Belarusfilm
Animated Film Studio
Yuletide Stories
A Christmas Story (based on the poem by Sasha Chyornyy)
In the manger, on fresh hay slept Peaceful, silent, tiny Christ.
Peeking from the shade, a crescent Moon stroked the flax of His hair...
A bull breathed into the Babe's face, And, as he rustled some straw,
Looked at a knee, small and springy, Looked at it and held his breath.
Many sparrows through the roof poles To the manger flocked as one,
A calf, pushing up to the niche, Creased the blanket with his lip.
A dog...
A dog snuck up to a warm foot, And gave it a secret lick.
Comfiest of them all, the cat lay, Warming the Babe with her side...
A white goat, subdued and peaceful, Onto the Babe's forehead breathed.
Only the grey, stupid donkey Pressed the others helplessly:
"Let me in for just a minute, To look at the Child as well!"
And he cried out, loudly sobbing, In the silence of pre-dawn...
Then Christ, eyes suddenly open, Parted the circle of beasts,
And, his smile full of affection, Whispered:
"Look, here's your chance!.."
director Irina Kodyukova
art director Tatyana Kublitskaya
camera Galina Gireva
composer Konstantin Sharov
sound Andrey Volkov
narrator Boris Plotnikov
The End
The Blizzard (based on D. Bulgakovskiy's story)
It was Christmas Eve.
A third grade student of a theological school, Vasya,
received a report card with excellent scores in achievements and behavior
and the permission to spend his holidays at home.
Vasya loved Yuletide with all his heart
and rejoiced at seeing his father,
who served as sexton of the parish church, and his dear mother.
We now humbly entreat Thee, O most holy Master:
do Thou accompany now this Thy servants by Thy grace.
Send unto him as to Thy servant Tobias...
Ah, Vasya!
You are fortunate that a traveling merchant chanced by,
otherwise you would have probably frozen.
Many years passed.
And again it was Christmas Eve, and again a blizzard was beginning.
"It's a bad thing, buddy, to be without a home in such weather."
"Come in, traveler, get warm."
"You see, Holy Master," spoke the poor man,
"Now I beg,
but once I had happiness in everything, and helped others myself."
"Once, I was riding to the fair for Christmas," he continued.
"It was as cold as it is now - just terrible!
I looked, and saw a boy sitting on the road, numb with cold."
The bishop peered carefully at the old man.
"I remember!" the poor man said,
"The boy's name was Vasya."
"So you're the one who saved my life!" exclaimed the bishop.
"That boy whom you picked up on your route...
...was me!"
Wonderful are Your works, O Lord!
film crew: A. Orlenko, I. Plyuto, L. Lukashenko, N. Volchek, D. Yakutovich, O. Onopriyenko
The End (subs by Niffiwan, helped by Baofu @ animatsiya.net)
"Belarusfilm" studio, 1994