There lived a widow, and she had an only daughter, Marusya. Marusya was gentle and hardworking. But her mother died, and the widower-father brought another woman into the house, and she had her own daughter, the same age as Mariyka.
The stepmother began to oppress the hardworking Marusya. She gave her all the dirty work: carrying water, heating the stove, going to bed in the cold hut. And she raised her daughter Paraska in a soft bed and silk dresses. Whatever Marusya wouldn't do, everything would go wrong for her stepmother.
Once, in the middle of a fierce winter, on a very fierce day — and the frost was cracking, the windows were covered with hoarfrost — her stepdaughter Paraska wanted some snowdrops. «Mom, I want snowdrops, like in a fairy tale!» The stepmother said: «Marusya, run to the forest, bring Paraska some snowdrops.» «But where can I get them, mom, in the middle of the snow and frost?» «That’s your business. If you don’t bring them, don’t come back.».
Marusya threw an old patch over her shoulders, put on her leaky boots, and went into the forest. She walked along the path, the snow crunched under her feet, the frost pinched her cheeks. Tears froze on her eyelashes. And she kept walking and walking, quietly calling her dead mother in her thoughts.
She sees a light flickering in the distance. She comes closer and sees a large bonfire burning in the middle of a winter clearing, in deep snow. And around the bonfire sit twelve men: three young ones - March, April, May; three old ones - June, July, August; three autumn ones - September, October, November; and three winter ones - December, January, February. Old December with a gray beard is the most important.
Marusya bowed low: "Good evening to you, good people. Let me warm myself by the fire." The moons looked at her, they saw - a sweet face, honest eyes, a kind heart, even though she was cold. "Sit down, my dear, warm yourself.".
Marusya sat on a log, stretched out her hands for warmth. The months looked at her gently. «And why are you, child, in such a cold forest?» Marusya told her story - about the evil stepmother, about the whimsical Paraschina, about the snowdrops. The months sighed, looked at each other.
Old December says: «Brother February, give way to your brother March for a moment. Let’s help this child.» February nodded, handed the staff to March. March took his magic wand, waved it three times over the forest — and a miracle happened.
Suddenly the snow began to melt in one clearing. The sun shone, streams gurgled, birds chirped. And snowdrops emerged from under the snow—white, delicate, like the first morning stars. «Gather them quickly, little dove, while there is still time,» said March.
Marusya gathered an apron full of snowdrops. She bowed to the months to the very ground: «Thank you, my good ones!» «Go with God, my daughter, you won’t forget this yet.» And January added: «And here’s a gift for you.» He gave her a small bundle. Marusya came home — her stepmother couldn’t believe her eyes. Paraska snatched up the snowdrops, ran off to brag. And Marusya untied the bundle — and there was a whole treasure inside: a gold ring, coins, a silk scarf. The stepmother was terribly jealous. She sent her daughter Paraska into the forest — to also seek happiness. But Paraska came to the months haughty, and even spoke rudely to them. February got angry, blew a cold wind at her — and Paraska disappeared in a blizzard. And Marusya soon married a good young man, and even accepted help from her stepmother — her heart was kind.
💛 Kindness can overcome even the harshest winter.