अल्योशा

Summary

The story follows Alyosha, a simple, hardworking young man from a village. From a very young age, he took on all the household and farm work, including herding cattle and driving carts. Despite being thin and having a large nose, he was cheerful and never complained, even when teased or scolded. When his older brother lost his job, Alyosha’s father took him to the city to work for the same merchant. The merchant was unimpressed by Alyosha’s appearance, but his father insisted he was a skilled and silent worker. Alyosha was hired and soon became indispensable, doing every task assigned to him without complaint. He worked from dawn until night, running errands, cleaning, and helping everyone in the household. He rarely spoke and knew no formal prayers, but would make the sign of the cross and silently remember God. After a year and a half, a remarkable event occurred. Ustinya, the orphaned cook, began to show him genuine care, not for his work, but for himself. She would save him warm food and mend his clothes, and he realized she was the first person to value him as a person. They grew close, and Alyosha proposed marriage. However, the merchant’s wife disapproved, fearing Ustinya would be less useful as a married woman. The merchant told Alyosha’s father, who angrily ordered his son to abandon the idea. Alyosha, obedient as always, agreed. He told Ustinya they must forget the plan, and though he smiled, he later wept. He never spoke of marriage again, and his life continued as before.