Nature by Olha Kobylianska (1894)

Writers I deeply respect don't just tell stories; they do so with a profound sense of compassion for the struggles of the individual and a powerful idealism for what the world could be. Whether it's the quiet dignity of a marginalized people or the fight for political and cultural freedom, their work is fueled by a moral imagination that values humanity above all else. I discovered Olha Kobylianska via the song Zemlya by Ziferblat, a band whose music I dearly love. The music video for the song, which you can see here, https://youtu.be/UszGPfUEnWc is a modern interpretation of the book's central plot. Ziferblat - Земля. The song's themes of family conflict over land, sibling rivalry, and the destructive power of human passions are taken directly from the novel, which is one of Kobylianska's most famous works. Since my knowledge of the Ukrainian language is still limited, I chose to translate one of her earlier stories, Nature, which she originally wrote in German. I feel that despite being an early piece, this particular story beautifully embodies the powerful spirit and themes she would later develop in her Ukrainian-language work. Much like the novel Zemlya, this short story explores the complex relationship between people and their land, and how a love for the earth can be a source of both life and tragedy. The ultimate lesson of this journey is that songs can be doors to literature and so much more. They can lead us to new worlds, new writers, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and others.