Tales of the sleeping land
Under the Taiga's cover of snow, good and evil spirits sleep and every natural element has its own voice: white foxes, bears or seals are never what they seem, just like fire, rain and frost. They hide spirits that bewitch and guide the doings of women and men, treasures of a century-old folklore, all to be rediscovered.
Passed down from family to family from time immemorial, Le fiabe della terra addormentata teaches brave and smart young readers not to be afraid, to guard their ancestors' memories, to value friendship and solidarity, but, above all, to live in harmony with Nature. Rife with metaphors, hidden meanings, allegories and lessons to be remembered, this collection paints the image of an endless land, full of lush forests, whirling rivers, which ancient people termed “sleeping”. A difficult world to live in, yet not lacking in beauty: people born in the sleeping land had to, and still do, fight every day for survival and, to succeed, they have to find (and maintain) a balance with this land. In Siberia, Lilin explains, native inhabitants don't want to fight or overpower Mother Earth, but try to coexist in harmony with it.
Indeed, in contrast with Western tales, centred on the relationship between people, Siberian tales focus on the relationship between Human beings and Nature and on the need to find a way to coexist in harmony with its great workings. As such, the world described by the author comes to represent a wonderful synergy between the myriad of living beings that populate it and that interact with each other, according to mystical laws.
Le fiabe della terra addormentata (Tales of the sleeping land)
by Nicolai Lilin
Mondadori Electa, 2021