When the king sees Olga, the wife of Alexis the archer, he is struck by her beauty, and devises a cunning plan to rid himself of his rival and claim her for himself. Dispatched to "I know not where," and ordered to bring back "I know not what," Alexis is in despair, until Olga gives him her handkerchief and a magical ball to follow. With the aid of these items, his magical in-laws, a talking frog, and the invisible servant, Oom Razoom, Alexis eventually returns in triumph...

I've encountered this story before, in various collections of Russian folklore, and although it is by no means my favorite tale from this tradition, I usually find it quite enjoyable. Unfortunately, although Wolkstein's retelling is competent enough, I was distracted and irritated by Dennis McDermott's illustrations, and am forced to agree with the School Library Journal reviewer, who observes that they are too western in style. Perhaps I've simply been spoiled by all the lovely Bilibin editions I own, but I just couldn't seem to work up any enthusiasm for this version. Definitely a title I would only recommend to Russian folklore enthusiasts with a completist streak. ( )

A good book to read if you are learning about Russia and their culture. Also a good book if you wanted to teach students about different characters.