What was her mother? Lesya Ukrainka was born on February 25, 1871, in the city of Novohrad-Volynskyi (now it is in Zhytomyr region of Ukraine) in the family of a lawyer Petro Kosach and a well-known Ukrainian writer and public figure Olena Pchilka. As a child, Lesya along with her siblings, received primary education at home according to her parents' program. Students’ own responsibility was key in this type of education. The girl had to continue her studies at home after being diagnosed with bone tuberculosis at the age of 10. This allowed her to master fluently the French, German, Polish, English, and Italian languages. Lesya was very fond of music, diligently learned how to play the piano. She even thought that she would have become a better musician than a poetess. Unfortunately, Lesya's illness did not allow her to become a musician, but music remained with her throughout her life, giving her pleasure, support, reflections and feelings.At the age of nine Lesya wrote her first poem "Hope", and at thirteen she had her poems published in the Lviv magazine "Zorya". Lesya's mother supported her daughter’s hobby by giving her advice and helping her with distribution of the poems. As for the pseudonym "Lesya Ukrainka", it was chosen under the influence of Lesya's uncle, Mykhailo Drahomanov, whom she respected very much. He was a well-known scientist, publicist, literary critic, folklorist and public figure, who at that time signed as "Ukrainian". Lesya was a tender name given to the girl in the family. That’s how the combination of words, Lesya Ukrainka, appeared.In 1893, her first collection of poems "On the wings of songs" was published in Lviv. In total, Lesya Ukrainka wrote about 270 poems, not counting her narrative poetry, poetical dramatic works and translations.Lesya Ukrainka was actively engaged in translation activities. Because of her work, the ancient Egyptian lyrics, the ancient Indian Rig Veda, poems by Homer, poems by Heinrich Heine, as well as works by Victor Hugo, William Shakespeare, Dante and others were translated into Ukrainian.The serious illness forced Lesya Ukrainka to travel to different countries for the purpose of treatment. The poetess spent her last years being treated in Egypt and Georgia. Ignoring the pain, Lesya Ukrainka continued to write. Her last literary work, the drama "On the shores of Alexandria", remained unfinished.Lesya Ukrainka died on August 1, 1913, in the Georgian town of Surami. Later the ashes of the great daughter of Ukrainian nation were transported to Kyiv and reburied at the Baikove cemetery."