# The Stepmother — Russian Folktales character guide

> The Stepmother in Russian Folktales by A. N. Afanasyev.

**Role:** minor

**First appearance:** 0027-vasil-sa-the-fair

## Who they are

A cruel stepmother who mistreats her stepchildren.

## In the story

### [The Dun Cow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-dun-cow)

A witch who hates Márya, sends her to the heath, orders the dun cow slain, and later turns Márya into a goose.

### [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 mother of the three daughters, who blesses the marriage at the end.

### [The Miraculous Hen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-miraculous-hen)

The mother who orders her children killed for their livers and brains, but is later revealed and punished by being chopped up.

### [Vasilísa the Fair](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/vasil-sa-the-fair)

The cruel stepmother who envies Vasilísa's beauty and sends her into the forest to be destroyed by Bába Yagá.

### [The Quarrelsome Wife](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-quarrelsome-wife)

The squint-eyed, domineering wife who forces her husband to do women's work.

### [Donotknow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/donotknow)

Iván's stepmother who tries to poison him with the help of a soothsayer, but is later punished.

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

The two elder sisters who act as midwives, deceive the king, and are later executed.

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

Not present; the envious sisters act in a similar role, tricking the maiden into staying late.

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

Not present in this chapter; included as placeholder only.

## Links

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