How Tol Babay, Ural Moroz, Santa Claus and other magicians congratulate Kysh Babay
Tatarstan Ded Moroz’s colleagues congratulated him on his house-warming in his residency
The 10th New Year season opened in the fairy-tale and poetic village of Yana Kyrlay on 24 November. Kysh Babay, or Tatar Grandfather Winter, has had his own house and the entire Forest of Miracles, which will be open all year round now. Grandfather’s colleagues from other regions and even from Finland arrived to congratulate him. Realnoe Vremya visited the house-warming.
Kysh Babay went around his premises with the guests
Residents of Tatarstan and citizens from other regions gathered for a jubilee opening of the residency of Kysh Babay, or Grandfather Winter, and Kar Kyzy, or Snow Girl. Children looked forward to the characters. Suddenly somebody from the crowd shouted: “He is coming!” The excited public rushed towards the group of magicians and then split into two groups letting the delegation come in through a corridor. Gates opened in front of beardy grandfathers in painted fur coats and beautiful girls in snow-white clothes. After solemn speeches, the children were allowed to enter the fairy tale.
Old and little spectators looked Kysh Babay’s premises over together with the honoured guests. The site is really magical here: young and tall spruces, a frozen river fenced with windthrow. Somebody didn’t have access to the Internet — time in the Forest of Miracles not only stops, it seems to take adults back, to their carefree childhood. Grandfather Winter’s residency used to be located in poet Gabdulla Tukay’s house. Now he has his own house with all comforts: Kysh Babay sits on a throne-like stump, sleeps on a bed with patterned blankets, it seems that his adorned chest has some presents, while winter souvenirs and gifts from guests are located along the walls — they create cosiness and a festive mood in the new house.
Tatar forest spirit Shurale and Witch Ubyrly also have had their houses in the forest. Tatar sister of Baba Yaga welcomed the guests with jokes on the threshold. Shaitans, brave men and other characters from Tatar folk tales and compositions of poet Tukay were wandering everywhere in the forest while the magical guests had photo shooting and signed autographs.
Loosen up grandfathers and Kysh Babay’s collection of watches
After a walk in the forest, Kysh Baby stepped onto the stage together with his guests. The host was congratulated on the occasion. Ded Moroz from Lake Baikal — with voluminous and bushy beard covered with frost — gave the host watches “as transparent as Baikal ice” that was set to Irkutsk time and had a Baikal seal, which is his symbol. Grandfather who stepped down from the Sayan Mountains told the people about his amazing sites and traditions, sang a New Year song.
Santa Claus with his wife who arrived from Finland understand the Russian language a little bit, but as they didn’t have a translator, were of few words. They brought a magical deer that can congratulate on New Year as a present.
Udmurt beardy kind character Tol Babay, the guardian of family values, in a raspberry fur coat with national patterns arrived with his wonderful, joyful aide. They cheered the audience, sang and danced and also gifted a watch.
Ural Moroz with a red nose and also red cheeks in a luxurious, New Year-style fashionable fur coat had fun, danced, juggled with his walking stick. Those who touched the staff made wishes.
Charming Kikimora Vyatskaya bewitched everybody with her incessant energy. “Just Ki-ki for friends,” she introduced herself. Devitsa Metelitsa, or Snowstorm Girl, is a guardian of hats from Vyatskiye Polyany, she checked if all children had them. Snowy guests from Kostroma and Kirov played with the spectators. Now Kysh Babay has a collection of watches from magical characters, while Berendey from Pereyaslavk Zalessky gifted not a winter watch but a watch with bright sun.
Magic works!
Before departure, the colleagues gathered at a press conference in the host’s house. They said they were receiving a lot of letters. Modern children want phones, tablets. According to Ural Moroz, he has to “surf the Internet himself to understand what children want and be trendy”. Tol Babay said that a lot of children had recently asked for more kindness, peace and health, they had been worried about their family and want to get puppies.
“All children waited for a miracle, and it happens if one believes in it,” Berendey assured. The grandfathers also talked about their wishes.
“My biggest wish is that all children’s wishes come true,” Ural Moroz exclaimed.
“I dreamt about having my own house, and now my dream began to come true. And from today my residency will work all year round. And we will have festivities every season,” brown-eyed and brown-haired Kysh Babay in a green fur coat with amazing embroidery and sparkling adornments shared his secret.
The guests wanted to know what the New Year magicians did in summer.
“Everybody comes to my residence in Pereyaslavk Zalessky on the first Sunday in June and have a funny festival too,” Berendey replied.
Realnoe Vremya asked if the grandfathers gathered all together and travelled across the globe.
“We rarely meet because every magician has a busy agenda. As soon as there is spare time, we go to visit our friends. I will have a birthday party in Tale Park, which is next to Yekaterinburg, on 1 December, welcome!” Ural Moroz invited.
While Tol Babay will have a big celebration on 7 December, guests will gather in Sharkan village. Baikal Ded Moroz invited people to his Baikal Ice Tale to look at frozen waves.
“We don’t have competition. People come from Kirov, have greetings from Kikimora. And people say even here: ‘Berendey, we visited you, how great it was!’ the Slavic tsar replied.
Kysh Babay let children pull his beard to make sure he was real but “not much because it hurts”. And he also gave all his guests presents.
“And it turns out that your magical arch works, I made a wish,” Ki-ki was happy about the surprise.
The grandfathers, their daughters and granddaughters are ready for the holiday. New Year gates of their residencies are open from December to late January. Winter just needs to finish all preparations — to add snow so that residents of Tatarstan will really feel the holiday is coming.
