An Extra Mouth

“An Extra Mouth” is a story about a boy-orphan, Vasya, whom Father Paisiy, a priest, took in. There are different attitudes toward the foster child in the priest’s family. Besides the seven children in the house, there is a petty and quarrelsome sister-in-law, Lukerya Demyanovna, who constantly reproaches the boy, calls him “an extra mouth,” and puts the hardest work on his shoulders. But thanks to Vasya’s generosity, purity of soul, and steadiness of character, the family’s attitude toward him gradually changes. After a long time of longing and loneliness, he finally feels at home—in his own family, where he is loved and valued.