All-Russian State University of Cinemato- graphy named after S.A. Gerasimov (VGIK), Faculty of Animation and Multimedia
Department of Animation and Multimedia
Workshop for directing and computer graphics of Natalya Orlova
Diploma work of Marina Verik
A story by Valeriy Ronshin
The Tale of a Poor Fisherman, His Daughter Mashenka, an Ugly Beast, Major Sidorchuk and... an Eaten Princess
Once upon a time, on the shore of the deep blue sea there lived a poor fisherman and his daughter Mashenka.
One day he went fishing and caught a small fish
then another one, a little bigger.
And after a while he landed...
...the Sea Beast.
Well, well... I've been sleeping on the seabed for 300,000 years
and no one dared to touch me.
And you came here and woke me up!
Have mercy on me, Sea Beast!
I've got my little daughter Mashenka waiting for me at home.
Very well, bring her to me. I'll gorge on her!
There was nothing for it. The poor fisherman went home to get Mashenka.
There he goes crying bitterly.
Now, near his house there was a military base.
The base commander was Sidorchuk, Fyodor Trofimych
He was a small major with a big moustache.
Good morning, sir!
How are you getting along?
The fisherman told him everything
and burst into even more tears.
Be-lay that! There's no use crying over spilt milk.
You think...
I never think. I'm already sure of everything.
After saying that, the brave major took the poor fisherman to his base.
There he chose the very biggest bomb,
drew a nose, mouth and eyes on the warhead,
crowned it all with a coloured kerchief.
It was the very image of the fisherman's daughter Mashenka, but thicker.
SEA PRAVDA
Who are you?
Major Sidorchuk!
25 years of faultless service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation!
Look at you... what a big shot!
And is the fisherman's daughter with you?
Yes, sir!
All of a sudden, the Beast opened wide his sharp-toothed mouth,
clanged his iron jaws,
and bit the bomb through like a blade of grass, and the motorcycle with it.
Ka-boom!
Presto! At the place where the Beast had been lying
a beautiful girl was dancing on the waves
with her mermaid tail.
How her fish scales sparkled in the sun!
Oh, I'm so happy to be free again!
That ugly beast swallowed me because I refused to be its wife.
Marry me, stalwart knight, if you wish.
You seem to be a good chap.
You'll become the Sea King.
The previous one, my Daddy, is long since singing songs in the next world.
Cuckoo-cuckoo.
Fyodor Trofimych looked over his new-found bride
and found her good.
Besides, say what you will, it's better to be the Sea King
than a major, even one who commands a military base.
All right, I'll take it.
There and then his uniform streamed down from him like water,
and his whole body became covered with fish scales.
And, taking the hand of the princess,
the former major disappeared into the depths of the sea.
And the poor fisherman, on hearing the massive explosion,
said didactically to his daughter Mashenka:
That's it, Mashka. Fyodor Trofimych has died like a hero
saving your young life.
Remember him!
And Mashenka always remembered her saviour.
And when it was time for her to marry,
she found not just a husband, but a major,
small and with a moustache.
Ah, Fyodor Trofimych!
Mashenka?! My name's Nikolay Makarych!
I will always love you, Fyodor Trofimych!
The End
director Marina Verik
story by Valeriy Ronshin
artistic supervisors Natalya Orlova, Marina Kurchevskaya, Vadim Oborvalov
animators Kristina Poplavskaya, Marina Verik, Marietta Prusakova, Ilya Buzinov, Anna Sechina, Irina Sporyhina
sound Viktor Brus voice actor Tatyana Skaredneva
thanks to Yelena & Natalya Verik, Andrey Tkachuk, Aleksandr Ivolgin, Yekaterina Pavlova
special thanks to Yelena Barinova, Valeriy Ronshin
music used in the film: Leonid Utyosov's "Wide Is the Sea" (1938)
Russian march "Farewell to Slavyanka" Natalia Oreiro, "Cambio Dolor" (Karaoke)
VGIK 2015 (subs revised by Niffiwan, 2024)