The Stone Flower

An aging gemcutter Prokopych is pressured by the landlord's bailiff to take an apprentice. He tries several boys, but none understand the soul of stone. Eventually he chooses a scatterbrained boy, Danilo, who shows exceptional talent.

Danilo quickly surpasses the old master in shaping gemstones and creating patterns. Prokopych grows fond of him but decides to shield him from the craft to protect his health. Their bond deepens as the apprentice proves his extraordinary natural gift.

Years pass; the landlord boasts of a marquess's casket and bets his own would be more beautiful. He commands Prokopych to craft something equally stunning. The stakes rise as the contest looms over the village.

Prokopych labors day and night but cannot conceive an original design for the rival's task. He watches Danilo's potential and realizes he might need his help. The pressure tests the master’s pride and hides admiration.

Danilo creates a malachite casket that surpasses expectation. The landlord's wife is delighted and orders a stone cup that would look exactly like a flower.

Prokopych scolds him for trying too hard for no good reason, but secretly admires his determination. He recognizes this is a sign of the expert craftsman.

Danilo works on the flower cup for several months, paying little attention to Katinka. After he finishes the cup, every villager admires his work, but Danilo is unhappy because he feels there is no true living beauty in it.

An old craftsman warns him against following this path, otherwise he might end up as one of the Mistress of the Copper Mountain's craftsmen. Those craftsmen understood the beauty of stone after they saw the legendary Stone Flower, but those who saw the Flower never wanted to go back from the Mistress' domain.

Danilo decides to marry Katinka. Nevertheless, at the wedding he goes back to his room, destroys his flower cup, and goes to the mine to seek the Stone Flower.

In the Mistress's domain, he finally sees the Stone Flower. She warns him that he would never want to go back to people after seeing it, and he replies that he does not feel alive anyway.

He stays there, working on a new cup, saddened that his marvellous work will never be seen by people and that he thinks about Katinka day and night.

Katinka remains faithful, never remarrying. She moves in with Prokopych and learns gemcutting, earning enough money to make ends meet.

While searching for good stones in the forest, Katinka meets the Mistress and demands that she let her beloved go. Her resolve shows her devotion.

Inside the mine, Katinka rejoins Danilo. The Mistress praises their honor and fidelity, then tests them and rewards them: a casket of jewellery for Katinka and the gift that Danilo may remember all he learned in her domain.

Danilo and Katinka leave together, freed from the Mistress's domain. Their union marks the triumph of love and craftsmanship over temptation.