An impoverished old couple find that their fortune changes for the better, when the woman requests that her husband make her a little straw bull, covered in tar. This unusual "livestock" helps to capture a bear, wolf and fox, each of whom bargains for his freedom by promising certain blessings in exchange...

Printed in 1974, by Moscow-based Progress Publishers, The Little Straw Bull is one of many picture-books published in the former Soviet Union, meant to present the folklore of that country to the English-speaking world. Although I am generally quite enthusiastic when encountering an unfamiliar folktale, this title left me feeling rather indifferent. I'm glad to add it to my store of knowledge, but I couldn't say that I particularly enjoyed it, either for the story, or for Haikin's illustrations. ( )