Tatiana's Sense of Humour

[Olga Maria]

Does anyone know an account where Tatiana made somebody laugh (just like what Nastya does)?

[Sarushka]

I don't recall any face-to-face anecdotes offhand, but I do find some of Tatiana's letters unexpectedly amusing for someone who had a reputation for being reserved. From a letter to Petrov, 26 January 1918:

"A small [snow and ice] hill has been built in our yard. When we get bored with walking back and forth, then we slide down it, and often we take very funny falls. Once Zhilik ended up sitting on my head. I begged him to get up, but he couldn't because he had sprained his ankle and it hurt. Somehow I crawled out. It was terribly silly and funny, but he still had to lie down for a few days because of his ankle. Another time I was going down the hill backwards and banged the back of my head really hard against the ice. I thought nothing would be left of the hill, but it turned out that neither I nor my head burst, and my head didn't even hurt. I've got a hard head, don't I?
Eh?"

[Olga Maria]

Thank you so much, Sarushka, for the full version of that letter! Any more accounts?

[Ferah]

The letter in full:

26 January 1918


Hello, sweet Pyotr Vasilievich,

Thank you very much for your two letters. I was very touched that you wrote so much. We are in complete health, thank God, live quietly as before, and strangely enough, so far none among us has fought with anyone else. In the morning we have lessons for two hours, from 9 to 11, walk for an hour, and study for another hour. After lunch we walk again—usually until 4, and if it's really good weather, then for longer. Before tea, we work or occupy ourselves for a while with something. After tea and before supper there are often rehearsals of some play. We have already put on three. All the same, we're still practicing another little diversion, and it's good for conversation.

A small hill has been built in our yard. When we get bored with walking back and forth, then we slide down it, and often we take very funny falls. Once Zhilik ended up sitting on my head. I begged him to get up, but he couldn't because he had sprained his ankle and it hurt. Somehow I crawled out. It was terribly silly and funny, but he still had to lie down for a few days because of his ankle. Another time I was going down the hill backwards and banged the back of my head really hard against the ice. I thought nothing would be left of the hill, but it turned out that neither I nor my head burst, and my head didn't even hurt. I've got a hard head, don't I?
Eh?

We also had very cold weather with a particularly strong wind   it sliced terribly at my face. It was very cold in the rooms. In the hall it was 5 30/4 degrees . Not far from Mr. Conrad's. Please console him at least a little bit. Does he get letters from his wife? How can it be that
you still haven't gone to the show in the Chinese theater? Oh! What famous things you are missing!

Did Yury Petrovich get my postcard? All the best. We send greetings to his sister, too.

Be well. We send everyone heartfelt regards.
Tatiana

I'm sure you'd be able to find a number of (humourous) anecdotes of Tatiana housed at the AP's main site. Try reading:

Tatiana's Letters During Imprisonment
Extracts From Tatiana's Letters

Six Years At The Russian Court by Margaret Eagar (this contains many anecdotes of Tatiana and her sisters as little girls)
The Life And Tragedy Of Alexandra Feodorovna by S. Buxhoeveden
Memories Of The Russian Court by A. Vyrubova
The Real Tsaritsa by Lili Dehn
Thirteen Years At The Russian Court by Pierre Gilliard

There is also a thread for a lot of Tatiana's anecdotes put together:

Tatiana Anecdotes

I hope this helps!

[Olga Maria]

You helped, Ferah! Thank you so much, too.

[Olga Maria]

What’s that song titled “From Manglisse to Tiflisse”? Olya and Tatya sang it when they found out one night Alyosha was not sleeping yet. It’s from Tatya’s letter to Nicky on August 25, 1915.

[Russka Princess]

how cute Tanya and Olya sang it to Alosha ??

[Ferah]

Yep. (I've always loved this little story too

Here's the extract I got from APTM - Letters of Grand Duchess Tatiana

"...Yesterday night before going to bed Olya and I decided to find out if Aleksey was sleeping. It turned out that he was not. To amuse him we began to sing songs with him. We sang "From Manglisse to Tiflisse" and others that were taught to us by (erivantsi?). Then he fell asleep and we left.

[Ally Kumari]

That is very sweet. It also show the honest affection that bound the siblings together.

[Olga Maria]

Is that a French song?

[Ally Kumari]

I don´t think so, unless the title has been translated into English.

[Olga Maria]

I think it's French from the painter Henry Matisse of France ( I don't think so; There's no relation between those. )

[Olga Maria]

What's that tower they always speak of in their letters?
They (GDs) say something like the tower is growing, etc.

[Ally Kumari]

could you post an example? Maybe if we know some context (andI don´t want to go through all their letters right now )

[nena]

I guess 'White Towers' made by snow.  Quite possible. I am certain they built and wrote about Towers made of snow.