Leo Tolstoy’s Short Story, ‘How Much Land Does a Man Need?’

The famous Russian author tells what happens when enough is never enough.

What we have right now is enough. “A View of Het Steen in the Early Morning,” 1636, by Peter Paul Rubens. Public Domain

Do you ever wish for more money, another car, a new house, more friends? Though such wishes may be harmless, perhaps we should focus on what we do have. For only through deep gratitude will we be happy.

In his short story “How Much Land Does a Man Need?“ Leo Tolstoy tackles the importance of gratitude by contemplating the life of Pahom, a peasant. Pahom desires more land so that he can be completely happy, but his desire for more proves endless: He is never thankful for what he has.

Just a Little More

Pahom lives with his family in a village, where they work the land for their living. Though they have little, he is thankful: “We peasants have no time to let any nonsense settle in our heads. Our only trouble is that we haven’t enough land. If I had plenty of land, I shouldn’t fear the Devil himself!” He just wishes he had a little more land.