The Snow Maiden

Everything in the world happens for a reason, and every tale is told for a reason. Once upon a time, there lived an old man and an old woman. They had plenty of everything—a cow, a sheep, and a cat on the stove—but they had no children. They were very sad and grieved deeply. One winter, the snow fell knee-deep. The neighbor's children poured out into the street—sledding, throwing snowballs, and making a snowman. The old man watched them from the window, watched and said to the old woman:

"Why, wife, are you sitting there so pensive, looking at other people's children? Let's go out, have some fun in our old age, and make a snowman ourselves."

The old woman, too, must have been in a cheerful mood. "Well then, let's go, old man. But why make a snowman? Let's make a snow daughter, Snegurochka."

No sooner said than done.

The old couple went to the garden and began to sculpt a snow daughter. They made her, placed two blue beads for eyes, dimpled her cheeks, and made a mouth from a scarlet ribbon. How beautiful the snow daughter Snegurochka was! The old man and woman couldn't take their eyes off her, admiring her endlessly. And Snegurochka's mouth smiled, her hair curled.

Snegurochka moved her little legs and arms, shifted from her spot, and walked through the garden toward the house.

The old man and woman were utterly astonished—rooted to the spot.

"Old man," the woman cried, "this is our living daughter, our dear Snegurochka!" And she rushed into the house... Oh, what joy there was!

Snegurochka grew not by the day but by the hour. Each day, she became more beautiful. The old man and woman couldn't stop looking at her, couldn't get enough of her. And Snegurochka herself was like a white snowflake, her eyes like blue beads, her braid reaching down to her waist. Only there was no blush on her cheeks, no hint of blood in her lips. But even so, how lovely Snegurochka was!

Then came the clear spring, buds swelled, bees flew into the fields, and the lark sang. All the children were overjoyed, and the girls sang spring songs. But Snegurochka grew sad, became cheerless, always looking out the window, shedding tears.

Then came the red summer, flowers bloomed in the gardens, and the grain ripened in the fields...

Snegurochka grew gloomier than ever, always hiding from the sun, seeking shade and coolness, or better yet, the rain.

The old man and woman kept exclaiming:

"Are you well, dear daughter?"
"I am well, grandmother."

But she kept hiding in the corner, not wanting to go outside. One day, the girls gathered to go to the forest for berries—raspberries, blueberries, and wild strawberries.

They began to invite Snegurochka:

"Come with us, Snegurochka!.. Come with us, dear friend!.."
Snegurochka didn't want to go to the forest, didn't want to be under the sun. But the old man and woman insisted:

"Go, go, Snegurochka, go, go, dear child, have fun with your friends."

Snegurochka took a basket and went to the forest with her friends. The friends wandered through the forest, weaving wreaths, dancing in circles, and singing songs. But Snegurochka found a cold stream, sat by it, looked into the water, dipped her fingers into the fast-flowing water, and played with the droplets like pearls.

Then evening came. The girls grew lively, put wreaths on their heads, lit a bonfire of twigs, and began to jump over the fire. Snegurochka didn't want to jump... But her friends urged her on. Snegurochka approached the fire... She stood trembling, no color in her face, her braid undone... Her friends shouted:

"Jump, jump, Snegurochka!"

Snegurochka ran and jumped...

There was a rustling above the fire, a mournful groan, and Snegurochka was gone.

A white mist rose above the fire, curled into a little cloud, and the cloud flew high into the heavens.

Snegurochka had melted away...

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The Snow Maiden

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