I have heard people express
surprise that this novella was published in the USSR in the
1970s. What is surprising about its publication?
What would make it acceptable to a Soviet censor?
How are the traditions of the
Kyrgyz people portrayed in the novella?
How are the concerns of the
Kyrgyz nation portrayed in this novella?
How do the myths contained in
the novella elaborate on some of the ideas from the primary
story line?
