This article examines the work of Kabardian writer and journalist Boris Beslanovich Mazikhov (1940–2020), which developed in the post-Thaw period. The study aims to identify and characterize the philosophical, anthropological, and ethnocultural content of Mazikhov’s stories and their role in preserving and transmitting the Adyghe traditional worldview. For the first time, the stories “Leaf Fall Time” and “Village Evenings” are examined not as separate works, but as a conceptual unity in which the author’s conception of the individual and the nation is revealed through the juxtaposition of genuine (ontological) and false (ritual) forms of memory. The use of comparative typological and hermeneutic methods in analyzing these works, which focus on the life of a rural community, allows us to demonstrate that turning to rural themes in the 1970s and 1980s served as a means for national literatures to understand and preserve ethnic identity in the context of the unification of Soviet culture. Particular attention is given to Mazikhov’s departure from socialist realist idealization, portraying his characters realistically, with their inherent weaknesses and contradictions, making them more “real” and relatable to the reader. Using the story “Village Evenings” as an example, the author reveals his critique of the transformation of funeral rites, where the desire to “be no worse than others” conflicts with ancient Adyghe customs and folk wisdom. It is concluded that the writer does not call for a radical rejection of tradition, but through philosophical condescension and the inclusion of parables (such as the parable of the insatiable heart), invites the reader to independently reflect on moral dilemmas. The research materials can be used in courses on the history of Russian literature, in specialized courses on North Caucasian prose, and in preparing commentaries for the collected works of B. Mazikhov