A Guide to Some of the Lesser Ballets Summary

Instead of a traditional story, "A Guide to Some of the Lesser Ballets" is a collection of short descriptions of "lesser" ballets. The first, "Dmitri," is the tale of a girl named Natasha, who, despite the affections of an awkward suitor named Leonid, falls in love with a marionette named Dmitri. Leonid fails in an attempt to murder the puppet and, through unknown means and apparently to the delight of many, the play concludes with Natasha fracturing her skull.

"The Sacrifice" begins with a cast of personified seasons and elements. Man offends Nature by biting her on the hip, resulting in a six-month long winter. The elders of mankind try to placate Nature with the sacrifice of a young woman, forcing the girl to dance herself to death. The...