Frost and the Maiden

Frost and the Maiden is a story told by Dunya in the first chapter of The Bear and the Nightingale. Dunya makes up the names in the story on the spot to appease Alyosha, who is "old enough to test the authenticity of fairy tales by seeking precise details from the tellers."

Summary
Marfa, a beautiful, brave, good-hearted maiden whose mother died in childbirth, is hated by her stepmother, Darya Nikolaevna. Despite being a handsome woman with a good reputation, Darya's heart is cold and cruel. She hates Marfa for her beauty and goodness and prefers her own ugly, lazy daughter Liza. She attempts to make Marfa ugly through hard work, but it only makes her stronger as she possibly possessed a bit of magic to help her. Eventually, unable to make Marfa ugly or get rid of her, Darya announces to Boris Borisovich, her husband and Marfa's father, that it's time for Marfa to marry.

Marfa's excitement is short lived as Darya announces the bridegroom: Morozko, the master of the white snows, the black firs, and the silver frost. Boris is horrified but unable to refuse his wife, who may also have a bit of her own magic. Weeping, he loads his daughter into a sledge, drives her deep into the forest, and leaves her at the foot of a fir tree. Soon, Morozko arrives and asks her if she is warm, even though a cold blast of air whips all around him and makes her shiver.

Marfa insists that she is warm to be polite. Morozko laughs at her and makes it even colder, but she continues to politely insist that it isn't too cold. Morozko admires her courage and takes pity on her plight, wrapping her in his own robe and laying her in his sledge. He drops her off at her doorstep with the robe and a chest filled with treasure. Marfa's father weeps with joy to see her, but Darya and Liza are furious and jealous.

Darya immediately insists that Boris send Liza to the forest as well, convinced she will be offered an even better reward by Morozko, and Liza is left in her finest dress and warmest firs at the same tree. However, when Morozko approaches and asks if she is warm, she snaps that of course she is cold. Offended, Morozko continues to make it colder and colder until she dies. When Liza doesn't come home all night, Darya impatiently sends Boris to fetch her, admonishing him to make room in his sledge for at least two chests of treasure. However, Boris finds her dead by the tree, and when he brings her home, Darya dies upon seeing her dead body.

Characters

 * Frost/Morozko – When Marina requests the story, she uses the name Karachun, which also means "death-god." However, Dunya insists on using the Russian name "Morozko," which means Frost. Morozko is the demon of winter and death.
 * Marfa – A maiden whose mother died in childbirth. She is described to be "as beautiful as sunshine in June, and brave and good-hearted besides"
 * Darya Nikolaevna – Marfa's stepmother. Despite being a handsome woman with a good reputation, Darya's heart is cold and cruel.
 * Boris Borovich – Marfa's father, married to Darya and cannot say no to her.
 * Liza – Darya's biologican daughter who is described as ugly and mean-spirited.

Trivia

 * TBA