The Classic Fairy Tales (Second Edition) (Norton Critical Editions) by Edited by Maria Tatar

Author:Edited by Maria Tatar
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 2016-12-31T22:00:00+00:00

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†  Charles Perrault, “Le Petit Poucet,” in Histoires ou Contes du temps passé. Avec des Moralités (Paris: Barbin, 1697). Translated for the first edition of this Norton Critical Edition by Maria Tatar. Copyright © 1999 by Maria Tatar.

ALEXANDER AFANASEV

Vasilisa the Fair†

Once upon a time there lived a merchant in a faraway kingdom. Although he had been married twelve years, he had only one child, and she was called Vasilisa the Fair. When Vasilisa was eight years old, her mother fell ill. She called her daughter to her side, took a doll out from under her coverlet, and gave it to the girl, saying: “Listen, Vasilisushka. Pay attention to my last words, and remember what I say. I’m dying, and all I can leave you is my maternal blessing with this doll. Keep the doll with you wherever you go, but don’t show her to anyone. If you get into trouble, just give her some food and ask her advice. After she has eaten, she will tell you what to do.” The mother kissed her daughter farewell and died.

Following his wife’s death, the merchant mourned her in proper fashion and then began to think about remarrying. He was a handsome man and had no difficulty finding a bride, but he liked a certain widow best. This widow had two daughters of her own, who were almost the same age as Vasilisa, and the merchant thought she would make a good housekeeper and mother. And so he married her, but he was wrong, for she did not turn out to be a good mother for his Vasilisa.

Vasilisa was the fairest girl in the entire village, and her stepmother and stepsisters were jealous of her beauty. They tormented her by giving her all kinds of work to do, hoping that she would grow bony from toil and weatherbeaten from exposure to the wind and the sun. And indeed, her life was miserable. But she bore it all without complaint and became lovelier with every passing day, while the stepmother and her daughters, who sat around all day doing nothing, grew thin and ugly as a result of spitefulness.

How did all this come about? Things would have been different without the doll. Without her aid the girl could never have managed all the work. Some days Vasilisa did not eat anything at all. She would wait until everyone was in bed in the evening and then lock herself in the room where she slept. Giving her doll a tasty morsel, she would say: “Eat this, little doll, and listen to my troubles. I live in my father’s house, but I’m deprived of joy. That stepmother of mine is going to be the death of me. Tell me how I should live and what I should do.” First the doll would eat, and then she gave Vasilisa advice and comforted her in her woe. And in the morning she would take care of all the chores, while Vasilisa rested in the shade and picked flowers.

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