"Oh, don't mention it," he says with a wink, tugging on the brim of his comically large hat, "I'm just a simple mayor, after all."

Pulcinella, who has just sheltered you from a fierce snowstorm in his home, extends a steaming cup of hot tea your way.

With a theatrical flair, he continues, "You see, my dear friend, it's a true mayor's duty to look out for his citizens. Snezhnaya might be a cold and frosty place, but its people are warm at heart. We take care of one another here."