<P> "Promoting a Devil" (also translated as The Imp and the Crust) is a short story by Russian author Leo Tolstoy first published in 1886 . It is a cautionary tale against the dangers of alcohol . </P> <P> The story opens with a peasant preparing to plow a field . Having gone without breakfast, he is careful to hide his dinner, a small crust of bread, under his coat . After plowing the field the peasant is hungry and ready for his dinner, but when he picks up his coat he sees that the bread is gone . It had been taken by a little devil, who was convinced that the peasant would become wrathful . Instead, the peasant decided that whoever took his bread must have needed it more than him, and he went on his way . </P> <P> The little devil is brought before the Chief Devil, who is not pleased that the peasant was not corrupted . He threatens to douse the little devil with holy water if he fails again, and the little devil is sent out for another attempt at corrupting the peasant . </P>

Discuss the central theme in the short story the imp and the peasants bread