It is difficult, but not impossible, to find a legend, tall tale, or anecdote specific to Kharkiv in publications from before 1917.
It is particularly gratifying—and underscores its exceptional nature—that this article appears not in local journals but in national ones.
In 1903, in issue No. 13 of a publication to which young ladies from all corners of the Empire had subscribed, we find the following:
Joke:
A farmer, visiting Kharkiv for the first time, walked into a trendy store and asked for tar.
“No tar here—they only sell fools here!”
“And there must be a big demand for them, since you’re the only one left.”
Why would a farmer need tar from a fashion store, of all places? What kind of store was it? The story doesn’t say. But I’m truly convinced that there are still hundreds of Kharkiv anecdotes like this one just waiting to be discovered. After all, the most interesting part is just beginning.
- About the military pilot school and the airfield in Kharkiv… - 04.11.2020
- Nikanor Savich—A Political Career by Mistake - 13.07.2020
- And once again, about the Cavalry Guards… - 21.01.2020