Born January 18, 1884, Arthur Ransome was a British author of stories for children among other texts. His contribution to the world of folklore is the notable Old Peter’s Russian Tales, which features Russian folk tales told for English children. Unlike other Russian folklore authors, he rewrote his stories using multiple variants of the same stories, and inserting the new characters of Old Peter, Vanya and Maroosia. Old Peter tells the stories in the text to Vanya and Maroosia.
Outside in the forest there was deep snow. The white snow had crusted the branches of the pine trees, and piled itself up them till they bent under its weight. Now and then a snow-laden branch would bend too far, and huge lumps of snow fell crashing to the ground under the trees. Then the…
The soldier served God and the Great Tzar for twenty-five years, earned three dry biscuits, and set off to walk his way home. He kissed his companions with whom he had served so long, and boasted of the feasting there would be in the village when he should come marching home with all his wars behind…