| Snegurochka | |
|---|---|
 | |
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Real Name |
Snegurochka, Snegurka, or Snow Maiden |
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First Appearance |
Russian Folklore |
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Created by |
Unknown |
Origin[]
A version of a folk tale about a girl made of snow and named Snegurka was published in 1869 by Alexander Afanasyev in the second volume of his work The Poetic Outlook on Nature by the Slavs, where he also mentions the German analog, Schneekind ("Snow Child"). In this version, childless Russian peasants Ivan and Marya made a snow doll, which came to life. This version was later included by Louis Léger in Contes Populaires Slaves (1882). Snegurka grows up quickly. A group of girls invite her for a walk in the woods, after which they make a small fire and take turns leaping over it; in some variants, this is on St. John's Day, and a St. John's Day tradition. When Snegurka's turn comes, she starts to jump, but only gets halfway before evaporating into a small cloud. Andrew Lang included this version as "Snowflake" in The Pink Fairy Book (1897).
In another story, she is the daughter of Spring the Beauty (Весна-Красна) and Ded Moroz, and yearns for the companionship of mortal humans. She grows to like a shepherd named Lel, but her heart is unable to know love. Her mother takes pity and gives her this ability, but as soon as she falls in love, her heart warms and she melts. This version of the story was made into a play The Snow Maiden by Aleksandr Ostrovsky, with incidental music by Tchaikovsky in 1873.
In 1878, the composer Ludwig Minkus and the Balletmaster Marius Petipa staged a ballet adaptation of Snegurochka titled The Daughter of the Snows for the Tsar's Imperial Ballet. The tale was also adapted into an opera by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov titled The Snow Maiden: A Spring Fairy Tale (1880–1881).
In the late Russian Empire Snegurochka was part of Christmas celebrations, in the form of figurines to decorate the fir tree and as a character in children's pieces. In the early Soviet Union, the holiday of Christmas was banned, together with other Christian traditions, until it was reinstated as a holiday of newly-independent Russia in 1991.
However, in 1935 the celebration of the New Year was allowed, which included, in part, the fir tree and Ded Moroz. At this time Snegurochka acquired a role of the granddaughter of Ded Moroz and his helper. In this role, she wears long silver-blue robes and a furry cap or a snowflake-like kokoshnik. During the usual scripts of New Year celebrations for children, Snegurochka's appearance is preceded by the audience screaming "Sne-gu-roch-ka" while waiting for her.
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of Snegurochka from before January 1, 1930 are public domain in the US.
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- The Poetic Outlook on Nature by the Slavs vol. 2 (1869)
- Contes Populaires Slaves (1882)
- The Pink Fairy Book (1897)
Public Domain Stage Appearances[]
- The Snow Maiden (1873)
- The Daughter of the Snows (1878)
- The Snow Maiden: A Spring Fairy Tale (1880–1881)