In a warm little cottage on the very edge of a dense spruce forest lives Grandfather Frost with his beloved granddaughter Snow Maiden. They live peacefully, they don't quarrel, and if quarrels do happen, everything is resolved kindly. All year long grandfather and granddaughter are busy with simple everyday tasks. Chopping wood, stoking the stove, baking pies and cooking hearty soup. And with the onset of winter, their worries increase greatly.
A troublemaker called Byaka-Obizhaka settled nearby with Grandfather Frost and Snow Maiden. All year long she watched them from the shadows and made plans to ruin the holiday so that the new year couldn't arrive and the old year would remain forever.
As soon as the spiteful Byaka-Obizhaka settled nearby, Grandfather Frost and Snow Maiden began to quarrel more often. Sometimes Grandfather Frost wouldn't thank his granddaughter for her help, he wouldn't even say a simple "thank you". Sometimes the granddaughter would suddenly flare up, start being rude to grandfather, he'd say a word and she'd answer with ten.
At first this didn't interfere with life, but resentment accumulated between grandfather and granddaughter, they spent less and less time together, and once they even had dinner separately. And Byaka-Obizhaka watched this and rejoiced at how cleverly it was working out. But the nasty Byaka-Obizhaka wanted to quarrel grandfather and granddaughter even more.
Byaka-Obizhaka came up with a cunning plan: to waylay Snow Maiden in the forest, appear to her in the form of a fox and tell her that grandfather had decided to throw her out of the house and take a new helper instead.
Time until winter was running out, but Byaka-Obizhaka couldn't find a good moment to approach Snow Maiden. Grandfather Frost seemed to sense that something was wrong and wouldn't let his granddaughter go anywhere alone.
Autumn gave way to winter, the days flew by faster than ever. Grandfather Frost began preparing gifts, and all the household chores fell on Snow Maiden. That's when Byaka-Obizhaka overheard a conversation:
Go into the forest, my dear granddaughter, and call the kind animals to help us, otherwise we won't manage to prepare all the gifts by the holiday.
But why should I go into the forest, grandfather? I tidied up the cottage today, prepared lunch, changed the bedding, and what were you doing?
Snow Maiden, my child, what's come over you? Don't you know that I've been reading letters all day and wrapping gifts in beautiful New Year paper! Or do you think that's not hard work?
And I asked you to stoke the stove from early morning, to bring firewood from the forest, so why should I go for it myself? It's heavy, I can't manage alone.
That's why I'm asking you to go into the forest and find helpers. Call Mikhail Potapovich, he'll help you carry the firewood, and Grandfather Frost is busy.
Byaka-Obizhaka understood that grandfather and granddaughter were tired and not ready to listen to each other, which meant she just needed to cast a little more magic to quarrel them further. She spoke evil but magical words. And she watched to see if it would work, if Grandfather Frost and Snow Maiden would succumb to the spell.
You seem to have lost your mind, grandfather! — Snow Maiden suddenly answered loudly after a long silence.
How dare you speak to your grandfather like that, you impudent girl? I raised you, taught you manners, and you're so rude to me in my old age.
Why are you talking nonsense like a madman? Have you forgotten that Mikhail Potapovich sleeps in winter! How could he help me carry firewood according to you?
Listen here, Snow Maiden, I won't tolerate this kind of behaviour in my house. Now apologise at once.
You apologise first, grandfather.
If you don't want to apologise, go into the forest, get some fresh air, and when you come to your senses, come back.
I'll go then, just so I don't have to see you!
Snow Maiden ran outside in tears, and Grandfather Frost's head ached from frustration. And the cunning Byaka-Obizhaka didn't waste time. She turned into a fox and caught up with Snow Maiden, saying:
Oh, Snow Maiden, dear, I see you're in trouble, how can I help?
Dear little fox, I don't even know what came over me. I hurt Grandfather Frost, and now I don't know how to go and apologise, I'm too ashamed to look him in the eye. The holiday is coming soon, we need to prepare for New Year, but we're at odds like this.
Poor Snow Maiden, don't grieve, don't be sad, I'll help you. I'll go to Grandfather Frost myself and ask his forgiveness for you, and you wait here.
Thank you, little fox, thank you so much! Go quickly!
Snow Maiden stayed to wait for the little fox, but her heart was uneasy. And she couldn't bring herself to go to the cottage, she was so ashamed of her harsh words.
And Byaka-Obizhaka ran to the cottage and turned into a grey hare. She enters the house and says:
Grandfather Frost! What's happened? Snow Maiden came to see me and said she's leaving the forest forever and won't come home!
It can't be! Did I really hurt her so much? Dear little hare, I don't know what came over me. Show me, my friend, where you last saw her, I'll run and apologise to her and bring her home.
Grandfather Frost, you shouldn't run through the forest, and Snow Maiden asked me not to let anyone follow her, she said she'll never forgive anyone who comes after her.
What am I to do then? How can I bring my beloved granddaughter home?
Let's do this, Grandfather Frost: write a letter to your granddaughter and tell her everything you think. I'll follow her trail in the forest and watch quietly, wait until she stops being upset and then give her your apology.
That's a wonderful plan, little hare! I'll hurry to write a letter, but be careful, don't lose it on the way. I can't prepare for New Year without my granddaughter Snow Maiden, which means the holiday won't come and we'll stay in the old year forever. Don't let me down, little grey one!
Grandfather Frost tried hard, he wrote the letter with love, drawing each letter carefully. And he enchanted the paper so it would glow blue in the dark, so the hare wouldn't lose sight of it. Grandfather Frost sealed the envelope and decorated it with a shower of sparkling silver snowflakes.
Byaka-Obizhaka, pleased, took the envelope from grandfather in her hare form and ran out of the cottage. Grandfather Frost watched her go for a long time, looking out the window. As soon as she was out of sight, she turned back into a fox. She found Snow Maiden among the trees. As soon as Snow Maiden saw her, she began to ask:
Little fox, dear sister, what did Grandfather Frost say, has he forgiven me for being foolish?
Oh, Snow Maiden, my dear, I don't want to upset you, I don't know what to say.
Tell me as it is, I'll accept it. If grandfather wants to punish me, I'm ready for anything.
I gave your apologies to Grandfather Frost and begged him on behalf of all the forest animals not to hold a grudge against you.
And what did he say? Don't keep me in suspense, tell me!
He said he can't forgive you. Your harsh words hurt him too much. He said he doesn't want to see you in his house anymore, that you should leave the forest and never show your face to him again.
Snow Maiden couldn't hold back her tears. Byaka-Obizhaka's words hurt her so deeply that she couldn't find words to speak.
Don't cry, Snow Maiden, you'd better leave the forest quickly so you don't anger Grandfather Frost further. It's getting dark, you might get lost in the dark forest.
Dear little fox, but what about New Year!? How will Grandfather Frost manage the New Year preparations without me, who will help him with the household, and who will go to the children and animals for the holiday?
Don't worry about New Year, Snow Maiden, grandfather said he'll find himself a new helper, so you go, go.
Oh, I can't! I feel terrible, my head is spinning from such misery. How did this happen! Help me, little fox, I'm afraid I won't make it alone.
Byaka-Obizhaka was at a loss. She hadn't expected to have to lead Snow Maiden out of the forest herself, and she needed to hide the magical letter far away. But how could she refuse? If the little fox abandoned Snow Maiden in trouble, she would surely realise something was wrong and the deception would be exposed. Byaka-Obizhaka decided to go with Snow Maiden, lead her deeper into the forest and run away before dark.
They walked through the winter forest for a long time. The sky grew darker and darker, the sun set. Byaka-Obizhaka said to Snow Maiden:
It's time for me to go home, dear Snow Maiden, you can make it the rest of the way yourself.
Thank you, little fox, for helping me, I don't know how to thank you.
The little fox waved her fluffy tail and ran away without saying goodbye. But she dropped the letter from Grandfather Frost. Snow Maiden looked at the letter and couldn't understand how she ended up in the forest. She decided to call the little fox and tell her she'd dropped the letter. She cried out to her:
Little fox! Little fox! Where have you gone?
The little fox didn't answer. Snow Maiden decided to look at the letter more closely and pick it up from the snow so it wouldn't get wet. As soon as she took the magical envelope in her hands, she felt the warmth of Grandfather Frost's cottage. And the envelope began to glow with blue stars. Snow Maiden understood that this was a letter from grandfather, she brushed away the magical sparkles and saw the inscription: "To my beloved granddaughter, Snow Maiden".
Snow Maiden couldn't believe her luck! Grandfather Frost had written her a letter and apparently gave it to the little fox to deliver, but she didn't tell her anything! The cunning thing deceived her! Snow Maiden opened the letter and read:
Dear granddaughter of mine, Snow Maiden. Forgive me, an old man, for harsh and hurtful words. I was wrong, I repent. I beg you not to leave for the forest, don't abandon me, don't deprive the children of the holiday! I promise to help you in everything and love you even more than before. Your Grandfather Frost.
Snow Maiden understood that the little fox had deceived her and ran back to the cottage, to Grandfather Frost. It's easy to get lost in the dark forest, but Snow Maiden knew every path in it, she'd played among these familiar trees all her childhood.
Grandfather paced about the cottage beside himself. There had been no news from the hare for a long time. Suddenly he saw a hare sitting outside the window, but not an ordinary one—it had a fox's tail. And its paws were human. Grandfather Frost took his magical staff, went out onto the porch and struck the ground three times. And he said:
What kind of creature is this sitting by my cottage? Come on, show yourself, who are you?
A snowy wind swirled the half-hare, half-fox creature and brought it to grandfather.
Show your true form! — said grandfather and struck his staff on the ground again.
Snow rose up, the creature spun around, and the nasty Byaka-Obizhaka appeared before Grandfather Frost in her true form.
So that's who you really are! Byaka-Obizhaka has come to our forest. That's why Snow Maiden and I had all those quarrels all year!
I don't know, Grandfather Frost, I haven't done anything, I haven't hurt anyone. I just live nearby...
Where have you taken my beloved granddaughter, Snow Maiden, confess!
I don't understand what you mean, Grandfather Frost, let me go, it's late already.
Then Snow Maiden appeared from the forest. Tired but happy, she held a glowing letter in her hands.
Grandfather! — she cried out and threw herself into the arms of the sorcerer.
Granddaughter, my beloved, how wrong I was to send you away from home. Forgive me, it was Byaka-Obizhaka who cast a spell on me.
And you forgive me too, grandfather, I said many harsh words to you, I hurt you. I didn't want to quarrel, I was just tired. And Byaka-Obizhaka cast a spell on me too.
Grandfather and granddaughter made peace and decided to punish Byaka-Obizhaka, to drive her out of the forest once and for all, and to warn all the animals that if anyone starts quarrelling and behaving rudely, it means the nasty sorceress has settled nearby and they must quickly drive her away. And Grandfather Frost and his granddaughter decided that from now on they would divide the chores equally between them and always ask each other: "How can I help?"
And so a happy, carefree life began in the forest. And grandfather and granddaughter completed all their tasks for New Year and threw such a celebration that everyone talked about it all the following year!
