The story had long been a favorite of his, and his wife Nadezhda had encouraged him to write an opera based on it from the day of their betrothal, when they had read it together.
Era un dos seus contos favoritos dende había moito tempo e a súa muller Nadezhda insistíralle en que escribira unha ópera baseada en dita historia dende o día que se comprometeran, cando a leron xuntos.