Headscratchers / Morozko

• Ivan returns to the place where he met Nastenka and because he finally feels what is right, he is transformed back to his human form, and he starts happily calling Nastenka's name. Judging from the shots, this happens in late summer or early autumn, but next shot is him looking for Nastenka in snow-covered woods. Um, why? Why didn't he go to the nearest village and ask about Nastenka or her home? Even if he did not come to her village, locals would probably know about a girl called Nastenka who lives with her father and evil step-mother.

• When Father Mushroom turns Ivan into a bear, Ivan blames Nastenka because it happened right after she put the bucket on his head. Nastenka responds by saying, "Ivanushka! I swear I didn't do anything to you!". Except Ivan never told her his name, so how does she know it?
  • Assuming it's not just a plot hole, 1. Ivan is the Russian equivalent of John and a very common name, so she just happened to be right, or 2. it's a riff on the popular Russian folktale character Ivanushka the Fool, so she's accusing him of being stupid.

• How, in the name of all that is snow white, did Blind Granny get so far from her home gathering sticks? You'd think that simple instinct alone would be enough to keep her near her house as she's doing her chores. And, even if we assume she's not 100%, completely "black-sight" blind, if she really did wander as far as she claimed ("Up a mountain, then down the other side; then up another mountain!"), then she should be hopelessly lost and wouldn't even be able to tell Ivan which direction her home was in.
  • Father Mushroom was setting it up and knew Ivan was thick enough to not question the mechanics.

• The Stepmother is talking up Marfushka to the matchmaker and her suitor talking about what a hard worker and a good homemaker she is, but Marfushka is spoiled and lazy and never does any chores. How were they planning to keep up the lie if they did get married?
  • Eh, she'd be someone else's problem then. Besides, for all the stepmother dotes on her daughter, she probably thinks Marfushka is a perfect homemaker and has no idea how much Nastenka has really been doing around the house.

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