http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_uMm3WBdIU
domingo, 28 de abril de 2013
The Firebird
The
Firebird
Prince
Ivan and his sister Katooshka lived with their father, the Tsar, in a castle in
Russia. Of the two children, the Tsar preferred the daughter as she seemed to
be more hard working than the son, but really it was the other way around, only
Katooshka was very sneaky.
The
children had to care for the Tsar’s greatest treasure, a tree with apples made
out of gold. But one day it was discovered that a golden apple was missing from
the tree. The next night another one was stolen. The next night the Tsar told
Ivan and Katooshka to stay awake in the garden and find out who was stealing
the golden apples.
Katooshka
didn’t even try and stay awake, she just left it up to Ivan to do everything
again. After a while Ivan saw the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. It was
the Firebird. He ran after the Firebird, but got there just too late, although
he did catch the Firebird’s tail, and one of the beautiful feathers came out in
his hand.
In
the morning, Katooshka shouted at Ivan for letting the robber get away. When
the Tsar came to speak to them, she also said that Ivan has been very lazy and
hadn’t done anything, so it was his fault that the Firebird had got away! The
Tsar was very angry but he was amazed at the beauty of the feather. He sent his
son away to catch the Firebird. He was not to return until he had caught the
splendid bird. A long journey began.
First
Ivan reached a creepy forest where he had to decide whether to go forward and
be eaten by a wolf or go back and be a failure. Ivan was determined to find the
Firebird and prove to his father that he wasn’t useless. So he entered the
forest and there he encountered a toothless wolf. But how could a wolf be
dangerous if he did not have any teeth? A pedlar had given Ivan a wolf’s tooth
in his father’s city. The tooth was useful for polishing the golden apples to
make them extra clean and shiny. Ivan took pity in the wolf and gave him the
tooth. The wolf was very grateful and decided to accompany Ivan to the castle
of Koschei the Deathless. (This was where they knew the Firebird was
imprisoned)
But
the evil wizard, Koschei the Deathless had another prisoner: Princess Vasilisa,
princess of incomparable beauty. The wolf knew some facts about the princess
and he issued Ivan with this warning.
“Do
not look at her! She has been bewitched by Koschei the Deathless. He has turned
her heart into wood, and hidden it so she could have no feelings. You will fall
hopelessly in love with her, and she will never be able to return the
feelings.”
The
wolf was not the bravest of animals; he left Ivan to go into the castle on his
own. Without the wolf there to remind him, Ivan forgot all the warnings and
fell deeply in love with Vasilisa.
Now
the prince had to master two difficult tasks: he had to rescue the Firebird and
his princess. Before he had the chance to take the princess away, Koschei the
Deathless appeared. He said that Baba Yaga, a terrible witch, had stolen the
Firebird. Koschei the Deathless told Ivan that if he got the Firebird back from
Baba Yaga, he would give Ivan the opportunity to choose between the princess
and the Firebird. The wizard told Ivan how to find Baba Yaga, and how the
Firebird was tied with a golden cord to Baba Yaga’s crow, Vanka.
Ivan
set off to find the Firebird, riding on the wolf’s back. When they found the
witch’s house, they saw that both Baba Yaga and the crow were fast asleep. Once
again the wolf issued a warning to prince Ivan.
“Before
you go, a word of warning. The Firebird will be fastened by a golden cord.
Bring the Firebird, but leave the cord.”
Of
course Ivan forgot this warning, he went to get the Firebird, he was about to
leave with the Firebird with the golden cord still tied to the it, when Vanka
the crow wakes up and squawks and squawks. Baba Yaga also wakes up and now Ivan
was captured.
The
wolf heard all this and went and fetched princess Vasilisa. Vasilisa pretended
to be a pedlar woman and tricked Baba Yaga in to letting her into the house.
When Baba Yaga and the crow were once again asleep, Ivan, the Firebird and
princess Vasilisa ran away.
They
all went back to Koschei’s castle. Ivan was then stuck. He had to choose
between the Firebird and the princess. He would not be allowed back in his
father’s house if he didn’t bring back the bird, but how could he leave his
beloved princess behind. Koschei (as he was truly evil) then tried to turn
Ivan’s heart into wood. Vasilisa saw this and suddenly burst into tears.
“Stop!…..
Stop that I tell you! Stop your crying!” shouted Koschei the Deathless.
In
an instance, Vasilisa realised where he had hidden her heart …… in her tears.
Koschei the Deathless died and Vasilisa’s heart was no longer wooden. Ivan then
told the Firebird that he was free, but the Firebird chose to come to the
Tsar’s castle with him.
When
they arrived, Ivan’s horrible sister – princess Katooshka tried to prevent them
showing the Firebird to the Tsar. She gave Ivan and Vasilisa two apples from
the golden tree (she had poisoned them to try and catch the thief). Ivan and
Vasilisa both died!
Now
only the Firebird, who had promised to return a favour to Ivan, knew a
solution. She flew to the fountain of life and therefore could return and
revive the children with the magic water.
The
Tsar now noticed how he had mistreated Ivan and that Katooshka should be
punished forever. He banished her to lead a pedlar’s life. However, Ivan and
Vasilisa also took pleasure in the thought of being free and jolly pedlars.
Finally they all decided to become pedlars and lived happily ever after!
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