Plot Christmas Eve (Gogol)

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ukraine (2009): miniature sheet 200th anniversary of n. v. gogol. right stamp image — christmas eve



christmas @ ukraine. stamp of ussr 1991, series folk holiday .


the story opens description of winter scenery of dikanka, ukraine, witch flying across night sky , devil stealing moon , hiding in pocket, first playing in sky, no 1 in village notices. since night before christmas, devil free roam around , torment people pleases, decides find way @ village blacksmith, vakula, because paints religious art in church.


in village lives cossack named choub, daughter oksana, exceptionally beautiful village girl loved young boys, object of blacksmith vakula’s affection. choub goes out in night cousin panas sexton’s home gathering, noticing moon not in sky. meanwhile, vakula trying win on oksana, mentions mother, solokha, witch. choub , cousin engulfed in snowstorm started devil , lose each other. while cousin finds way tavern, choub comes upon home, blacksmith, visiting oksana, answers him. choub cannot believe blacksmith in own house, , concludes else s house. blacksmith sends him away.


when vakula goes oksana, tells him not marry him unless can slippers off tsaritsa’s feet. while discussion happening, solokha devil in home, when knocks @ door. hides devil in coal sack , admits guest more of admirers continue arrive, , when son vakula returns has mayor, sexton , choub himself hidden in sacks; latter 2 accidentally placed in same 1 remained oblivious 1 another. vakula spots sacks , carries them forge, taking them coal; excessive weight makes him think must have lost strength, , concludes had oksana not loving him. comes upon oksana, again belittles him, , runs off saying goodbye her, threatening kill himself.


he decides way win indeed capture slippers, goes puzaty patsyuk, local zaporozhian cossack believed in league devil. vakula asks him tell him way find devil while patsyuk eats magical varenyky fly down basin of cream , mouth, vakula brushes 1 aside rubs cream on closed lips. after asking patsyuk devil, remarks cannot give directions blacksmith on back. vakula not understand until puts down sacks , devil hops onto back. vakula tricks devil thinking obey him, grabs tail , threatens use sign of cross until agrees help.


fearing cross, devil takes him sky en route st. petersburg, leaving sacks behind. group of locals begin take bags , discover men inside, while vakula goes find tsaritsa. amazed sights of city, , has devil (who shrinks pocket) transport him palace, meets few zaporozhian cossacks meeting (i.e., catherine great). when comes greet them, blacksmith appeals , glorifies slippers, finds amusing , agrees give him.


in meantime oksana gets upset because villagers have been passing around rumor vakula has killed himself. knows vakula, christian, not this, , night falls in love him. delighted see him return , agrees marry him before shows slippers. married , story ends bishop passing beautifully painted house. in church blacksmith has made painting, showing devil in hell, villagers spit on , women bring frightened children “look kaka (poophead)” (transliterated as: yaka kaka!)!







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