Silver Hoof — Russian fairy tale character
"Silver Hoof" is a fairy tale short story written by Pavel Bazhov, based on the folklore of the Ural region of Siberia. It was first published in Uralsky Sovremennik in 1938, and later included in The Malachite Casket collection. In this fairy tale, the characters meet the legendary zoomorphic creature from the Ural folklore called Silver Hoof.
Bazhov's stories are based on the oral lore of the miners and gold prospectors. The character of Silver Hoof is based on the Ural legends. Bazhov mentioned that he had heard tales about the mythical creature Silver Deer, also known as the elk Golden Horns and the goat Silver Hoof. The exact origin of the creature is unknown, but deer have significant roles in the mythology of various peoples located all over the world.