The+Twelve+Months

The Twelve Months: A Slavic Cinderella Story **Story: ** Once there was a kind, gentile, sweet girl named Marushka, beautiful inside and out. She lived in a cottage with her stepmom and stepsister. Marushka's father was dead and her stepmother favored her own daughter, Holena. Although Holena was not unattractive, her ungrateful, selfish, and rude disposition shriveled her beauty. The stepmother was afraid that Holena would never marry, because every young man who came was immediately charmed my Marushka. She vowed to make Marushka ugly with hard work and harsh words. She gave her the worst chores while her own daughter lazed about. But Marushka remained beautiful. The stepmother’s fury and envy grew. One bitter cold winter day the stepmother decided to send Marushka in search of the impossible-violets in winter. Marushka cried out “But its winter! There are no violets in winter!” The stepmother told her not to come back until she found them, and thrust her out into the cold, frozen snow. Marushka traveled through fields of snow, into the dark forest. Half frozen she followed a light that glowed between the trees. She came upon twelve men sitting in a circle of stones. She gently asked if she could warm herself by their fire. The eldest of the men agreed. “Do you know who we are?” he asked. “You must be the Twelve Month Brothers” Marushka answered. Indeed, the oldest was January, the first month of the year. When he asked why she was out in such harsh weather she answered “My sister wants violets, violets in winter! I can’t go home without them.” January stood up and gave his staff to his brother March. March waved the staff, the snow melted and violets bloomed. They told her to hurry and gather them. She filled her apron, thanked them and retuned home. When she returned her stepmother was shocked. She demanded to see the violets. Her stepsister reached out and grabbed them saving none for Marushka. The next day Holena demanded to have strawberries with her dinner. Once again, the stepmother pushed Marushka out the door saying “Don’t come back without them!” Marushka stumbled out into the snow and came upon the Twelve Month Brothers again. She told them she needed to find strawberries for her sister. January rose and gave his staff to his brother June. Instantly, the snow melted, flowers bloomed and strawberries grew red and sweet. They cautioned her to hurry. She picked them as fast as she could, thanked them and left for home. Once again them stepmother and Holena took them all and left none for Marushka. The next day, Holena demanded apples and Marushka was sent out to find them. When she arrived of the place o the Twelve Month Brothers, January cautioned her that he could only help her once more. Marushka asked for apples and January handed his staff to his brother September. The snow melted leaves grew and blossoms turned into apples. September old her to shake the tree, one apple fell. She did it again, another one fell. She picked them up, thanked each one of the Twelve Month Brothers, and left for home. When she returned she held out the two apples in her hands. Holena demanded to know why she hadn’t brought more. Marushka told her that she could only take two. They called her a liar took the apples from her and didn’t share a bite. Holena’s greed overtook her. She threw on her cloak and set out into the fierce cold for more apples. He mother called out that the snow was too deep, it was too cold, There were wolves about… but Holena paid no attention to her. Holena saw the same light and followed it and came upon the Twelve Month Brothers. She did not ask if she could warm herself, she just went right up the fire without asking permission. When they asked who she was she scolded “None of your business!” and after she’d warmed herself, she made way into the forest in search of apples. Brother January was enraged, he raised his mighty staff and a great storm blew. Back at the cottage, Holena’s mother saw the storm and went out to find her daughter. The storm raged for days. Marushka stayed home tending to the animals, keeping the food warm and chores done, waiting for their return. But they never came back; they froze to death in the story. Marushka inherited the small farm and animals. In time she married an equally kind and caring farmer and they lived happily together for the rest of their days.

Facts:** 1. Slavs spoke a brach of Indo-European 2. This area corresponds, more or less, to Central and Easern Europe. 3. The two main religions within countries with Slavic populations are Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism.
 * Information on Slavic Countries:

Albania Czech Republic Poland Armenia Estonia Romania Belarus Georgia Russian Federation Bosnia and Hercegovina Latvia Slovakia Bulgaria Lithuania Slovenia Central Asia/Cacasus Macedonia (Republic Of) Ukraine Croatia Moldova Yugoslavia
 * List Of Slavic Countries:**

1.Pierogi 2. Kirsov's Pudding 3. Kotley Pozharskie
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