A retelling of the traditional tale of how a boy's lost mitten becomes a refuge from the cold for an increasing number of animals.

A poor peasant woman who has no money for gifts or a special meal for her children gets help from a kindly mother spider on Christmas.

A cat with a reputation for being fierce is invited to dinner by the forest animals, where a chain of accidents ensures the continuation of this erroneous belief.

When cruel Pavel wins a wager against his kind twin brother Paali, he exacts a terrible price, but greed soon leads Pavel to his downfall.

"When Nicki drops his white mitten in the snow, he goes on without realizing that it is missing. One by one, woodland animals find it and crawl in; first, a curious mole, then a rabbit, a badger and others, each one larger than the last. Finally, a big brown bear is followed in by a tiny brown mouse and what happens next makes for a wonderfully funny climax. As the story of the animals in the mitten unfolds, the reader can see Nicki in the boarders...