Traditional Fairy Tales

The Magic Ring tells the story of Vadim, a boy who lives with his father in a small house in the villages. He goes to the market to buy bread, but returns home several times without any after he gives the money to get a peasant to stop beating his dog, another to stop beating a mouse, and a third to stop whipping a cat. Finally, he gets a peasant to stop kicking a snake, who gives him a magic ring. He not only has to tap it to get bread, but he creates a tree with leaves of gold.

The Mountain of Gems tells the story of Aman, who lives with his widowed mother. When she can no longer work, he looks for work, and a rich noble invites him to search for gems. They travel through the desert on camels, and at the bottom of a mountain, the noble asks Aman to lie down on a rug that he rolls up like a big tube. After two large black birds grab the rug and drop it on the mountain top, Aman discovers gems on the ground. After the noble asks him to throw them down and he does, the noble rides off leaving Aman to die.

Baboushka is busy with her house - she has so much to do. The late night arrival of three travelers at her cottage door interrupts her domestic routine of cleaning and polishing, and although she gives them excellent hospitality, she is relieved that they plan to travel on the following day. When the men explain that they are in search of a newborn king, Baboushka wonders whether to join them, but does not want to leave the house in a mess.

Chicago är inte platsen för Anna. Efter ett våldtäktsförsök av husets elaka son tar hon tåget till Nebraska där en bekant bor med familj. Den lilla staden är väldigt annorlunda från det stora, brusande Chicago. Men det finns också mycket här som Anna gillar. Flera hus verkar komma direkt från Sverige och folket är väldigt trevligt. Hon trivs också tillsammans med sin nya värdfamilj. Hon tänker fortfarande ofta på Nils, mannen som hon träffade på båten och som hon tappade bort vid landstigningen. Vad gör han nu? Lever han fortfarande? Hon känner att det värker i hjärtat av att tänka på honom.