About this ebook
This is a new translation from the original Russian manuscript of Gogol's classic "Christmas Eve", also translated as "the Night before Christmas". This edition contains an Afterword by the Translator, a timeline of Gogol's life and works and an Index of Gogol's individual works. Set on Christmas Eve, this tale involves witches, the devil, and various romantic entanglements, reflecting Gogol's fascination with folklore and the mystical. Set during the reign of Catherine II, the story unfolds in the Ukrainian village of Dikanka. The devil, bearing a grudge against the blacksmith Vakula for depicting him in a church painting, decides to hide the moon, thinking it would hinder the evening plans of the villagers, especially Vakula’s visit to the beautiful Oksana, the daughter of a rich Cossack. As Oksana teases Vakula, she sets a seemingly impossible condition for marriage: she wants the same slippers the queen wears. In a series of comedic twists involving the devil and several villagers, including misunderstandings and people hiding in bags, Vakula sets off on a mission, aided by the devil he controls, to obtain the queen's slippers. When he reaches St. Petersburg, he is granted an audience with Catherine II and receives the shoes. Back in the village, rumors of Vakula's alleged suicide circulate, leading Oksana to realize her love for him. When Vakula returns with the slippers, Chub, Oksana's father, is persuaded to allow their marriage. The two wed, and Vakula continues his painting, further immortalizing the devil in his artwork.
About the author
A Russian dramatist, novelist, and short story writer, Gogol was a personal friedn of Dostoevsky, Turgenev and Tolstoy. He is considered the father of modern Russian realism. His works, including "Dead Souls" and "The Overcoat," are renowned for their satirical depiction of Russian society and bureaucracy. Gogol's blend of realism, grotesque, and absurdism had a profound influence on Russian and world literature.
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