Russia. You're an orphan. My mother died from illness, my father from hard work. Since you were ten years old, you've been living with people, in a foster family. They were strict, but they didn't send you away. One day they really needed money, and they decided to offer you to the merchant's son. He agreed. They were hoping to make money out of it. And so, you're sitting on the stove, unaware, and there's a knock on the door, and your stepmother opens it and shouts at you. "Come down now and clean yourself up!"