There are some things that we humans go to any lengths to protect. Family? Definitely. Reputation? Yup. A wealthy and extensive Tsardom? Of cour– wait, what?! Okay, fine. Most of us don’t carry the fate of an entire Tsardom on our shoulders. Tsar Dadon, on the other hand? Yeah, I don’t envy that guy. In this hilarious Pushkin tale, Tsar Dadon is so desperate to protect his Tsardom that he actually goes so far as to buy a magic golden cockerel from a sketchy eunuch. Highly recommend against this, folks. Yes, the cockerel might (keyword: might) be able to protect the Tsardom, but at what cost? What will Tsar Dadon lose in the process? Will it be family? Reputation? A wealthy and extensive Tsardom? All of the above and more? Bargains always have a way of coming back to you. The question is: will the mighty Tsar Dadon end up with the short end of the stick? This time, the answer might surprise you – listen in to find out! WEBSITE ILLUSTRATION DESCRIPTIONS: A selection of Ivan Bilibin’s original set and costume sketches for Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s corresponding opera (of the same name). Super cool stuff. See them here: https://rheasslavicadventures.com/2020/11/19/the-golden-cockerel-a-russian-fairy-tale