Book 1: Chapter 8 Summary

The Russians, Peter and Pavel, are having money troubles and are indebted to an evil man named Wick Cutter. Pavel is injured on a job and is victim of the bad luck that is said to plague the Russians. Pavel is doing very poorly, and Peter comes to fetch A'ntonia and her father. Jim goes along. Coyotes are wailing in the background, and Peter is coughing up blood. Pavel tells a story to Mr. Shimerda which A'ntonia later retells to Jim.

The story is of Peter and Pavel in Russia as members of a wedding party that is returning at night to their home village after the festivities are over. The sledges are under attack by wolves, and at one point, the sleigh Peter and Pavel are on is the only remaining one. Pavel wants to throw the bride off the...