Povesti

Povesti is a term that appears in several languages to denote narrative prose, with meaning that varies by linguistic context. In Romanian, povesti is the plural of poveste and refers to stories or fairy tales. In Russian and other Cyrillic-script languages, повести (povesti) designates a literary form—typically a narrative work longer than a short story but shorter than a novel.

In Romanian usage, poveste denotes an individual story or fairy tale, often rooted in folklore or children's literature. Povesti refers to stories in the plural, for example when describing a collection of tales. The definite plural form povestile is used when speaking about a specific set of stories already known to the listener.

In Russian and many related languages, повесть is a prose work that occupies a middle ground between a short story and a novel. The plural повести can indicate several such works or a collection of tales. The form has been prominent in classical literature, with works such as The Belkin Tales by Alexander Pushkin commonly cited as an example.

Across the Slavic tradition, povesti names a range of narrative lengths and structures, including standalone novellas, linked stories, or cycles centered on characters or themes. In contemporary usage, the term persists in literary criticism and publishing, while Romanian usage remains focused on stories as folklore and children's literature.