A six-year-old girl named Fyokla came sprinting through a village. The hamlet was bracing itself for a storm. Fyokla was inquiring about each "uncle" (how she calls the people in the village).
The assistance of a man named Terenty, who is described as "a tall elderly man with a thin, pock-marked face, very long legs, and bare feet, clad in a woman's ragged jacket," was provided to Fyokla. He does not appear to be the heroic type.
Fyokla requested assistance in releasing her brother Danilka, whose arm had become entangled in a tree. The storm did not deter Terenty from assisting Fyokla's brother and assuring Fyokla in a fatherly manner that he would free him.
He rescued Danilka, and the kids loved him. Despite his appearance, Terenty is a naturalist who knows every secret in nature. He's omniscient. The villagers know him well, but the kids adore him for his willingness to teach and mentor the two orphans.
Children spend the day with the old man. All three go to a barn that is empty. Terenty shows that she cares about the two orphaned children. Afterward, Terenty comes back and puts bread under their heads and prays for them while they sleep. He does this to make the lives of Fyokla and Danilka a little better than his own.
