YAkscho zaraz zhaduyut′ pro Oleksandru Kulish, yaka pysala pid psevdonimom Hanna Barvinok, to perevazhno yak pro druzhynu Panteleymona, avtora «CHornoyi rady». Ale za tsym faktom nespravedlyvo znykayut′ i osobystist′, i tvorchist′ tsiyeyi pys′mennytsi. YIyi podruzhnye zhyttya ne mozhna nazvaty schaslyvym — cholovik buv lyudynoyu ne til′ky tvorchoyu, ale y prystrasnoyu. I chocha Barvinok nazyvala sebe pershoyu ukrayins′koyu pys′mennytseyu i zaznachala, scho pochala pysaty zadovho do toho, yak z’yavylysya narodni opovidannya Marka Vovchka (Mariyi Markovych), mozhna vvazhaty, scho pochalosya vse vid obrazy: Kulish azh nadto zachopyvsya Markom Vovchkom, a nezabarom vyyavylos′, scho tsikavyt′ vona yoho ne lyshe yak pys′mennytsya... Tak chto zh vse-taky buv pershoyu ukrayins′koyu pys′mennytseyu — Hanna Barvinok abo Marko Vovchok? Z koho vse pochalosya?.. I chy vazhlyvo tse naspravdi? Adzhe obydvi buly pershymy zhinkamy, yaki shukaly sebe i svoye mistse u cholovichomu sviti.