Russian Folk-Tales

These Russian folk tales arrive from a deep well of oral tradition, recorded in the nineteenth‑century by collectors who prized fidelity to the peasants’ own words. The translator’s notes guide listeners through the ways pagan beliefs, Christian influence, and everyday life intertwine, revealing a dialogue between ancient nature spirits and the moral lessons of later faith. Each story retains the blunt, matter‑of‑fact tone that characterises Russian realism, letting the magic speak plainly rather than melodramatically.

Accompanying the narratives, a scholarly introduction places the tales in the broader sweep of Slavic history, comparing them to epic songs, chronicles, and neighboring mythic cycles. Readers will hear how local cults survived beneath the church’s surface, shaping the half‑fantastic world that still feels vivid today. The collection offers a concise, engaging portal into the imagination of a people whose stories have traveled unchanged across vast, rugged landscapes.