PETER IGNÁTITCH. A well-to-do peasant, 42 years old, married
for the second time, and sickly.
ANÍSYA. His wife, 32 years old, fond of dress.
AKOULÍNA. Peter's daughter by his first marriage, 16 years old,
hard of hearing, mentally undeveloped.
NAAN (ANNA PETRÓVNA). His daughter by his second marriage, 10
years old.
NIKÍTA. Their laborer, 26 years old, fond of dress.
AKÍM. Nikíta's father, 50 years old, a plain-looking, God-fearing
peasant.
MATRYÓNA. His wife and Nikíta's mother, 50 years old.
MARÍNA. An orphan girl, 22 years old.
MARTHA. Peter's sister.
MÍTRITCH. An old laborer, ex-soldier.
SIMON. Marína's husband.
BRIDEG... (From: Gutenberg.org.)
The Act takes place in autumn in a large village. The
Scene represents Peter's roomy hut. Peter is sitting on a wooden
bench, mending a horse-collar. Anísya and Akoulína are
spinning, and singing a part-song.
PETER [looking out of the window] The horses have
got loose again. If we don't look out they'll be killing
the colt. Nikíta! Hey, Nikíta! Is the fellow deaf?
[Listens. To the women] Shut up, one can't hear anything.
NIKÍTA [from outside] What?
PETER. Drive the horses in.
NIKÍTA. We'll drive 'em in. All in good time.
PETER [shaking his head] Ah, these laborers! If I
were well, I'd not keep one on no account. There's
nothing but bother with 'em. [Rises and sits down again... (From: Gutenberg.org.)
The scene represents the village street. To the left the
outside of Peter's hut, built of logs, with a porch in the
middle; to the right of the hut the gates and a corner
of the yard buildings. Anísya is beating hemp in the street
near the corner of the yard. Six months have elapsed since
the First Act.
ANÍSYA [stops and listens] Mumbling something again.
He's probably got off the stove.
Akoulína enters, carrying two pails on a yoke.
ANÍSYA. He's calling. You go and see what he wants,
kicking up such a row.
AKOULÍNA. Why don't you go?
ANÍSYA. Go, I tell you! [Exit Akoulína into hut] He's
bothering me to death. Won't let out where the money
is, and that's all about it... (From: Gutenberg.org.)
The same hut. Winter. Nine months have passed since
Act II. Anísya, plainly dressed, sits before a loom weaving.
Naan is on the oven.
MÍTRITCH [an old laborer, enters, and slowly takes off his
outdoor things] Oh Lord, have mercy! Well, hasn't the
master come home yet?
ANÍSYA. What?
MÍTRITCH. Nikíta isn't back from town, is he?
ANÍSYA. No.
MÍTRITCH. Must have been on the spree. Oh Lord!
ANÍSYA. Have you finished in the stackyard?
MÍTRITCH. What d'you think? Got it all as it should
be, and covered everything with straw! I don't like
doing things by halves! Oh Lord! holy Nicholas! [Picks
at the corns on his hands] But it's time he was back.
AN&Iacut... (From: Gutenberg.org.)
Autumn. Evening. The moon is shining. The stage represents
the interior of courtyard. The scenery at the back
shows, in the middle, the back porch of the hut. To the right
the winter half of the hut and the gate; to the left the summer
half and the cellar. To the right of the stage is a shed. The
sound of tipsy voices and shouts are heard from the hut.[5]
Second Neighbor Woman comes out of the hut and beckons to
First Neighbor Woman.
SECOND NEIGHBOR. How's it Akoulína has not shown
herself?
FIRST NEIGHBOR. Why hasn't she shown herself? She'd
have been glad to; but she's too ill, you know. The
suitor's relatives have come, and want to see the girl; and
she, my dear, she's lying in the cold hut and can't come
out, p... (From: Gutenberg.org.)
Scene 1.
In front of scene a stack-stand, to the left a thrashing ground,
to the right a barn. The barn doors are open. Straw is
strewn about in the doorway. The hut with yard and out-buildings
is seen in the background, whence proceed sounds of
singing and of a tambourine. Two Girls are walking past the
barn towards the hut.
FIRST GIRL. There, you see we've managed to pass without
so much as getting our boots dirty! But to come by
the street is terribly muddy! [Stop and wipe their boots on
the straw. First Girl looks at the straw and sees something]
What's that?
SECOND GIRL [looks where the straw lies and sees some one]
It's Mítritch, their laborer. Just look how drunk he is!
FIRST GIRL. Why, I thought he didn'... (From: Gutenberg.org.)
[1] It is customary to place a dying person under the icón. One or
more icóns hang in the hut of each Orthodox peasant.
[2] Peasant weddings are usually in autumn. They are forbidden
in Lent, and soon after Easter the peasants become too busy to
marry till harvest is over.
[3] A formal request for forgiveness is customary among Russians,
but it is often no mere formality. Nikíta's first reply is evasive;
his second reply, “God will forgive you,” is the correct one sanctioned
by custom.
[4] Loud public wailing of this kind is customary, and considered
indispensable, among the peasants.
[5] Where not otherwise mentioned in the stage directions, it is
always the winter half of the hut that i... (From: Gutenberg.org.)
