"This is the castle that Koschei built. And this is the maiden who languishes in a dark dungeon, in the castle that Koschei built. And this is the Firebird, who keeps a sharp eye on the maiden who languishes in a dark dungeon in the castle that Koschei built. And here is the bright-faced, dashing lad who steals a feather from the Firebird, who keeps a sharp eye on the maiden who languishes in a dark dungeon in the castle that Koschei built..."
No, no, this tale isn't in verse; it's just a creative young woman named Masha making up a lullaby to put Koschei to sleep. Masha is an adult who ended up in a fairy tale by accident, because of love. She was on her way to a date with her beloved, who serves on the border, but it turned out that this place wasn't just a state border, but the intersection of two worlds. The Baba Yagas and other Koscheis dragged Masha into their world to save themselves, for they live as long as the fairy tale lives. And since fairy tales are fading into the past in the modern world, the supernatural beings decided to remind people of their existence. In this nature reserve, the reader will encounter the Kolobok and Likh the One-Eyed, taste axe porridge, and eat from a self-spreading tablecloth. It’s a crossover: all sorts of fairy-tale heroes and artifacts are involved. And the plot—well, it's as familiar as can be: Koschei kidnaps a beautiful maiden, and a good lad saves her. But the Baba Yagas just can't decide whether they are evil characters or good ones.
This fairy tale was written in the 90s, and it is not without some of the flaws of works from that time, but it really is funny and is still a very enjoyable read today. We recommend "How the Baba Yagas Saved the Fairy Tale" by Mikhail Mokienko if your children love books like "Down the Magic River," "Yozhka," "Pilot for Special Assignments," or "Monday Begins on Saturday"...
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