Ivashchka and the Witch

The cunning witch lured Ivashchka into her hut with trickery, entrusted her daughter to roast him in the oven, and went off to summon guests – the forest and swamp evil spirits. But the little one is not someone who gives up easily. The witch's daughter ended up in the oven herself, and Ivashchka hid in a tree. The witch almost reached him, but a passing kind-hearted gosling took Ivashchka on its wing and flew him home. There, his father and mother mourned him with pancakes and shed tears. When they saw him – alive and unharmed, what happiness! And the gosling received plenty of love and care.
The fairy tale teaches children to be brave and proves that even the smallest, yet clever hero can defeat a fearsome foe.
Illustrations by the famous animator V. A. Olshvang represent a delicate balance between the captivating and the frightening. By looking at the clever Ivashchka and the touching savior gosling, the child immediately understands that the witch and the forest evil spirits – so absurd and foolish – can be easily defeated with wit and friendly support.