Too Early! (Chekhov)
Short summary
A Russian village, late 19th century. Two peasant hunters, Filimon Slyunka and Ignat Ryabov, sat in Semyon's tavern trying to retrieve Slyunka's pawned gun.
Despite their pleas and promises to pay later, Semyon refused to return the gun without payment, insisting it wasn't proper during Lent anyway.
Frustrated, the hunters left the tavern and walked toward the forest. They believed it was the perfect time for stand-shooting snipe, though they debated whether the birds had arrived yet for the season.
"The sportsmen cannot see each other's faces, it is getting rapidly dark. 'We must wait another five days,' says Slyunka... 'It's too early!' They go homewards, and are silent all the way."
At the forest's edge, they stood motionless, waiting and listening intently for any sign of snipe. As darkness fell and they heard nothing, they finally admitted it was too early in the season for the birds to have arrived.
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
Introduction of the tavern and the sportsmen
In the village of Shalmovo, as church bells rang for service and the sun began to set, two peasant sportsmen sat in Semyon's pothouse, which had recently been renamed a restaurant despite its wretched appearance. One of the men was Filimon Slyunka, an elderly former house-serf who once worked as a carpenter.
The other sportsman was Ignat Ryabov, a sturdy peasant who sat silently in the corner under a string of bread rings.
Behind the counter stood Semyon, a sickly little man with a pale face and long sinewy neck, who looked mournfully at his wares.
The argument over the pawned gun
Slyunka was trying to convince Semyon to return his pawned gun without payment. He argued passionately that a sportsman without his weapon was useless.
"A sportsman without a gun is like a sacristan without a voice. You ought to understand that, but I see you don't understand it, so you can have no real sense."
Semyon reminded him that the gun was left in pledge for a rouble, and would only be returned when the debt was paid. Slyunka explained that he had no money but promised to return the gun after hunting with Ignat. He claimed that despite the winter season, they needed to watch for snipe, which could appear unexpectedly.
"Winter, indeed, it is early yet of course, but you never can tell with the snipe. The snipe's a bird that wants watching. If you are unlucky, you may sit waiting at home, and miss his flying over."
Slyunka lamented that Ignat had also pawned his gun for drink. He pleaded with Semyon, promising to pay double after Easter when he would receive money from Stepan Kuzmitch for an axle.
Semyon remained firm, refusing to give the gun without payment. He also pointed out that it was Lent, so they couldn't eat the birds anyway. When Semyon mentioned Slyunka's age, suggesting he should be preparing for his end rather than hunting, Slyunka was visibly stung. Even Ryabov's pleading and bowing to the ground had no effect on Semyon's decision.
Leaving the tavern in frustration
Cursing Semyon, Slyunka and Ryabov left the tavern and stood in the middle of the road. Slyunka complained bitterly about the publican's refusal to give them the gun.
"Now is just the time," says Slyunka, with his face twitching. "It would be nice to stand for an hour or two. He won't give it us, the damned brute. May he..."
Outside, they could see the golden sunset illuminating the village, with the forest visible as a dark blur about a mile and a half away. The evening promised to be fine and still, perfect for hunting.
Discussions about snipe hunting season
As they looked toward the forest, Slyunka and Ryabov discussed the timing of snipe hunting. Slyunka mentioned that the previous year he had gone stand-shooting in Zhivki and brought back three snipe. They debated whether the snipe had arrived yet this season.
Ryabov mentioned that Kostka had said the birds weren't there yet.
Despite this, they agreed they should at least go to the forest and check. If they found snipe, they could either tell Kostka or try to get a gun themselves for hunting the next day. Slyunka expressed deep regret about pawning his gun at the pothouse.
The wait in the forest at dusk
The sportsmen approached the forest as the sun set, leaving behind a red streak in the sky. Inside the forest, it was dark among the thick branches of fir trees and under the birch bushes. There was a smell of thawing snow and rotting leaves, with only the distant cawing of rooks breaking the silence.
Slyunka whispered that they should be standing in Zhivki, where there was good stand-shooting. Both men looked at each other with awe, anticipating the hunt despite having no weapons.
They walked two hundred paces along the edge of the forest and stopped, their faces showing alarm and expectation. They stood motionless, their hands instinctively falling into position as if holding guns.
"Their faces wear a look of alarm and expectation of something terrible and extraordinary. They stand like posts, do not speak nor stir, and their hands gradually fall into an attitude as though they were holding a gun."
As evening shadows grew deeper and the dampness became unpleasant, they remained vigilant, listening for any sign of birds.
The realization that its too early for hunting
Despite their patience, the sportsmen heard and saw nothing. They expected to see a delicate leaf float through the air or hear the hurried call and flutter of wings from the snipe, but the forest remained silent.
"The sportsmen remain standing a long time, but they see and hear nothing. Every instant they expect to see a delicate leaf float through the air, to hear a hurried call like the husky cough of a child, and the flutter of wings."
Finally, as darkness fell completely, Slyunka admitted aloud that the birds had not yet arrived. Ryabov agreed that it was too early in the season. Acknowledging they would need to wait another five days, the disappointed sportsmen made their silent journey back to the village.