# Lelechka — Short Fiction character guide > Lelechka in Short Fiction by Fyodor Sologub. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** III The samovar, III Lelechka, VII Lelechka, V Lelechka **First appearance:** 0001-short-fiction ## Snapshot A child whose name recurs like a refrain through Sologub's stories, her small world of samovars and rooms standing in for all the tenderness and neglect of childhood. ## Who they are Lelechka is a girl — sometimes a very young one — whose days unfold among adults who are distracted, tired, or absorbed in their own dramas. The recurring samovar in her scenes is telling: she is often near the warm, domestic objects of a household without being fully held by the people in it. Her vulnerability and her watchfulness make her one of Sologub's most affecting figures, and her early appearances set the emotional register for the stories she inhabits. ## Relationships ### [White Mother Easter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/characters/white_mother_easter) _psychological_ Lelechka appears to be under the spell or close guardianship of White Mother Easter, suggesting a controlling or obsessive bond. ### [Serafima Alexandrovna](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/characters/serafima_alexandrovna) _family_ Lelechka and Serafima Alexandrovna are probably mother and daughter, with Serafima acting as a protective or strict parent. ### [Serafima Alexandrovna](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/characters/serafima_alexandrovna) _family_ Lelechka and Serafima Alexandrovna are probably mother and daughter, with Serafima acting as a protective or strict parent. ### [White Mother Easter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/characters/white_mother_easter) _psychological_ Lelechka appears to be under the spell or close guardianship of White Mother Easter, suggesting a controlling or obsessive bond. ## In the story ### [Short Fiction](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/short-fiction) Appears in a vignette involving hide and seek with her mother. ### [Light and Shadows](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/light-and-shadows) Mentioned in a fleeting image of childhood games, representing lost innocence. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/iii) Lelechka is mentioned as 'III The samovar' in the excerpt title, but does not appear in the text. ### [Hide and Seek](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/hide-and-seek) Lelechka is central to the chapter, playing hide and seek with her mother, which symbolizes the innocence and vulnerability of childhood. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/i) A charming, lively child who delights her mother with her sweet voice and playful nature. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/ii) The young lady who plays hide-and-seek with her mother ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/iii) The sleeping child at the center of her mother's thoughts and Fedosya's ominous warning. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/iv) The obedient child repeatedly plays hide-and-seek, crying 'Tiu-tiu!', which triggers her mother's dread. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/v) Falls asleep in her little bed, whispering 'tiu-tiu' as she drifts off. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/vi) Dies of fever after three days of illness. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/vii) The dead child, dressed and placed in a little coffin. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/viii) The deceased child, lying pale and smiling pathetically in her coffin. ### [The White Mother](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/the-white-mother) Associated with innocence and childhood, possibly in relation to the White Mother's protective or transformative role. ### [The Sweet-Scented Name](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/the-sweet-scented-name) The little peasant girl who lies ill and remembers the angel's name in a dream. ### [The Kiss of the Unborn](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/the-kiss-of-the-unborn) Appears as an unborn or deceased child, central to the chapter's theme of innocence and death. ### [The Herald of the Beast](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/the-herald-of-the-beast) Lelechka's innocence is contrasted with the herald's ominous presence, highlighting the theme of innocence and corruption. ### [The Tiny Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/chapters/the-tiny-man) The tiny man is identified as Lelechka, a small child-like figure who embodies innocence and fragility. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/characters/lelechka - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_20_se/characters