird would swoop down on the tsar's best apple tree and fly away with a few golden apples. The Tsar ordered each of his three sons to catch that firebird alive and bring it to him.

The two elder brothers fell asleep while watching. The youngest son, Ivan, saw the firebird and grabbed it by the tail, but the bird managed to wriggle out of Ivan's grasp, leaving him only a bright red tail feather. The tsar then ordered his sons to find the firebird.

Ivan, assisted by a grey wolf who killed his horse and then felt sorry for him, managed to get not only the firebird but also a wonderful horse and a princess named Elena the Fair. When they came to the border of Ivan's father's kingdom Ivan and Elena stopped to rest. While they were sleeping, Ivan's two older brothers, returning from their unsuccessful quest, came across the two and killed Ivan, threatening Elena to do the same to her if she told what had happened.

Ivan lay dead for thirty days until the grey wolf revived him with water of death and water of life. Ivan came to his home palace at the wedding day of Elena the Fair and Ivan's brother. The tsar asked for an explanation and Elena told him the truth. The tsar was furious and threw the elder brothers into prison. Ivan and Elena the Fair married, inherited the kingdom, and lived happily ever after.

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The Humpbacked Pony

Once upon a time there was a peasant family that owned one wheat field. One morning they found that during the night, someone had been trampling around in the field and ruining the wheat. The two elder brothers stood guard during the next two nights, but because of storms and cold winds they left the field, and in the morning it was trampled down even more. On the third night the youngest brother Ivan, whom everyone thought was the fool in the family, managed to catch the wonderful mare that had been destroying the field.

The mare begged him to let her go and in exchange gave Ivan two golden-maned steeds of unheard-of beauty and a small humpbacked pony who would be Ivan's best friend. When the time came, Ivan and his brothers went to the fair to sell the two fine older horses. On the way Ivan found a shiny feather from a firebird and kept it, despite his pony's warning not to touch it.

At the fair, the tsar himself fell in love with the horses and bought them. But they broke free from their bridles and went back to Ivan. So the tsar offered him job at the tsar's stable. The royal chamberlain, whose duties as head stableman had been given to Ivan, was angry at Ivan and spied on him. The chamberlain found out about the feather of the firebird and told the tsar. The tsar commanded Ivan to bring him the firebird herself or lose his head. With the help of the humpbacked pony, Ivan caught the rare bird and brought it to the tsar. The chamberlain was more incensed and jealous than ever.

Several weeks later the chamberlain told the tsar that in a faraway kingdom there lived a tsar-maiden of stunning beauty. He also said that Ivan boasted he could get that beautiful maiden. The tsar summoned Ivan and ordered him to find her. Ivan and the humpbacked pony succeeded. The tsar fell in love with her and proposed to her. She answered that she would marry him if he could bring her ring she had lost. Ivan was sent to search for the ring.

On the way he helped a huge monster whale and the grateful whale retrieved the ring from the bottom of the ocean. The tsar-maiden, however, was not satisfied and told the tsar he was too old for her. To regain his youth, he would have to dip himself in three cauldrons of boiling water, boiling milk and ice cold water. Next day the tsar ordered Ivan to jump into the cauldrons to test the magic. Ivan was frightened, but the pony helped him again. Ivan emerged from the last cauldron as an extremely handsome young man. This encouraged the tsar to jump in the water, but he was boiled alive. Ivan and the tsar-maiden married, ruled the kingdom, and lived happily after that.

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The Snow Maiden

Once upon a time there lived an old man and woman who had always regretted that they did not have any children. One lovely winter day they made a girl out of snow. The snow maiden came alive and became the daughter they never had. They called her Snegurochka. She was very beautiful and sweet. But when spring began to warm the land, the girl became quite depressed. When the summer arrived, she became even more sad. Once she went to the wood with a group of village girls to pick flowers. She had a good time for the first time since the winter. It began to get dark and the other girls made a fire and began playfully jumping over the flames. Snegurochka also jumped, but suddenly melted and evaporated into a white cloud.

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Morozko (Old Man Winter)

One widower had a lovely daughter. He remarried to a woman who had a daughter herself from previous marriage. The stepmother hated her new stepdaughter and ordered her husband to take the girl to the forest and leave her there.

The old man grieved, but nothing to do, he took his daughter to the winter forest. She was sitting in the snow and was cold to the bone. At that time Morozko went for a walk and saw the shivering girl. He asked her if she was warm. The nice girl did not want to hurt his feelings and politely replied that she was warm. He admired her stoicism and showed his mercy. He gave her warm fur coat and the box with gold and silver jewelry as a present.

Alive and unharmed, the girl returned home. After she told what happened in the woods, the greedy stepmother sent her own daughter to the same spot in the forest because she also wanted to get jewelry. But that girl was rude and Morozko froze her stiff. Later the man's daughter got married, had children and lived happily.

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Ilya Muromets

Ilya was the son of a peasant. He was a cripple from birth and could not walk. One day several men paid him a visit and said a prayer over him. After that Ilya was not only able to walk but became unbelievably strong. His old parents were very happy that their son was healed. In the smithy Ilya ordered a complete set of armor to be made and decided to go to Kiev. On the way he saved the city of Chernigov from a besieging Tatars army and won a victory over the evil highwayman of the Black Forest named Solovey. Ilya brought Solovey to the court of Prince Vladimir in Kiev, where the forest outlaw was executed. After that Ilya joined Prince Vladimir's court and became his greatest knight.

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Tale of the Priest and his Labourer Balda

Once a greedy priest decided to find a hard working labourer. But he did not want to pay a good salary. In the market the priest met Balda. Balda agreed to be his labourer for very small salary: three flicks on the priest's forehead. The priest okayed and Balda started to work in priest's house.

He was very good labourer and everybody praised him exept the priest who was afraid of Balda's flicks. Then he decided to give Balda business beyond his strength and sent him to the devils who owed some money to the priest. But smart Balda managed to fool the devils and brought the bag of collected money back to the priest. Balda gave three flicks to the greedy priest, knocked him down, and said: "Do not run after cheapness!"

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Ruslan and Ludmila

A long long time ago there was a great feast to celebrate the wedding of the beautiful princess Ludmila and the knight Ruslan. But the bride was kidnapped on the wedding day. Ruslan, along with three other knights named Rogday, Farlaf and Ratmir who also wanted to marry Ludmila, rode off to search for her.

Ruslan met a good wizard who told him that Ludmila had been kidnapped by the evil sorcerer Chernomor. During his quest to find the sorcerer, Ruslan was forced into a battle with his jealous rival Rogday and killed him by knocking him from his horse into the waters of the Dnieper river.

A short while after, Ruslan met a huge head on a battlefield and also won a victory over it. The head told Ruslan that all of Chernomor's power was contained in his beard. And under the head, Ruslan found a shining sword. Ruslan left and went to search his beloved Ludmila.

She had been held at Chernomor's castle. The scorcerer made her life comfortable, but she missed Ruslan and wasn't happy.

Once she was frightened by the magical appearance of the sorcerer and lost conscious for a long time. When Ruslan arrived at Chernomor's the castle they battled for two days. Chernomor tried to use the power of his beard, but finally Ruslan managed to slice off the beard with his powerful sword.

Ruslan carried the unconscious Ludmila back to Kiev and on the way met Farlaf. At night the cowardly and evil Farlaf plunged a sword into Ruslan, leaving him to die. Farlaf then carried the unconscious Ludmila back to her father.

It happened that at that time the city of Kiev was besieged by enemies. Ruslan, who was revived by a good wizard, came charging to the city and saved it. He then went to to his bride-to-be and awakened her with with a magic ring. Ruslan and Ludmila were together again and lived happily after that.

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Sadko

There once lived a poor musician named Sadko. He played his gusli (dulcimer) and sang in a beautiful voice at feasts and celebrations. One day, as he was playing by the shore of Lake Ilmen, the Water Elf rose out of the lake and rewarded Sadko by telling him a secret.

The next day there was a big feast at a merchant's house. The guests started to boast about their wealth. They asked Sadko to join them. He replied modestly that he was not a wealthy man, but he knew one secret - there was a magic golden fish in Lake Ilmen which would restore youth to anyone who ate it. Nobody believed him, and the merchants wagered that if Sadko could catch that fish they would give him all their goods.

Surprising everyone, he caught the golden fish and became one of the richest men in Novgorod. He built a big palace, married a lovely girl named Lubava and became a prosperous merchant.

One day, on a return voyage from other countries loaded with goods, his fleet was becalmed and could make no headway. Sadko realized that the Tsar of the Sea - Tsar Morskoy - wanted him to make an offering. Sadko jumped into the water and went down to the Tsar's palace, where he played for the Tsar's feast. When the guests danced to his music, a terrible storm began and many ships sank. Sadko stopped playing when he realized that there was a storm above him.

Tsar-Morskoy wanted him to stay in the sea and paraded his girls before Sadko, asking him to choose one for a wife. He chose the last girl in line, the River Volkva, who happened to be the sister of the Water Elf, and she helped him return home to his beloved wife Lubava.

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Sivka-Burka

An old peasant had three sons. The two older brothers were smart, but the youngest was a fool named Ivanushka. One day the peasant discovered something was trampling his wheat field at night. The older brothers each stood watch but fell asleep. But Ivanushka caught the thief - a wonderful chestnut-gray stallion with a gold saddle and silver bridle.

The horse told Ivanushka that if he let him go he would help fulfill his wishes. He said, "When you need me, come to the field, whistle, and call 'Sivka-Burka, come!'" Ivanushka agreed and let the horse go free.

One day the tsar organized a competition. He placed his daughter in a high tower and announced that if someone on horseback could jump high enough to take the ring from her finger, he could marry the princess. While his brothers were gone to the competition, Ivan called Sivka Burka, who turned him into a handsome young prince, and they galloped off to the tsar's courtyard.

After three tries in three days Ivan reached the princess and took the ring from her finger. But he galloped off so quickly that nobody saw his face. At home he turned back into the fool Ivanushka and bandaged one hand, telling his brothers that he had injured himself.

Next day there was a big feast at the tsar's palace. Everyone in the land was invited, and Ivanushka's whole family went. At the end of the feast the princess served everyone honey. She saw the bandage on Ivanushka's hand and ordered him to untie it. He opened his hand and there was her ring for all to see. With the help of Sivka Burka Ivanushka turned into the handsome man again and married the beautiful Princess

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The Stone Flower

This tale is the most famous one from the book The Malachite Casket, written by P.Bazhov, who based his stories on miners' tales from the Ural Mountains. The Urals, on the border between Europe and Asia, is the oldest mountain chain in the former Soviet Union and are famous as a source of precious stones and metals, including gold and copper ores such as malachite. The most famous character from these stories is the Mistress of Copper Mountain, a protector of gems and stones in the Urals, who capriciously bestows the ability to find such treasures only on those who please her.

A long time ago in one Urals village there lived a famous craftsman named Prokopyich. He made jewelry and other things from malachite and was renowned as the best gem carver in the Urals. The rulers ordered him to teach some boys his profession, but none of them was talented enough.

At the same time an orphan named Danila lived in the village. He was weak and couldn't work at the factory. But he was full of dreams and liked to observe nature. Once he tried to help an old herdsman, but when he played his flute, the old shepherd felt asleep and several cattle were eaten by wolves. Danila and the herdsman were were severely punished.

A kind old woman took Danila into her house and healed him using many herbs and flowers. She taught him the lore of plants, and one day told him about the Stone Flower from Malachite Mountain. She told him it was the most beautiful flower in the world. But she also warned him, "Whoever finds that flower will never be happy."

After Danila recovered, the manager of the factory sent him to Prokopyich to study gem carving. He was surprisingly gifted. Prokopyich was a widow without children, and he loved the boy as if he were his own son. Several years passed. Danila became a strong, handsome young man.

One day the owner of the factory sent him a commission to make a vase from malachite, along with a sketch of what he wanted. Danila began the intricate task, but he was unsatisfied with the idea on the sketch. Every day he went to the woods looking for inspiration and observing many flowers and plants. He worked for a long time and at last completed a vase like the one in the sketch. When he showed it to the other craftsmen, they liked it and praised it. But Danila said, "This vase is made precisely according to the sketch, but there is no living beauty in it. When you look at the simplest flower, joy fills your heart because of its beauty. Where is there such beauty in the stone?"

One very old craftsman warned him, "Don't even think that way. Otherwise you could become a servant of the Mistress of Copper Mountain. Her workers live and work in the Mountain and nobody ever sees them. Once I was lucky enough to see their work. Magnificent! Our work can't compare with theirs, because they have seen the Stone Flower and understand the beauty of the stone."

After this conversation Danila went to the woods more often looking for a block of stone for his own vase. Prokopyich was worried about him and urged him to marry the nice girl named Katya to whom Danila was engaged. But Danila said, "I want to wait! First I need to make my own vase and then we will think about marriage.".

One day he was in the woods looking for stone and suddenly heard a whisper saying, "Danila-Craftsman, look for stone on Serpent Hill." He turned around and saw the dim outline of a woman, which vanished in a second. He thought, "Perhaps it was the Mistress of Copper Mountain!" So he went to Serpent Hill and found a huge block of malachite. He was very glad, took the stone home and started to carve the vase.

But soon again he was disappointed with the result and said sadly, "Maybe I am just not able to understand the power and the beauty of the stone." So he and Katya announced the date of their wedding. The day before the wedding he went for a walk to Serpent Hill again, sat down and thought about the Stone Flower. "How I desire to see that Flower!" he mused.

All a sudden the Mistress of Copper Mountain appeared before his eyes. Danila began to implore her: "There is no life for me without seeing that Flower!"

She replied, "I could show it to you, but afterwards you will regret it. Those who have seen my Flower have left their family and come to live in my mountain. Think about Prokopyich and Katya who love you."

"I know," shouted Danila, "but I must see it." "All right," she said. "Let's go then to my garden." So she took him and showed him the wonderful Stone Flower.

In the evening Danila came to the village. His fiancee Katya had a party the day before the wedding. At first he had fun, danced, and sang songs, but then he became sadder and sadder. To Katya's questions he replied that he had a headache. After the party he returned home, broke his vase and ran away.

The village was full of rumors after he disappeared, but no one knew where he had gone. Three years passed. Katya did not marry. After her parents died she came to live with old Prokopyich and helped him in his work. But soon Prokopyich died, too, and Katya lived on her own. She did not have any money, so she decided to try making some brooches.

She went to Serpent Hill hoping to find good pieces of stone. But at the hill she remembered her beloved Danila and wept. Suddenly she saw a beautiful piece of malachite. Katya took it home and tried to carve several brooches. She worked hard and well and her carving beautifully set off the natural patterns in the stone. Katya was happy when she sold her works to a merchant in the village. She thought, "My brooches are the best in his store. I was lucky finding that malachite. Maybe Danila helped me?"

She ran again to Serpent Hill looking for another good stone. But she thought again of Danila and burst into tears, sobbing, "Where are you, my beloved friend? Why did you leave me?" When Katya looked around it seemed to her she stood in an unfamiliar woods, and the mountain opened before her eyes. "Here is the magic mountain," she thought. "Maybe I could see my Danila."

When Katya looked down, she saw a man who looked just like Danila. The man raised his hands toward her. She wanted to jump down to him, but the vision disappeared. She told her relatives what she had seen but they did not believe her and decided that she must be ill.

The next day Katya ran to the hill hoping desperately to see Danila. Her sister followed her. Katya came to the same place and found herself in the magic woods. She started to call out, "Danila, where are you? Answer me!" The echo answered: "He is not here! He is not here!" Then suddenly the Mistress of Copper Mountain appeared and demanded, "Why did you come to my garden? If you need the stones, take what you wish and go away."

Brave Katya replied, "I don't need your dead stones. Give me my Danila back. You don't have the right to take another's fiance." The Mistress laughed. "Do you have any idea whom you are speaking to?" Katya cried out, "I am not blind, I know who you are. I am not afraid of you! Not at all! And I know that Danila wants to come back to me." The Mistress said, "All right, let him speak then."

At the same moment Katya saw Danila. The Mistress said, "You have to choose, Danila-Craftsman. If you go with her, you will forget everything you saw and learned in the mountain. If you want to stay here, you have to forget the rest of the world."

Danila sighed, "I am sorry. I can't forget the people I love. I think about Katya every minute of my life." The Mistress smiled and said, "All right, Danila. Go back home. And for your honesty and loyalty I will give you a present. You will not lose your knowledge that you have learned here. But do not tell people about the mountain. If somebody asks you where have you been, just say that you went away to improve your skill."

Katya and Danila returned home, filled with joy. Katya's sister could not find her in the woods and returned home. When she came into the house she saw Danila and Katya. She cried out, "Danila, where have you been?" Danila just smiled. "I went to study my craft with a master who lives far away. "Katya and Danila lived happily together for many years. He became known far and wide as the greatest carver in the Ural Mountains.

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The Tale of Tsar Saltan

In ancient Russia there was a tsar named Saltan who married a lovely girl. She gave a birth to a handsome heir. At the time the Tsar was away at war and a rider was sent to him to convey the good news. But the jealous sisters of the queen and their evil friend Babarika kidnapped the rider and replaced him with their own messenger, who told the Tsar that the queen had given birth to neither son nor daughter, neither mouse nor frog, but to an unknown little creature. The tsar was very upset, but gave orders not to take any action before his return. The scheming sisters replaced the letter again with one that said that the queen and her baby had to be put into a barrel and thrown into the sea.

Inside the barrel the tsarevich, named Gvidon, grew stronger every minute and started to beg the waves to wash the barrel onto dry land. The waved obeyed, and Gvidon and his mother found themselves washed ashore on a deserted island. Gvidon made a bow and arrows and went hunting. Near the sea he saw a poor swan struggling against a huge black hawk. Gvidon killed the hawk with his arrow and saved the swan's life. The swan thanked him in a human voice and said that she would serve him forever.

Next morning the queen and her son discovered that a marvelous palace had appeared overnight out of nowhere. The people in the palace greeted them and proclaimed him tsar of the island.

One day Gvidon wanted to visit his father and the swan turned him into a small insect. He visited Saltan's kingdom three times and overheard all the conversations in the palace. There he heard about three wonders: a squirrel which cracked golden nuts with emeralds inside and sang songs, a bodyguard of thirty-three knights who rose out of the sea led by their old uncle Chernomor, and a princess of stunning beauty.

The swan first helped him to get the squirrel, then the knights. Finally, she herself turned into the beautiful princess. They fell in love with each other and married. The merchants told Tsar Saltan a lot about the island of wonders and finally he decided to visit it. When his fleet of three ships arrived at the island, he was amazed by the singing squirrel, the knights, and the beautiful princess. Then Saltan saw his beloved long-lost wife and realized that Gvidon was his son. They celebrated their reunion and lived happily after that.

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Twelve Months

Once there lived an evil, greedy woman who loved her own daughter and hated her virtuous, hardworking stepdaughter. On a very cold day in January, she sent her poor stepdaughter to the forest to pick snowdrops for her stepsister's birthday.

"But the snowdrops won't be blooming for another two months, at least!" cried the poor girl." Her stepmother said, "I don't want to hear about it. Go out there and find them and don't come back until you do."

Since the girl had no choice, she started walking through the frozen woods. She walked further and further and got colder and colder, but there wasn't a living thing to be seen. The wind began to blow and the snow began to fall.

Suddenly, she came out into a clearing where she saw twelve men, from very young to very old, dressed in rich clothes. They asked her why she was out at night in the forest during a snowstorm. She bowed politely to them and told them that her stepmother had ordered her to pick snowdrops for her stepsister. The twelve months felt sorry for her, and decided to help her.

January, who looked like a very old man, took his cane, hit the ground with it, and chanted a spell. Around them, that cold first month of the year passed by within seconds. He then gave the cane to February, and the same thing happened, and then the cane went to March, who made flowers spring up all over the glade. She picked great armfuls of tender spring flowers and put them in her basket.

When she returned home and told what had happened to her in the forest, the jealous stepmother let her own daughter go to the glade to ask the twelve months for berries, mushrooms, apples and cucumbers. The girl found the glade and the twelve months around the big fire. But this daughter was rude to them and did not get anything. January waved his hand and she was buried in thick layers of snow. Her mother tried to find her, but also was frozen to death.

The kindhearted stepdaughter lived long and happily. In May she had the freshest flowers in her house, in June the best berries, and in September the best apples. People said that the twelve months visited her regularly and always gave her their blessings.

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"The Apples of Youth and the Living Water"

In a certain kingdom, in a certain land, there lived a Tsar, and he had three sons. The eldest was named Fedor, the second was named Vasilii, and the youngest was named Ivan. This Tsar was in his old age, and his eyesight was poor. And he heard that past three -lands, in the three-tenth kingdom, there was an orchard where apples of youth grew, and where a well full of living water could be found. If the old man could eat such an apple, he would find youth, and if he could wash his eyes with that water, his sight would be restored. Therefore the Tsar ordered a great feast to be prepared, and he called all the princes and all the boyares, and he told them: "Who among you, faithful noblemen, would be first among the chosen, first to volunteer, who would ride beyond three-nine lands, into the three-tenth kingdom, and would bring me some apples of youth and a ewer full of living water? I would give half my kingdom to such a man. The sons decided bring all these goods themselves. First two sons ride beyond three-nine lands, into the three-tenth kingdom and disappeared. The Youngest went and found the apples and the water and the wife. Then he met brothers. When he found them they killed him and brought everything to father. But Ivan's wife saved him and they came back to the court. Tsar was wondering to see them and he was angry with the oldest brothers and gave a half of the kingdom to the Ivan and his wife.

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A falcon hunt

A falcon hunt was probably the most favored entertainment for the nobility in medieval Russia. This phenomenon of life in the Russian state is reflected by the fact that from the fourteenth until the seventeenth century, the Chief of the Council of Falcon Hunting (known as the "Sokolnichiy Prikaz") was one of the most important and influential people in the Tsar's court. Retaining such a post was not necessarily the easiest thing to do in those days, as the Monarchs were sometimes fierce.

As legend has it, during Ivan the Terrible's rule, the chief of the "Prikaz Sokolnichiy" lost one of the Tsar's favorite falcons. During the hunt the unfortunate falconer released the falcon, which flew into the air, never to be seen again. Ivan the Terrible was so upset, that he told the falconer to go into the fields and find the falcon, or otherwise be beheaded. After walking for several days through the fields of what is now known as the "Sokolniki" district of modern Moscow, the falconer prayed to the Lord for mercy, fearing his certain execution by the tyrant, Ivan the Terrible. Then a miracle happened; the falcon landed on the ground by the falconer as he stood in prayer. Thus the chief or the "Sokolnichiy Prikaz" was saved and the Tsar was pleased to have his favorite falcon back.

The falconer, grateful for his life, built a small church in Sokolniki, on the spot where the falcon landed on the ground. Presently in Moscow there is a beautiful park called Sokolniki Park, and an entire district of the City is called Sokolniki. The word Sokol in Russian means falcon.

Today the little church built by the falconer of Ivan the Terrible still stands amidst the fields of what used to be the Royal Falcon Game Grounds.

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Masha and the bear

The moral of this fairytale is the importance of keeping your wits about you and not losing your head. Masha was a little girl who lost her way in the forest and was captured by a bear. As Masha was a very good cook and housewife, the bear did not let her leave the house. One day, Masha made some tasty pies and asked the bear if it would take them to her grandmother. The bear agrred and Masha climbed into the basket of pies. The bear went into the forest, but while it was on its way it decided to eat one of the pies. Fearing that she would be discovered, Masha called out: "How dare you eat someone else's pies!" The bear was so frightened that it dropped the basket and run away.

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The moujik, the bear and the fox

A Russian peasant was tilling his field when a bear came along to eat him. The moujik said that if the bear spared him, he would give him half his harvest of turnips - the top half. When the turnips were ready, the moujik gave the bear a cartload of leaves and sold the actual turnips at the market. The bear grew very angry when he learnt that he had been tricked and banned the moujik from going into the forest for firewood. The moujik was afraid of entering the forest but the fox said that it would help him. While the moujik was cutting trees the fox shouted out loud. The bear heard the fox shouting and though that it was the hunters. The bear asked the moujik to hide him and the moujik killed the bear. The fox asked the moujik to taske him home for tea as a reward. The moujik agreed and when they got home he set his dog on the fox and the fox torn to pieces.

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Lel and Snegurochka

A daughter was born to Fairy Spring and Mighty Winter. They called her Snegurochka ("sneg" means snow). When Snegurochka was sixteen years old, her parents realized that they should allow Snegurochka to go into the world. It was time for them to leave and make way for Spring, and they feared that while they were gone the sun-god Yarilo would glimpse their daughter and she would die of his merciless rays. They went to the Spirit of the Wood, who promised that he would guard her from all harm, but he laid his conditions: Snegurochka would be safe from death so long as love for a man did not enter her heart. In a village in the Kingdom of Berendey, there lived an old couple. They were very poor and unhappy because they didn't have any children. One cold and frosty morning they went outside their cottage and saw beautiful Snegurochka, standing near their porch. Her eyes shone like crystals and she was dressed in silken garb; there were red leather boots on her feet and a jewelled crown sparkled on her head.

"Don't be afraid", she said to them. "Let me be your daughter." The old folks were happy to hear these words and led her into their cottage. Snegurochka was a kind and respectful daughter, but she never went out and may be by this reason she was very pale and wan. The old folks constantly asked her to go outdoors and walk to the village to make friends with young people of her own age.

Snegurochka refused to go out of the cottage because she feared going anywhere the Sun would see her. One day, however, when the street in front of her cottage was filled with merry young people, she couldn't resist the temptation to join them. She was so lonely and they seemed so happy! So she put on her clothes and went out to join them.

On the way to the village she met a young maiden named Coupava. She was a beautiful and loud girl who flirted with all the lads. Coupava introduced Snegurochka to her friends, and since that time Snegurochka went out sometimes to communicate with her new friends.

Lel, a shepherd boy, fell in love with Snegurochka, and she felt a strange new happiness and joy whenever she was with him. They became fast friends and spent much time together.

One day a rich young merchant, Mizgir, came to the village and joined the youths and maids in their dancing. Coupava fascinated Mizgir, and within a few days they were lovers. He showered her with gifts of jewels and clothing, which Coupava flaunted before all the villagers.

One evening Mizgir saw Snegurochka, and from that time on his interest in Coupava waned. Now he found her too loud, and bold for his taste in comparison with shy and fragile Snegurochka. It was rumored in the village that Mizgir had asked for her hand in marriage.

When Coupava heard this, she was furious! She went to the Tsar and told him that Snegurochka had enticed Mizgir away from her. She begged the Tsar to have Snegurochka punished for her wicked behavior. The Tsar of Berendey was a mighty but benevolent ruler who always had the good of his subjects at heart. He listened attentively to Coupava and ordered that Snegurochka be brought to him.

Snegurochka was so fearful in the presence of the mighty monarch that she did not dare to even lift her eyes to look upon him. The Tsar told her not to be afraid, but to answer truthfully if she really had stolen the heart of Coupava's love, knowing that they were betrothed. Snegurochka answered that, although Mizgir had indeed asked for her hand in marriage, she refused him, because she loved Lyel, the shepherd boy. The Tsar realized that the girl was speaking the truth and let her go home.

From that day on Snegurochka didn't want to go out to stroll and talk with young people. Even Lel, whom she loved so much, couldn't persuade her to leave her cottage. Spring finally came to the village and as it grew warmer, Snegurochka became sadder and paler. One beautiful, sunny day Lel came to her window and asked her to go out. Again she refused, but finally she could resist no longer.

She came out of her cottage and walked with him toward the forest. When they reached a lovely glade, Snegurochka said to him: "Play for me, my dearest friend. Play one last song for me, Lel!" Lel took out his flute and began to play the charming refrain, which was Snegurochka's favorite tune. As she gazed upon him, love for Lel filled every fiber of her being, and she knew that these were the emotions that she had been warned against by the Spirit of the Wood. Great tears appeared in her eyes - and suddenly she began to melt! In a few minutes she had vanished completely and there was nothing but a wisp of white mist which lifted slowly toward the heavens. People enjoyed the hot sun and forgot about Snegurochka's death. Only in cold winter they remembered the love which warms hearts and formed this tale.

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Fox, hare and cock

There was once a fox and a hare. The fox had a house of ice, the hare a house of wood.

Fair spring came and melted the fox's house, while the hare's stood firm and strong. So the fox asked the hare if she could come in to warm herself, then drove him out. The hare went down the road crying, and met two dogs, who asked, "Wuff, wuff, wuff! Why are you crying?" "Leave me alone, dogs! Who wouldn't cry?

I had a wooden house, while the fox had one of ice. She invited herself into mine and drove me out." "Don't cry, hare," barked the dogs. "We'll chase her out." "No, you won't." "Oh, yes we will." Off they went to the hare's house. "Wuff, wuff, wuff! Come out of there, fox!" "Go away, before I come and tear you to pieces," she shouted back from the stove.

The dogs took fright and fled. Once more the hare went on his way crying. This time he met a bear who asked, "Why are you crying?" "Leave me alone, bear," said the hare. "Who wouldn't cry? I had a wooden house, while the fox had one of ice. She invited herself into mine and drove me out." "Don't cry, hare," said the bear. "I'll chase her out." "No, you won't. The dogs tried and failed; you'll fare no better." "Oh, yes I will." Off they went to chase her out. "Come on out, fox!" roared the bear. But she shouted from the stove: "Go away, before I come and tear you to pieces." The bear took fright and fled. Once more the hare went on his way crying and met an ox who asked, "Why are you crying?" "Leave me alone, ox! Who wouldn't cry? I had a wooden house, while the fox had one of ice. She invited herself into mine and drove me out." "Come with me, I'll chase her out." "No, you won't," said the hare. "The dogs tried and failed, the bear tried and failed; you'll fare no better." "Oh, yes I will." Off they went together to the hare's house. "Come on out, fox!" But she shouted from the stove: "Go away, before I come and tear you to pieces." The ox took fright and fled. Once more the hare went on his way crying and met a cock with a scythe. "Cock-a-doodle-doo! Why are you crying, hare?" "Leave me alone, cock! Who wouldn't cry? I had a house of wood, while the fox had one of ice. She invited herself into mine and drove me out." "Come along with me, I'll chase her out." "No, you won't," said the hare. "The dogs tried and failed; the bear tried and failed; the ox tried and failed. You'll fare no better." "Oh, yes I-will." So they went up to the house. "Cock-a-doodle-doo! I'll cut that fox in two with my scythe so sharp and true!"

When the fox heard that, she took fright and called, "I'm getting dressed." Again the cock crowed: "Cock-a-doodle-doo! I'll cut that fox in two with my scythe so sharp and true!" And the fox cried: "I'm putting on my fur coat." A third time the cock crowed: "Cock-a-doodle-doo! I'll cut that fox in two with my scythe so sharp and true!" The fox rushed out of the door and the cock cut off her head. So the hare and the cock lived together happily ever after.

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