Ivan Tsarevich at the road

Country: Ukraine

Manufactory: Polonsky ZHK

Date of establishment: 1960s

Size (cm): 32*14

Porcelain Story

This figurine of the Polonsky Porcelain Factory, which has been operating in the Khmelnytsky region for more than a hundred years, is well known to many collectors of Soviet porcelain. Porcelain production in Polonny, which arose at the end of the 19th century, constantly experienced difficult times. It either burned, or collapsed, or simply closed for an indefinite time. And then, during the first five-year plans, they suddenly began to produce unpretentious dishes for the proletariat or sanitary ware for the needs of the Red Army at an accelerated pace. And there were times when the plant produced up to 4 million items a year!

Some outstanding works at the enterprise, which died in Bose at the beginning of this century, were generally not released. But the bright fairy-tale characters created by factory craftsmen were in great demand among Soviet and foreign collectors. The work presented to your attention was one of the most recognizable. Still, after all, it, to everything, was consonant with the eternal experiences and anxieties of people: if you go to the right, you will find glory, if you go to the left, you will lose your head ...

This constant feeling of predestination in our lives sometimes so fascinates and even paralyzes many people that once they have come to terms with the given, they no longer try to change anything in their lives. On this occasion, I remembered one instructive story that I would like to share with you.

In one village there lived a man who, as a child, heard that nothing would come of him, because he was hopelessly ill. This means that he is doomed to lie all his life, not moving, on the stove. For almost thirty years he lay in the corner of the hut, occasionally turning from side to side. Until one day a wandering old man came to him with a request to give him water.

“But how can I give you water if I can’t even get off the stove myself?” asked the sick man, and wept bitterly.

"How long have you been suffering like this?" The old man was surprised. "When was the last time you tried to stand up?"

“Yes, I don’t remember,” the patient answered sadly.

“Very well,” said the old man. "Let me give you a magic staff, and you come down from the stove and treat me with water."

That's what they decided on. The elder gave the young man a staff, he wrapped his arms around it and stood up! He walked around the hut, gave the guest water to drink and, of course, could not resist the question:

"What is this miracle that happened to me? How can I thank you for it?"

“No way,” the old man chuckled. "Yes, and it's not a miracle at all. This staff is an ordinary shovel handle that was behind the stove. And there is nothing magical about it. And you got up because you believed in the miraculous power of the staff and forgot about your weakness. The next time a difficult period comes in your life, do not wait lying on the stove for help from someone, but carefully look around. Next to you you can always notice the ''staff'' left by the Lord especially for you..."