Fox and Hare

I recently received a comment on my post about Yuri Vasnetsov by David from Australia, 

suggesting that I look up Yuri Norstein's films. I had already featured Hedgehog in the fog, 

a lyrical masterpiece and one of my all time favorite animations, but thanks to David 

I discovered the charming The Fox and the Hare, Norstein's 1973 debut as a film director. 

Illustrations from Yuri Vasnetsov's Ladushki, 

Progress Publishers, 1971, thanks to flamenconut on flickr

Three illustrations from Yuri Vasnetsov's Dancing Perch: Folk Songs and Ditties, 

compiled by N. Kolpakova, Progress Publishers, 1974, thanks to SamsMyth on flickr 

This animated short is based on a Russian folk tale and, as David noticed, it shares 

a very similar feel with Vasnetsov's folk art inspired illustrations. Besided being lovingly 

drawn and animated, I particularly enjoy the inclusion of classic folk motifs like borders 

and flowers, and although I don't understand Russian, the voiceover sounds wonderful!