How Much Land Does a Man Need-Tolstoy

8/12/2019 How Much Land Does a Man Need-Tolstoy

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/how-much-land-does-a-man-need-tolstoy 1/9

How Much Land Does a Man Need? 1886

Leo Tolstoy

There once was a peasant named Pahom who worked hard and honestly for his

family !ut who had no land of his own so he always

remained as poor as the ne"t man# $%usy as we are from childhood tillin& mother

earth$ he often thou&ht $we peasants will always

die as we are li'in& with nothin& of our own# (f only we had on r own land it would

!e di)erent#$

Now close to Pahom*s 'illa&e there li'ed a lady a small landowner who had an

estate of a!out three hundred acres# +ne winter the

news &ot a!out that the lady was &oin& to sell her land# Pahom heard that a

nei&h!or of his was !uyin& ,fty acres and that the lady had

consented to accept one half in cash and to wait a year for the other half#

$Look at that$ Pahom thou&ht# $The land is !ein& sold and ( shall &et none of it#$ -o

he spoke to his wife# $+ther people are !uyin&

it and we must also !uy twenty acres or so# Life is !ecomin& impossi!le without

land of our own#$

-o they put their heads to&ether and considered how they could mana&e to !uy it#

They had one hundred ru!les laid !y# They sold a

colt and one half of their !ees hired out one of their sons as a la!orer and took his

wa&es in ad'ance# They !orrowed the rest from a

!rother.in.law and so scraped to&ether half the purchase money# Ha'in& done this

Pahom chose a farm of forty acres some of it

wooded and went to the lady and !ou&ht it#

-o now Pahom had land of his own# He !orrowed seed and sowed it and the

har'est was a &ood one# /ithin a year he had mana&ed

to pay o) his de!ts to the lady and his !rother.in.law# -o he !ecame a landownerplowin& and sowin& his own land makin& hay on

his own land cuttin& his own trees and feedin& his cattle on his own pasture# /hen

he went out to plow his ,elds or to look at his

&rowin& corn or at his meadows his heart would ,ll with 0oy# The &rass that &rew

and the owers that !loomed there seemed to him



unlike any that &rew elsewhere# 2ormerly when he had passed !y that land it had

appeared the same as any other land !ut now it

seemed 3uite di)erent#

Then one day Pahom was sittin& at home when a peasant passin& throu&h the

'illa&e happened to stop in# Pahom asked him where he

came from and the stran&er answered that he came from !eyond the 4ol&a where

he had !een workin&# +ne word led to another and

the man went on to say that much land was for sale there and that many people

were mo'in& there to !uy it# The land was so &ood he

said that the rye sown on it &rew as hi&h as a horse and so thick that ,'e cuts of a

sickle made a sheaf# +ne peasant he said had

!rou&ht nothin& with him !ut his !are hands and now he had si" horses and twocows of his own#

Pahom*s heart was ,lled with desire# $/hy should ( su)er in this narrow hole$ he

thou&ht $if one can li'e so well elsewhere? ( will

sell my land and my homestead here and with the money ( will start fresh o'er

there and &et e'erythin& new#$

-o Pahom sold his land and homestead and cattle all at a pro,t and mo'ed his

family to the new settlement# 5'erythin& the peasant

had told him was true and Pahom was ten times !etter o) than he had !een# He!ou&ht plenty of ara!le land and pasture and could

keep as many head of cattle as he liked#

t ,rst in the !ustle of !uildin& and settlin& down Pahom# was pleased with it all

!ut when he &ot used to it he !e&an to think that

e'en here he was not satis,ed# He wanted to sow more wheat !ut had not enou&h

land of his own for the purpose so he rented e"tra

land for three years# The seasons turned out well and the crops were &ood so that

he !e&an to lay money !y# He mi&ht ha'e &one on

li'in& comforta!ly !ut he &rew tired of ha'in& to rent other people*s land e'ery

year and ha'in& to scram!le to pay for it#

$(f it were all my own land$ Pahom# thou&ht $( should !e independent and there

would not !e all this unpleasantness#$



Then one day a passin& land dealer said he was 0ust returnin& from the land of

%ashkirs far away where he had !ou&ht thirteen

thousand acres of land all for only one thousand ru!les#

$ll one need do is to make friends with the chiefs$ he said# $( &a'e away a!out one

hundred ru!les* worth of dressin& &owns and

carpets !esides a case of tea and ( &a'e wine to those who would drink it and (

&ot the land for less than twopence an acre#$

$There now$ thou&ht Pahom $out there ( can &et more than ten times as much land

as ( ha'e now# ( must try it#$

-o Pahom left his family to look after the homestead and started on the 0ourney

takin& his ser'ant with him# They stopped at a town

on their way and !ou&ht a case of tea some wine and other presents as thetradesman had ad'ised him# +n and on they went until

they had &one more than three hundred miles and on the se'enth day they came

to a place where the %ashkirs had pitched their tents#

s soon as they saw Pahom they came out of their tents and &athered around their

'isitor# They &a'e him tea and kumiss and had a

sheep killed and &a'e him mutton to eat# Pahom took presents out of his cart and

distri!uted them and told them he had come a!outsome land# The %ashkirs

seemed 'ery &lad and told him he must talk to their chief a!out it# -o they sent for

him and e"plained to him

why Pahom had come#

The chief listened for a while then made a si&n with his head for them to !e silent

and addressin& himself to Pahom said7

$/ell let it !e so# hoose whate'er piece of land you like# /e ha'e plenty of it#$

$nd what will !e the price?$ asked Pahom#

$+ur price is always the same7 one thousand ru!les a day#$

Pahom did not understand#

$ day? /hat measure is that? How many acres would that !e?$

9/e do not know how to reckon it out$ said the chief# $/e sell it !y the day s

much as you can &o round on your feet in a day is



yours and the price is one thousand ru!les a day#$

Pahom was surprised#

$%ut in a day you can &et round a lar&e tract of land$ he said#

The chief lau&hed#

$(t will all !e yours:$ said he# $%ut there is one condition7 if you don*t return on the

same day to the spot whence you started your

money is lost#$

$%ut how am ( to mark the way that ( ha'e &one?$

$/hy we shall &o to any spot you like and stay there# ;ou must start from that spot

and make your round takin& a spade with you#

/here'er you think necessary make a mark# t e'ery turnin& di& a hole and pileup the turf then afterward we will &o round with a

plow from hole to hole# ;ou may make as lar&e a circuit as you please !ut !efore

the sun sets you must return to the place you started

from# ll the land you co'er will !e yours#$

Pahom was deli&hted# (t was decided to start early ne"t mornin&# They talked

awhile and after drinkin& some more kumiss and eatin&

some more mutton they had tea a&ain and then the ni&ht came on# They &a'e

Pahom a feather!ed to sleep on and the %ashkirs

dispersed for the ni&ht promisin& to assem!le the ne"t mornin& at day!reak and

ride out !efore sunrise to the appointed spot#

Pahom lay on the feather!ed !ut could not sleep# He kept thinkin& a!out the land#

$/hat a lar&e tract ( will mark o):$ thou&ht he# $( can easily do thirty.,'e miles in a

day# The days are lon& now and within a circuit

of thirty.,'e miles what a lot of land there will !e: ( will sell the poorer land or let it

to peasants !ut (*ll pick out the !est and farm it#

( will !uy two o" teams and hire two more la!orers# !out a hundred and ,fty acres

shall !e plow land and ( will pasture cattle on

the rest#$

Lookin& round he saw throu&h the open door that the dawn was !reakin&#



$(t*s time to wake them up$ thou&ht he# $/e ou&ht to !e startin&#<

He &ot up roused his man =who was sleepin& in his cart> !ade him harness and

went to call the %ashkirs#

$(t*s time to &o to the steppe to measure the land$ he said#

The %ashkirs rose and assem!led and the chief came too# Then they !e&an

drinkin& kumiss a&ain and o)ered Pahom some tea !ut

he would not wait#

$(f we are to &o let us &o# (t is hi&h time$ said he#

The %ashkirs &ot ready and they all started7 some mounted on horses and some in

carts# Pahom dro'e in his own small cart with his

ser'ant and took a spade with him# /hen they reached the steppe the mornin&

red was !e&innin& to kindle# They ascended a hillock

and dismountin& from their carts and their horses &athered in one spot# The chief

came up to Pahom and stretched out his arm toward

the plain#$-ee$ said he $all this as far as your eye can reach is ours# ;ou may

ha'e any part of it you like#$

Pahom*s eyes &listened7 it was all 'ir&in soil as at as the palm of your hand as

!lack as the seed of a poppy and in the hollows

di)erent kinds of &rasses &rew !reast hi&h#

The chief took o) his fo" fur cap placed it on the &round and said7

$This will !e the mark# -tart from here and return here a&ain# ll the land you &o

round shall !e yours#$

Pahom took out his money and put it on the cap# Then he took o) his outer coat

remainin& in his slee'eless undercoat# He unfastened

his &irdle and tied it ti&ht !elow his stomach put a little !a& of !read into the !reast

of his coat and tyin& a ask of water to his &irdle

he drew up the tops of his !oots took the spade from his man and stood ready to

start# He considered for some moments which way

he had !etter &o . it was temptin& e'erywhere#

$No matter $ he concluded $ ( will &o toward the risin& sun#<



He turned his face to the east stretched himself and waited for the sun to appear

a!o'e the rim#

9( must lose no time$ he thou&ht $and it is easier walkin& while it is still cool#$

The sun*s rays had hardly ashed a!o'e the hori@on !efore Pahom carryin& the

spade o'er his shoulder went down into the steppe#

Pahom started walkin& neither slowly nor 3uickly# fter ha'in& &one a thousand

yards he stopped du& a hole and placed pieces of

turf one on another to make it more 'isi!le# Then he went on and now that he had

walked o) his sti)ness he 3uickened his pace#

fter a while he du& another hole#

Pahom looked !ack# The hillock could !e distinctly seen in the sunli&ht with the

people on it and the &litterin& tires of the cart

wheels# t a rou&h &uess Pahom concluded that he had walked three miles# (t was

&rowin& warmer he took o) his undercoat un& it

across his shoulder and went on a&ain# (t had &rown 3uite warm now he looked at

the sun it was time to think of !reakfast#

$The ,rst shift is done !ut there are four in a day and it is too soon yet to turn# %ut

( will 0ust take o) my !oots$ said he to himself#

He sat down took o) his !oots stuck them into his &irdle and went on# (t was easy

walkin& now#

$( will &o on for another three miles$ thou&ht he $and then turn to the left# This

spot is so ,ne that it would !e a pity to lose it# The

further one &oes the !etter the land seems#<

He went strai&ht on for a while and when he looked round the hillock was scarcely

'isi!le and the people on it looked like !lack ants

and he could 0ust see somethin& &listenin& there in the sun#

$h$ thou&ht Pahom $( ha'e &one far enou&h in this direction it is time to turn#%esides ( am in a re&ular sweat and 'ery thirsty#$

He stopped du& a lar&e hole and heaped up pieces of turf# Ne"t he untied his ask

had a drink and then turned sharply to the left# He

went on and on the &rass was hi&h and it was 'ery hot#



Pahom !e&an to &row tired7 he looked at the sun and saw that it was noon#

$/ell$ he thou&ht $( must ha'e a rest#$

He sat down and ate some !read and drank some water !ut he did not lie down

thinkin& that if he did he mi&ht fall asleep# fter

sittin& a little while he went on a&ain# t ,rst he walked easily7 the food had

stren&thened him !ut it had !ecome terri!ly hot and he

felt sleepy still he went on thinkin&7 $n hour to su)er a lifetime to li'e#<

He went a lon& way in this direction also and was a!out to turn to the left a&ain

when he percei'ed a damp hollow7 $(t would !e a

pity to lea'e that out$ he thou&ht# $2la" would do well there#$ -o he went on past

the hollow and du& a hole on the other side of it

!efore he turned the corner# Pahom looked toward the hillock# The heat made the air

ha@y7 it seemed to !e 3ui'erin& and throu&h the

ha@e the people on the hillock could scarcely !e seen#

$h:$ thou&ht Pahom $( ha'e made the sides too lon& ( must make this one

shorter#$ nd he went alon& the third side steppin&

faster# He looked at the sun7 it was nearly halfway to the hori@on and he had not yet

done two miles of the third side of the s3uare# He

was still ten miles from the &oal#$No$ he thou&ht $thou&h it will make my landlopsided ( must hurry !ack in a strai&ht line now# ( mi&ht &o too far and as it is (

ha'e

a &reat deal of land#$

-o Pahom hurriedly du& a hole and turned strai&ht toward the hillock#

Pahom went strai&ht toward the hillock !ut he now walked with diAculty# He was

done up with the heat his !are feet were cut and

!ruised and his le&s !e&an to fail# He lon&ed to rest !ut it was impossi!le if he

meant to &et !ack !efore sunset# The sun waits for no

man and it was sinkin& lower and lower#

$+h dear$ he thou&ht $if only ( ha'e not !lundered tryin& for too much: /hat if (

am too late?$



He looked toward the hillock and at the sun# He was still far from his &oal and the

sun was already near the rim#

Pahom walked on and on it was 'ery hard walkin& !ut he went 3uicker and 3uicker#

He pressed on !ut was still far from the place#

He !e&an runnin& threw away his coat his !oots his ask and his cap and kept

only the spade which he used as a support#

$/hat shall ( do$ he thou&ht a&ain# $( ha'e &rasped too much and ruined the whole

a)air# ( can*t &et there !efore the sun sets#$

nd this fear made him still more !reathless# Pahom went on runnin& his soakin&

shirt and trousers stuck to him and his mouth was

parched# His !reast was workin& like a !lacksmith*s !ellows his heart was !eatin&

like a hammer and his le&s were &i'in& way as if

they did not !elon& to him# Pahom was sei@ed with terror lest he should die of the

strain#

Thou&h afraid of death he could not stop# $fter ha'in& run all that way they will

call me a fool if ( stop now$ thou&ht he# nd he ran

on and on and drew near and heard the %ashkirs yellin& and shoutin& to him and

their cries inamed his heart still more# He &athered

his last stren&th and ran on#

The sun was close to the rim and cloaked in mist looked lar&e and red as !lood#Now yes now it was a!out to set: The sun was 3uite

low !ut he was also 3uite near his aim# Pahom could already see the people on the

hillock wa'in& their arms to hurry him up# He

could see the fo" fur cap on the &round and the money on it and the chief sittin&

on the &round holdin& his sides#

$There is plenty of land$ thou&ht he $!ut will Bod let me li'e on it? ( ha'e lost my

life ( ha'e lost my life: ( shall ne'er reach that

spot:$

Pahom looked at the sun which had reached the earth one side of it had already

disappeared# /ith all his remainin& stren&th he

rushed on !endin& his !ody forward so that his le&s could hardly follow fast enou&h

to keep him from fallin&# 0ust as he reached the



hillock it suddenly &rew dark# He looked up.the sun had already set: He &a'e a cry7

$ll my la!or has !een in 'ain$ thou&ht he and

was a!out to stop !ut he heard the %ashkirs still shoutin& and remem!ered that

thou&h to him from !elow the sun seemed to ha'e

set they on the hillock could still see it# He took a lon& !reath and ran up the

hillock# (t was still li&ht there# He reached the top and

saw the cap# %efore it sat the chief lau&hin& and holdin& his sides# Pahom uttered a

cry7 his le&s &a'e way !eneath him he fell forward

and reached the cap with his hands#

$h that*s a ,ne fellow:$ e"claimed the chief# $He has &ained much land:$

Pahom*s ser'ant came runnin& up and tried to raise him !ut he saw that !lood was

owin& from his mouth# Pahom was dead:

The %ashkirs clicked their ton&ues to show their pity#

His ser'ant picked up the spade and du& a &ra'e lon& enou&h for Pahom to lie in

and !uried him in it#

-i" feet from his head to his heels was all he needed#

How Much Land Does a Man Need-Tolstoy

Documents

Transcript of How Much Land Does a Man Need-Tolstoy