The Malachite Casket

[wiseheart]

phyloxena, do you have any idea where I could get an English copy of "The Malachite Casket" by Bazhov (sp???)?

I used to have a Hungarian copy with awesome illustrations, but somehow I managed to lose it by all the moving I used to do in the years of my forgotten youth. And I don't have enough Russian to read it in original.

Not so long ago, I bought the Russian movie version of it on DVD. What can I see, it was a big disappointment. I think the Queen of the Mountains had no character at all - plus she was way too plain - and Sztyepan was portrayed as an idiot. But it's probably just me.

When I was a child, I used to spend hours with that book, trying to imagine the subterranean realm of the Queen. That was my first touch with fantasy, way before Tolkien, Larry Alexander or the Darkangel trilogy.

The tale I particularly liked was the one with the Cat who walked underground and just his ears, in the form of foot-long flames, could be seen above the earth. I'd like so much to read those tales again!

Comments

[phyloxena.livejournal.com]

Sorry, nothing I know about. I'll try to look for you, but I'm not sure the translation even exists. I borrowed a lovely Russian edition recently to read to my kids. I remember my own fascination with the Queen of Copper Mountains, and I was afraid it will fall short of my recollections. It didn't.

I saw b/w Russian movie at school and didn't like it at all. Yes, plain Queen. And that special idiotic manner, probably meant to convey simple spirit of simple folk. There was whole series of stylized b/w fairy-tale movies, with same actors, all plain and idiotic. I guess that formed my opinion that movie cannot come close to the book in principle. As far as elementary school age opinions go.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :)
It would be a crying shame if it didn't exist in English translation, though. It made such a strong impression on me as a young teenager, I still can quote sentences in Hungarian. I especially liked the description of the Queen's garden, with the golden bees that had wings of flame.

I agree with you about movies. The best fairytale pieces I ever saw were Czech adaptations of the tales of the Grimm Brothers. And of Czech folk tales. They took the stuff quite seriously and made wonderful pieces, enjoyable for young and old alike.

[phyloxena.livejournal.com]

My partial success so far:
www.mythinglinks.org/ct~landscape~minerals~malachite.html
she has an English copy, I asked her in e-mail if she could share reference information.
http://www.amazon.com/Malachite-Casket-Tales-Pavel-Bazhov/dp/1589637313
apparently, Amazon has it. No idea what's inside.

http://catalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?Search_Arg=malachite+casket&Search_Code=TALL&PID=4022&SEQ=20070531125545&CNT=100&HIST=1
Library of Congress has it, as well, even in two editions, but no scans.
Gutenberg Project doesn't have it (no surprise here)
I'll ask if my Russian-American friends have it and can scan for me. That's it so far.

[phyloxena.livejournal.com]

I liked lizards on the ground and how Stephan's daughter disappeared into the wall.

There was a park close to my parent's house there some local artist carved Bazhov's characters from the fallen tree trunks and painted them. They looked unreal against the snow, apartment buildings and chilly swings. The Queen had fascinating "gilded" ornament on her dress and silvery lips. I was five, I think, when I used to climb on the stature and hug the Queen. I have red hair, somebody told me it was "coppery", so I felt the Copper Mountain Queen belonged to me more than to others. Children and people in fandom do it sometimes, you know.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I liked lizards on the ground and how Stephan's daughter disappeared into the wall.

Which was done well enough in the film, surprisingly. What angered me more that everyone behaved like capricious children.

Too bad you don't have photos about those carvings. But again, perhaps they wouldn't mean the same to you now as they did when you were a child.

[(Anonymous)]

I have located multiple editions - hardcover and paperback - through Alibris' website. Shall I send you a link? You could pick which one you want, then let me know and I'll order it and send it in your next gift package.

And for a really wild idea, send me the title in Magyar and let's see if I can find your old book (or at least one to match the words you can still recite)!

[(Anonymous)]

oops, I wasn't logged in - it's Lhun Dweller!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Of course it is! Who else would be half as generous as you are? :))