The Kreutzer Sonata and Other Stories

L >> Leo Tolstoi >> The Kreutzer Sonata and Other Stories


The time having arrived, the young devils met in the swamp as agreed,
when each related his experience. The first, who went to Simeon, said:
"I have succeeded in my undertaking, and to-morrow Simeon returns to his
father."

His comrades, eager for particulars, inquired how he had done it.

"Well," he began, "the first thing I did was to blow some courage into
his veins, and, on the strength of it, Simeon went to the Czar and
offered to conquer the whole world for him. The Emperor made him
commander-in-chief of the forces, and sent him with an army to fight the
Viceroy of India. Having started on their mission of conquest, they were
unaware that I, following in their wake, had wet all their powder.
I also went to the Indian ruler and showed him how I could create
numberless soldiers from straw.

"Simeon's army, seeing that they were surrounded by such a vast number of
Indian warriors of my creation, became frightened, and Simeon commanded
to fire from cannons and rifles, which of course they were unable to
do. The soldiers, discouraged, retreated in great disorder. Thus Simeon
brought upon himself the terrible disgrace of defeat. His estate was
confiscated, and to-morrow he is to be executed. All that remains for
me to do, therefore," concluded the young devil, "is to release him
to-morrow morning. Now, then, who wants my assistance?"

The second small devil (from Tarras) then related his story.

"I do not need any help," he began. "My business is also all right. My
work with Tarras will be finished in one week. In the first place I made
him grow thin. He afterward became so covetous that he wanted to possess
everything he saw, and he spent all the money he had in the purchase
of immense quantities of goods. When his capital was gone he still
continued to buy with borrowed money, and has become involved in such
difficulties that he cannot free himself. At the end of one week the
date for the payment of his notes will have expired, and, his goods
being seized upon, he will become a bankrupt; and he also will return to
his father."

At the conclusion of this narrative they inquired of the third devil how
things had fared between him and Ivan.

"Well," said he, "my report is not so encouraging. The first thing I did
was to spit into his jug of quass [a sour drink made from rye],
which made him sick at his stomach. He afterward went to plow his
summer-fallow, but I made the soil so hard that the plow could scarcely
penetrate it. I thought the Fool would not succeed, but he started to
work nevertheless. Moaning with pain, he still continued to labor. I
broke one plow, but he replaced it with another, fixing it securely, and
resumed work. Going beneath the surface of the ground I took hold of the
plowshares, but did not succeed in stopping Ivan. He pressed so hard,
and the colter was so sharp, that my hands were cut; and despite my
utmost efforts, he went over all but a small portion of the field."

He concluded with: "Come, brothers, and help me, for if we do not
conquer him our whole enterprise will be a failure. If the Fool is
permitted successfully to conduct his farming, they will have no need,
for he will support his brothers."


CHAPTER III.

Ivan having succeeded in plowing all but a small portion of his land, he
returned the next day to finish it. The pain in his stomach continued,
but he felt that he must go on with his work. He tried to start his
plow, but it would not move; it seemed to have struck a hard root. It
was the small devil in the ground who had wound his feet around the
plowshares and held them.

"This is strange," thought Ivan. "There were never any roots here
before, and this is surely one."

Ivan put his hand in the ground, and, feeling something soft, grasped
and pulled it out. It was like a root in appearance, but seemed
to possess life. Holding it up he saw that it was a little devil.
Disgusted, he exclaimed, "See the nasty thing," and he proceeded to
strike it a blow, intending to kill it, when the young devil cried out:

"Do not kill me, and I will grant your every wish."

"What can you do for me?"

"Tell me what it is you most wish for," the little devil replied.

Ivan, peasant-fashion, scratched the back of his head as he thought, and
finally he said:

"I am dreadfully sick at my stomach. Can you cure me?"

"I can," the little devil said.

"Then do so."

The little devil bent toward the earth and began searching for roots,
and when he found them he gave them to Ivan, saying: "If you will
swallow some of these you will be immediately cured of whatsoever
disease you are afflicted with."

Ivan did as directed, and obtained instant relief.

"I beg of you to let me go now," the little devil pleaded; "I will pass
into the earth, never to return."

"Very well; you may go, and God bless you;" and as Ivan pronounced the
name of God, the small devil disappeared into the earth like a flash,
and only a slight opening in the ground remained.

Ivan placed in his hat what roots he had left, and proceeded to plow.
Soon finishing his work, he turned his plow over and returned home.

When he reached the house he found his brother Simeon and his wife
seated at the supper-table. His estate had been confiscated, and he
himself had barely escaped execution by making his way out of prison,
and having nothing to live upon had come back to his father for support.

Turning to Ivan he said: "I came to ask you to care for us until I can
find something to do."

"Very well," Ivan replied; "you may remain with us."

Just as Ivan was about to sit down to the table Simeon's wife made a wry
face, indicating that she did not like the smell of Ivan's sheep-skin
coat; and turning to her husband she said, "I shall not sit at the table
with a moujik [peasant] who smells like that."

Simeon the soldier turned to his brother and said: "My lady objects to
the smell of your clothes. You may eat in the porch."

Ivan said: "Very well, it is all the same to me. I will soon have to go
and feed my horse any way."

Ivan took some bread in one hand, and his kaftan (coat) in the other,
and left the room.


CHAPTER IV.

The small devil finished with Simeon that night, and according to
agreement went to the assistance of his comrade who had charge of
Ivan, that he might help to conquer the Fool. He went to the field and
searched everywhere, but could find nothing but the hole through which
the small devil had disappeared.

"Well, this is strange," he said; "something must have happened to my
companion, and I will have to take his place and continue the work he
began. The Fool is through with his plowing, so I must look about me
for some other means of compassing his destruction. I must overflow his
meadow and prevent him from cutting the grass."

The little devil accordingly overflowed the meadow with muddy water,
and, when Ivan went at dawn next morning with his scythe set and
sharpened and tried to mow the grass, he found that it resisted all his
efforts and would not yield to the implement as usual.

Many times Ivan tried to cut the grass, but always without success. At
last, becoming weary of the effort, he decided to return home and have
his scythe again sharpened, and also to procure a quantity of bread,
saying: "I will come back here and will not leave until I have mown all
the meadow, even if it should take a whole week."

Hearing this, the little devil became thoughtful, saying: "That Ivan is
a koolak [hard case], and I must think of some other way of conquering
him."

Ivan soon returned with his sharpened scythe and started to mow.

The small devil hid himself in the grass, and as the point of the scythe
came down he buried it in the earth and made it almost impossible for
Ivan to move the implement. He, however, succeeded in mowing all but
one small spot in the swamp, where again the small devil hid himself,
saying: "Even if he should cut my hands I will prevent him from
accomplishing his work."

When Ivan came to the swamp he found that the grass was not very thick.
Still, the scythe would not work, which made him so angry that he worked
with all his might, and one blow more powerful than the others cut off a
portion of the small devil's tail, who had hidden himself there.

Despite the little devil's efforts he succeeded in finishing his work,
when he returned home and ordered his sister to gather up the grass
while he went to another field to cut rye. But the devil preceded him
there, and fixed the rye in such a manner that it was almost impossible
for Ivan to cut it; however, after continuous hard labor he succeeded,
and when he was through with the rye he said to himself: "Now I will
start to mow oats."

On hearing this, the little devil thought to himself: "I could not
prevent him from mowing the rye, but I will surely stop him from mowing
the oats when the morning comes."

Early next day, when the devil came to the field, he found that the oats
had been already mowed. Ivan did it during the night, so as to avoid
the loss that might have resulted from the grain being too ripe and dry.
Seeing that Ivan again had escaped him, the little devil became greatly
enraged, saying:

"He cut me all over and made me tired, that fool. I did not meet such
misfortune even on the battle-field. He does not even sleep;" and the
devil began to swear. "I cannot follow him," he continued. "I will go
now to the heaps and make everything rotten."

Accordingly he went to a heap of the new-mown grain and began his
fiendish work. After wetting it he built a fire and warmed himself, and
soon was fast asleep.

Ivan harnessed his horse, and, with his sister, went to bring the rye
home from the field.

After lifting a couple of sheaves from the first heap his pitchfork came
into contact with the little devil's back, which caused the latter to
howl with pain and to jump around in every direction. Ivan exclaimed:

"See here! What nastiness! You again here?"

"I am another one!" said the little devil. "That was my brother. I am
the one who was sent to your brother Simeon."

"Well," said Ivan, "it matters not who you are. I will fix you all the
same."

As Ivan was about to strike the first blow the devil pleaded: "Let me go
and I will do you no more harm. I will do whatever you wish."

"What can you do for me?" asked Ivan.

"I can make soldiers from almost anything."

"And what will they be good for?"

"Oh, they will do everything for you!"

"Can they sing?"

"They can."

"Well, make them."

"Take a bunch of straw and scatter it on the ground, and see if each
straw will not turn into a soldier."

Ivan shook the straws on the ground, and, as he expected, each straw
turned into a soldier, and they began marching with a band at their
head.

"Ishty [look you], that was well done! How it will delight the village
maidens!" he exclaimed.

The small devil now said: "Let me go; you do not need me any longer."

But Ivan said: "No, I will not let you go just yet. You have converted
the straw into soldiers, and now I want you to turn them again into
straw, as I cannot afford to lose it, but I want it with the grain on."

The devil replied: "Say: 'So many soldiers, so much straw.'"

Ivan did as directed, and got back his rye with the straw.

The small devil again begged for his release.

Ivan, taking him from the pitchfork, said: "With God's blessing you may
depart"; and, as before at the mention of God's name, the little devil
was hurled into the earth like a flash, and nothing was left but the
hole to show where he had gone.

Soon afterward Ivan returned home, to find his brother Tarras and his
wife there. Tarras-Briukhan could not pay his debts, and was forced to
flee from his creditors and seek refuge under his father's roof. Seeing
Ivan, he said: "Well, Ivan, may we remain here until I start in some new
business?"

Ivan replied as he had before to Simeon: "Yes, you are perfectly welcome
to remain here as long as it suits you."

With that announcement he removed his coat and seated himself at the
supper-table with the others. But Tarras-Briukhan's wife objected to the
smell of his clothes, saying: "I cannot eat with a fool; neither can I
stand the smell."

Then Tarras-Briukhan said: "Ivan, from your clothes there comes a bad
smell; go and eat by yourself in the porch."

"Very well," said Ivan; and he took some bread and went out as ordered,
saying, "It is time for me to feed my mare."


CHAPTER V.

The small devil who had charge of Tarras finished with him that night,
and according to agreement proceeded to the assistance of the other two
to help them conquer Ivan. Arriving at the plowed field he looked
around for his comrades, but found only the hole through which one had
disappeared; and on going to the meadow he discovered the severed tail
of the other, and in the rye-field he found yet another hole.

"Well," he thought, "it is quite clear that my comrades have met with
some great misfortune, and that I will have to take their places and
arrange the feud between the brothers."

The small devil then went in search of Ivan. But he, having finished
with the field, was nowhere to be found. He had gone to the forest to
cut logs to build homes for his brothers, as they found it inconvenient
for so many to live under the same roof.

The small devil at last discovered his whereabouts, and going to the
forest climbed into the branches of the trees and began to interfere
with Ivan's work. Ivan cut down a tree, which failed, however, to fall
to the ground, becoming entangled in the branches of other trees; yet he
succeeded in getting it down after a hard struggle. In chopping down the
next tree he met with the same difficulties, and also with the third.
Ivan had supposed he could cut down fifty trees in a day, but he
succeeded in chopping but ten before darkness put an end to his labors
for a time. He was now exhausted, and, perspiring profusely, he sat down
alone in the woods to rest. He soon after resumed his work, cutting down
one more tree; but the effort gave him a pain in his back, and he was
obliged to rest again. Seeing this, the small devil was full of joy.

"Well," he thought, "now he is exhausted and will stop work, and I will
rest also." He then seated himself on some branches and rejoiced.

Ivan again arose, however, and, taking his axe, gave the tree a terrific
blow from the opposite side, which felled it instantly to the ground,
carrying the little devil with it; and Ivan, proceeding to cut the
branches, found the devil alive. Very much astonished, Ivan exclaimed:

"Look you! Such nastiness! Are you again here?"

"I am another one," replied the devil. "I was with your brother Tarras."

"Well," said Ivan, "that makes no difference; I will fix you." And he
was about to strike him a blow with the axe when the devil pleaded:

"Do not kill me, and whatever you wish you shall have."

Ivan asked, "What can you do?"

"I can make for you all the money you wish."

Ivan then told the devil he might proceed, whereupon the latter began to
explain to him how he might become rich.

"Take," said he to Ivan, "the leaves of this oak tree and rub them in
your hands, and the gold will fall to the ground."

Ivan did as he was directed, and immediately the gold began to drop
about his feet; and he remarked:

"This will be a fine trick to amuse the village boys with."

"Can I now take my departure?" asked the devil, to which Ivan replied,
"With God's blessing you may go."

At the mention of the name of God, the devil disappeared into the earth.


CHAPTER VI.

The brothers, having finished their houses, moved into them and lived
apart from their father and brother. Ivan, when he had completed his
plowing, made a great feast, to which he invited his brothers, telling
them that he had plenty of beer for them to drink. The brothers,
however, declined Ivan's hospitality, saying, "We have seen the beer
moujiks drink, and want none of it."

Ivan then gathered around him all the peasants in the village and
with them drank beer until he became intoxicated, when he joined the
Khorovody (a street gathering of the village boys and girls, who sing
songs), and told them they must sing his praises, saying that in return
he would show them such sights as they had never before seen in their
lives. The little girls laughed and began to sing songs praising Ivan,
and when they had finished they said: "Very well; now give us what you
said you would."

Ivan replied, "I will soon show you," and, taking an empty bag in his
hand, he started for the woods. The little girls laughed as they said,
"What a fool he is!" and resuming their play they forgot all about him.

Some time after Ivan suddenly appeared among them carrying in his hand
the bag, which was now filled.

"Shall I divide this with you?" he said.

"Yes; divide!" they sang in chorus.

So Ivan put his hand into the bag and drew it out full of gold coins,
which he scattered among them.

"Batiushka," they cried as they ran to gather up the precious pieces.

The moujiks then appeared on the scene and began to fight among
themselves for the possession of the yellow objects. In the melee one
old woman was nearly crushed to death.

Ivan laughed and was greatly amused at the sight of so many persons
quarrelling over a few pieces of gold.

"Oh! you duratchki" (little fools), he said, "why did you almost crush
the life out of the old grandmother? Be more gentle. I have plenty more,
and I will give them to you;" whereupon he began throwing about more of
the coins.

The people gathered around him, and Ivan continued throwing until he
emptied his bag. They clamored for more, but Ivan replied: "The gold
is all gone. Another time I will give you more. Now we will resume our
singing and dancing."

The little children sang, but Ivan said to them, "Your songs are no
good."

The children said, "Then show us how to sing better."

To this Ivan replied, "I will show you people who can sing better than
you." With that remark Ivan went to the barn and, securing a bundle
of straw, did as the little devil had directed him; and presently a
regiment of soldiers appeared in the village street, and he ordered them
to sing and dance.

The people were astonished and could not understand how Ivan had
produced the strangers.

The soldiers sang for some time, to the great delight of the villagers;
and when Ivan commanded them to stop they instantly ceased.

Ivan then ordered them off to the barn, telling the astonished and
mystified moujiks that they must not follow him. Reaching the barn,
he turned the soldiers again into straw and went home to sleep off the
effects of his debauch.


CHAPTER VII.

The next morning Ivan's exploits were the talk of the village, and news
of the wonderful things he had done reached the ears of his brother
Simeon, who immediately went to Ivan to learn all about it.

"Explain to me," he said; "from whence did you bring the soldiers, and
where did you take them?"

"And what do you wish to know for?" asked Ivan.

"Why, with soldiers we can do almost anything we wish--whole kingdoms
can be conquered," replied Simeon.

This information greatly surprised Ivan, who said: "Well, why did you
not tell me about this before? I can make as many as you want."

Ivan then took his brother to the barn, but he said: "While I am willing
to create the soldiers, you must take them away from here; for if it
should become necessary to feed them, all the food in the village would
last them only one day."

Simeon promised to do as Ivan wished, whereupon Ivan proceeded to
convert the straw into soldiers. Out of one bundle of straw he made an
entire regiment; in fact, so many soldiers appeared as if by magic that
there was not a vacant spot in the field.

Turning to Simeon Ivan said, "Well, is there a sufficient number?"

Beaming with joy, Simeon replied: "Enough! enough! Thank you, Ivan!"

"Glad you are satisfied," said Ivan, "and if you wish more I will make
them for you. I have plenty of straw now."

Simeon divided his soldiers into battalions and regiments, and after
having drilled them he went forth to fight and to conquer.

Simeon had just gotten safely out of the village with his soldiers when
Tarras, the other brother, appeared before Ivan--he also having heard
of the previous day's performance and wanting to learn the secret of
his power. He sought Ivan, saying: "Tell me the secret of your supply of
gold, for if I had plenty of money I could with its assistance gather in
all the wealth in the world."

Ivan was greatly surprised on hearing this statement, and said: "You
might have told me this before, for I can obtain for you as much money
as you wish."

Tarras was delighted, and he said, "You might get me about three
bushels."

"Well," said Ivan, "we will go to the woods, or, better still, we
will harness the horse, as we could not possibly carry so much money
ourselves."

The brothers went to the woods and Ivan proceeded to gather the oak
leaves, which he rubbed between his hands, the dust falling to the
ground and turning into gold pieces as quickly as it fell.

When quite a pile had accumulated Ivan turned to Tarras and asked if he
had rubbed enough leaves into money, whereupon Tarras replied: "Thank
you, Ivan; that will be sufficient for this time."

Ivan then said: "If you wish more, come to me and I will rub as much as
you want, for there are plenty of leaves."

Tarras, with his tarantas (wagon) filled with gold, rode away to the
city to engage in trade and increase his wealth; and thus both brothers
went their way, Simeon to fight and Tarras to trade.

Simeon's soldiers conquered a kingdom for him and Tarras-Briukhan made
plenty of money.

Some time afterward the two brothers met and confessed to each other
the source from whence sprang their prosperity, but they were not yet
satisfied.

Simeon said: "I have conquered a kingdom and enjoy a very pleasant life,
but I have not sufficient money to procure food for my soldiers;" while
Tarras confessed that he was the possessor of enormous wealth, but the
care of it caused him much uneasiness.

"Let us go again to our brother," said Simeon; "I will order him to make
more soldiers and will give them to you, and you may then tell him that
he must make more money so that we can buy food for them."

They went again to Ivan, and Simeon said: "I have not sufficient
soldiers; I want you to make me at least two divisions more." But Ivan
shook his head as he said: "I will not create soldiers for nothing; you
must pay me for doing it."

"Well, but you promised," said Simeon.

"I know I did," replied Ivan; "but I have changed my mind since that
time."

"But, fool, why will you not do as you promised?"

"For the reason that your soldiers kill men, and I will not make any
more for such a cruel purpose." With this reply Ivan remained stubborn
and would not create any more soldiers.

Tarras-Briukhan next approached Ivan and ordered him to make more money;
but, as in the case of Tarras, Ivan only shook his head, as he said:
"I will not make you any money unless you pay me for doing it. I cannot
work without pay."

Tarras then reminded him of his promise.

"I know I promised," replied Ivan; "but still I must refuse to do as you
wish."

"But why, fool, will you not fulfill your promise?" asked Tarras.

"For the reason that your gold was the means of depriving Mikhailovna of
her cow."

"But how did that happen?" inquired Tarras.

"It happened in this way," said Ivan. "Mikhailovna always kept a cow,
and her children had plenty of milk to drink; but some time ago one of
her boys came to me to beg for some milk, and I asked, 'Where is your
cow?' when he replied, 'A clerk of Tarras-Briukhan came to our home
and offered three gold pieces for her. Our mother could not resist the
temptation, and now we have no milk to drink. I gave you the gold pieces
for your pleasure, and you put them to such poor use that I will not
give you any more.'"

The brothers, on hearing this, took their departure to discuss as to the
best plan to pursue in regard to a settlement of their troubles.

Simeon said: "Let us arrange it in this way: I will give you the half of
my kingdom, and soldiers to keep guard over your wealth; and you give me
money to feed the soldiers in my half of the kingdom."

To this arrangement Tarras agreed, and both the brothers became rulers
and very happy.


CHAPTER VIII.

Ivan remained on the farm and worked to support his father, mother, and
dumb sister. Once it happened that the old dog, which had grown up on
the farm, was taken sick, when Ivan thought he was dying, and, taking
pity on the animal, placed some bread in his hat and carried it to him.
It happened that when he turned out the bread the root which the little
devil had given him fell out also. The old dog swallowed it with the
bread and was almost instantly cured, when he jumped up and began to wag
his tail as an expression of joy. Ivan's father and mother, seeing
the dog cured so quickly, asked by what means he had performed such a
miracle.

Ivan replied: "I had some roots which would cure any disease, and the
dog swallowed one of them."