In 1915, the famous folklorist and singer Olga Ozarovskaya went on an expedition to the Arkhangelsk province to find new material for her performances. In one of the Pomor villages, a local old woman approached her asking for alms. Ozarovskaya gave her some money, and in return, she heard an ancient song sung with a pure voice and an unusual manner. The astonished artist decided to organize a tour for the grandmother.

That same year, a note appeared in the magazine "Iskra" with a review: "Before the success of the little frail old woman in painted felt boots and a colorful scarf, even Ozarovskaya's success faded." Thus began the fame of the now-forgotten, but once legendary folk singer Maria Dmitrievna Krivopolenova.

Maria was born in 1843 into a peasant family. Her grandfather, a sailor and hunter, taught her to sing. From him, she remembered many folk songs, tales, epics, and legends. At the age of 24, Maria Dmitrievna got married, but the marriage turned out to be unsuccessful: her husband did not work, and she had to beg for alms in the villages.

She found her calling at the age of 72 when she met Ozarovskaya. Krivopolenova not only sang beautifully but also captivatingly told ancient epics and jests. In her stories, heroes and epic battles coexisted with peasants, fishermen, and hunters, while tsars, boyars, and merchants were mocked.

Another feature of her performances was the addition of particles to the endings of nouns: "little paws-those white ones," "little hare-that," "tsar-father." The researcher of her work, Ksenia Gemp, noted that Krivopolenova maintained contact with the audience, waved to them, smiled broadly, and sometimes tossed in words casually. She performed until the end of her life.

Maria Dmitrievna Krivopolenova passed away in 1924 in her homeland. It is said that her last words were: "Forgive me, all of Russian land."