In a small village by the sea lived a girl named Annushka. She lived with her father and mother in a small house. The yard was planted with beautiful flowers, which the girl tended together with her mother, and together with her father Annushka often went fishing.
In the evenings the girl loved to climb under a warm blanket, her mother would give her hot tea with warm pie and read her daughter fairy tales. Annushka always eagerly awaited a new story, because miracles always happened in them.
One beautiful evening her mother told the girl a new fairy tale about a handsome prince who fell in love with a young girl and took her to his luxurious palace.
When her mother turned off the light in the room and wished her daughter good night, the girl settled in comfortably and began to dream that someday in her life she would meet a prince who would love her, they would live together in a large luxurious palace, and he would always protect her and shield her from all troubles.
Every day Annushka imagined that in the palace courtyard the most diverse flowers would grow, and there would also be a huge garden with fruit trees. She, in a beautiful dress, would sit on a sunny warm day in the shade under a lush apple tree and read new interesting magical fairy tales. With the prince they would live long and happily, and no one could separate them.
Time passed, and the little girl turned into a young, beautiful maiden. Her parents had died several years ago, and now she lived in her small house by the sea all alone. An old woman who since childhood had treated the girl like her own granddaughter helped her with housework, and Annushka in return also helped the grandmother around the house, in the vegetable garden and in the orchard.
One evening, when the young beauty had already turned off the lights in the house, turned on her night lamp, under which even in childhood her mother had read her fairy tales, and settled in comfortably, there was suddenly a knock at the door.
Who's there?
The girl asked in surprise.
Only silence in response. Annushka approached the door and listened. Suddenly there was another knock, more insistent than before.
Well, who is there? Why are you silent?
Curiosity overcame the girl, and she cautiously opened the door. On the threshold stood a beautiful white horse. Its long wavy golden mane fell almost to the floor, and golden horseshoes sparkled with bright light.
Where did you come from?
Annushka exclaimed.
Where is your master? Why are you all alone at such a late hour?
The horse only shook its head excitedly, as if beckoning the girl into the forest.
What happened? Why are you so worried?
Then the horse reared up on its hind legs and neighed so loudly that the girl recoiled back in fright.
You want me to go with you? That's why you knocked on my door? Wait, wait, I'll just throw on a sweater, wait for me, good boy!
Annushka immediately threw on a cardigan, put on her shoes and rushed after her evening guest. Finding herself in a dense, dark forest where the horse had led her, the girl suddenly saw on the ground the bloodied body of a young man. Annushka thought the fellow was dead, leaned over him, and suddenly heard a heartbeat.
He's alive!
She cried out.
Someone, help!!!
But in the forest there was complete silence, and no one around. Annushka tried to drag the young man onto the horse, but she didn't have enough strength.
And then the forest was illuminated with bright light, as if night became day, and out of nowhere appeared a beautiful girl. She waved a magic wand, and Annushka suddenly felt herself becoming stronger. The rescuer lifted the young man and threw him onto the horse, which carried them both to Annushka's house.
A day passed, the young man came to himself. The girl cared for him all night, didn't take her eyes off him, brewed an herbal infusion according to her grandmother's recipe and gave the young fellow drinks all night.
After some time Annushka and the young man got married, it turned out that he was a prince and lived in a wonderful palace.
The girl remembered how once long ago her mother had told her:
My girl, when you grow up, you will surely meet your prince, who will love you, protect you and shield you! Believe in your dream, and the fairy tale will come to your home and all dreams will come true.
And then Annushka understood — there, in the forest, when the girl had no strength left at all, the fairy tale helped her. And do you read fairy tales, do you believe in miracles?
