Kashchei Bessmertniy
(Kaschei the Immortal)
The beautiful Tsarevna is held captive and spellbound in the magic kingdom
of the monster Kashchei, where she hourly awaits deliverance at the hands
of Ivan Korolevich, her lover. The latter, seeking Kashchei's ``death''
(which according to tradition is an object that, once found, will end the
ogre's existence), is waylaid by Kascheievna, Kashchei's daughter. She
prevails upon him to drink a potion, promising him that by this means he
will find the sought-for ``death.'' His enslaver is about to kill him
when the benevolent Burya Bogatyr awakens the hero, and transports him on
a magic carpet to Kashchei's kingdom. Kashcheievna makes a further effort
to secure Ivan for herself, promising him the release of his betrothed;
and when the latter gives expression to a feeling of pity for her, she
weeps. It is in the tears of his daughter that Kashchei's ``death'' is
hidden, and at their flow his kingdom crumbles and the monster dies. The
lovers regain their freedom, and Kashcheievna is transformed into a
weeping willow.
synopsis by M. Montagu Nathan, Rimsky-Korsakof, Duffield & Co.,
New York, 1917.
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