In Peter Vyazemsky's ‘Old Notebook’ there is mention of a certain ‘barin’ (gentleman), who wanted to get rich. Having obtained documents that allowed him to take horses at stations, he would go to a rich, but remote from the main roads, village and demand to be given horses for the next leg of the journey. Or pay an equivalent amount of money. As a rule, there were no horses, so, having received the money, the gentleman would move on to the next village. “It is said that the bounty is a tricky one,” the author noted - gol na vydumki hitra.
And in Vladimir Dahl's dictionary, the expression “hitra gol na vydumki” is accompanied by a commentary: “...about the Germans who came by.” This is what they called the settlers, who came to Russia and, in a new place with great ingenuity, started a new life, set up a household and farm. Without having huge capital, they achieved a lot.
Since then, the meaning of this expression has not changed: it implies that a person, even in difficult circumstances (ie. awkwardness, for instance), acts with great ingenuity. The English equivalent would be: “Necessity is the mother of invention.”
Dear readers,
Our website and social media accounts are under threat of being restricted or banned, due to the current circumstances. So, to keep up with our latest content, simply do the following:
If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.
Subscribe
to our newsletter!
Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox
