My Siberian mother told his tales. School encyclopedia. The Tale of How the Last Fly Lived
The biography of Mamin-Sibiryak is full of tragic moments, although they did not in any way affect his work.
The writer was born on October 25 (11/06), 1852 at the Visimo-Shaitansky plant (Ural) in the family of a parish priest named Mamin.
Education
The family was very intelligent, and Dmitry Narkisovich received a good education at home, which he continued at the Visim school, and then at the Ekaterinburg Theological School and Perm Seminary.
It was at this time that the young man began to understand that the work of a priest was not for him. From Perm he transferred to St. Petersburg, first to the Medical-Surgical Academy (he studied at the department of veterinary medicine, and then at the general surgical department), and then to the Faculty of Natural Sciences at St. Petersburg University, and later to the Faculty of Law. It was a real search for himself, the future writer tried to understand what was really interesting to him).
First marriage and early work
A year later, due to a sharp deterioration in health (the writer struggled with tuberculosis all his life), Dmitry Narkisovich returned to his parents in the Urals.
After the death of his father, he became the main breadwinner of the family (there were 2 younger brothers and a sister). At the same time, he married Maria Yakimovna Alekseeva, who became his main assistant and adviser in his first literary experiments.
They settled in Yekaterinburg, and in 1880 Mamin-Sibiryak began to write. He drew inspiration from trips to his native Urals. He also often visited St. Petersburg, where he worked with magazine editors.
Personal drama
In 1890, the writer filed for divorce from his first wife and married again, actress Maria Abramova. The marriage was short-lived: Maria died in childbirth, leaving her daughter from her first marriage, sick with chorea, in the arms of her husband.
The writer for a long time sought custody of Elena (or Alyonushka, as she was called in the family). In a short biography of Mamin-Sibiryak for children, it is mentioned that he dedicated a whole series of works to her, “Alyonushka’s Tales,” and, having completed the adoption procedure, raised her as his own daughter.
It should be noted that the tragic death of his wife led the writer into deep depression. It was literary work, work on fairy tales that helped him survive the tragic period and not break down.
Bibliography
Between 1876 and 1912, the writer published more than 15 novels and about 100 short stories, essays and novellas (the last major work was published in 1907). At the same time, he collaborated a lot with such famous writers as V. G. Korolenko, N. N. Zlatovratsky. His most famous works are now being studied by children in the 3rd grade.
Recent years
Over the past few years, the writer has been seriously ill. He suffered a stroke, paralysis, and suffered from pleurisy. The writer died in 1912 in St. Petersburg, where he was buried in one of the cemeteries of the Northern capital. His adopted daughter did not survive her father for long. She died of tuberculosis in 1914.
Other biography options
- The writer’s entire life was in one way or another connected with the Urals. That is why in 2002 a literary prize named after him was established, which is awarded to writers writing about the Urals.
- The writer's brother was a fairly famous politician and even became a deputy of the Second State Duma.
- The writer did not have a higher education: he never graduated from medical or law faculties.
- Mamin-Sibiryak had a very interesting hobby: he collected unusual surnames.
Dmitry Narkisovich Mamin, whom readers know by his last name Mamin-Sibiryak, born on November 6, 1852 in the village of Visim in the Perm province in the family of a hereditary priest Narkisa Mamina. The writer recalled his childhood with reverence: “There was not a single bitter memory, not a single childhood reproach,” and in his numerous letters to his parents he wrote the words “Mom” and “Dad” with a capital letter.
But in his adult life, Dmitry faced terrible trials with poverty, serious illnesses, dozens of unpublished works and drama in his personal life...
“Wrote 100 volumes, published 36”
While studying at the Yekaterinburg Theological School, Dmitry Mamin was practically starving. He will write about that period later: “the school did not give anything to my mind, I did not read a single book... and did not acquire any knowledge.”
Then he studied at the veterinary department of the Medical-Surgical Academy of St. Petersburg. Without completing his studies, he transferred to the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University. In order to somehow feed himself, he wrote for newspapers and earned money by tutoring. “I spent three years going to private lessons 12 hours a day.” The writer recalled the life of that period as a very difficult period - sometimes he had no food for several days, his clothes were old and full of holes. Of course, constant malnutrition and hypothermia made themselves felt - Dmitry fell ill with a severe form of tuberculosis. Due to illness, he quits his studies and goes to the Urals to the city of Nizhnyaya Salda, where his parents had moved by that time. But soon a new misfortune befell the future writer - his father passed away from a serious illness. And Dmitry takes upon himself all the worries of supporting his mother and sister.
Trying to make money, he literally does not get up from his desk and writes, writes articles, essays, novels. It was a difficult period that not everyone could survive - for 9 years. Mamin sent dozens of his works to a variety of editors and was rejected everywhere. “There are 100 volumes, but only 36 have been published,” he admitted later. The author Dmitry Sibiryak signed - then everything that was beyond the Ural ridge was considered Siberia. And under the novels the writer signed Mamin-Sibiryak. Unlike other writers, Mamin-Sibiryak mastered almost all literary genres: novel, essay, story, short story, fairy tale, legend.
It was only in 1881 that the Russian Vedomosti newspaper in Moscow finally published a series of essays “from the Urals to Moscow.” Later, the St. Petersburg magazine “Delo” published essays about the Ural land and the novel “Privalov’s Millions.”
M. Gorky, D. N. Mamin-Sibiryak, N. D. Teleshov and I. A. Bunin. Yalta, 1902. Magazine “Neva”, No. 49, 1914. P. 947.
"I owe her too much"
By the way, he finished this novel in September 1883 in the house Maria Yakimovna Alekseeva, with whom the writer lived in a civil marriage from 1878 to 1891. Narodnik Sergeev from Nizhny Tagil recalled that she was one of the most educated women in the Urals at that time, spoke several foreign languages, was a good literary editor, and played the piano. Maria Yakimovna was older than Mamin-Sibiryak and left her husband for the sake of the young writer, even despite the presence of three children. She edited Dmitry's works, sometimes even rewriting entire pieces, and did not allow him to fall into melancholy due to the fact that the novels were not published.
Dmitry will write to his mother in one of his letters: “I owe too much to Maria Yakimovna in everything, and in my stories a good half belongs to her,” “she is always ready to give her last to help someone else.”
Thanks to Alekseeva, Dmitry Narkisovich began to publish more actively over time, and managed to save up for a house in the center of Yekaterinburg for his mother and sister. Major works “Bread”, “Mountain Nest”, “Gold”, “Three Ends” were published. In the novel “Three Ends,” Mamin-Sibiryak described all the hardships of life for factory workers in the Urals in the first decade after the abolition of serfdom. Classic Chekhov will say about Mamin-Sibiryak’s style: “Mamin’s words are all real, but he speaks them himself and doesn’t know others.”
And yet, for the public, for many years the writer was a “talented provincial” and nothing more. His novels never became, in modern terms, bestsellers, unlike the works of his colleagues. This incredibly hurt Mamin-Sibiryak; in 1889 he complained to a friend in a letter that “he gave them a whole region with people, nature and all the riches, but they don’t even look at my gift.” Capital criticism did not notice his works, which extremely depressed the writer. He became depressed and started drinking.
Maria Moritsovna Heinrich-Abramova. Source: Public Domain
Bright comet of happiness
But then what comes into the life of Dmitry Mamin-Sibiryak is not just love—passion. A 40-year-old writer meets a 25-year-old actress from St. Petersburg Maria Moritsevna Heinrich-Abramova and falls in love with her. But their romance took place in the most difficult conditions - firstly, the husband will not give Maria a divorce, secondly, all relatives and friends dissuade Dmitry Narkisovich from this union, thirdly, the writer is tormented by a wild feeling of guilt before Yakimova, who put their family on the altar life is literally everything... Fourthly, because of gossip, Abramova is not allowed to play...
As a result, Dmitry Mamin-Sibiryak and Maria Abramova leave for St. Petersburg. About that period, Dmitry Narkisovich will write to one of his friends that there were “15 months of absolute happiness” in his life. On March 20, 1892, the writer’s beloved gives birth to a girl. The child comes at a huge price - Maria Moritsevna died the day after giving birth. Mamin-Sibiryak will write to his mother: “...happiness flashed by like a bright comet, leaving a heavy and bitter aftertaste... Sad, difficult, lonely. Our girl remained in our arms, Elena- all my happiness." During that period, Dmitry Narkisovich almost committed suicide, started drinking again, and almost went crazy. In a letter to his sister, he says: “I have one thought about Marusya... I go for a walk so that I can talk loudly with Marusya.”
Stories for Alyonushka
The only thing that keeps him on earth is his daughter, who suffers from cerebral palsy, whom he calls Alyonushka. A nanny, “Aunt Olya,” later helps to nurse the girl Olga Frantsevna Guvale will become the wife of Mamin-Sibiryak.
Sitting by his daughter's bed, the writer tells her fairy tales. This is how the cycle of works for children “Alyonushka’s Tales” appeared, published in 1896. Mamin-Sibiryak says: “This is my favorite book. It was written by love itself.”
Unfortunately, Dmitry Narkisovich had to spend a lot of effort trying to achieve paternity rights. After all, the girl was listed as “the illegitimate daughter of the bourgeois Abramova.”
And only many years later, thanks to the enormous efforts of the writer’s wife Olga Frantsevna, official documents were finally received.
The last period of the writer’s life was incredibly difficult. One by one, his fellow writers are passing away. Anton Chekhov, Gleb Uspensky, Konstantin Stanyukovich, Nikolay Garin-Mikhailovsky. Mamin the Sibiryak himself is practically not published; he is in poverty. In 1910, his beloved mother died. In 1911, the writer suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and was paralyzed. In the summer of 1912, Mamin-Sibiryak fell ill with pleurisy of the lungs. The “singer of the Urals” passed away in November 1912 in St. Petersburg. In two years, his beloved daughter Alyonushka will die of tuberculosis.
Tales of Mamin-Sibiryak
Mamin-Sibiryak wrote many stories, fairy tales, novellas for adults and children. The works were published in various children's collections and magazines, and published as separate books. Mamin-Sibiryak’s tales are interesting and informative to read; he truthfully, with strong words, talks about hard life, describes his native Ural nature. For the author, children's literature meant a child's connection with the adult world, which is why he took it very seriously.
Mamin-Sibiryak wrote fairy tales with the goal of raising fair, honest children. A sincere book works wonders, the writer often said. Wise words thrown onto fertile soil will bear fruit, because children are our future. Mamin-Sibiryak's tales are varied, designed for children of any age, because the writer tried to reach every child's soul. The author did not embellish life, did not justify or make excuses, he found warm words that convey the kindness and moral strength of the poor. Describing people's lives and nature, he subtly and easily conveyed and taught how to take care of them.
Mamin-Sibiryak worked a lot and hard on himself, on his skills, before he began to create literary masterpieces. Mamin-Sibiryak's tales are loved by adults and children; they are included in the school curriculum and children's matinees in kindergartens. The author's witty and sometimes unusual stories are written in the style of a conversation with young readers.
Mom's Siberian Alyonushka's tales
People begin to read Mamin-Sibiryak in kindergarten or junior school. Alyonushka's collection of Mamin-Sibiryak's tales is the most famous of them. These short tales from several chapters speak to us through the mouths of animals and birds, plants, fish, insects and even toys. The nicknames of the main characters touch adults and amuse children: Komar Komarovich - long nose, Ruff Ershovich, Brave Hare - long ears and others. Mamin-Sibiryak Alyonushkina’s fairy tales were written not only for entertainment; the author skillfully combined useful information with exciting adventures.
The qualities that Mamin-Sibiryak’s tales develop (in his own opinion):
Modesty;
Hard work;
Sense of humor;
Responsibility for the common cause;
Selfless strong friendship.
Alyonushka's tales. Reading order
Saying;
A tale about a brave Hare - long ears, slanting eyes, short tail;
The Tale of Kozyavochka;
A fairy tale about Komar Komarovich - a long nose and about shaggy Misha - a short tail;
Vanka's name day;
A fairy tale about Sparrow Vorobeich, Ruff Ershovich and the cheerful chimney sweep Yasha;
A fairy tale about how the last Fly lived;
A fairy tale about the little black little crow and the yellow bird Canary;
Smarter than everyone else;
The tale of Milk, oatmeal Porridge and the gray cat Murka;
It's time to sleep.
Mamin-Sibiryak. Childhood and Youth
Russian writer Mamin-Sibiryak was born in 1852 in the village of Visim in the Urals. His place of birth largely determined his easy-going character, warm, kind heart, and love of work. The father and mother of the future Russian writer raised four children, working hard for many hours to earn their bread. From childhood, little Dmitry not only saw poverty, but lived in it.
Childhood curiosity led the child to completely different places, discovering pictures of arrested workers, arousing sympathy and at the same time interest. The boy loved to talk for a long time with his father, asking him about everything he saw that day. Like his father, Mamin-Sibiryak began to acutely feel and understand what honor, justice, and lack of equality are. Over the years, the writer has repeatedly described the harsh life of the common people from his childhood.
When Dmitry felt sad and anxious, his thoughts flew to his native Ural mountains, memories flowed in a continuous stream and he began to write. For a long time, at night, pouring out my thoughts on paper. Mamin-Sibiryak described his feelings this way: “It seemed to me that in my native Urals even the sky was cleaner and higher, and the people were sincere, with a broad soul, it was as if I myself was becoming different, better, kinder, more confident.” Mamin-Sibiryak wrote his kindest fairy tales precisely at such moments.
The love of literature was instilled in the boy by his adored father. In the evenings, the family read books out loud, replenished the home library and were very proud of it. Mitya grew up thoughtful and enthusiastic... Several years passed and Mamin-Sibiryak turned 12 years old. It was then that his wanderings and hardships began. His father sent him to study in Yekaterinburg at the Bursa school. There, all issues were resolved by force, the elders humiliated the younger ones, they fed poorly, and Mitya soon fell ill. His father, of course, immediately took him home, but after several years he was forced to send his son to study at the same bursa, since there was not enough money for a decent gymnasium. Studying at the bursa left an indelible mark on the heart of what was then just a child. Dmitry Narkisovich said that it later took him many years to expel terrible memories and all the accumulated anger from his heart.
After graduating from the bursa, Mamin-Sibiryak entered the theological seminary, but left it, as he himself explained, that he did not want to become a priest and deceive people. Having moved to St. Petersburg, Dmitry entered the veterinary department of the Medical-Surgical Academy, then transferred to the Faculty of Law and never graduated.
Mamin-Sibiryak. First work
Mamin-Sibiryak was an excellent student, did not miss classes, but was an enthusiastic person, which for a long time prevented him from finding himself. Dreaming of becoming a writer, he identified two things for himself that needed to be done. The first is working on your own language style, the second is understanding people’s lives, their psychology.
Having written his first novel, Dmitry took it to one of the editorial offices under the pseudonym Tomsky. It is interesting that the editor of the publication at that time was Saltykov-Shchedrin, who gave, to put it mildly, a low assessment of Mamin-Sibiryak’s work. The young man was so depressed that he left everything and returned to his family in the Urals.
Then troubles fell one after another: the illness and death of his beloved father, numerous moves, unsuccessful attempts to get an education... Mamin-Sibiryak passed through all the tests with honor and already in the early 80s the first rays of glory fell on him. The collection “Ural Stories” has been published.
Finally, about the tales of Mamin-Sibiryak
Mamin-Sibiryak began writing fairy tales when he was already an adult. Many novels and stories were written before them. A talented, warm-hearted writer, Mamin-Sibiryak enlivened the pages of children's books, penetrating young hearts with his kind words. You need to read Mamin-Sibiryak’s tales of Alyonushka especially thoughtfully, where the author easily and informatively laid down the deep meaning, the strength of his Ural character and the nobility of thought.
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Mamin-Sibiryak. Stories and fairy tales
for children. Read for free online
Mamin-Sibiryak Dmitry Narkisovich (1852 - 1912) - famous Russian writer, ethnographer, prose writer, playwright and storyteller.
Mamin-Sibiryak (real name Mamin) was born on November 6, 1852 in the Visimo-Shaitansky factory village of the Verkhotursky district of the Perm province, 140 km from Nizhny Tagil. This village, located in the depths of the Ural Mountains, was founded by Peter I, and the rich merchant Demidov built an iron factory here. The father of the future writer was the factory priest Narkis Matveevich Mamin (1827-1878). The family had four children. They lived modestly: my father received a small salary, little more than a factory worker. For many years he taught children for free at a factory school. “Without work, I never saw my father or mother. Their day was always full of work,” recalled Dmitry Narkisovich.
From 1860 to 1864, Mamin-Sibiryak studied at the Visim village primary school for children of workers, located in a large hut. When the boy was 12 years old, his father took him and his older brother Nikolai to Yekaterinburg and sent them to a religious school. True, the wild bursat morals had such an effect on the impressionable child that he fell ill, and his father took him away from school. With great joy, Mamin-Sibiryak returned home and for two years he felt completely happy: reading alternated with wanderings in the mountains, spending the night in the forest and in the houses of mine workers. Two years flew by quickly. The father did not have the means to send his son to the gymnasium, and he was again taken to the same bursa.
He received a home education, then studied at the Visim school for children of workers, later at the Yekaterinburg Theological School (1866-1868) and at the Perm Theological Seminary (1868-1872).
His first creative attempts date back to his stay here.
In the spring of 1871, Mamin moved to St. Petersburg and entered the medical-surgical academy in the veterinary department, and then transferred to medicine. In 1874, Mamin passed the university exam and spent about two years at the Faculty of Science.
Began publishing in 1875.
The beginnings of talent, a good acquaintance with nature and the life of the region are noticeable in this work.
The author's style is already clearly outlined in them: the desire to depict nature and its influence on people, sensitivity to the changes taking place around them.
In 1876, Mamin-Sibiryak switched to law, but did not complete the course here either. He studied at the Faculty of Law for about a year. Excessive work, poor nutrition, lack of rest broke the young body. He developed consumption (tuberculosis). In addition, due to financial difficulties and his father’s illness, Mamin-Sibiryak was unable to pay the tuition fee and was soon expelled from the university. In the spring of 1877, the writer left St. Petersburg. The young man reached out to the Urals with all his heart. There he recovered from his illness and found strength for new works.
Once in his native place, Mamin-Sibiryak collects material for a new novel from Ural life. Trips around the Urals and the Urals expanded and deepened his knowledge of folk life. But the new novel, conceived in St. Petersburg, had to be postponed. My father fell ill and died in January 1878. Dmitry remained the sole breadwinner of a large family. In search of work, as well as to educate his brothers and sister, the family moved to Yekaterinburg in April 1878. But even in a large industrial city, the dropout student failed to get a job. Dmitry began giving lessons to lagging schoolchildren. The tedious work was poorly paid, but Mamin turned out to be a good teacher, and he soon gained fame as the best tutor in the city. He did not leave his literary work in the new place either; When there was not enough time during the day, I wrote at night. Despite financial difficulties, he ordered books from St. Petersburg.
14 years of the writer’s life (1877-1891) pass in Yekaterinburg. He marries Maria Yakimovna Alekseeva, who became not only a wife and friend, but also an excellent adviser on literary issues. During these years, he makes many trips around the Urals, studies literature on history, economics, and ethnography of the Urals, immerses himself in folk life, communicates with “simpletons” who have extensive life experience, and is even elected as a member of the Yekaterinburg City Duma. Two long trips to the capital (1881-1882, 1885-1886) strengthened the writer’s literary connections: he met Korolenko, Zlatovratsky, Goltsev and others. During these years he writes and publishes many short stories and essays.
But in 1890, Mamin-Sibiryak divorced his first wife, and in January 1891 he married the talented artist of the Yekaterinburg Drama Theater Maria Moritsovna Abramova and moved with her to St. Petersburg, where the last stage of his life took place. Here he soon became close to the populist writers - N. Mikhailovsky, G. Uspensky and others, and later, at the turn of the century, with the greatest writers of the new generation - A. Chekhov, A. Kuprin, M. Gorky, I. Bunin, highly who appreciated his works. A year later (March 22, 1892), his dearly beloved wife Maria Moritsevna Abramova dies, leaving her sick daughter Alyonushka in the arms of her father, shocked by this death.
Mamin-Sibiryak took children's literature very seriously. He called a children's book a “living thread” that takes the child out of the nursery and connects him with the wider world of life. Addressing writers, his contemporaries, Mamin-Sibiryak urged them to truthfully tell children about the life and work of the people. He often said that only an honest and sincere book is beneficial: “A children’s book is a spring ray of sunshine that awakens the dormant powers of a child’s soul and causes the seeds thrown onto this fertile soil to grow.”
Children's works are very diverse and are intended for children of different ages. The younger children know Alyonushka's Tales well. Animals, birds, fish, insects, plants and toys live and talk happily in them. For example: Komar Komarovich - long nose, Shaggy Misha - short tail, Brave Hare - long ears - slanting eyes - short tail, Sparrow Vorobeich and Ruff Ershovich. Talking about the funny adventures of animals and toys, the author skillfully combines fascinating content with useful information, kids learn to observe life, they develop feelings of camaraderie and friendship, modesty and hard work. Mamin-Sibiryak’s works for older children tell about the life and work of workers and peasants in the Urals and Siberia, about the fate of children working in factories, industries and mines, about young travelers along the picturesque slopes of the Ural Mountains. A wide and diverse world, the life of man and nature, is revealed to young readers in these works. Mamin-Sibiryak’s story “Emelya the Hunter,” which was awarded an international prize in 1884, was highly appreciated by readers.
Many of Mamin-Sibiryak’s works have become classics of world literature for children, revealing the high simplicity, noble naturalness of feelings and love of life of their author, who inspires with the poetic skill of domestic animals, birds, flowers, insects (collection of stories Children's Shadows, 1894; textbook stories of Emel- hunter, 1884; Winter on Studenoy, 1892; Gray Sheika, 1893; Alyonushkin’s tales, 1894-1896).
The last years of his life the writer was seriously ill. On October 26, 1912, the fortieth anniversary of his creative activity was celebrated in St. Petersburg, but Mamin already did not take well to those who came to congratulate him - a week later, on November 15, 1912, he died. Many newspapers carried obituaries. The Bolshevik newspaper Pravda dedicated a special article to Mamin-Sibiryak, in which it noted the great revolutionary significance of his works: “A bright, talented, warm-hearted writer has died, under whose pen the pages of the past of the Urals came to life, an entire era of the march of capital, predatory, greedy, who knew no restraint. in nothing." “Pravda” highly appreciated the writer’s achievements in children’s literature: “He was attracted by the pure soul of a child, and in this area he gave a number of wonderful essays and stories.”
D.N. Mamin-Sibiryak was buried at the Nikolskoye cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra; two years later, the suddenly deceased daughter of the writer “Alyonushka”, Elena Dmitrievna Mamina (1892-1914), was buried nearby. In 1915, a granite monument with a bronze bas-relief was erected on the grave. And in 1956, the ashes and monument of the writer, his daughter and wife, M.M. Abramova, were moved to the Literatorskie bridge of the Volkovsky cemetery. On the grave monument of Mamin-Sibiryak the words are carved: “To live a thousand lives, to suffer and rejoice in a thousand hearts - that’s where real life and real happiness are.”
List of works
- Traits from the life of Pepko (1984)
Dmitry Narkisovich Mamin*, known to us under the pseudonym Mamin-Sibiryak, was born on November 6, 1852 in the Visimo-Shaitansky plant (now the village of Visim near Nizhny Tagil). My mother’s family were hereditary priests. Father, Narkis Matveevich Mamin, served as rector in the St. Nicholas Church in the village of Visim. At the same time, together with his wife, he taught at a local parish school, but at the same time was a member of the Ural Society of Natural History Lovers. The mother of the future writer, nee Anna Semenovna Stepanova, is the daughter of a deacon. Dmitry became the second child of Mom’s 4 children; he had 2 more brothers and 1 sister.
Mitya was educated at home, then studied at the Visim school for children of workers.
The parents wanted their son to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors. Therefore, in 1866 they sent the boy to the Yekaterinburg Theological School. He stayed there until 1868, then moved to the Perm Theological Seminary. In Perm, the young man became interested in literature.
In the spring of 1871, the young man left for St. Petersburg and entered the Medical-Surgical Academy, the veterinary department, and later transferred to medicine. After 3 years, Mamin enrolled in the natural sciences department of St. Petersburg University, where he studied for another 2 years. But his studies did not end there either. Since 1876, the young man studied at the law faculty of the university, however, he did not complete this course; he was forced to interrupt his studies due to financial difficulties and a sharp deterioration in his health - Dmitry was diagnosed with tuberculosis. The disease was caught at the initial stage, thanks to which he was completely cured.
Throughout his St. Petersburg years, Dmitry wrote short reports and stories for metropolitan newspapers. Moreover, it began to be published in 1872.
In 1877, Dmitry Narkisovich returned to his parents in Nizhnyaya Salda, where they then lived. In the summer of the same year, at a picnic, the young man met the wife of a local engineer, 30-year-old mother of 3 children, Maria Yakimovna Alekseeva. Dmitry fell in love. The woman reciprocated. The romance began.
Maria Yakimovna was a fairly wealthy lady; her father held a high position at the Demidov factories. In 1878, the woman left her husband and, under the pretext that she intended to give her children a good education, bought herself a house in Yekaterinburg and moved there with her two sons and daughter. At the same time, Dmitry Narkisovich also moved in with her, fortunately Mom’s father died and no one could prevent fornication. A little later, the entire Mamin family moved to Yekaterinburg. Maria Yakimovna and Dmitry Narkisovich lived in sin for 12 years. Alekseeva became her lover’s first adviser in his work. It was during those years that Mamin wrote the great novel “Privalov’s Millions.”
Dmitry Narkisovich traveled a lot around the Urals, studied literature on history, economics, and ethnography. He made his living from journalism, but was mainly supported by Maria Yakimovna. In 1881–1882, the writer published a series of travel essays “From the Urals to Moscow” and published them in metropolitan publications under the pseudonym D. Sibiryak. The pseudonym was automatically added to the author’s surname and the result was the writer Mamin-Sibiryak.
In 1883, “Privalov’s Millions” was published in the magazine “Delo”. A second novel soon followed, “Mountain Nest.” After its release, Dmitry Narkisovich gained fame as an outstanding realist writer. Using the fees received, Mamin-Sibiryak bought a house in Yekaterinburg for his mother and brothers.
In the fall of 1890, Dmitry Narkisovich fell in love with the daughter of the Yekaterinburg photographer Heinrich, Maria Moritsevna Abramova. She was an actress and married to actor Abramov. Maria did not live with her husband and traveled with theater troupes around Russia.
The stormy love affair of the writer and actress ended with Mamin-Sibiryak’s breakup with Alekseeva and the lovers moving to St. Petersburg. On the eve of the breakup, the writer managed to publish his third novel, “Three Ends,” which was dedicated to Alekseeva.
Since the first husband did not give Abramova a divorce, she and Dmitry Narkisovich lived in an illegal marriage. On April 4, 1892, Maria Moritsevna gave birth to a daughter and died the next day. The girl was named Elena, affectionately called Alyonushka. He was an unfortunate child, seriously ill from birth. Alyonushka suffered from the dance of St. Vitta – her face was constantly twitching, convulsions occurred.
Dmitry Narkisovich was shocked by the death of his beloved woman. He set himself the goal of raising his sick daughter and devoted the rest of his life to her.
In 1894, the writer published his first work for children - the famous fairy tale "Grey Neck" about a duck with a broken wing. In Gray Neck he saw his own little sick daughter. Created in 1894–1896, “Alyonushka’s Tales” finally secured Dmitry Narkisovich’s fame as a great storyteller.
In 1900, the writer legally married for the first time - to the teacher of his daughter Olga Frantsevna Guvala.
The main trouble for Mamin-Sibiryak was the illegal birth of a girl. From the end of 1901, the writer fought for her adoption. Alyonushka's father was recorded as Maria Moritsovna's husband. After receiving his refusal from the child, a trial was held and in March 1902 the girl became the legal daughter of Dmitry Narkisovich.
Of course, all these years Mamin-Sibiryak did not abandon novelism; he composed and published the novels “Bread”, “Characters from the Life of Pepko” and “Shooting Stars”. The Ural Stories were very popular. However, all these works did not reach the heights of “Privalov’s Millions”, created under the supervision of Maria Yakimovna.
In 1911, the writer had a stroke and was partially paralyzed. Dmitry Narkisovich Mamin-Sibiryak died on November 15, 1912 in St. Petersburg. He was buried next to his wife in the churchyard of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. A year and a half later, in the fall of 1914, his Alyonushka died of transient consumption. The girl found peace next to her parents. In the 1950s, the remains of the Mamin-Sibiryak family were reburied at the Volkov cemetery in Leningrad.
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* The surname comes either from the Tatar name - MamIn or from the Bashkir name - MamIn, so it was originally pronounced with an emphasis on the last syllable - MamIn.
ALENUSHKIN'S TALES
E. Permyakov. Alyonushka's tales. Staging.
GRAY NECK
I. Medvedeva, T. Shishova. Gray Neck. Staging.
G. Berezko. Gray neck. Scenario.
