Treat the old spirits – and nature by proxy – with respect, the story intends to teach, or else. The stepmother is taken aback and sends her own daughter to the forest, expecting the same result, but is rewarded only with death. Her display of bravery impresses Frost, who sends her back home with gold and precious jewels. The forest is cold and silent, and yet the maiden doesn’t complain, even when the blue-eyed king appears and makes the weather even harsher. The people in Pyotr’s house – a Russian boyar – gather to hear old Dunya tell the tale of a maiden who is sent to the forest to marry the king of winter, Frost, because her jealous stepmother wants her to die. The book opens with a story being told at night. The novel, written by Katherine Arden, offers a touching tale packed with layered characters and discussions. It’s also a story about religion, depicting a battle over the imagination of the people, changing their beliefs and behavior. The Bear and the Nightingale is a fairy tale about a Russian girl that gets lost in the woods and meets an ancient, cruel bear.
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