1 Умирая, купчиха призвала к себе дочку, вынула из-под одеяла куклу, отдала ей The doll is an example of a transitional object. Given to Vasilisa at a critical period in her life, her transition from childhood to adulthood, the doll will provide the kind of comfort and support one might expect from a mother.
2 Василиса была первая на все село красавица; мачеха и сестры завидовали ее красоте The basic structure of this tale is very similar to that of “Cinderella.” The close similarity in characters is striking: The heroine is sweet, passive, and beautiful; the heroine’s dead mother provides for her in life and death (via her “blessing”); the stepmother is bad-natured and jealous; the heroine’s father is weak-willed and virtually absent from the tale; the two stepsisters’ dispositions mirror that of their mother; the doll in this story resembles a fairy-godmother figure and provides hope and wisdom to the heroine in times of despair; and, of course, the handsome prince appears at the end of the tale.
3 Василиса выросла и стала невестой This is a key indicator that Vasilisa’s adventure is about to begin: the ultimate goal of fairy-tale heroines is to pass their test so that they may get married.
4 возле этого дома был дремучий лес, а в лесу на поляне стояла избушка, а в избушке жила баба-яга The placement of the hut at the edge of the dense forest is significant, as this liminal place between the safety of the familiar roads and fields and the danger lurking in the dark woods represents the limbo between childhood and maturity through which the young girl must pass.
5 перекрестившись The image of crossing oneself appears a bit strange because the nature of the doll and its magic ability to perform tasks and help the heroine are so clearly pagan in origin.
6 в ступе едет, пестомпогоняет, помелом след заметает This is Baba-Yaga’s typical method of travel. Notice that these are items that are used in the kitchen. Baba-Yaga is intimately connected to the household and to women’s work.
7 «Фу-фу! Русским духом пахнет! Кто здесь?» This is a standard phrase that is equivalent to the familiar: “Fi fie fo fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!” Note that Russianness, in this case in the form of an odor, is something foreign to Baba-Yaga.
8 «Эй, запоры мои крепкие, отомкнитесь; ворота мои широкие, отворитесь!» Baba-Yaga is able to command inanimate objects to do her bidding.
9 Кукла ответила: «Не бойся, Василиса Прекрасная! Поужинай, помолися Again, here religion intrudes on the story in the doll’s advice to pray. Lucky Vasilisa is getting help from two sources: her magical helper and God.
10 утро мудреней вечера A common proverb often found in folktales.
11 Баба-яга вышла на двор, свистнула— перед ней явилась ступа с пестом и помелом. Another instance of Baba-Yaga's ability to control nature and inanimate objects.
12 Состряпай с богом Yet again, the Christian influence on this tale intermingles with the enchantedness.
13 Затрещали деревья, захрустели листья Not only does Baba-Yaga have the power to command nature, but nature actively responds to her. This reinforces her pagan ties.
14 много будешь знать, скоро состареешься Another common proverb.
15 все мои слуги верные Baba-Yaga’s role is tied in with women in many ways. Here, her status us a type of nature goddess is emphasized: Baba-Yaga has command over Night and Day.
16 «Будет с меня и этого; сама ты, бабушка, сказала, что много узнаешь — состареешься». In the world of fairy tales, there are a number of characteristics associated with beauty and therefore femininity, including youth, passivity, submissiveness, sweetness, and intuition. Here Vasilisa demonstrates both intuition and discretion: she knows when not to pry.
17 «Так вот что! Убирайся же ты от меня, благословенная дочка! Не нужно мне благословенных». Baba-Yaga’s status as a pagan nature goddess is contrasted here with the Christian element of a blessing. While a nature goddess was not necessarily evil, Baba-Yaga’s response when she learns of the blessing emphasizes her non-Christian character.
18 Те было прятаться, но куда ни бросятся — глаза всюду за ними так и следят; к утру совсем сожгло их в уголь; одной Василисы не тронуло. Thus, in this tale Baba-Yaga facilitates the redemption of Vasilisa by means of her stepmother and stepsisters’ destruction. Note that Vasilisa retains her virtue and remains passive: it is not by Vasilisa’s hand, but by the very light that they had sent her to fetch that the stepmother and her daughters meet their ends.
19 Василиса добыла все, что надо, и легла спать The transition from childhood into physical and emotional maturity is often bridged by a period of latency such as a long sleep. Cf. “Sleeping Beauty,” “Snow White,” and also “Two Ivans: Soldier’s Sons,” in which the protagonists all sleep before the peak action of the tale takes place.
20 «Я знала, — говорит ей Василиса, — что эта работа моих рук не минует». Заперлась в свою горницу, принялась за работу; шила она не покладываючи рук, и скоро дюжина сорочек была готова. Fairy tale heroines are often required to go through some trial, to pass tests of various sorts. Vasilisa successfully passed through her time at Baba-Yaga’s, her transition from childhood to adulthood. Now, however, her task is to prove her value as a woman by accomplishing something that only an amazingly talented and capable woman could do.
21 Тут взял царь Василису за белые руки, посадил ее подле себя, а там и свадебку сыграли. Fairy tales are often preoccupied with marriage. For fairy tale maidens, it is often the culminating point of these tales. (cf. Marcia Lieberman, “Some Day My Prince Will Come”)