There are several Russian folk tales featuring a Snow Maiden. In the rendition on which Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov based his opera, Snow Maiden was the daughter of Grandfather Frost and the goddess Spring Beauty, both of whom protected and loved her through the fifteen wintery years of her life.
She did not return their love. She couldn't. Her heart was made of ice. She felt no emotions.
But the beautiful Snow Maiden was curious and envious of the mortals in the village below so she begged her parents to let her live among them. Grandfather Frost was against the idea, fearing Snow Maiden might fall in love. Spring Beauty thought she should have a bit of freedom.
Once among the mortals, Snow Maiden observed with fascination the happiness between young lovers and implored her mother to enable her to feel passion. Spring Beauty granted her daughter’s wish, but warned Snow Maiden to avoid sunlight.
On Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday) the villagers gathered and, upon seeing a certain young man, Snow Maiden was overcome by the emotion of love… love so strong her heart of ice began to melt. And just then, a ray of sunlight hit her. Snow Maiden sang what is known as the "Melt aria" and as she melted away, the spell of winter was broken.
I understand that folktales are by definition fiction but they can reflect actual events. So I have to wonder if these stories reflect extreme weather conditions during the period between 1350 and 1835 — a time called "the Little Ice Age" when the climate was significantly cooler than it is now.
There were periods during this time when summers were short to non-existent, causing crop failures, widespread famine and starvation, disease and social upheaval in Europe and also in North America.
When the Snow Maiden melted at the end of Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera and the icy grip of winter was broken, villagers had a genuine reason to rejoice.
