Among the many intriguing characteristics of the Ukrainian folk tradition is the fact that Ukrainian epics were sung by a special type of minstrel--the blind mendicant. These minstrels were organized into professional guilds that set standards for training and performance and provided the singers with protection and support throughout their careers. When the separateness of Ukrainian culture became politically salient in the Stalin era, epic singers became a target of repression. For this reason--and due also to the secrecy that always surrounded the guilds' rites of membership--Ukrainian minstrelsy has been little studied. Natalie Kononenko's work is thus a revelation of a distinctive folk tradition and a little-known social order. It describes the private and professional lives of folk performers, both male and female, and shows how a traditional culture simultaneously employed handicapped people and fulfilled the spiritual and cultural needs of the larger community. Complementing the text are the author's own translations of secret initiation rites, magical songs, begging songs, religious songs, historical songs, and epics, and rare photos of minstrels from this and the last century. This fascinating book will be a treasure trove for anyone with an interest in folklore, Ukrainian culture, disabilities, or rural social history.