Maxim Gorky wrote his famous story “The Old Woman Izergil” in 1894. It included two wonderful legends: the legend of Larra and the legend of Danko. First published in the Samara Gazette, 1895, number 80, April 16; number 86, April 23; number 89, April 27. Written, apparently, in the fall of 1894. The dating is confirmed by a letter from V.G. Korolenko dated October 4, 1894 to a member of the editorial board of “Russian Gazette” M.A. Sablin. In this letter, V.G. Korolenko wrote: “Three days ago I sent to the editor a manuscript by Peshkov (pseud. Maxim Gorky), the title “Old Woman Izergil”” (V.G. Korolenko, Selected Letters, III volume, Goslitizdat, 1936 , p. 86). The story was included in all collected works. Published according to the text prepared by M. Gorky for the collected works in the “Book” edition.