"Dubolgo Pichai": a Mordovian fairytale of envy, faithful love and lost memory in a new episode of "The Faraway Kingdom"

The National Centre RUSSIA presents a new episode of the animated project "The Faraway Kingdom" ("Tridevyatoye Tsarstvo"). This time, viewers will discover the Mordovian folk fairytale "Dubolgo Pichai" — the story of a beautiful young woman who fell victim to the envy of those close to her but was saved by devotion and a chance encounter. The episode is available on the National Centre RUSSIA's social media accounts.

The story takes us into the forests of Mordovia, where the beautiful Dubolgo Pichai lives, surrounded by the love of her brothers, who are hunters. Her brothers' wives came to hate her and tried to slander her, but their husbands refused to believe the accusations. The sisters-in-law then poured molten wax over Dubolgo Pichai. Everyone believed she was dead and left her in a coffin in the dark forest.

On the other side of the forest lived a young man named Vertyan, who had little luck in his endeavours but was very good at raising geese. One day, the birds wandered into the forest thicket and led him straight to the coffin where Dubolgo Pichai lay. Vertyan brought her home, where it emerged that she was alive but had lost all her memories. Viewers will discover what happened next, whether Dubolgo Pichai remembers her past and whether she can forgive her brothers in the new episode.

The twelfth episode takes viewers to Mordovia — a land of pine forests, where the Sura and Moksha rivers flow and the Erzya and Moksha peoples preserve ancient legends. The episode's visual style draws inspiration from the distinctive culture of the Mordovian people: dense pine forests, traditional embroidery patterns, the jingle of silver jewellery and the deep colours of river water. Every frame captures the atmosphere of an ancient tale of good and evil.

The animated project "The Faraway Kingdom" is a series of short videos that bring lesser-known fairytales of the peoples of Russia to life. Each episode offers a visual journey into the world of folk wisdom, accessible to viewers of all ages. The animation goes beyond retelling ancient tales in a contemporary visual language: it invites viewers to explore the nature, culture, history and traditions of our country's peoples in greater depth, reminding them of the timeless values that unite us.