The Malachite Casket (fairy tale) facts for kids

"The Malachite Casket" (Russian: Малахитовая шкатулка, tr. Malahitovaja shkatulka), also known as "The Malachite Box", is a famous folk tale from the Ural Mountains in Russia. It's a special kind of story called a skaz, which means it's told in a way that sounds like someone from the old days is sharing a legend. The story was collected and rewritten by Pavel Bazhov. It was first printed in a newspaper in 1938 and later became a key part of his book, The Malachite Casket collection. Many people think this is one of the best stories in the whole collection.

About the Story's Release

This skaz first appeared in a newspaper called Na Smenu! in 1938. It was also published in a book called Uralsky Sovremennik that same year. The story then became part of the larger The Malachite Casket collection in 1939.

The story was first going to be called "Father's Gift". But before it was published, the name was changed to "The Malachite Casket". Pavel Bazhov liked this new title so much that he decided to name his entire collection of stories after it!

The story was later translated into English. Alan Moray Williams translated it in 1944. Another translation was done by Eve Manning in the 1950s.

What Happens in the Story?

The story begins after a skilled miner named Stepan passes away. He leaves behind his wife, Nastasya, and their two sons and a daughter. Nastasya now owns a beautiful Malachite Casket filled with sparkling jewelry. Stepan received this special casket from the legendary Mistress of the Copper Mountain.

Only Stepan's daughter, Tanyushka, enjoys playing with the jewelry from the casket. Every piece looks perfect on her. Tanyushka has black hair and green eyes, and she doesn't look like her mother at all. It's almost as if she has different parents. Her appearance reminds people of the Mistress of the Copper Mountain.

A mysterious traveling woman comes to their house and stays for a while. She teaches Tanyushka how to do amazing silk embroidery. Nastasya isn't very happy about this. She feels that Tanyushka is closer to the stranger than to her own mother. But Tanyushka and the woman become very good friends.

One day, when they are alone, Tanyushka shows the woman the jewelry from the Malachite Casket. In return, the woman shows Tanyushka a magical vision. She sees a beautiful room decorated with malachite. The woman explains that the Malachite Room in the Tsar's palace is decorated with the very malachite that Stepan mined. The next day, the mysterious woman leaves Nastasya's house. Before she goes, she gives Tanyushka a small button as a special "remembrance."

As Tanyushka grows up, she becomes an incredibly skilled needleworker. She is also very beautiful, but she keeps to herself and doesn't spend much time with other girls. People start calling her "a stone statue" because she seems so distant. Many young men at the local factory are attracted to her, but they don't dare to talk to her because she seems so cold. Nastasya blames this on the mysterious woman, calling her a "sorceress."

One day, a sad event happens: the family's house burns down. Nastasya has to sell the Malachite Casket to get by. Many merchants are interested in the beautiful jewelry. Around this time, a new factory manager arrives. People quickly nickname him "Flogger" because he often orders punishments. This manager is married to a woman who is connected to the local landlord's son. This rich woman eventually buys the Casket.

However, the manager's wife cannot wear the jewelry. Every piece causes her pain. She asks different craftsmen to fix the jewelry for her. But they all refuse to touch the gemstones. They explain that no one wants to upset the original maker, and the jewelry was made to fit only one special person. The manager's wife gives up and decides to sell the Casket as soon as she can.

When the old landlord dies, his son wants his former partner back. The manager is angry at first. But then he hears about Tanyushka's beauty and goes to see her. He is immediately charmed by her. He tries to win her over, but Tanyushka remains very cold towards him.

The landlord's son, a noble man named Turchaninov, finally comes for his former partner. When he sees Tanyushka, he forgets all about the other woman. He buys the Casket from her and offers it to Tanyushka, but she refuses to take it. Turchaninov then says he wants to marry her.

Tanyushka agrees to marry him, but only if he shows her the Tsarina (the empress) herself in the Malachite Room in Saint Petersburg. Turchaninov agrees to her condition. Dressed like a queen, Tanyushka arrives at the Palace. She walks directly to the Malachite Room. The Tsarina enters the room and says, "Now then, show me this skilled maid."

When Tanyushka hears this, she frowns. She tells Turchaninov, "What does this mean? I told you to show me the Tsarina, and you've arranged it so that you show me to her. I don't want to see any more of you." She adds that he is not good enough for her anyway. Tanyushka then leans against the malachite wall and simply melts away. She is never seen again. But people say that the Mistress of the Copper Mountain now has a twin. They see two maids in malachite robes.

Story Adaptations

"The Malachite Casket" has inspired several movies and stage plays.

• Stepan's Remembrance is a 1976 Soviet film. It combines the stories of "The Mistress of the Copper Mountain" and "The Malachite Casket."
• The Malachite Casket was also made into a filmstrip in 1972.
• In 2012, an opera called The Malachite Casket was created by Dmitry Batin. It was based on both "The Mistress of the Copper Mountain" and "The Malachite Casket."

The 1976 Film

The film The Malachite Casket was part of a series of animated films. These films were made at Sverdlovsk Film Studio from the early 1970s to the early 1980s. They were created to celebrate 100 years since Pavel Bazhov's birth.

The series included other films like Sinyushka's Well (1973), The Mistress of the Copper Mountain (1975), The Stone Flower (1977), and Golden Hair (1979).

The Malachite Casket is a stop motion animated film. This means that objects are moved in small steps and photographed, making them appear to move on their own. It was directed by Oleg Nikolaevsky. The music was composed by Vladislav Kazenin.