Alyosha was the younger brother.  He was called the Pot, because his mother had once sent him with a pot of milk to the deacon’s wife, and he had stumbled against something and broken it.  His mother had beaten him, and the children had teased him.  Since then he was nicknamed the Pot.  Alyosha was a tiny, thin little fellow, with ears like wings, and a huge nose.  “Alyosha has a nose that looks like a dog on a hill!” the children used to call after him.  Alyosha went to the village school, but was not good at lessons; besides, there was so little time to learn.  His elder brother was in town, working for a merchant, so Alyosha had to help his father from a very early age.  When he was no more than six he used to go out with the girls to watch the cows and sheep in the pasture, and a little later he looked after the horses by day and by night.  And at twelve years of age he had already begun to plough and to drive the cart.  The skill was there though the strength was not.  He was always cheerful.  Whenever the children made fun of him, he would either laugh or be silent.  When his father scolded him he would stand mute and listen attentively, and as soon as the scolding was over would smile and go on with his work.  Alyosha was nineteen when his brother was taken as a soldier.  So his father placed him with the merchant as a yard-porter.  He was given his brother’s old boots, his father’s old coat and cap, and was taken to town.  Alyosha was delighted with his clothes, but the merchant was not impressed by his appearance.

“I thought you would bring me a man in Simeon’s place,” he said, scanning Alyosha; “and you’ve brought me this!  What’s the good of him?”

“He can do everything; look after horses and drive.  He’s a good one to work.  He looks rather thin, but he’s tough enough.  And he’s very willing.”

“He looks it.  All right; we’ll see what we can do with him.”

So Alyosha remained at the merchant’s.

The family was not a large one.  It consisted of the merchant’s wife:  her old mother:  a married son poorly educated who was in his father’s business:  another son, a learned one who had finished school and entered the University, but having been expelled, was living at home:  and a daughter who still went to school.

They did not take to Alyosha at first.  He was uncouth, badly dressed, and had no manner, but they soon got used to him.  Alyosha worked even better than his brother had done; he was really very willing.  They sent him on all sorts of errands, but he did everything quickly and readily, going from one task to another without stopping.  And so here, just as at home, all the work was put upon his shoulders.  The more he did, the more he was given to do.  His mistress, her old mother, the son, the daughter, the clerk, and the cook—­all ordered him about, and sent him from one place to another.

“Alyosha, do this!  Alyosha, do that!  What! have you forgotten, Alyosha?  Mind you don’t forget, Alyosha!” was heard from morning till night.  And Alyosha ran here, looked after this and that, forgot nothing, found time for everything, and was always cheerful.