Russian Toddler Just Fine After 3 Nights Alone in Forest

It sounds a little bit like a Russian fairy tale. A Russian toddler wandered away from her 4-year-old sister, out of her family’s yard, and into a nearby forest, the BBC reports. Lyuda Kuzina, only 22 months old, had no food or water with her—what toddler does?—but survived three nights alone in a forest. She was covered in bug bites, but otherwise fine, untroubled by wolves, bears, or mythical entities like Baba Yaga.

The whole town in the Smolensk region turned out to search for her, including police, divers, and various volunteers, the Moscow Times reports. "One of the groups stopped for a rest… and suddenly heard a quiet squeak. They called again and heard another squeak," a rescue organization said. Lyuda was restored to her mother, who said the toddler had vowed never again to wander off. "Although quite how long she'll remember that promise, I have no idea,” Lyuda’s mom, Antonina Kuzina, said.

Lyuda was taken to the hospital in moderate condition—after her rescuers literally wept with relief. Her story is not unlike the adventure of a 3-year-old Siberian boy who wandered into a bear-infested forest in freezing temperatures with nothing but a candy bar in his pocket. He was found three days later tired and cold, but fine. Perhaps Baba Yaga was looking out for him, too. (More uplifting news stories.)