Before the Third Crowing: Mykola Hohol

Nikolai Gogol’s collection of eerie prose invites you into a world where the heroes of ancient legends live alongside ordinary people. It brings together gems of Ukrainian Gothic literature: St. John’s Eve, May Night, or the Drowned Maiden, The Lost Letter, A Terrible Vengeance, The Enchanted Place, and Viy.
This is not merely a retelling of folk beliefs, but a unique universe — grotesque, baroque, and filled with both heartfelt laughter and icy terror. Witches, rusalkas, and devils become part of our cultural memory. At the same time, every page creates the sense that the author himself is standing beside you, gazing with you into the dark Ukrainian sky.