Golden grain

The collection of fairy tales you hold in your hands is a collection of legends and beliefs passed down from generation to generation in my family. The stories I heard as a child from my village grandparents inspired me to write this book.

The Belarusian village is a true relic of the ancient ideas and customs of our ancestors. Perhaps today it seems strange, but even at the very end of the 20th century, among the villagers of Lidchyna there were (and continue to be!) many superstitions and beliefs that date back to pre-Christian times. For example, my grandmother Józefa was sure that her neighbor on the farm cast spells and stole milk from the cows. And grandmother Galya convinced that a toad that climbed into the house was a manifestation of evil spirits, and to drive away misfortune, it was necessary to burn it in the oven.

I have not forgotten all these stories and have retold them to my readers.

From the Author's Foreword