Вечера на хуторе близ Диканьки

"Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka" became the first major work of Nikolai Gogol (1809 - 1852), which brought him true fame and success. Eight tales, where mysticism easily coexists with reality, and comedy with horror stories, immediately won the love of the metropolitan audience, including Pushkin himself.
Gogol's colorful characters, folklore and dialects, appetizing descriptions of local cuisine - all this formed that classic image of Little Russia, so well known to everyone from school days.