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"The Malachite Casket" (), also known as "The Malachite Box", is a folk tale (the so-called ''skaz'') of the Ural region of Siberia collected and reworked by Pavel Bazhov. It was first published in the several issues of the Sverdlovsk newspaper ''Na Smenu!'' in September—November 1938, and in the ''Uralsky Sovremennik'' almanac (volume 1, 1938).〔Bazhov 1976, p. 343.〕 It was later released as a part of the ''The Malachite Casket'' collection on 28 January 1939. "The Malachite Casket" is considered to be one of the best stories in the collection. In 1944 the story was translated from Russian into English by Alan Moray Williams and published by Hutchinson.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=The malachite casket; tales from the Urals, (Book, 1944) )〕 In the 1950s another translation was made by by Eve Manning.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Malachite casket : tales from the Urals / P. Bazhov ; (from the Russian by Eve Manning ; illustrated by O. Korovin ; designed by A. Vlasova ) )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Malachite casket; tales from the Urals. (Book, 1950s) )〕 The story was initially titled "Father's Gift" (), but was changed prior to publication. Bazhov liked the title so much that he named the whole collection after the story. == Plot summary== The talented miner Stepan dies, leaving his widow Nastasya and their two sons and a daughter. Nastasya becomes the owner of the Malachite Casket filled with jewellery, which Stepan got from the legendary Mistress of the Copper Mountain. Only Tanyushka likes to play with the Casket, and every piece of jewellery looks good on her. With black hair and green eyes, Tanyushka does not look like her mother at all, as if she was born to different parents. Her appearance resembles that of the Mistress of the Copper Mountain. A female traveller comes to their house and stays for a while, teaching Tanyushka needlework. Before the woman leaves, she gives the girl a small button "for a remembrance". Since then Tanyushka becomes an incredibly skilled needleworker. One day a tragedy occurs in the family: the house is burned to the ground. Nastyona is forced to sell the Malachite Casket, however, the new owner, a rich woman, cannot wear the jewellery, because every piece of it pains her. Meanwhile Tanyushka grows up and becomes a great beauty. She catches the eye of a young noble man named Turchaninov. He wishes to marry the girl, but she announces that she will only agree to the marriage if he shows her the Tsarina herself at the Malachite Hall of the imperial palace. Turchaninov agrees. Dressed like a queen, Tanyushka arrives at the palace, and walks directly to the Malachite Hall. Tsarina enters the room, saying: "Now then, show me this nigh-handed maid". Upon hearing that Tanyushka frowns and says to Turchaninov: "What does this mean? I told ye to show me the Tsarina, and you've done it so as to show me to her. () I don't want to see any more of ye". Adding that he is no match for her anyway, Tanyushka leans against the malachite wall and melts away. She is never seen again. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Malachite Casket (fairy tale)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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