Korobeiniki (meaning in Russian “The Peddlers” or “The Haberdashers”) was a narrative poem written by Nikolay Nekrasov, published in 1861 in the literary magazine Sovremennik
The story follows a young traveling peddler (korobeinik) named Katya and his romantic interest, a peasant girl.
The peddler carries a crate full of goods (textiles, ribbons, and lace) to sell in rural villages. The poem opens with a famous bargaining scene between the two lovers, which serves as a metaphor for courtship.
The peddler is finally robbed and murdered by a forest ranger on his way back home.
Hirokazu Tanaka, Nintendo’s sound composer, selected Korobeiniki to the Tetris (A. Пажитнов, 1984) as main backing track, labeling it “Type-A”.