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

Through the prism of fairy tales and legends, discover a worldview of one of the most mysterious nomadic peoples. This unique collection is a cultural bridge that helps you understand how Gypsies live, their customs, and ancient beliefs. After a century, the work of an outstanding mythology researcher is reissued, inviting readers to immerse themselves in a rich folklore world. Meet a heritage in which songs, spells, and stories hold the wisdom of generations.

To try to understand a people, you need to get acquainted with their fairy tales—those that reflect the worldview, everyday life, culture, and beliefs of many generations. Gypsies belong to one of the most mysterious peoples of the world, whose nomadic and separate way of life became the foundation for fascinating fairy tales and legends.

Thanks to limitless scholarly interest in mythology and writing talent of Nikolay Albertovich Koon (1877–1940), in the distant years of 1921 and 1922, two volumes of “Gypsy Tales” were published—these are being reissued for the first time a century later. The book will allow readers to learn about the Gypsies’ worldview and beliefs and better understand their culture.

About the author
Nikolay Albertovich Koon (May 21, 1877, Moscow — October 28, 1940 or February 28, 1940, Cherkizovo, Moscow Oblast) was a Russian historian, writer, and educator, professor at Moscow State University.

The author’s best-known book, written in 1914, is “What Ancient Greeks and Romans Told About Their Gods and Heroes.” In it, Nikolay Albertovich, second in the world and first in Russia, presents many myths of Ancient Greece in an accessible and engaging form.

After 1940, the book was repeatedly republished 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.