Gypsy Tales. Life and Customs, Beliefs, Songs and Incantations

To attempt to understand a people, one must become acquainted with their tales, which reflect the worldview, everyday life, culture, and beliefs of many generations. The Gypsies are one of the most mysterious peoples in the world, whose nomadic and isolated way of life has served as the basis for fascinating tales and legends. Thanks to the boundless scientific interest in the topic of mythology and the literary talent of Nikolai Albertovich Koon (1877–1940), two volumes of “Gypsy Tales” were published in the distant years of 1921 and 1922, now being reissued a century later. The book will allow readers to get acquainted with the worldview and beliefs of the Gypsies and to better understand their culture. About the author Nikolai Albertovich Koon (May 21, 1877, Moscow – October 28, 1940 or February 28, 1940, Cherkizovo, Moscow Region) was a Russian historian, writer, and educator, a professor at Moscow State University. The most famous book by the author, written in 1914, is “What the Ancient Greeks and Romans Told About Their Gods and Heroes.” In it, Nikolai Albertovich presents many myths of Ancient Greece in an accessible and engaging manner, being the second in the world and the first in Russia to do so. After 1940, the book has been repeatedly reissued under the title “Legends and Myths of Ancient Greece,” translated into the main European languages and the languages of the peoples of the former USSR.