The Undertaker by Alexander Pushkin. Short summary

5 seconds

A disgruntled new acquaintance tells the undertaker that he will invite dead people to a housewarming party instead. When he returns home, he sees that his former clients are sitting in the room.

1 minute

Prokhorov, the undertaker, moves to Nikitskaya Street. His neighbor, Shoemaker Schultz, stops by to see him. The man invites the new tenant to join him for a party. The undertaker accepts the invitation. A conversation ensues between the neighbors, and they become friends.

A day later, the undertaker goes to his neighbor’s house. At the feast, he sees Schultz’s artisan friends and their wives. One of them offers to drink to the health of those for whom they work. Since those gathered were each other’s customers, everyone starts bowing to each other. The baker suggests that the undertaker drink to the health of the dead, which provokes general laughter and offends Prokhorov.

In the evening, the drunken undertaker returns home. He believes that the guests have mocked his profession. Prokhorov decides that for the housewarming party he will invite the dead instead of his new acquaintances.

The merchant’s clerk Trukhina arrives and informs him that she has died. The undertaker sets out to arrange matters and does not return home until evening. Entering the house, he sees dead men sitting in the room, whom he recognises to be his former clients.