JOY By Anton Chekhov, Adapted For Intermediate Level

Level: Intermediate and up

IT was twelve o'clock at night.

Mitya Kuldarov, with excited face and messy hair, ran into his parents' house, and quickly ran through the rooms. His parents had already gone to bed. His sister was in bed, finishing the last page of a novel. His schoolboy brothers were asleep.

"Where have you come from?" cried his parents in surprise. "What is the matter with you?

"Oh, don't ask! I never expected it; no, I never expected it! It's . . . it's positively incredible!"

Mitya laughed and fell into a chair, so overcome by happiness that he could not stand on his legs.

"It's incredible! You can't imagine! Look!"

His sister jumped out of bed and, throwing a blanket around her, went to her brother. The schoolboys woke up.

"What's the matter? You don't look like yourself!"

"It's because I am so happy, Mamma! Do you know, now all Russia knows of me! All Russia! Until now only you knew that there was a clerk called Dmitry Kuldarov, and now all Russia knows it! Mamma! Oh, Lord!"

Mitya jumped up, ran up and down all the rooms, and then sat down again.

"Why, what has happened? Tell us sensibly!"

"You live like wild animals, you don't read the newspapers and do not take notice of what's published, and there's so much that is interesting in the papers. If anything happens it's all known at once, nothing is hidden! How happy I am! You know it's only great people whose names are published in the papers, and now they have published mine!"

"What do you mean? Where?"

Papa turned white. Mamma started to pray. The schoolboys jumped out of bed and, just as they were, in pajamas, went up to their brother.

"Yes! My name has been published! Now all Russia knows of me! Keep the paper, mamma, in memory of it! We will read it sometimes! Look!"

Mitya took out of his pocket a copy of the paper, gave it to his father, and pointed with his finger to a text marked with blue pencil.

"Read it!"

The father put on his glasses.

"Do read it!"

The mamma looked at the religious image on the wall and started to pray again. The papa cleared his throat and began to read: "At eleven o'clock on the evening of the 29th of December, a clerk of the name of Dmitry Kuldarov . . ."

"You see, you see! Go on!"

". . . a clerk of the name of Dmitry Kuldarov, coming from the pub in a drunk  condition. . ."

"That's me and Simon. . . . It's all described exactly! Go on! Listen!"

". . . drunk condition, fell on the ice under a horse of a sled-driver... The scared horse, walking over Kuldarov and pulling the sled over him, together with a Moscow businessman called Stephan Lukov, who was in it, ran along the street and was caught by some people. Kuldarov, at first in an unconscious condition, was taken to the police station and there checked by the doctor. The hit he had received on the back of his head. . ."

"It was from the sled, papa. Go on! Read the rest!"

". . . he had received on the back of his head was not serious. The event was reported. Medical aid was given to the hurt man. . . ."

"They told me to put a warm, wet cloth on the back of my head. You have read it now? Ah! So you see. Now it's all over Russia! Give it to me!"

Mitya took the paper, and put it into his pocket.

"I'll run to our neighbors and show it to them. . . . I must show it to Ivan and Nastya too. . . . I'll run! Good-bye!"

Mitya put on his cap and, joyful and proud, ran into the street.

Vocabulary:  To help learners fully understand the audio and transcript, most vocabulary that might be unknown for this lesson’s level is provided. Vocab in bold is more useful for learners at the lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the story (in general, it’s best to try to learn no more than 8-10 new words a day).

Definitions are written with the help of various sources including Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary.

Excited: very enthusiastic and eager about something.

Messy: not clean or tidy.

Incredible: difficult or impossible to believe.

Clerk: a person whose job is to keep track of records and documents for a business or office.

Sensible:  having or showing good sense or judgment: reasonable.

Hidden: not seen or known.

Published: to include an article, letter, etc, in a printed publication like a newspaper or magazine.

To pray: to speak to a god or spirit especially in order to give thanks or to ask for something.

Sled: a small vehicle that has a flat bottom or long, narrow strips of metal or wood on the bottom and that is used for moving over snow or ice.

Unconscious: not conscious; not awake especially because of an injury or drug.

Pocket: a usually small cloth bag that is sewn into a piece of clothing, a larger bag, etc., and that is open at the top or side so that you can put things into it.

To point: to show someone where to look by moving your finger or an object held in your hand in a particular direction.

Drunk: having drunk so much alcohol that normal actions (such as talking, thinking, and moving) become difficult to do.

Cloth: material that is made by weaving together threads of cotton, wool, nylon, etc., and that is used to make clothes, sheets, etc.

Proud: very happy and pleased because of something you have done, something you own, someone you know or are related to, etc.: feeling pride.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is this story called ‘Joy’?

2. What was the most joyful moment in your life?

3. Is it important for you to be well-known or famous?

4. Does fame or popularity bring happiness?

5. “In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes”. How does this saying relate to this story and to modern life?