# The Wood Sprite explained — Russian Folktales > Chapter companion for Russian Folktales by A. N. Afanasyev. ## What happens A pope's daughter wanders into the woods without permission and is lost for three years, taken by the Wood Sprite. A bold hunter encounters the Wood Sprite, shoots him, and follows him to a hidden hut where he finds the maiden. He rescues her, returns her to her parents, and marries her. ## Themes in this chapter ### Good vs. Evil The hunter confronts and wounds the Wood Sprite, representing a struggle between human courage and malevolent forest spirit. ### Trickery and Cunning The Wood Sprite disguises himself as a peasant and claims to be the Devil's grandfather, using deception to hide his true nature. ## Character check-ins ### The Woodsprite Appears as a peasant cleaning his bast shoe and threatening the moon; claims to be the Devil's grandfather; shot by the hunter but escapes into the thicket. ### The Hunter A bold hunter who shoots the Wood Sprite, follows him to his hut, rescues the maiden, and marries her. ### The Fair Maiden The pope's daughter who was taken by the Wood Sprite and lived with him for three years; rescued by the hunter and reunited with her parents. ### The Priest The pope (priest) who recognizes the maiden as his daughter and gives her in marriage to the hunter. ### The Old Woman The pope's wife, who joyfully reunites with her lost daughter. ## Key lines > Light, give me light, clear moon. The Wood Sprite commands the moon to shine brighter. _The Wood Sprite threatens the moon, showing his supernatural arrogance._ > Why am I grey? Because I am the Devil’s grandfather. The Wood Sprite explains his grey hair by claiming to be the Devil's grandfather. _The Wood Sprite reveals his demonic lineage to the hunter._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-wood-sprite - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters