Anatoli Ljadow

Kikimora op. 63

Way up in the rocky mountains Kikimora lives with her guardian the Wizard. Strange fairy tales are related to her from morning till eve by the Wizard's wise old cat. At night she es rocked gently to sleep in a crystal cradle until early sunrise. Kikimora becomes grown up at the age of seven. Her body, swart and slender, measures no longer than a wisp of straw, her head no larger than a thimble. Dancing and darting about all day long, the little sprite chirps and whistles the evening through till the hush of night sets in. From midnight until the break of day she is to be seen busily spinning and reeling yarn, warping silken threads, contriving new, mischievous pranks with which to irritate the world of mankind.