This ‘bogatyr’ (‘hero’) from Russian ‘bylinas’ (oral epic poems) possessed not only incredible physical strength, but also an extraordinary mind - he spoke 12 languages and even knew how to talk to birds, sang superbly and played the gusli (a Slavic string instrument). The Ryazan warrior became famous for defeating the fire-breathing three-headed Serpent Gorynych.
There is a saying: “In Ryazan, mushrooms have eyes”. It goes back to the period of the Mongol invasion of Old Rus'. Ryazan warriors determined the routes of enemy troops by cut or trampled ‘talking’ mushrooms in the border forests.
This delicacy has been produced in Ryazan since the first half of the 19th century. Candies in the shape of cockerels, bears or bunnies are made exclusively from local honey, sugar and molasses.
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