An inquiry deals with definitions of historical work in the Russian history-writing of the XVI century. Basing upon such examples as annals, ABC-books and works of Prince Andrey Kurbsky, the author shows that at that time «history» implied the specific type of narration distinct from other historic genres and akin to such fictional genre short story. Especially important influence on incipience of history-writing in Russia brought to bear eschatological anticipations and wide-spread practice of reading of portents. These two facts predetermined sophistication of the prescriptions on interpretation of events and composition of historical texts.