Urfin Djyus and His Wooden Soldiers

The fairy tale by Alexander Melentyevich Volkov (1891–1977) "Urfin Djyus and His Wooden Soldiers" is a continuation of his famous book "The Wizard of the Emerald City". The inhabitants of the magical land face a misfortune: the cunning and cruel Urfin Djyus seizes power with the help of a whole army of wooden soldiers. To free the residents and overthrow the villain, the brave girl Ellie sets off to help her old friends. The text is adorned with wonderful illustrations by Dmitry Nikolaevich Nikulushkin (1966).

ALEXANDER MELENTEYEVICH VOLKOV (1891–1977) was a Soviet writer, translator, and educator. He was born in Ust-Kamenogorsk to a family of an officer and a seamstress. By the age of four, the boy learned to read, and as he grew older, he mastered bookbinding. While binding books for his neighbors, Alexander had the opportunity to read them; thus he became acquainted with the classics of Russian and foreign literature. As a young man, he was eager for knowledge and studied diligently. After graduating from Tomsk Pedagogical Institute, Volkov was able to teach all subjects of the school curriculum, except for religious studies. He returned to his hometown of Ust-Kamenogorsk as a teacher. Alexander Melentyevich combined teaching with literary activities: he wrote children's plays, composed poems, and translated texts from French and German. In 1929, the writer moved to Moscow to enroll in the physics and mathematics faculty of Moscow State University. He completed the five-year course in seven months, passed the exams as an external student, and became a lecturer in the Department of Higher Mathematics at the Moscow Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals and Gold. Literary fame came to Volkov after he decided to learn another foreign language – English. To practice translation, he chose Frank Baum's book "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." The narrative captivated him so much that he began to recount the story of the extraordinary adventures of a girl from Kansas to his sons. Soon Volkov wanted to introduce this tale to all Soviet children. As a result, in 1939, his book "The Wizard of the Emerald City" was published. Volkov made some modifications to Baum's fairy tale: while preserving the plot, he invented new names for the characters, adjusted the worldview of the heroes, and added new scenes. The book found enthusiastic response among Soviet readers. Renowned writers, including the famous children's author Samuil Yakovlevich Marshak, spoke approvingly of the tale. The book was regularly reprinted, and each edition sold out quickly. Seeing that the fairy tale was successful, Volkov decided to write a sequel – and now the story of the magical land consists of six books.

Readers first became acquainted with the fairy tale "Urfin Djyus and His Wooden Soldiers" in 1963. It became the second book in Volkov's cycle and was also loved by children. In it, readers learn about the misfortune that befell the inhabitants of the Emerald City: they are threatened by the cunning Urfin Djyus, who commands an army of wooden soldiers. Young Ellie, learning of the danger looming over Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the other inhabitants of the magical land, sets off for adventures once again. Her journey is full of dangers; however, the girl remains cheerful, as her faithful friends help her. This edition features beautiful illustrations by Dmitry Nikolaevich Nikulushkin (1966).