But the Peter the Great of the epics bears only a faint resemblance to the real Peter.
Perhaps the most famous hero of epic song in the seventeenth century is the bandit-chief of the Volga, Stenka Razin, whose memory still lingers among the peasants of those regions.

He was regarded as the champion of the people against the oppression of the nobles, and "Ilya of Murom, the Old Kazak" is represented as the captain of the brigands under him.

To Stenka, also, are attributed magic powers.

From the same period date also the two most popular dance-songs of the present day--the "Kamarynskaya" and "Barynya Sudarynya," its sequel.

The Kamarynskaya was the district which then constituted the Ukraina, or border-marches, situated about where the government of Orel now is.