Golden Hair (fairy tale) facts for kids

Golden Hair (which means "a golden hair" in Russian) is a special kind of folk tale. It was collected and rewritten by a famous Russian writer named Pavel Bazhov. This story is based on the traditional tales of the Bashkirs people.

It was first printed in 1939 in a children's book called Zolotye Zyorna. Later, it became part of a bigger collection of stories. This collection is known as The Malachite Casket. The story was translated into English in 1944 by Alan Moray Williams. It tells the exciting tale of a young hunter and a mysterious girl.

About the Story's Release

This folk tale was first shared with readers in 1939. It appeared in a children's book called Zolotye Zyorna, which means "golden grains." It was published alongside another story called "The Twisted Roll".

Soon after, on January 28, 1939, "Golden Hair" became part of The Malachite Casket collection. This collection features many of Bazhov's popular stories. "Golden Hair" is one of the few stories in the collection that comes from Bashkirs folklore. Another example is "The Demidov Caftans".

In 1944, the story was translated into English. Alan Moray Williams did the translation. It was published by Hutchinson in a book called The Malachite Casket: Tales from the Urals. Later, in 2012, it was included in Russian Magic Tales from Pushkin to Platonov. This book was published by Penguin Books and translated by Anna Gunin.

The Story's Plot

The story begins with a brave Bashkir hunter named Ailyp. He is hunting in the wide-open steppe. There, by a river, he meets a girl who is incredibly beautiful. Her long, braided hair is pure gold. It shines so brightly that it makes the water glow.

The girl asks Ailyp if he will marry her. Ailyp is very happy and quickly agrees. The girl's old nanny then explains things. She says the girl's name is Golden Hair. She is the daughter of Poloz the Great Snake. Poloz is a powerful creature who controls all the gold. Golden Hair's hair is made of real gold. It is so heavy that it keeps her stuck in one spot.

Ailyp carefully gathers her heavy golden hair. He starts to walk away with his bride-to-be. But Poloz does not want his daughter to leave. He begins to pull her golden hair underground. Golden Hair quickly grabs some scissors. She cuts off her long braid. She then disappears underground, leaving Ailyp with only her braid.

The girl's nanny comes to Ailyp. She tells him that Golden Hair is back in her spot by the river. But Poloz has made her hair even heavier. This is so Ailyp cannot lift it again. The nanny tells Ailyp: "Go home and live as you did before. If you remember your bride Golden Hair for three years, I will come back. Then I will take you to her."

After three long years, Ailyp returns to the river. Golden Hair tells him that his memories of her made her hair lighter each day. She suggests they try to run away again. But Poloz catches them once more. He makes Golden Hair's braid even longer and heavier. The nanny tells Ailyp:

"Go back home and wait for another three years. Exactly three years from now you must go to her."

Ailyp learns from a wise eagle-owl about a special place. This place is underneath Lake Itkul. In this spot, Poloz has no power. After another three years, Ailyp goes back for Golden Hair. He brings her to Lake Itkul. Together, they make a new home underneath the lake.

Main Ideas

Characters from The Malachite Casket collection on 2004 Russian stamps. From left to right: Danilo and the Mistress of the Copper Mountain ("The Stone Flower"), the Mistress and Tanyushka ("The Malachite Casket"), Ailyp and Golden Hair.

In "Golden Hair," the two lovers manage to escape from Poloz. The idea of a human marrying a magical creature is common in old folk tales. For the Bashkirs people, such a marriage often meant good luck. It could bring success, wealth, and a happy life.

However, the place under Lake Itkul is seen as a special "otherworld." It's a place where people might go after they pass away. The story hints that Golden Hair only leaves this place sometimes. The narrator also says he never saw them again after they went there. This suggests that their love and freedom came with a big change in their lives. It shows that their love was strong enough to overcome many challenges.

Other Versions

In 1947, the Moscow Puppet Theater created a play. It was called Tales from the Urals. This play was based on "Golden Hair" and another story, "Sinyushka's Well".

An animated film called Golden Hair was released in 1979. It was part of a series of animated films. These films were made at Sverdlovsk Film Studio. They celebrated 100 years since Pavel Bazhov was born. The series included films like Sinyushka's Well (1973) and The Mistress of the Copper Mountain (1975). Other films were The Malachite Casket (1976) and The Stone Flower (1977). There was also Podaryonka (1978), based on "Silver Hoof", and The Grass Hideaway (1982).

The Golden Hair film was made using stop motion animation. This means objects are moved slightly between each photo to create movement. Igor Reznikov directed the film. Alexander Rozin wrote the story for the screen. The music was composed by Vladislav Kazenin.