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In A Certain Land

Nicholas Kotar

You know The Brothers Grimm, but do you know the weird and whimsical fairy tales of Russia? Nicholas Kotar brings you Russia’s most beloved fairy tales as you would have heard them from a grandparent sitting near the hearth on a cozy winter evening, the wind howling outside and the courage of these heroic stories lighting a flame in your heart. Enter the world of Baba Yaga, the mysterious hag who can be both friend and foe, and follow Ivan the Idiot as he faces off against a cunning dragon with six heads. These are not stuffy, academic translations, but vividly enacted retellings from Nicholas Kotar’s 3-volume fairy tale collection, accompanied by the original music of composer Natalie Wilson.


Don’t be fooled: these are not just tales for children. As Russian philosopher Ivan Ilyin reminds us, the spiritual meaning of the fairy tale is “like refined and sweet-smelling honey. If you drip it on your tongue, you’ll taste all the ineffable essence of Russia’s nature–the smell of the earth, the heat of the sun, the fragrance of flowers, and something else that is subtle and rich, something eternally youthful and yet eternally ancient… Only he who worships at the altar of facts and has lost the ability to contemplate a state of being ignores fairy tales. Only the one who wants to see with his physical eyes alone, plucking out his spiritual eyes in the process, considers the fairy tale to be dead.”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  • 25 episodes
  • Avg 17 min
  • English

Episodes 25

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  • #11
    Sep 25, 2025 · 27 min

    Finist the Bright Falcon

    “Finist the Bright Falcon” is a spellbinding Russian fairy tale of love, magic, and courage. When a young girl’s heart is claimed by a mysterious falcon who can transform into a handsome prince, she receives a single magical feather that can summon wonders and treasures. But envy and treachery threaten their bond, sending her on a perilous journey through dark forests, past fearsome witches, and across distant kingdoms to reclaim her beloved. Rich with enchantment, daring adventure, and the enduring power of true love, this timeless tale celebrates bravery, devotion, and the unexpected joy that comes at the end of the dark road of suffering. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • #10
    Sep 12, 2025 · 13 min

    The Tale of Sister Alionushka and Brother Ivanushka

    What happens when you tell your little brother not to drink from a stream filled with goats? Well… he turns into a goat, of course! Poor Alionushka tries her best to keep Ivanushka safe, but thirst, magic, and mischief get the better of them both. Before long, a king falls in love, a witch stirs up trouble, and even the flowers in the garden forget how to bloom. But never fear—this is a fairy tale, after all, and tears, talking goats, and a dash of courage just might turn sorrow into happily-ever-after. A tale of wandering orphans, watery enchantments, and the most loyal goat you’ll ever meet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • #9
    Aug 21, 2025 · 18 min

    The Silver Platter and the Honey-Ripe Apple

    Once upon a time, in a land of sunlit meadows, birch forests, and whispering winds, there lived a girl so forgotten that even her own family called her nothing but “idiot-girl.” She wasn’t beautiful or clever or graceful. At least, not in the ways that matter to people who see only with their eyes. But sometimes the quiet ones hold the oldest magic. In this episode, you’ll hear the tale of a silver platter, a honey-ripe apple, and a girl who sees the whole world unfold at the edge of wonder. There are envious sisters, a talking reed pipe, a king’s well of living water, and a queen whose mercy is more powerful than any spell. It’s a story of betrayal and resurrection, cruelty and kindness, and the strange, wonderful justice that only fairy tales can deliver. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • #8
    Aug 7, 2025 · 14 min

    The Tale of the Tsar Bear

    In a certain kingdom, a careless bargain delivers newborn twins—Prince Ivan and Princess Marya—into the claws of the mighty and terrifying Tsar-Bear. Spirited away to a kingdom beyond the mountains, the children outwit their captor again and again, aided by a falcon, an eagle, and at last a thundering bull. Pursued through forests that spring from combs and lakes of fire born from towels, the siblings race toward freedom. But every escape demands a price, and their final salvation carries a sacrifice that plants the seeds of a new destiny. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • #7
    Jul 24, 2025 · 20 min

    The Tale of the Frog Princess

    In a far-off kingdom, in a time long faded into song and silence, a king bids his sons to cast their arrows to the wind—and where the arrows fall, there they shall find their fates. The eldest finds a noble’s daughter, the second a merchant’s maid, but the youngest, Prince Ivan… finds a frog. So begins a tale of riddled wonder: of hidden enchantments, midnight labors, and a bride more radiant than a summer moon. For the skin of the frog hides Vasilissa the Wise, a princess under a cruel spell, and it will take courage, kindness, and the help of beasts and birds to bring her back. Come listen to a story where fate weaves strange fortunes, beauty is found in the most unexpected places, and a prince journeys past the ends of the world to find what was once lost. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Showing 21–25 of 25 episodes