Food & Culture
What is the drink traditionally made from fermented rye bread?
Квас (Kvass)
What is considered the first day of autumn in Russia?
September 1st
What is the meaning of the Russian proverb “После дождичка в четверг” (After a little rain on Thursday)?
When pigs fly/when hell freezes over
Which famous Russian fairy-tale character is usually associated with a hut in the forest?
Баба-яга (Baba-yaga)
Name one autumn month in Russian.
Сентябрь, Октябрь, or Ноябрь
What country houses do many Russians visit to harvest vegetables and fruit in autumn?
Дача (dacha)
How do people refer to September 1st (nationwide first day of school) in Russia?
День знаний (“Knowledge Day”)
What is the meaning of the Russian proverb “Цыплят по осени считают” (Chicks are counted in autumn)?
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch (don't count your results until everything is finished)
What supernatural feature does Baba-yaga’s hut famously have?
Избушка на курьих ножках (chicken legs)
What does "листопад" literally describe?
Falling leaves
What Russian baked dessert made with apples is especially popular in the fall?
Шарлотка (Apple Cake Sharlotka)
What key event in Russian history took place in the fall of 1917?
Bonus: what month does it take place according to the modern calendar?
The “October” Revolution
Bonus: November
What is the meaning of the Russian proverb “Осенью скот жиреет, человек добреет” (In autumn, livestock gets fat and people prosper)
Refers to the abundance associated with the harvest season
Which spirits in Russian folklore are said to protect the woods?
Ле́ший (Leshy)
What Russian word means “countryside” or “village”?
Деревня
What traditional Russian wooden house is often associated with the countryside?
Изба (hut)
What month did Moscow burn in 1812 (during Napoleon’s invasion)?
September (14-18)
What is the meaning of the Russian proverb “Не имей сто рублей, а имей сто друзей”? (“Don’t have a hundred rubles, but have a hundred friends.”)
It is better to have friends and relationships than wealth.
What Russian folklore creature is a water spirit said to live in rivers, lakes, and ponds and sometimes lure people into the water?
Водяно́й (Vodyanoy)
What does the term “бабье лето” (“old women’s summer”) describe?
A warm spell in early autumn (~”fool’s summer”)
What traditional Russian baked good, often associated with Easter, is a tall, cylindrical sweet bread decorated with icing or powdered sugar?
Кулич (kulich)
In what year did Russia sell Alaska to the United States?
1867
What is the meaning of the Russian proverb “В Тулу со своим самоваром не ездят”? (“You don’t go to Tula with your own samovar.”)
Don’t bring something to a place where it is already plentiful; there is no point in offering something people already have.
What Russian household spirit was traditionally believed to protect the home and family, and was sometimes thought to live behind the stove?
Домово́й (Domovoy)
Translate: Листья падают с деревьев.
Leaves are falling from the trees.