The work of Philip Diomidovich Nefedov (1831-1902) is almost entirely devoted to the Russian countryside. In his stories, the writer reproduces folk customs, rituals, songs, beliefs, partly familiar to him from childhood, partly collected during numerous trips to Russia as a member of the Imperial Society of Natural Sciences, Anthropology and Ethnography. Perhaps that is why the genre of the Yuletide story is so close to him: after all, the most vivid folk rituals and legends belong to the period of Yuletide, the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany, when, according to popular beliefs, evil spirits acquire special power. "Yuletide Stories" by F.D. Nefedov combine subtle humor, lyrics and a sense of magic – all this makes them wonderful reading on long winter evenings.
The work of Philip Diomidovich Nefedov (1831-1902) is almost entirely devoted to the Russian countryside. In his stories, the writer reproduces folk customs, rituals, songs, beliefs, partly familiar to him from childhood, partly collected during numerous trips to Russia as a member of the Imperial Society of Natural Sciences, Anthropology and Ethnography. Perhaps that is why the genre of the Yuletide story is so close to him: after all, the most vivid folk rituals and legends belong to the period of Yuletide, the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany, when, according to popular beliefs, evil spirits acquire special power. "Yuletide Stories" by F.D. Nefedov combine subtle humor, lyrics and a sense of magic – all this makes them wonderful reading on long winter evenings.