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Jenúfa is in love with Steva and is pregnant by him, but keeps the latter hidden from her family. She is afraid that he will be recruited as a soldier because then they would not be able to get married. Stárek brings the news that Števa does not have to join the army. Jenúfa’s stepmother, the sexton, orders the couple to postpone the wedding for a year. Steva’s half-brother Laca, who is in love with Jenúfa, but whose attempts are rejected, injures Jenúfa’s cheek in a fit of anger and jealousy. In total isolation, Jenúfa gives birth to a son six months later in the sexton’s house. The sexton summons Steva and begs him to marry Jenúfa. However, because of her facial scar, he no longer loves her and becomes engaged to Karolka. Laca still wants to marry Jenúfa, but when he learns that she has had a child, he is horrified. The sexton then decides to kill the child. She tells Jenúfa that the child died when she was ill and encourages her to marry Laca. Two months later, Laca and Jenúfa get married. Just as the sexton is about to give her wedding blessing, the message arrives that a child’s body has been found. When Jenůfa is then accused of murder, the sexton admits guilt. At first Jenúfa is shocked, but at a certain point she understands her stepmother. Jenůfa and Laca, of their own free will, then decide to share their life with each other.
