The Terrible Fortune-Telling

Alexander Alexandrovich Bestuzhev-Marlinsky’s story “A Terrible Fortune-Telling” is purely fantastic. In it, the author shows his love for Russian folklore—witchcraft, fortune-telling, and manifestations of evil spirits. This frightening Christmas-tide tale with national distinctiveness blends images of werewolves, mermaids, ghosts, and the unclean with real events. But in the manner characteristic of the author, at the end of the story all fantastic elements receive a rational explanation.