The Interpreter at the Gold Fields

First printed in the journal “Vestnik Evropy” in 1883, No. 4, under the subtitle “A Story from Life in the Urals.” In preparing the story for reprinting in the fourth volume of “Ural Stories” (M., 1902), Mamin-Sibiryak revised the work: he shortened some scenes and episodes, made stylistic edits, and changed its subtitle. In a letter to D. P. Efimov dated April 25, 1901, he proposed changing the title of the work: “…the stories ‘Fussilago farfara’ should be called simply ‘Mother-and-stepmother,’ and the story ‘The Translator at the Prospect’ should be called simply ‘At the Prospect.’ (The letter was not published. It is kept in the Manuscript Department of the State Library of the USSR named after V. I. Lenin.) In the collection “Tales” (M., 1902) ‘Fussilago farfara’ is printed under the title ‘Mother-and-stepmother’ (but the story ‘The Translator at the Prospect’ appeared in the fourth volume of ‘Ural Stories’ under the old name). It remains unknown whether Mamin-Sibiryak himself withdrew his proposal or whether an editor who was not attentive enough failed to take into account the author’s suggestion.”