The Fair at Sorochintsy, a story from Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka, which is contained in The Complete Tales of Nikolai Gogol, Vol. 1.
A peasant goes with his wife and daughter to a fair to sell wheat. What’s so scary about that? Well, for starters there’s a haunted barn, a devil on a quest for his lost red jacket, and other evil happenings. I wasn’t frightened much at all (actually, I like it that way–I’m a wimp), but it was still a very entertaining story.
I really, really love Russian literature. This is my first foray, though, into Gogol’s short stories, and I already know I will love this author. There is a reason the classics are the classics: superb writing that stands the test of time. These tales have endured since the 1830′s, and I’m very happy they have. I’m looking forward to reading more!
