The Rite of Spring a young girl dance herself to death. They were sacrificing her to propitiate the god of Spring. Such was the theme of the Sacre du Printemps". By May 1910 Stravinsky was discussing his idea with Nicholas Roerich, the foremost Russian expert on folk art and ancient rituals. Roerich had a reputation as an artist and mystic, and had provided the stage designs for Diaghilev's 1909 production of the "Polovtsian Dances". The pair quickly agreed on a working title, "The Great Sacrifice" (Russian: "Velikaia zhertva"); Diaghilev gave his blessing to the work, although the collaboration was put on hold for a
Tsarevitch Ivan, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf The wolf agreed, the exchange was done, and Ivan returned to his own kingdom with Helen, the horse, and the Firebird. The wolf said its service was done when they returned to where it had eaten Ivan's horse. Ivan dismounted and lamented their parting. They went on for a time and slept. His older brothers found them, killed Ivan, sliced his body to pieces, and told Helen that they would kill her if she would not say that they had fairly won the horse, the firebird, and her. They brought them to their father, and the second son received half