Description of the Judicial Action in the Suit Between the Pike and the
Perch"; or, applying personal names to the contestants, "The Story of
Yorsha Yorshoff (Perch, the son of Perch) and the Son of Shtchetinnikoff
(the Bristly)." A similar production is "The Story of Kura (the Cock)
and Lisa (the Fox)." The first place among such works, for simplicity of
style and truth of description, belongs to "The History of the Russian
Nobleman, Frol Skovyeeff, and Anna, Daughter of Table-Decker Nardin
Nashtchokin." But many writers of that age could not take a satirical
view of things, and depicted life as a permanent conflict between the
powers of evil and good--wherein the Devil chiefly got the upper
hand--and man's principal occupation therein, the saving of his soul.
One of the best compositions of ancient Russian secular literature
belongs to this gloomy category, "The Tale of Gore-Zloshtchastye; How
Gore-Zloshtchastye Brought the Young Man to the Monastic State,"
Gore-Zloshtchastye being, literally, "Woe-Misfortune." Woe-Misfortune
persecutes the youth, who finds no safety from him, save on one road,
where, alone, he does not besiege him--the road to the monastery.

It will be seen that the spirit of the age was deeply influenced by the
state of material things.

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW

1. What kind of historical writing sprang up in northeastern
Russia during the time of Ivan the Terrible?

2. Describe the fashion of acting plays in the schools.

3. What were the "comedy acts" given before the Tzar?

4. For what is Dmitry of Rostoff to be remembered?

5. What kind of anecdotes and short stories came from western
Europe to Russia in the seventeenth century?

6. What picture of Russian life do they bring before us?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

_History of Russia._ Alfred Rambaud.

_The Story of Russia._ W. R. Morfill.

CHAPTER VI

FIFTH PERIOD, THE REIGN OF PETER THE GREAT (1689-1723).

The Fifth Period of Russian literature is that which comprises the reign
of Peter the Great, with its reforms, scientific aims, and utter change
of views upon nearly all conceivable practical and spiritual subjects.
With the general historical aspects of that reign we cannot deal here.
The culture which Peter I. introduced into Russia was purely
utilitarian; and moreover, in precisely that degree which would further
the attainment of his ends. But however imperatively his attentio