The Shadrinsk Goose and Other Stories

E. Fedorov’s novella “The Shadrinsk Goose” is based on a real story that occurred at the end of the 18th century. In the town of Shadrinsk, a fire broke out, and the flames destroyed half the town. Understanding that nothing good could come of this, the Shadrinsk voivode devised a way to get out of trouble and sent a report to the Governing Senate, stating that on the day of the commemoration of the Prophet Elijah, half the town of Shadrinsk burned to the ground, and that from the surviving half of the town—cockroaches crawl into the field. And that was a sure sign that the anger of God would not spare the second half of Shadrinsk, and the remaining part of the town would soon have to burn as well. So, out of sincere concern for the townspeople, why not order them to gather their belongings and set the second half of the town on fire too—so it wouldn’t catch fire at the wrong time? After reading the report, Empress Catherine Alekseevna, who was in a kindly mood, smiled, then laughed, and picking up a gilded pen, wrote on the document: “It’s interesting to see this Shadrinsk goose. What!” The voivode was shocked by the will of the sovereign. What should he do now? How to wriggle out of the situation? Help comes from the city head’s quartermaster—Epyshka the clerk… What happened at the end of this almost detective story, you’ll find out by listening to the novella “The Shadrinsk Goose.” The collection also includes the stories “Christofor the Dog-Head” and “The Extraordinary Rise of Savva Sobakin.”