In another story by him, the protagonist cannot remember ritualistically slaughtering the child Ivas to cast a spell to win Ivas' sister Pidorka.
In the preface to one collection, this author mentions a man who pretends to be so cultured that he can no longer remember the common word for rake, but recalls it soon enough when he steps on one. In order to receive gold through enchantment, one of this author's characters picks a magical red fern blossom. In one story by this author, the devil is offended by a painter's satirical depiction of him, leading him to hide in coal sacks, along with a deacon and a (*) Cossack. In that story by him, the blacksmith Vakula attempts to woo the vain Oksana by getting her the Tsarina's slippers. In another story by him, the protagonist cannot remember ritualistically slaughtering the child Ivas to cast a spell to win Ivas' sister Pidorka. His first collection of stories is introduced by the talkative beekeeper Rudy Panko and includes the stories "Christmas Eve" and "St. John's Eve." For 10 points, those stories reflect the Ukrainian heritage of what author of Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka?
In the preface to one collection, this author mentions a man who pretends to be so cultured that he can no longer remember the common word for rake, but recalls it soon enough when he steps on one.
Nikolai (Vasilievich) Gogol