When Masha's friends invite her to accompany them on a mushroom and berry-picking trip to the woods, her loving grandparents warn her not wander too far from her companions. But - as is so often the case in the world of folklore - an early warning is almost a gaurantee that the prohibited action will occur, and Masha does indeed wander off. Eventually finding herself the captive house-keeper of a bear, Masha longs to return home to her grandparents. But how can she run away, when she doesn't know which direction to take, and the bear has threatened to eat her, if she does...?

This retelling of a Russian folktale is a classic example of the triumph of the clever heroine over a physically stronger opponent. Printed in the former Soviet Union for the English-language market, it is illustrated with Y. Rachev's bright, simple artwork. ( )