by Judy Stubley
Soon Lucy was able to make out the figure of Vasilisa, as she opened the door to the house and quietly stepped out. Immediately, the cat leapt forward, but stopped before it reached Vasilisa. Then the dog came snapping out of his kennel, but again let Vasilisa pass. When she reached the birch tree, Lucy could see she took a piece of ribbon out of her apron pocket and wrapped it round the tree.
Finally, Vasilisa reached the gate and softly dropped some oil on its dry hinges. The gate opened for her with ease, grateful not to feel so stiff and achy.
Vasilisa was now in the black of the forest, the lights of the fence behind her. Lucy didn’t want to scare her, so she undid her cloak and wandered forward, as if she had been lost in the woods.
‘Oh, I’m so glad to have found someone,’ she said as she approached the startled Vasilisa. ‘I’m dreadfully lost. I’ve been wandering for ages and it’s so dark now, I’ve been really scared.’
‘Perhaps we can look for the path together,’ said Vasilisa with a smile.
‘The trouble is it’s so dark. You can’t see your hand in front of your face and I’m worried there are wild animals about.’
‘Let’s take one of Baba Yaga’s skull lights,’ the Russian girl replied. ‘My step-mother sent me for a light, so a light she shall have.’ With that Vasilisa went up to the fence and removed one of the glowing skulls and put it on the end of a stout stick. Armed with this the two girls set off into the birch forest.
The forest did not seem quite so scary, now that they had a light, though it was still a frightening place. Instinctively, the two girls drew closer and linked arms, which gave each of them comfort. The skull light threw an umbrella shape over and around them, which enabled them to see a few steps in front. The path was quite faint in places and without this light they both knew they would have wandered off the path into the deep, dark places. They hadn’t gone too far, when they became aware they weren’t alone. From the black depths they could see eyes that caught the reflection of the light and glowed back at them. Some were close to the ground and looked harmless, some were at the same height as themselves, and, while many looked friendly, there were others that looked sly and ferocious. Shortly, after the eyes appeared, the noises began. Wolves howling are a sound that makes the bravest heart quake and neither Vasilisa nor Lucy felt very brave.
‘Must be quite a large pack of wolves out there,’ Lucy said, as she tightened her grip on Vasilisa.
‘Animals won’t come near Baba Yaga’s light,’ Vasilisa told Lucy, who, remembering her time spent in the Forest of the Furies, began to chatter away non-stop to cover up the tendrils of fear that, once again, began to invade her spine.
‘I believe, besides wolves there are bears in this forest,’ she chattered on. ‘Let’s hope bears don’t like fire either. At least,’ Lucy added, ‘we know who our enemies are.’ But, as the wolves continued to howl, that didn’t give her much comfort.
After a while, in order to draw breath, Lucy told Vasilisa she’d heard something of the reputation of Baba Yaga and asked how she’d got past the cat, dog, tree and gate.
‘My plan began with the black-browed maid, who looks after Baba Yaga. I gave her a kerchief I’d made and asked her to get Baba Yaga to sleep, which she kindly did. She prepared a huge meal for her, enough for ten men. To drink she gave her kvass, mead, beer and vino and fed her a pot of borscht, half a cow, two large pies, a roasted sow, twenty chickens and forty geese. Baba Yaga was soon fast asleep and snoring soundly.’
Lucy wasn’t so sure. She was certain very little escaped BabaYaga, but she was astounded at the amount that skinny body could eat. She was also glad the menu had not included any people.
‘As I left I gave her cat a pie and the dog some bread. Neither ever get any titbits from Baba Yaga, so were happy to let me go.’
‘You’ve been very brave,’ Lucy told her new friend, for she knew Vasilisa was unaware that Baba Yaga would never have harmed her.
‘Not really. My mother blessed me on her death bed and gave me a little doll. She helps me in times of trouble. I look after her and she looks after me.’
‘Have you brought her with you?’ Lucy asked
‘Of course, but my mother said I should never let anyone else see her – even my closest friends.’
‘I understand,’ said Lucy, though she would love to have seen this magical doll. ‘My name’s Lucy by the way.’
‘And I’m Vasilisa.’ The two girls managed to smile at each other, although both knew the wolves continued to follow them as they made their way carefully along the path. At one point Lucy picked up a stout branch and held it close to the blazing skull, until that too caught light. At once the area around the two girls became much brighter and that extra fire power seemed to scare the wolves off, as they began to drop further and further back, although their mournful yowls continued to give the two girls the shivers.
Now they had more light, Lucy began to notice cloths hanging from quite a few of the trees. She pointed one out to Vasilisa: a beautiful woven piece in bright yellow and blue.
‘Families here make their own material and always reserve the best pieces as offerings to the forest nymphs, the Rusalki.’
‘Why would they waste a perfectly good piece of cloth?’ Lucy looked puzzled.
‘It’s believed that Rusalki live in the forest and swing from tree to tree. Offerings are made by families that use the forest regularly, because a Rusalki, it’s said, can tickle a person to death. Each offering is protection for a local family.’
‘From a really funny death!’ Lucy added with a smile. ‘Are there any more odd beliefs about the forest?’
‘Da, parents always tell naughty children spirits will find them, steal them and turn them into bark.’
‘There must have been an awful lot of naughty children then,’ Lucy said ‘judging by the number of trees. But then my parents used to say if I swallowed an apple pip, a tree would grow inside me, and my grandmother’s favourite saying was ‘Cat’s got your tongue’. As a little child I always put out my tongue and felt it every time Grandma said that.’
These fanciful tales lightened their spirits, as Lucy and Vasilisa continued on their way, telling each other more silly stories from their childhood, until they’d left the forest behind them and started to walk towards a wooden house, built in a clearing. Lucy could only just make out the shape of the building, as the sky was still black and no lights shone from the windows.
‘Lucy would you mind waiting here.’ Vasilisa pointed to a small hut. ‘My stepmother and stepsisters aren’t very kind and could hurt you.’
‘Of course, Vasilisa, no problem.’ Lucy entered the hut and wrapped herself up in her cloak to keep warm and invisible.
After about half an hour Vasilisa appeared, with a small candle.
‘Let’s try and get some sleep. Stepmother now has her light, so we can get some rest.’ The two girls wrapped their arms round each other and were soon fast asleep.
Lucy slept soundly and didn’t hear Vasilisa get up to go and see to the fire, but she was soon wide awake when Vasilisa rushed back into the hut, a look of horror on her face.
‘What’s the matter Vasilisa?’ Lucy asked her shaken friend.
‘Something awful has happened, come and see.’ The two girls ran into the cottage. There was no sign of the stepmother or the stepsisters. All that remained of the three of them were three piles of ashes. Vasilisa could only tell who they were by the three pairs of shoes neatly placed in front of the ashes.
‘It’s Baba Yaga’s light that killed them,’ Vasilisa told Lucy. ‘And it’s my fault for bringing it back.’
‘No it isn’t Vasilisa.’ Lucy took hold of Vasilisa’s hands and made her look into her eyes. ‘You did as you were asked. Your stepmother told you to go to Baba Yaga’s and bring back a light. The truth is your stepmother thought Baba Yaga would kill you, but she only hurts evil people and your stepmother and stepsisters were evil.’
‘I must bury their ashes
, though,’ Vasilisa told Lucy, as she gently began to collect the charred remains. ‘And I think I’d better bury this skull too, so it can’t harm anyone else.’
The two girls walked outside, glad to be in the sunshine, and together dug a hole large enough to place the skull and ashes in. No sooner had they finished, than a rose bush began to push through, and within minutes beautiful red roses bloomed and flourished on the spot.
‘At least it’s a beautiful resting place,’ Vasilisa said softly.
‘What will you do now?’ asked Lucy.
‘I learnt spinning and sewing from my mother. I know a kindly old lady; she lives on the outskirts of town: she’ll take me in and in return I can earn some money to help her.’
At that moment Speed came trotting up the path.
‘This is my good friend, Speed. He has come to take me home. Can we give you a lift to the old woman’s?’
‘Nyet. I must pack my clothes and bits and pieces, then leave a note for father, so he can find me when he returns.’
Lucy climbed onto Speed’s back.
‘Good luck Vasilisa. I hope you live happily ever after.’ ‘Goodbye Lucy. Thank you for keeping me company.’
The two girls waved at each other until they were both out of sight and Lucy settled back for her long return journey home.
‘It won’t be too long before she finds her handsome lord, will it Speed?’ Without waiting for a reply Lucy went on ‘Can I see a little of Russia before we leave?’
‘Oh Lucy – we have such a long journey before us.’
‘Please Speed…please. Just a little visit somewhere!’
‘Well, we do have to pass over St. Petersburg so we might as well travel through it, instead of over it.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Hold tight then. We are about to leave Storyland and will be flying over the Urals. Keep well covered. We need to be invisible.’
Lucy did as she was told and sat quietly and patiently as Speed rose up in the air and went through the Happy Ever After gate, leaving her with a taste of mead, as they flew up and up until they were over the forests and then the Urals.
Lucy was amazed how few towns and villages they passed; Russia seemed to be a vast country with few people. But then St. Petersburg came into view and Lucy found it breathtakingly beautiful. Speed landed gently on a well-made road and told Lucy she could slip the hood off her head. Lucy quickly did as he’d suggested and looked around her with excitement. In the distance she could see a large and magnificent town, the bright sun reflecting on what looked, from a long way off, like roofs made of gold.
Though the trip may not have been a long sightseeing tour, for Lucy it was one of the most amazing she’d been on since her travelling began.
St. Petersburg was just one beautiful building after another. To Lucy’s excited eyes many of the wonderful buildings looked like huge iced cakes, the colours were so amazing: the green and white of the Winter Palace, the Church of Our Saviour of Spilled Blood, with its profusion of brightly coloured onion domes and glittering spires; then there was the mass of gilded domes which caught the sun’s rays and sent out shards of bright lights. At one point, they crossed over a bright blue bridge that was so long Lucy wondered how they had managed to build it across the river. On every corner of every street there was a masterpiece of exotic architecture and, as they reached near the water’s edge, Lucy saw the wonderful weather vane of a golden angel holding a cross high above the Peter and Paul Cathedral, making it the highest building in the town.
‘I’m so lucky to have seen all this!’ Lucy told Speed just after he’d stopped to tell her, once again, to wrap up.
Soon they were up and away. The next thing Lucy knew was when her mother woke her to get ready for school.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN – Once Upon a Time
Lucy was so wrapped up thinking about her trip to Russia, she never gave school a thought, as she got dressed and ate her breakfast. Then, just as they were about to get into the car, her mum said:
‘Good luck, darling!’
For a moment Lucy’s mind went blank, until she remembered: today the end of year exams began.
‘Oh, thanks Mum. Can you hold on a moment? I’ve forgotten something important!’
Lucy’s mum gave her an exasperated look, as Lucy got out of the car and waited for her mother to unlock the front door.
‘Let’s hope that’s all you’ll forget today. Hurry up then!’
Lucy ran up stairs and grabbed her carefully wrapped package of four-leaf clovers. She’d already given one to Peter and one to Frances; then she’d put three aside for her mum, dad and sister; which left her with three more.
As her mum drove them to school, Lucy looked back at the lessons she’d learnt from Vasilisa.
‘No harm in trying to follow her example,’ she thought.
Another idea that had come to Lucy was to get Peter and Frances together. Peter, with his abrupt but kind manner, would make an ideal friend for the shy and nervous Frances. Also, Lucy knew they actually lived quite close, so it could be the perfect friendship. Before school started, she managed to get the two of them in a discussion about the forthcoming maths exam. Soon they were chatting away, quite relaxed with each other.
At that point, just out of the corner of her eye, Lucy caught sight of Martha and for once she was alone. As she saw Lucy glance over, a look of sheer desperation settled on her face. It was obvious Martha was still worried about what Lucy intended to do. Once again, Lucy couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. With a quick word to Peter and Frances she crossed the classroom and approached Martha, who immediately seemed to push herself into the wall, as if she wanted to make herself invisible.
‘Martha!’ Lucy put her hand out in a friendly manner. ‘I haven’t come to have a go at you.’ Martha looked surprised, though still scared. ‘I’ve been hard on you. I’m sorry,’ Lucy said simply. ‘Here’s a peace offering. I think we’ve been at loggerheads long enough.’ Lucy handed the four-leaf clover to Martha, carefully placed in a simple card that just said ‘Good Luck’. Martha stared at the four-leaf clover in disbelief.
‘I hope this brings you luck in your exams and in every way,’ Lucy went on.
Martha went quite pink and said:
‘A four-leaf clover, for me? But I don’t deserve any good luck after what I’ve done to you.’
‘Perhaps this will change things,’ Lucy told her with a smile. ‘Tell Diane I’ve another, if she’d like it.’ And with that she gave Martha a last friendly smile and rejoined Peter and Frances, just as Diane and Anna came into the room.
As she walked away, Lucy saw Martha hastily hide the clover in her desk. She was obviously scared of Anna’s reaction to the gift.
The whole morning went smoothly. The first exam held no problems for Lucy and she was sure she’d done a good paper. During the lunch break she was pleased to see Frances and Peter met up to discuss the exam. Her gut reaction had been right; they would be good for each other.
Just before the bell rang, Lucy went to get something out of her locker. As she closed the door Diane entered.
‘Hi!’ Lucy said in a friendly fashion. Diane looked behind her, to see if they were alone, then she went up to Lucy.
‘Martha tells me you’ve a four-leaf clover for me,’ she said rather gruffly. Her face was a mixture of bravado and curiosity.
‘Yes, would you like it?’
‘Why should you give me one? We don’t even like each other!’
‘It’s an olive branch, if you know what I mean,’ Lucy smiled at the look of puzzlement on Diane’s face. ‘End of school year should mean end of fighting. We might not be in the same class next year and I’d rather end this term with as few enemies and as many friends as possible.’
‘Have you another for Anna?’ Diane asked, almost aggressively.
‘I have got another one, yes, but doubt Anna would accept it from me.’
‘Yep! Guess you’re right there,’ Diane almost smiled, as
she held out her hand and took the clover from Lucy. ‘You’re not so bad. I’m sorry we’ve given you a hard time.’ Lucy beamed.
‘What you’ve just said is worth a fist full of four-leaf clovers. May this bring you as much luck as mine has brought me.’ ‘Thanks,’ Diane’s voice was still gruff, but the look she gave Lucy, if not particularly friendly, was not threatening either.
The bell rang and the two girls make their way to the classroom. The rest of the afternoon went quickly. The second exam of the day was History and, once again, Lucy found it a good paper, one she could answer with confidence.
Peter and Frances left the school to walk home together; a sight which delighted Lucy. They waved her a cheerful goodbye as they passed her and continued on their way, still discussing the merits of the various exams. A few moments later Martha, Diane and Anna arrived at the bus stop. Anna looked absolutely furious, so Lucy guessed she had found out about the four-leaf clovers. For once the trio were strangely quiet and Anna went and sat on her own at the back of the bus.
Lucy chattered away to some of her class mates and soon forgot about her. She thought she saw the three of them get off at their usual stop, but didn’t really take much notice. Then, after a cheery goodbye, she got off the bus and made her way home. Suddenly her mobile rang. Anna’s voice came loud and clear.
‘I’ve warned you, Lucy Chase. You’ll muck up your French exam tomorrow or else!’
‘Having to do your own dirty work now, are you Anna?’ Lucy replied softly.
‘You’ve been warned,’ Anna said again coldly. ‘I know where you and your sister live!’ The phone line went dead and some instinct made Lucy turn round. Some yards behind her stood Anna, with a look of sheer hatred on her face. But this time she had gone too far. She could threaten Lucy as much as she liked, but not her little sister. Lucy walked rapidly back to Anna, her anger growing more and more, as she got closer. ‘How dare you threaten my sister?’ she shouted at Anna.
‘I didn’t,’ Anna said with a sneer. ‘I just said I know where you both live.’