The Malachite Box them are keepers of hidden underground riches. The Mistress, described as either a beautiful green-eyed woman in malachite gown or a lizard with the crown on her head, is the keeper of gemstones. Poloz is the master of every existing piece of gold. The miners believed that if a gold-bearing lode disappeared, it meant that the Great Snake moved it to a different place. Bazhov introduced numerous daughters of Poloz, including Golden Hair from the tale of the same name. The relationship between Poloz and the Mistress is unclear. Bazhov commented that he asked some story-tellers about it, but they
The Malachite Box the Urals. The first short version of the essay, included in the 1939 book, was titled "The Watchhouse on Dumna Mountain". In 1940 the author expanded it and renamed to "By the Old Mine" (). This version was first published in the 3rd volume of the "Uralsky Sovremennik" almanac (1940). Starting with the 3rd edition of "The Malachite Box", this essay was published in all subsequent editions. The author included the essay in every "The Malachite Box" edition for the purpose of familiarizing the reader with the unique culture of the Ural region. "Beloved Name" (alternative translation: That Dear Name)