Summary “Twelve Months” by Marshak
In the winter forest the wolf talks with a crow, the squirrels play with a hare in the burners. They are seen by the stepdaughter, who came to the forest for brushwood and firewood (she was sent by her cruel stepmother). The stepdaughter meets the Soldier in the forest, tells him about the game of animals. He explains that every miracle happens on New Year’s Eve, and helps the girl to collect a bundle. And the Soldier himself came into the woods behind the Christmas tree for the Queen. When he leaves, the forest gathers twelve months to build a fire.
Fourteen-year-old Queen, the same age as the Stepdaughter, is a round orphan. The gray-bearded Professor teaches a wayward girl to calligraphy and math, but not very successfully, for the Queen does not like to be contradicted. She wants tomorrow to come April, and issues an order: he promises a great reward to someone who brings a basket of snowdrops to the palace. The heralds announce the beginning of spring and the royal
Stepmother and her daughter dream of a reward. Only the stepdaughter returns with brushwood, as she is immediately sent back to the forest – behind the snowdrops.
The frozen stepdaughter wanders through the forest. Goes out to a clearing on which a fire burns, and around him twelve brothers-months are heated. The girl tells them her story. April asks the brothers to give him an hour to help the stepdaughter. Those agree. The snowdrops bloom around, the girl collects them. April gives her his ring: if a disaster happens, you need to throw a ringlet, say magic words – and all months will come to the rescue. The brothers punish the stepdaughter so that she does not tell anyone about the meeting with them.
The stepdaughter brings snowdrops home. Мачехина The daughter steals a ring from the sleeping Stepdaughter, donated by April. She immediately guesses about this, begs to return her a ring, but the old woman and her evil daughter do not even want to listen. They go with the snowdrops to the royal palace, leaving the stepdaughter at home.
Solemn reception in the royal palace.
In the forest, the soldiers clear the road in front of the Queen. They are hot, and the courtiers are cold. The Queen orders everyone to work and herself takes the broom. Appear Stepmother, daughter and stepdaughter. The Queen orders the stepdaughter to give her a fur coat. The stepdaughter complains that a ring was taken from her. The queen orders the daughter-in-law to return the ring, and she obeys. Then the Queen demands that the stepdaughter tell where she found the snowdrops. The girl refuses, and then the angry Queen orders her to take off her coat, threatens her execution and throws her ring into the hole. The stepdaughter, at last, utters magic words and disappears somewhere. Immediately comes the spring. Then summer. A bear appears next to the Queen. All run up, only the Professor and the old Soldier protect her. The bear leaves. Autumn is coming. Hurricane, downpour. The courtiers, leaving the Queen, flee back to the palace. The Queen remains with the Professor, the old Soldier, Stepmother and her Daughter. Winter returns, severe cold. There’s a sleigh, but you can not go: the horses galloped away on horseback. The Queen is freezing. How to get out of the woods? An old man appears in a white fur coat and offers everyone to make one wish. The queen wants to go home, the Professor – so that the seasons return to their seats, the Soldier – get warm by the fire, Stepmother and Daughter – fur coats, even canines. The old man gives them coats, they scold each other, that they did not ask for sable. And then they turn into dogs. They are harnessed to a sleigh. Professor – that the seasons return to their seats, the soldier – get warm by the fire, stepmother and daughter – fur coats, at least dog. The old man gives them coats, they scold each other, that they did not ask for sable. And then they turn into dogs. They are harnessed to a sleigh. Professor – that the seasons return to their seats, the soldier – get warm by the fire, stepmother and daughter – fur coats, at least dog. The old man gives them coats, they scold each other, that they did not ask for sable. And then they turn into dogs. They are harnessed to a sleigh.
Twelve months and the stepdaughter are sitting by the fire. Months give the girl a chest with new things and a wonderful sled, harnessed by two horses. The royal sleigh appears in a dog sled. Months allow everyone to get warm by the fire. On dogs, of course, you will not go far. I ought to ask the stepdaughter to give me a ride, but the arrogant Queen does not want to ask and does not know how. The soldier explains to her how this is done. The Queen finally kindly asks the stepdaughter, who puts everyone in a sleigh and gives everyone a fur coat. And she will bring the dogs to the New Year fire in three years, and if they get better, they will be turned into people again.
Everyone leaves. Months remain at the New Year’s fire.
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