Hello one and all!
The story that will be told here is a well known Russian one; filled with magic and the supernatural. It's an exciting and timeless tale, and it's easy to see why it has kept the attention of so many for centuries.
Vasilisa the Beautiful
Once upon a time there was a merchant who had a daughter, called Vasilisa the Beautiful. Her idyllic life was interrupted when her mother became ill. On her deathbed, the mother gave Vasilisa a wooden doll, and instructed her to give it food and drink whenever she needed help. When the matriarch of the family passed way, the young girl gave it a little to drink to eat and drink, and the doll duly comforted her.
Years later the merchant remarried and Vasilisa all of a sudden had many stepsisters, but all of them were cruel. The wooden doll helped her complete the many tasks that her stepfamily gave her. All of the young men in the region wanted to marry Vasilisa, and not her stepsisters, which outraged her stepmother. As a result, she sent Vasilisa into the woods, in the hope that Baba Yaga would eat her. The young girl somehow returned unscathed each time. The stepmother then sent Vasilisa directly to the witch to fetch some fire from the witch.
The girl wandered through the woods in her search for the fearsome witch. In succession, riders dressed in white, red and black passed her by. At last, she found the hut, on chicken legs and surrounded by skulls that glowed at night. Baba Yaga appeared, and gave her tasks to earn the fire-she had to do the laundry, clean the house and cook the meal. When the witch left, Vasilisa used her doll to help her with the many tasks, so that by the time Baba Yaga returned everything was spotless.
The witch was pleased, and told Vasilisa that she could ask her questions. The girl first asked about the identity of the three riders.
Without pause, Baba Yaga said, "The white rider is Day, the red is the Sun and the black horseman is the night."
Vasilisa wanted to ask more questions, but the doll shivered in her pocket, so she thought it best not to press too much.
So it was Bab Yaga's turn, and she asked how the young girl did all the tasks in such a short time.
"It was done with my mother's blessing," Vasilisa said.
The witch threw her out, because she did not want anything to do with someone that was blessed. True to her word though, Baba Yaga provided a glowing skull lantern, which could be used to light fires.
When Vasilisa returned she found that her step family was unable to light a fire while she was gone. The skull that she carried began to glow bright, and tongues of flame set the home alight, and the stepmother and stepsisters died horribly in the inferno.
The girl found shelter with an old seamstress, who taught her the craft. She became so skilled that she attracted the attentions of the Tsar, who fell in love with Vasilisa. She married the Russian ruler and they lived happily ever after.
Thank you for reading!
The story that will be told here is a well known Russian one; filled with magic and the supernatural. It's an exciting and timeless tale, and it's easy to see why it has kept the attention of so many for centuries.
Vasilisa the Beautiful
Once upon a time there was a merchant who had a daughter, called Vasilisa the Beautiful. Her idyllic life was interrupted when her mother became ill. On her deathbed, the mother gave Vasilisa a wooden doll, and instructed her to give it food and drink whenever she needed help. When the matriarch of the family passed way, the young girl gave it a little to drink to eat and drink, and the doll duly comforted her.
Years later the merchant remarried and Vasilisa all of a sudden had many stepsisters, but all of them were cruel. The wooden doll helped her complete the many tasks that her stepfamily gave her. All of the young men in the region wanted to marry Vasilisa, and not her stepsisters, which outraged her stepmother. As a result, she sent Vasilisa into the woods, in the hope that Baba Yaga would eat her. The young girl somehow returned unscathed each time. The stepmother then sent Vasilisa directly to the witch to fetch some fire from the witch.
The girl wandered through the woods in her search for the fearsome witch. In succession, riders dressed in white, red and black passed her by. At last, she found the hut, on chicken legs and surrounded by skulls that glowed at night. Baba Yaga appeared, and gave her tasks to earn the fire-she had to do the laundry, clean the house and cook the meal. When the witch left, Vasilisa used her doll to help her with the many tasks, so that by the time Baba Yaga returned everything was spotless.
The witch was pleased, and told Vasilisa that she could ask her questions. The girl first asked about the identity of the three riders.
Without pause, Baba Yaga said, "The white rider is Day, the red is the Sun and the black horseman is the night."
Vasilisa wanted to ask more questions, but the doll shivered in her pocket, so she thought it best not to press too much.
So it was Bab Yaga's turn, and she asked how the young girl did all the tasks in such a short time.
"It was done with my mother's blessing," Vasilisa said.
The witch threw her out, because she did not want anything to do with someone that was blessed. True to her word though, Baba Yaga provided a glowing skull lantern, which could be used to light fires.
When Vasilisa returned she found that her step family was unable to light a fire while she was gone. The skull that she carried began to glow bright, and tongues of flame set the home alight, and the stepmother and stepsisters died horribly in the inferno.
The girl found shelter with an old seamstress, who taught her the craft. She became so skilled that she attracted the attentions of the Tsar, who fell in love with Vasilisa. She married the Russian ruler and they lived happily ever after.
Thank you for reading!
Comments
Post a Comment