KidLit Forum

THE TWELVE MONTHS - A SLAVIC TALE

“The twelve months” is a Slavic tale which follows the style of the classic “Cinderella” but has significant differences. The fairy tale is ATU 510 A the persecuted heroine.

There was once a widow who had two daughters: Helen, who was her own daughter and Marouckla, who was the daughter of her husband by his first wife. She hated the poor orphan because she was prettier than her own daughter. She had to do the hardest works: she cleaned out the rooms, cooked, washed, sewed, spun, wove, brought in the hay, milked the cow, and all this without any help. Helen, meanwhile, did nothing but dress herself in her best clothes and go to one amusement after another. But Marouckla never complained; she bore bad temper of mother and sister with a smile on her lips, and the patience of a lamb.
Marouckla grew daily more beautiful, while Helen’s ugliness increased. So the stepmother was determined to get rid of Marouckla, for she knew that while shewas there, Helen would have no suitors. Hunger, every kind of privation, abuse, every means was used to make the girl’s life miserable.
One day, in the middle of winter, Helen sent Marouckla to bring her fresh violets. If she refused to go Helen said that she would kill her. So Marouckla went up to the mountains through deep snow until she saw a large fire, surrounded by twelve blocks of stone, on which sat twelve strange beings. They were the twelve months of the year. She asked for permission to sit by the fire because she was very cold. She told me why she was looking for violets and they were surprised as it was winter and there are no violets during winter. But then March put his magic wand above the fire and suddenly there was spring and Marouckla picked up violets. She thanked and went home. The two evil women were surprised and asked her where did she find them. She said that on the mountain under the trees.
The next day Helen sent her again to bring her strawberries and apples and the Gods of the twelve months help her again. But the women were angry because she only brought two apples which they ate. Because they were delicious they wanted more and accused the girl of eating the rest. Marouckla told them that she was not allowed to take more but Helen did not believe her and hit her. Marouckla ran in the kitchen and began to weep. Helen decided to go and bring more apples by herself against her mother’s advice. She reached the Gods but did not ask for permission to sit by the fire and answered rudely to their questions. Then January used his wand and a snow storm started. Seeing that her daughter didn’t came back for hours the mother decided to go look for her.
Marouckla waited and prayed and cooked for them but the evil sister and the stepmother did not return home. They had been frozen to death on the mountain. The inheritance of a small house, a field, and a cow fell to Marouckla. In course of time an honest farmer came to share them with her, and their lives were happy and peaceful.

In the story Marouckla is the hero, the stepmother and the stepsister are the villains and the twelve months are the magical helpers.

I identified the following sequences from Propp:
0. Initial situation : the heroine, Marouckla and her family are inroduced
8. Villainy or Lacking : the stepsister sends Marouckla to bring her violets in the middle of winter
9. Counter-action : the hero finds the things the stepsister wanted
11. Departure : hero goes to the mountain to find violets, strawberries and apples in the middle of winter
12. First function of the donor – Marouckla meets the gods of the twelve months
13. Hero’s reaction – Marouckla appreciates the help and thanks them
15. Guidance – the hero is shown where to find what she needs
16. Struggle – Marouckla confronts her stepsister Helen;
17. Branding – Helen strikes her
19. Liquidation – helen and the stepmother dissapear on the mountain; Marouckla gets the house and the rest of their possessions
31. Wedding - Marouckla marries a kind farmer