The small village of Zimnaya Zolotitsa on the Zimni Bereg was widely known for the musicality of its inhabitants. Well into the 20th century, it was here that the tradition of old Russian songs was carried on; new songs were also created in the tradition of this folk heritage.

The most famous singer from Zimnaya Zolotitsa was Agrafena Matveyevna Kryukova (1855-1921).

She came from a very musical family from the Tershen coast. At the age of 18, she came to Zimnaya Zolotitsa with her husband. In her new family, there were also other singers from whom Agrafena Kryukova learned new, hitherto unknown songs.

Marfa Kryukova, the daughter of Agrafena Matvejevna Krjukovas, herself a talented singer

It is said that A.M. Kryukova did not like to sing in public. Most of the time, her audience consisted of children to whom she passed on her repertoire. Especially her daughter Marfa and Pavla carried on this tradition of song.

In 1898, 1899 and again in 1901, the folklorist A.V. Markov stayed on the Zimni Bereg. In 1901, he was accompanied by A.L. Maslov and B.A. Bogoslovski. Here, they were able to make recordings of Kryukovs and other singers. These recordings included a large number of bylines, historical songs, sacral songs, songs of mourning, ritual songs etc. In 1901, Markov published his "Bylines of the White Sea" (Belomorskiya byliny). Later recordings were partially published by A.V. Markov, A.L. Maslov and B.A. Bogoslovski in 1905.

For her merits in keeping folk-poetry alive, Agrafena Kryukova was honored with a medal by the Scholarly Society of the Friends of Natural History, Anthropology and Ethnography at the Moscow University in 1902. Apparently, this award hardly affected the rest of her later life, the typical life of a woman on the coast of the White Sea, hard and full of work.

Добрыня и Алеша

Эй и тут не беленька березка к земли клонитцэ,
И как не красно-то ведь золото рассыпаитцэ,
Ишо сын -от перед матушкой низко кланелсэ.
Эй и он просил у ей не злата, вот не серебра,
Просил родительского он благословеньица.

Marion Krause