How Much Land Does a Man Need?

long time ago, there was a farmer named Pahom in the countryside of Russia. He had 123 acres of land and a pasture. Also, he had a big house which ve family members lived together in. As he kept farming, the number of cattle kept increasing. Pahom had a thought that his land was not big enough. He wanted wider and more fertile lands and had a desire to farm widely and to grow more livestock. All day, Pahom kept thinking about only one thing. How can I have more lands? Then one day a passing dealer happened to stop at Pahoms to get some feed for his horse. He drank tea with Pahom and they had a talk. The dealer said that he was just returning from the land of the Bashkirs, which was far away, where he had bought 13,000 acres of land all for 1,000 roubles. When Pahom heard about the land, he was strongly attracted. Is it true? Is there really a place where the land sells for such a cheap price? Could we really buy 13,000 acres of land all for 1,000 roubles? There must be a catch. It could not be. Look at this title deed. That dealer showed Pahom the title deed, saying: There is more land there than you could cover if you walked a year. In addition, all the lands are very fertile. These are the best lands to farm.
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Pahom thought, I have to go there and buy land. and inquired how to get to Bashkirs. As soon as he bought many presents in the market he started on his journey and took his servant with him. On the seventh day, they came to a place where the Bashkirs had pitched their tents. Pahom met the people and the chief of the town. He greeted them and distributed the presents that he had prepared for them. The chief said: Thank you so much. As the reward for these presents, I will give you anything you ask for. Dont be shy to ask. We will give you whatever you want which belongs to us. Actually, I have never seen this much fertile and wide land. I would like to have some land here for myself. Well, let it be so. Choose whatever piece of land you like; we have plenty of it. Thank you for your kind words. And what will be the price? asked Pahom. Our price is always the same: 1,000 roubles a day. A day? What measure is that? How many acres would that be? We do not know how to reckon it out, said the chief. We sell it by the day. As much as you can go round on your feet in a day is yours, and the price is 1,000 roubles a day. But how am I to mark the way that I have gone? You must start from the spot wherever you want and make
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your round. Take a spade with you and make a mark on the place you passed. All the land you cover shall be yours. But, there is one condition. You may make as large a circuit as you please, but before the sun sets you must return to the place you started from. Otherwise, everything will be invalid. Pahom was delighted. It was decided to start early next morning and they went to bed. Pahom lay on his bed, but could not sleep. He kept thinking about the land. If I walk the whole day, what a large tract I will mark o! thought he. I will make a big pasture in my newly-acquired land and build a good cottage. Pahom lay awake all night, and dozed o only just before dawn. Next morning, Pahom went to a hillock with the people from the town. When they arrived at the hillock, the chief came up to Pahom and stretched out his arm towards the plain: See, said he, All this is ours. You may have any part of it you like. Pahoms eyes glistened: there was wide land in front of his eyes. He could see that it was all virgin soil at a glance. The chief took o his fox-fur cap, placed it on the ground and said: Start from here, and return here again before the sun sets. All
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the land you go round shall be yours. Pahom took the spade from his man, stood toward the east and waited for the sun to rise. I will get the largest and best land above all the people! I must lose no time, he thought. As soon as the sun appeared above the rim, Pahom carried the spade over his shoulder and started to walk toward the meadow. He quickened his pace. He looked at the sun. It was time to think of breakfast. How fast time goes! No way. It had grown quite warm now. I had better take o this outer coat and boots. He took o his outer coat, ung it across his shoulder, took o his boots, stuck them into his girdle, and went on again. He went straight on for a while, and when he looked round, the hillock was scarcely visible and the people on it looked like black ants. Ah, thought Pahom, I have gone far enough in this direction, it is time to turn. Besides I am in a regular sweat, and very thirsty. He stopped, dug a large hole, and heaped up pieces of turf. Next he untied his ask, had a drink, and then turned sharply to the left. He went on and on; the grass was high, and it was very hot. Pahom began to grow tired: he looked at the sun and saw that it was noon. Well, he thought, I must have a rest. He stopped walking to eat lunch. To save the time, to walk
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more and to get more land, he stood up and ate some bread and drank some water. After nishing his lunch, he went on again. At rst he walked easily: the food had strengthened him; but it had become terribly hot, and he felt sleepy; still he went on, thinking: An hour to suer, a life-time to live. He went a long way in this direction also, and was about to turn to the left again, when he perceived a damp hollow. It would be a pity to leave that out, he thought. Flax would do well there. A desire to get this hollow made him not turn and he continued on to the hollow. After he made a mark on it, he looked towards the hillock. The heat made the air hazy: it seemed to be quivering, and through the haze the people on the hillock could scarcely be seen. Ah! thought Pahom, Shall I go back to hillock now? No, as I go further, there are more and more fertile lands. This is too early. This is not the time yet. Pahom stepped faster. To get more land, he proceeded over the pain. He kept walking without thinking and suddenly he looked at the sun. It was nearly half way to the horizon and the sun started to go down. The chiefs saying hit his head. Before the sun sets, you must return to the place you started from. Otherwise, everything will be invalid. No, he thought, I must hurry back in a straight line now. I
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might go too far, and as it is I have a great deal of land. So Pahom hurriedly dug a hole, and turned and went straight towards the hillock. However, he now walked with diculty. He was done up with the heat, his bare feet were cut and bruised, and his legs began to fail. He longed to rest, but it was impossible. The sun waits for no man, and it was sinking lower and lower. In that case, all his eort and money would be in vain. He became hesitant. He began running. Oh dear, he thought, if only I have not blundered trying for too much! What if I am too late? He was still far from his goal, and the sun was already near the rim. Pahom felt serious pain but he pressed on. Still, he was far from the hillock. At last, he threw away his outer coat, his boots, his ask, and his cap, and kept only the spade which he used as a support. Pahom went on running, his soaking shirt and trousers stuck to him, and his mouth was parched. His breast was working like a blacksmiths bellows, his heart was beating like a hammer, and his legs were giving way as if they did not belong to him. Pahom was seized with terror lest he should die of the strain. Though afraid of death, he could not stop. And he ran on and on, and drew near and heard the Bashkirs yelling and shouting to him. He was quite near his aim. Pahom could already see the people on the hillock waving their arms to hurry him up. He
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could see the fox-fur cap on the ground. With all his remaining strength he rushed on, bending his body forward so that his legs could hardly follow fast enough to keep him from falling. Just as he reached the hillock it suddenly grew dark. He looked upthe sun had already set. He gave a cry: All my labor has been in vain, thought he, and was about to stop, but he heard the Bashkirs still shouting, and remembered that though to him, from below, the sun seemed to have set, they on the hillock could still see it. He took a long breath and ran up the hillock. It was still light there. He reached the top and saw the cap. His legs gave way beneath him, he fell forward and reached the cap with his hands. Ah, what a ne fellow! exclaimed the chief. He has gained much land! Pahoms servant came running up and tried to raise him, but he saw that blood was owing from his mouth. Pahom was dead! Because he lost his whole energy to get more land, when he got to the goal, he fell down and died. His servant picked up the spade and dug a grave long enough for Pahom to lie in, and buried him in it. Six feet from his head to his heels was all he needed. How Much Land Does a Man Need? is a short story by Leo Tolstoy. This fun story is like a miniature Sketch of our life. For our whole life time since our birth, we focus our life on how to
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please and satisfy our esh. How can I get and use more money? What shall I drink and eat? How can I have a higher position and more power? If we can live in this earth forever and our esh is everlasting, we might need to live for our esh. However, once we are born in this earth, we realize that someday we will face death. After all, we cannot help but return to dust. . . . till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. (Genesis 3:19) Let us suppose that Pahom could have gained wide land, farmed and gotten a big ranch. Still, he cannot help but die some day and be buried in a six-foot grave. And then, does such a huge land have any meaning ultimately? Even though we live in splendor in the world, if there is nowhere to go when we leave this earth, that life would be just in vain and a stupid one. Nevertheless, today, many people do not see the end of their life and just live to pursue their own desire and carnal pleasure in front of their eyes. The truly wise person is not the one who lives for more enjoyment in this earth but the one who prepares for the day when he will stand up in front of God who created his soul. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)
(Condensed from How Much Land Does a Man Need? by Leo Tolstoy)
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