The Scarlet Flower (Russian: Аленький цветочек) is a 1858 fairy tale by Sergei Aksakov and the definitive Beauty and the Beast version in Russian literature.
It has been adapted to the screen as an animated film in 1952 and as a lesser-known live-action film in 1977.
Tropes featured in the story:
- Adaptational Wealth: Downplayed. The heroine’s father never loses his fortune – the worst that happens to him is being attacked by robbers, whereupon he is separated from his servants and stumbles upon the Beast’s castle.
- Beast and Beauty: The Trope Codifier in Russian media.
- Benevolent Boss: The heroine is very friendly towards her maidservant (who gets transported to the Beast’s castle soon after her when she complains to the Beast she is lonely).
- Cultural Translation: Although their nationality is never mentioned, the merchant’s family is heavily implied to be Russian.
- Easily Forgiven: The heroine’s jealous sisters who nearly cause the Beast’s death are welcomed at her wedding with no hard feelings.
- I Choose to Stay: At one point, the Beast tells the girl she can just go home whenever she wants. She, however, decides to stay on as she has grown fond of him. Until later she learns that her father’s sick...
- Fantastic Flora: The amazingly beautiful scarlet flower that the merchant plucks as the gift for his daughter immediately gets attached back to its stem when the girl brings it back and tries to replant it.
- Just Friends: Until the climactic moment, the heroine thinks she loves the Beast like a brother.
- No Name Given: No names are mentioned. The heroine is usually called “the merchant’s young daughter, the wonderful beauty”, but Beauty isn’t her given name. The 1952 film calls her Nastenka – a common Russian diminutive of Anastasia – while the 1977 film calls her Alyona.
- Ring of Power: A golden ring can be used to instantly transport anyone to the Beast’s castle and back.
- Sins of Our Fathers: The Beast was cursed as a boy by an enchantress who was angry at his father for some reason.
