Art by Anton Chekhov. Short summary

5 seconds

Despite his laziness and love of drinking, Seryozhka makes the best fountain in the province. Every year people admire his creation, and he celebrates.

1 minute

Seryozhka the little peasant and Matvey the church keeper prepare the Jordan for the consecration of the river and the Epiphany celebrations. Seryozhka is lazy and a drunkard, but he has a rare talent — he makes the best fountain in the province.

Matvey makes an ice-hole. Seryozha tries to get at the keeper in every way: he scolds him for wrongly sawing the ice-hole and makes him build an ice-hole for the lectern.

Seryozha saws a lectern with a cross and an evangelium out of ice and makes an ice dove. Matvey immerses the wooden cross in water many times so that it becomes covered in ice and sparkles in the sun.

Seryozhka runs to the village and collects paints for the Jordan.

At Epiphany bells ring in the church, and the bells are carried to the Jordan. Thousands of people gathered on the shores.

Seryozha removes the mats and a roar of delight runs through the crowd — the Jordan is overflowing with many colors. Seryozha feels the triumph.