The Fair at Goltva

“The little town of Goltva stands on a high square thrust out into the meadows like a headland in the sea. On three sides it is cut off by the capricious flow of the Psel, and this flat square opens wide horizons to the north, west, and east. In the southern part, a picturesque group of white cottages of Goltva has gathered, sinking in the greenery of poplars, plums, and sweet cherries. From behind the cottages, five domes of a wooden church rise into the sky—simple and also white. Golden crosses reflect sheaves of the sun’s rays and, losing their shapes in the brilliance of the sun, resemble torches burning with bright flame…”