Vasilissa the Beautiful
A Russian Folktale

adapted by Elizabeth Winthrop
illustrated by Alexander Koshkin

Book reviews Story Characters Use of Magic Country of origin & printable map Related Books

Horn Book starred, September, 1991
A retelling of the favorite Russian folk tale in which Vasilissa, with the help of a magical doll, overcomes the trials of a wicked stepmother and the witch Baba Yaga and goes on to marry the czar. Beautifully illustrated with the richly elaborate seventeenth-century costumes seen in traditional Russian folk art.

Kirkus starred, 1991
A long, complex tale incorporating several familiar elements, satisfyingly arranged in tandem. Like Cinderella, Vasilissa is oppressed after her mother’s death by a stepmother with two obnoxious daughters. Then, like Hansel and Gretel, she is sent into the forest, where she meets the fascinating Baba Yaga. Three mysterious riders mark the passage of each day at Baba Yaga’s house, which is surrounded with glowing skulls--one of which Vasilissa finally takes home, where it demolishes her enemies. Finally, while awaiting her father’s return, she spins linen so fine that it attracts the tsar, who marries her. Winthrop’s supple, unobtrusive retelling is just right, lively with entertaining incident; the magical doll Vasilissa’s mother has left her is especially charming. The Russian illustrator’s paintings are also outstanding, full of vigor and robust color; he depicts opulent costume, the witch’s weird surroundings, a delicate flower, or the self-reliant Vasilissa with equal skill. Picture-book size but with double-spread paintings often followed by two full pages of text, this handsome book will also be fine as a young reader.

Many years ago there was a rich merchant and his wife. They had a daughter Vasilissa. When she was very young, her mother became very sick and called her to her bedside. There she gave her daughter a doll. She told her to never show the doll to anyone. She was to give the doll food and drink, and tell the doll all of her troubles. Her mother died shortly after her visit.

Vasilissa was very sad. She remembered the doll and pulled her from her pocket. She placed a piece of bread and a cup of milk in front of the doll. She began to tell her how sad and lonely she was. The doll came to life and told her to go to bed. Things would be easier in the morning. Vasilissa did as she was told. Her sadness had lifted a little by morning.

As time passed, the merchant remarried. He married a cold, cruel woman who only married him for his money. She had two daughters who were jealous of Vasilissa. They made her do all of the work.

As years passed, Vasilissa grew even more beautiful. Men in the village began asking for her hand in marriage. Her stepmother would refuse their offers because the youngest could never marry before the oldest.

One day, Vasilissa’s father had to travel to a distant land for business. After he left, the stepmother sold his house, packed all of his goods, and move the family at the edge of a gloomy forest. The stepmother knew that in the forest lived Baba Yaga, an old witch that ate people. Everyday she would send Vasilissa into the forest to pick flowers and berries. She was hoping the witch would eat Vasilissa. But the little doll kept Vasilissa from Baby Yaga, and everyday she would return home. This made the stepmother hate her more.

One evening the stepmother gave each girl a job to do. One was to make a piece of lace, one was to knit a pair of stockings, and Vasilissa was to spin a basketful of flax. After a few hours, the elder daughter put the candle out as her mother instructed her. The two stepsisters advised Vasilissa that Baba Yaga was the only place to get the light. Since they didn’t need the light, they forced Vasilissa out the door to get the light. Scared, Vasilissa pulled the doll out of her pocket, fed her what scraps she had, and told her the story about going to Baba Yaga. The doll smiled and assured her that as long as she had the doll, no harm would come to her.

As she walked through the forest, three horsemen rode by. One was dressed in white. His horse was white with a white harness. Next, a man riding by dressed in red riding a red horse with a red harness. Next, came a man dressed in black riding a black horse with a black harness. As he rode near Baba Yaga’s house, he disappeared. Suddenly, Baba Yaga flew near her house. When she smelled a human, Vasilissa stepped forward. She explained how she was sent by her stepmother to get fire from her. Baba Yaga demanded that she work for the fire. With that, Vasilissa entered Baba Yaga’s house, and the locks bolted after her.

The next day, Baba Yaga gave Vasilissa her daily chores. She threatened that if she did not complete her chores, she would eat her for supper. When Baba Yaga left, Vasilissa pulled out the doll, gave her the scrap of food the witch left her, and began to tell her about all of the work. By the time, the witch returned, all the chores were completed. Baba Yaga could not find anything to complain about.

The next day, the same chores were given to Vasilissa plus she was to clean each poppy seed in the bushel. Again by the time the witch returned, all of the chores were finished. Again, the doll helped Vasilissa. The witch called on the hands to make oil from the poppy seeds. Three hands appeared and began squeezing the seeds to make oil.

Meanwhile, Baba Yaga ate enough food for five men. Seeing Vasilissa standing there, she asked what was bothering her. Vasilissa wanted to ask questions. The witch reminded her that too many questions would make you turn old. Vasilissa’s first question was who was the white horseman. The witch told her that he was the bright, white day. Who was the red horseman? He was the red, round sun. Who was the black horseman? He was the dark, black night. Vasilissa became quiet. When the witch angrily asked her to give her more questions, Vasilissa wisely answered that she didn’t want to become old.

Then, Baba Yaga asked her how she could finish all of those chores. She told the witch that it was help from the blessings of her dead mother. Angrier now, the witch threw Vasilissa out of her house. As she left, the old witch threw one of the burning skulls at her. She told her to take her fire home. Vasilissa ran until she found her home. Thinking her stepmother had fire, she threw the skull into the bushes. The skull begged her to bring it inside. Seeing only darkness in the windows, Vasilissa picked up the skull and brought it inside. The stepmother was so glad to see the fire. They were unable to keep a fire going while she was gone. The skull seemed to fix its eyes on the stepmother and her daughters. By the next morning, all three had been burned to ashes. Vasilissa was fine.

Vasilissa closed the house and moved in with a kind old woman until her father returned. One day she asked the old woman to buy her some flax so that she may be busy and weave it into cloth. Once she had all of the cloth made, she fed the doll and told her she needed a loom. After she gathered a few hairs from a horse’s mane and a basket, the loom was made. Vasilissa made a beautiful shirt and gave it to the old woman to sell to help pay for her stay. The old woman said the shirt was made for the Tsar himself. She took it to the Tsar and gave it to him. Seeing how well made it was he insisted the old lady have Vasilissa make more. Vasilissa was so happy that she locked herself in her room until she had a dozen fine shirts. The Tsar liked them so much he wanted to meet Vasilissa immediately. The Tsar fell in loved on site and asked her to marry him. The wedding lasted three days and nights. When Vasilissa’s father returned, he was happy that his daughter was married to the Tsar.

Vasilissa’s mother - She loved her husband and Vasilissa. She grew ill and died. She gave her daughter a magical doll.

Vasilissa’s father - He was a rich merchant. He loved his daughter, Vasilissa. His wife died. He married a widow with two daughters. He left for a foreign land. When he returned, he was happy that Vasilissa married the Tsar.

Stepmother - She was cold and cruel. She was jealous of Vasilissa’s beauty. She forbid Vasilissa to get married before her daughters. She wanted to get rid of Vasilissa. She burned to ashes.

Stepsisters - They were thin and bony. They were spoiled. They ordered Vasilissa around like a slave. They sent Vasilissa into the forest to get fire from Baba Yaga. They burned to ashes.

Baba Yaga - She was a witch that lived in the forest and ate people. She lived alone. She was cruel and mean. She always threatened to eat Vasilissa. She wanted Vasilissa to ask more questions so that she would turn old. She threw Vasilissa out of the house when she mentioned blessings.

Tsar - He ordered more shirts to be made by Vasilissa. When he saw Vasilissa, he fell in love with her. He married her.

Vasilissa - She was sad and lonely because of her mother’s death. She received a magical doll from her mother before she died. Her father married a cold, cruel woman who made her do all of the work. She was forced to get fire from Baba Yaga. She was kept captive and had to work for the witch in order to get the fire. She was kicked out of the witch’s house. She survived being burned to ashes. She moved in with an old woman. She made shirts for the Tsar. She fell in love and married the Tsar.

Old lady - She was kind and took Vasilissa into her home. She helped Vasilissa by giving her shirt to the Tsar.

There is a lot of magic in this story. It starts early when Vasilissa is given a magical doll by her dying mother. All she had to do is give the doll food and tell the doll her problems.

Everyday the stepmother sent Vasilissa into the dark forest to pick flowers and berries. The stepmother hoped Basa Yaga would eat her. But the little doll would not let her go near the witch’s house.

When Vasilissa was sent to get fire from Basa Yaga, she came upon three horsemen. The first was a white horseman who road a white horse with a white harness. The witch told her that he was the brightness of day. Then, a red horseman riding a red horse with red harness rode by. He represented the red, round sun. Finally, a black horseman riding a black horse with a black harness disappeared behind the witch’s house. The witch said he was the darkness of night. After Vasilissa completed her tasks, the Basa Yaga ordered three hands to grind the wheat and to squeeze the old from the poppy seeds. Three hands appeared and completed the job.

Each time Basa Yaga left in the morning, she gave Vasilissa so many jobs that I was impossible for her to do all of them. She would feed her doll and tell her the problem. The doll would see to it that all the work was completed. The next day, the witch would give her more impossible jobs. Again, Vasilissa would feed her doll and tell her the problem. Again, the jobs would be completed.

When Vasilissa was finally freed, she angrily was given a skull with fire. When she tossed it away into the bushes, the skull begged her to take him into the house. She did as she was asked. The next morning her stepmother and sisters were found burned to ashes.

The final feat of magic was when Vasilissa needed a loom. She fed her doll and told her what she needed. The doll told her to bring her a basket and the hairs from a horse’s mane. When Vasilissa awoke the next morning, there was a loom.

Go to a Printable Map of Russia from National Geographic

According to Rice, “Children are especially treasured as the hope of the future” (22). This would explain why Vasilissa’s mother gave her a doll to watch over and protect her.

Large evergreen forests cover parts of Russia (Thoennes 7). This explains the setting of Vasilissa’s new house, at the edge of a gloomy forest. This is also the setting for Baba Yaga’s hut.

Bread is one of the many foods that Baba Yaga eats. “Farmers in Russian grow grain, so bread is a major food” (Thoennes 13).

“Finally, the Russian flag is white, blue, and red. The white means pure; the blue means noble; and the red means brave” (Thoennes 5). These traits all describe Vasilissa. She is sweet and kind and her heart is pure. She is brave in her dealings with Baba Yaga. Lastly, she marries the Tsar and becomes a noblewoman.

Rice, Terrence. Countries of the World: Russia. Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens, 1999.

Thoennes, Kristin. Countries of the World: Russia. Mankato: Bridgestone Books, 1999.