▁finds ▁and ▁secret ly ▁spirits ▁him ▁away . ▁He ▁is ▁filled ▁with ▁aston ishment ▁and ▁wonder ▁at ▁the ▁world ▁he ▁has ▁never ▁seen ▁so ▁much ▁as ▁a ▁g limp se ▁of ▁before . ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁Cz ar ▁dies , ▁and ▁fighting ▁breaks ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁palace ▁as ▁his ▁sister ▁Marg are tta ▁asc ends ▁to ▁the ▁throne : ▁she ▁determ ines ▁to ▁find ▁her ▁nep hew , ▁int ending ▁to ▁kill ▁him . ▁K uz ma , ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁a ▁polar ▁bear , ▁offers ▁to ▁help ▁her . ▁ ▁Using ▁his ▁sh aman ic ▁knowledge ▁against ▁Ch ing is , ▁K uz ma ▁succeed s ▁in ▁killing ▁her ▁and ▁capt uring ▁Saf a . ▁However , ▁in ▁the ▁g host ▁world , ▁Ch ing is ▁en lists ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁her ▁ment or ▁and ▁of ▁Mar ien ▁and ▁Far ida , ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁her ▁body ▁and ▁defeat ▁K uz ma . ▁The ▁four ▁spirits ▁take ▁over ▁K uz ma ' s ▁body ▁and ▁destroy ▁Marg are tta ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁the ▁g host ▁world ▁to ▁await ▁reb irth . ▁ ▁Char acters ▁ ▁A ▁learned ▁cat , ▁a ▁tell er ▁of ▁tales ▁and ▁singer ▁of ▁songs , ▁the ▁narr ator ▁Ch ing is , ▁a ▁young ▁w itch ▁or ▁sh aman ▁Ch ing is ' s ▁mother , ▁a ▁slave ▁An ▁old ▁w itch , ▁Ch ing is ' s ▁fost er - m other ▁and ▁ment or ▁K uz ma , ▁a ▁je alous ▁sh aman