At the Barber’s by Anton Chekhov. Short summary

5 seconds

The owner of the barbershop gives his godfather a free haircut. But he discovers that the godfather has betrothed his daughter, his bride. The barber refuses to cut the godfather’s hair and he walks around with half his hair cut.

1 minute

In the morning, Makar Kuzmich Blestkin, the owner of the poor little barbershop, is getting the place ready to receive visitors. His godfather, locksmith Erast Ivanovich Yagodov, stops by. Blestkin cuts his hair for free.

Yagodov asks for a haircut, as his hair has begun to fall out. During the haircut, the locksmith tells him that he married his daughter to a young man. Blestkin is dumbfounded and indignant, for he had feelings for Yagodov’s daughter.

But the latter says that Makar has neither money nor a normal trade, so he chose a more promising groom for his daughter.

Offended Blestkin refuses to finish Yagodov’s haircut. He leaves with his head uncut, like a convict.

He comes the next day, but Makar refuses to cut it. Yagodov walks around with his head half-cut. This is how he marries his daughter off.