Tsar Alexander I of Russia, while visiting England with his servant Platov is shown a number of impressive modern inventions. Platov insists that things in Russia are much better but then they are shown a mechanical flea as small as a crumb with a key to wind it up that can only be seen through a microscope. Nicolas orders Platov to find a Russian to beat the English at this game and Platov travels to Tula to find a gunsmith to do the job.
This novella is a gem of Russian literature. It is one of Leskov's finest works and marks him as ingenious storyteller and stylistic virtuoso.