A few months ago I came across an article in the Russian media about the favourite fairy tale characters among Russians. Turns out, ladies still prefer a Cinderella story, waiting for a Knight-in-Shining-Armour to sweep them over and away to his beautiful castle. And gentlemen relish another fairy-tale – that of Yemelya guy who sat on the Russian oven and by chance caught a pike that subsequently provided him with many a marvel and a good wife as a bonus.
As you can see, the two tales are poles apart, and there is little wonder that often people cannot make either dream come true. A man is happy to sit and wait for his pike, while a woman waits for the Prince Charming.
You may ponder as to how true this rings to your own country, but here is the Russian fairy tale in English.
By the Will Of the Pike. A Russian Fairy Talehttp://www.scribd.com/embeds/109386720/content?start_page=1&view_mode=book&access_key=key-14gtv3kikz20t8highca