A russian nesting doll hanpainted from Russia of a 10 pcs. set depicting Scarlet Flower fairytale. The artist on the doll is Nina Kosores a graduate from St. Petersburgh art institute and now lives in Moscow. Size: 11.5 X 5.5 inches

The Scarlet Flower fairytale:

Long ago there lived a merchant and his three daughters. The kind father was in the habit of bringing gifts home to his daughters after his long voyages. While the older two daughters prefered material possessions, the third daughter had a love of flowers, especially those that were scarlet red in color.

On his return from one of his journeys. The merchant was as usual selecting gifts for his beloved daughters. It did not take him very long to find a glistening golden crown and a beautiful crystal mirror for the older girls. Finding a scarlet flower proved to be harder than he had imagined. He wandered far into the forest to search for the flower. He eventually found one and picked it, not knowing that he was in an enchanted forest. As soon as he picked the flower, a vile looking beast approached the merchant and told him that in exchange for the flower, the merchant must let the beast marry one of the daughters.

The daughters were very pleased with their gifts. And the merchant's youngest daughter agreed to go to the beast. She went alone into the enchanted forest and found the castle where she would live with the beast forever. For a while, she was actually very happy. The beast had not revealed himself to her, and showered her daily with kindness and gifts. She started to grow quite fond of her invisible keeper, and one day asked that he show himself. The beast reluctantly gave into her plea, and just as he had feared, she drew back in fear at the sight of him.

That very same night the beautiful girl had a terrifying dream that her father was deathly ill. She begged the beast to let her visit her dying father. The beast agreed with the understanding that she would return to him in three days time. The girl found her father and prepared to return to the beast in the 3 days that she agreed to. Unfortunately, her sisters did not want her to go and they altered the clocks. This made the poor girl return to the beast later than the time agreed upon. And what awaited her? The poor beast had died of heartbreak. She found him lying dead with a scarlet flower clutched to his heart. Until now, the girl did not realize how much she had grown to care for the kind beast. Now she held him close as she cried her love for him. Suddenly he awoke and turned into a handsome prince, releasing a spell that had been cast on him many years before

They lived happily ever after.