The Magic Swans

The cunning swan geese kidnapped baby Vanyusha and carried him away to Baba Yaga. His older sister, Mashenka, was to blame: she got carried away playing and forgot about her little brother. The girl sets off to find Vanya and eventually rescues him from Baba Yaga, despite a difficult search and a perilous escape.

The fairy tale teaches children to obey adults and to be able to correct their mistakes. This instructive lesson is expressed very poetically. Mashenka comprehends the wisdom of life thanks to magical talking characters – the stove, the apple tree, the river, the hedgehog. They help her find Vanya and safely return home. They also intercede for the children when they are in danger.

The plot of the fairy tale, as retold by folklorist Mikhail Bulatov, is good for its simplicity and accessibility for children's perception. Equally simple, understandable illustrations for children were done by artist Ivan Kuznetsov. Older generations are well familiar with this book in its black-and-white version. With the consent of the artist's heirs, the Melik-Pashaev publishing house carefully colored the illustrations.