The Magic Sack: A Lithuanian Folktale

by Marguerita Rudolph, Ralph Pinto (Illustrator)

This strange and hauntingly beautiful tale has as its hero a poor peasant boy -- a shepherd who gives up his wages in return for a sack, a stick and a fiddle. Told with simplicity that elicits horror and glee.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1967

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

A poor young boy leaves behind his loving parents in order to earn something extra for the family, in this Lithuanian folktale, agreeing to work as the shepherd for a prosperous farmer. But when his summer and fall of labor are done, and he is paid - a bag of beans, a bundle of flax, and three pennies - he finds that the three beggar-men he meets on the road home are in even greater need than he, and he gives everything he has away. The last of the beggars gives him a sack, a stick and a fiddle - gifts that his parents initially scorn, but whose magical qualities change all their lives for the better...

The Magic Sack is an example of a fairly common tale-type - one in which the hero or heroine is generous with their scanty resources, and is rewarded with magical items that change their fortune for the better - but it is the first example I have seen from the Lithuanian tradition. Of course, I haven't read much Lithuanian folklore - one of the reasons I was so excited to happen upon this book, as well as Marguerita Rudolph's I Am Your Misfortune: A Lithuanian Folk Tale - so I can't say whether it is common, in the folklore of that country. Still, this is an engaging story, one which is paired with appealing engraving-style illustrations by Ralph Pinto, and would make a good selection for young folklore enthusiasts!