The Soldier and Death
A Story for Scamps
Russian Folktales Series: Episode 1
Recommended for Grades 3 and up.
A Russian Folktale by Alexander Nikolaevich Afanasyev
Translated by Leonard Arthur Magnus
Retold by Bryan Rafael Falcón
After he commits an act of selflessness, a poor soldier is given two wondrous gifts, a deck of cards that cannot lose, and a magic nose bag intended to save him from ever being hungry again. With these gifts, our soldier goes on a journey that takes him from Hell to Heaven and the many realms in between, until the soldier challenges Death itself. Will the soldier win? Listen to find out…
Activities for Scamps
Activities for Scamps based on The Soldier and Death
Best Suited for Grades 3-8
After you listen to the story, check out the activities below. There’s something for your inner everyone—writer, baker, candlestick maker…well, not candlestick maker (yet!), but you get the idea. Click on an activity or download all of them to explore this story further.
Activities for the…
Listen to other episodes of Russian Folktales for Scamps
Artists
Bryan Rafael Falcón (Storyteller)
Bryan likes folk tales.
Bryan is a director, designer and storyteller and serves as the Artistic and Managing Director for the Scoundrel and Scamp Theatre.
When he isn’t reading folk tales, he’s thinking about folk tales, so he might as well read them to Scamps cause it makes him happy to share with them.
Elizabeth Falcon (Curriculum Designer)
Elizabeth is a poet, musician, and teacher with a passion for hybrid form and mixed media. She received her MFA in poetry from the University of Arizona in 2011, where she studied under poets Laynie Browne and Steve Orlen.
She has had work accepted at places like The Adroit Journal, Drunken Boat, and Mid-American Review. Elizabeth also has a passion for teaching. She has taught writing residencies and developed curricula for the University of Arizona Poetry Center.
She is teaches first grade at the Tucson Waldorf School, and has enjoyed volunteering at schools across Tucson as a guest poet.
Elizabeth is the curator and curriculum designer for the Stories for Scamps program at the Scoundrel and Scamp Theatre.