A Peasant Girl – Chapter 1

Anna’s father had never forgiven her for being a girl. He had wanted another son for insurance, in case, God forbid, her brother Vladimir should die. That was the way of things in the country; a son was worth his weight in gold, while a daughter was a burden, to be married off at the lowest price for the best result as soon as possible.

Anna was twelve, so she was still too young to be pawned off on anyone. Her mother loved her, but her father ruled the house, and so Anna did the dirty jobs. She had been doing the work of a grown man since she was barely old enough to walk, and it should have made her old and bent, but somehow she grew into a beautiful young girl.

“That’s something anyway,” her father said to her uncle as they sat on stools, drinking vodka and watching Anna haul dung from the barn. “If she were ugly, not even a Jew would want her.”

“Only a rich man can afford an ugly wife,” agreed Uncle Fyodor with a grunt. “But Anna is a fine sight, and that will surely help you find her a husband.”

Anna could hear all of this; they didn’t keep their voices down because they didn’t care if she heard. She didn’t think of herself as beautiful, but she was happy to know that her father was pleased at something she had done. Her brother Vladimir walked by and cruelly tripped her as she was walking, causing her to fall flat on her face. “Beautiful Anna, fit for the Tsar,” he laughed. She fought away tears, knowing that if she cried it would only encourage him. But when she didn’t cry, he grew angry. “Think you’re better than me, huh?” he scowled. “Watch this.” With that, he turned and called out, “Father, watch this!” Then he shoved Anna hard, and she fell again, but this time into a patch of muddy ground.

“That Vlad, always playing games,” laughed their father. Then he stood and marched down to where Anna was just now sitting up, her eyes filled with tears, her lip bloody, and her dress covered in mud. “Now just look at what you’ve done you little bitch!” he shouted at her, and slapped her hard. “You pull that frock off right now and take it to be cleaned, or it’ll stain, and then I’ll really tan your hide.”

So Anna had to work in her underclothes for the rest of the day. She noticed her brother watching her with an unpleasant look in his eye. Her father and Uncle Fyodor, thankfully, went to town and didn’t return until dusk had fallen, so Anna escaped further violence.

When she finally was finished with her day’s work, she staggered into the cottage where her mother silently hugged her close, wiped the tears from her eyes, and gave her some supper. They both dared not be caught talking if a man was around. When they heard the footsteps of the two men returning from town, Anna rushed off to bed to avoid a confrontation.

The next day, her father made Anna do her work in her underclothes again as a punishment for the previous day.