# The Fair Maiden — Russian Folktales character guide

> The Fair Maiden in Russian Folktales by A. N. Afanasyev.

**Role:** minor

**First appearance:** 0004-the-dun-cow

## Who they are

A generic beautiful maiden who is rescued or sought.

## Relationships

### [Iván Tsarévich](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/characters/ivan_tsarevich)

_romantic_

The Fair Maiden is a love interest for Iván, often a princess or enchanted woman he rescues.

### [Iván Tsarévich](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/characters/ivan_tsarevich)

_romantic_

The Fair Maiden is a love interest for Iván, often a princess or enchanted woman he rescues.

### [Iván Tsarévich](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/characters/ivan_tsarevich)

_romantic_

The Fair Maiden is a love interest for Iván, often a princess or enchanted woman he rescues.

## In the story

### [A Tale of the Dead](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/a-tale-of-the-dead)

The bride whose blood is drained by the sorcerer; later revived by the soldier.

### [The Sorry Drunkard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-sorry-drunkard)

A captive in the devils' palace who advises Petrúsha to ask for the sorry horse and instructs him on how to transform it.

### [The Tale of the Silver Saucer and the Crystal Apple](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-tale-of-the-silver-saucer-and-the-crystal-apple)

The revived youngest daughter, who becomes the Tsarítsa after pleading for her sisters' forgiveness.

### [By Command of the Prince Daniel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/by-command-of-the-prince-daniel)

Baba Yaga's daughter, who helps the sister escape and later marries the prince.

### [The Thoughtless Word](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-thoughtless-word)

The pope's daughter, stolen by the Devil nine years ago; she helps the boy choose her by revealing a patch over her eye.

### [The Feast of the Dead](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-feast-of-the-dead)

One of the girls who survives by hiding behind a water-butt and answering the bones' questions.

### [The Wood Sprite](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-wood-sprite)

The pope's daughter who was taken by the Wood Sprite and lived with him for three years; rescued by the hunter and reunited with her parents.

### [The Realms of Copper, Silver and Gold](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-realms-of-copper-silver-and-gold)

The maiden from the golden realm, the fairest of the three, who agrees to marry Iváshko and gives him a golden ball.

### [The Singing-Tree and the Speaking-Bird](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-singing-tree-and-the-speaking-bird)

The sister who successfully retrieves the Talking-Bird, Singing-Tree, and Water of Life, and revives her brothers.

### [The Enchanted Tsarévich](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-enchanted-tsar-vich)

The merchant's youngest daughter; asks for a specific flower, goes to live with the snake, and eventually breaks the enchantment by kissing him.

### [The Snake Princess](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-snake-princess)

A king's daughter transformed into a snake by Koshchéy the Deathless; she is rescued by the Cossack and later guides him to her father's court.

### [The Legless Knight and the Blind Knight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-legless-knight-and-the-blind-knight)

The merchant's daughter, described as indescribably kind, kidnapped by the knights to be their housekeeper, later attacked by Bába Yagá.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/characters/the_fair_maiden
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/characters