
Master and Man
by Leo Tolstoy
'Master and Man' Summary
In this short story, a land owner named Vasili Andreyevich Brekhunov takes one of his peasants, Nikita, for a short journey by sleigh. They are traveling to visit another landowner so that Vasili Andreyevich can purchase a forest. He is impatient and wishes to get there more quickly before other contenders can get there.
The two men find themselves in the middle of a blizzard, but the master, in his avarice, wishes to press on. Due to snow, they find themselves losing the road and getting lost. They eventually find themselves in a town and stop to rest. Vasily Andreyevich decides they must set back out.
The men lose the road and the horse gets tired out, so they decide to try to sleep out the night and find their way in the morning. Nikita, who is not as warmly dressed as Vasily Andreyevich, soon finds himself about to die from hypothermia.
Vasily Andreyevich decides to leave Nikita to die and sets out on his own on the horse. He wanders through the snow in circles and eventually falls off the horse, finding himself back by Nikita and the sleigh. The master attains a spiritual/moral revelation, and Tolstoy repeats one of his famous themes: that the only true happiness in life is found by living for others.
The master then lies on top of the peasant to keep him warm through the cold night. In the morning, peasants dig out the sleigh, which was only half a mile from town. They find Vasily Andreyevich and the horse dead but Nikita is still alive.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
RussianPublished In
1895Authors

Leo Tolstoy
Russia
Leo Tolstoy was a significant figure in Russian literature, known for his novels "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina." These works are celebrated examples of realist fiction, examining human experience...
Books by Leo TolstoyDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

Nouvelles histoires extraordinaires by Edgar Allan Poe
A collection of 30 tales of terror and the macabre by master of the genre, Edgar Allan Poe. This second volume of his "Histoires extraordinaires" incl...

Cecilia de Noël by Mary Elizabeth Hawker
Cecilia de Noël, published in 1891, is a Victorian ghost story told through six distinct viewpoints. This narrative structure, reminiscent of Akira Ku...

The Life Story of a Black Bear by Harry Perry Robinson
Amidst the whispering pines and hidden valleys, a solitary journey unfolds in "The Life Story of a Black Bear" by Harry Perry Robinson. From the depth...

The Red Lamp by Mary Roberts Rinehart
The Red Lamp is a fascinating mystery about a haunted house. William A. Porter, professor of English, inherits a large seaside house from his Uncle Ho...

Muerta Enamorada by Theophile Gautier
La Muerta Enamorada es un cuento romántico que explora la delgada línea que separa la vida y la muerte, el sueño y la realidad. La obra de Gautier es...

Doctor Nikola Returns by Guy Boothby
Years after his initial encounter with Dr. Nikola, Wilfred Bruce, a man of science and reason, finds himself drawn back into the enigmatic doctor's wo...

Cuentos Clásicos del Norte, Primera Serie by Edgar Allan Poe
This book, "Cuentos Clásicos del Norte, Primera Serie" (Classical Tales of the North, First Series) features a selection of Edgar Allan Poe's most ren...

Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
It is a captivating and thought-provoking book that transports readers to the vast landscapes of the American Southwest. This timeless novel, written...

House of Whispers by William Le Queux
In "House of Whispers", a young woman and her blind father reside in a secluded manor plagued by enigmatic whispers. Legend has it that those who hear...

Lullaby by Louisa May Alcott
“Lullaby” is a poignant and reflective poem by Louisa May Alcott, exploring themes of love, loss, and the bittersweet memories of childhood. Alcott us...
Reviews for Master and Man
No reviews posted or approved, yet...