Dmitrij N. Sadovnikov

D.N. Sadovnikov, Riddles of the Russian People: A Collection of Riddles, Questions, Parables, and Problems. St Petersburg, N.A. Lebedev Printing House, 1876. [4], VI, [2], 333 pp.

First edition of a classic collection that became one of the foundational works of Russian folklore studies. Sadovnikov, a noted collector of Volga folklore, assembled in this volume more than 2,500 riddles recorded across twenty governorates of the Russian Empire, accompanied by an extensive preface and scholarly commentary.

In the introduction, the author interprets the riddle not merely as a form of popular knowledge, but as a poetic creation capable of reflecting the people's worldview and creative imagination.

A bibliographic rarity and an important monument of Russian national culture.