“Winter's Promised Bride.” The Snow Queen and other tales : a selection of traditional Russian fairy tales, André Bay, Marie Ponsot, New York: Golden Press, 1962, pp. 7-10.

Tale Summary

There was once an elderly man and his second wife, who was very bossy and had two similarly mannered daughters. Before her death, his first wife bore him a daughter named Martha, who was clever, beautiful, and did all the housework and chores. As she grew prettier her stepsisters did the opposite, each reflecting their inner nature. One day, her stepmother resolved to get rid of Martha, and told her to gather her things, for the next day she would be married off. Martha hoped it was Fedor, a man she adored. The next morning, it was revealed that her ‘bridegroom’ was Winter, and the crying girl was left in the woods by her father to wait for him. Her clothes were threadbare, and when Winter came to her, Martha was freezing cold and shivering. He asked her three times if she was warm enough, and each time she answered that she was. Feeling sorry for her, he wrapped her in magnificent furs. Her father returned the next morning, expecting to find her dead, but was surprised to see her merrier than ever with a chest of treasures. He brought her home to the disappointment of her stepmother. She demanded that her daughters be left where Martha was, as surely they were more deserving of furs and riches. The nasty girls were left with many clothes to keep them warm, but they quarreled with each other and ripped them up, leaving them shivering while hurling insults. Winter arrived and asked three times if they were warm enough, and each time they gave an ill-tempered reply. With their last retort they froze to death. The next day their mother sent her husband to pick them up, expecting chests of treasures, and was horrified to see their frozen bodies. She shouted at her husband, but he said that it was her who sent them to Winter, and his daughter had come home with gifts because she was well-mannered. She knew in her heart that this was the truth and made peace with it, and they lived together until their death. Martha married Fedor and had a fine, well-mannered family of her own, who all knew the story of Winter.