Unclean, unknown, and godmotherly power. Winged words.

Sergei Vasilievich Maximov (1831-1901) was an outstanding Russian ethnographer, folklorist, and writer who dedicated his life to studying the culture of the Russian people and was known by his contemporaries as the 'patriarch of ethnography'. An enthusiastic and observant researcher of the way of life, customs, traditions, and beliefs of various layers of the Russian population in the 19th century, Maximov traveled extensively to different regions of the country. The result of his research was pioneering works such as 'A Year in the North', 'Tales from the History of the Old Believers', 'In the East', 'Siberia and Penal Servitude', 'The Cult of Bread and Its Adventures', 'Wandering Russia for the Sake of Christ', and others. This edition combines well-known works by S. V. Maximov, such as 'The Unclean, Unknown, and Cross Power' (1903), 'Winged Words' (1890), and chapters from the book 'Forest Wilderness' (1871). They are addressed to a wide audience and introduce readers to the traditions and beliefs of the Russian people, their holidays and rituals, their distinctive lively and figurative language, and their way of life. These are timeless books: they remain not only a valuable source of ethnographic research (both in terms of material coverage and accuracy of descriptions) but also captivating reading for anyone interested in the history of Russia.