<Tr> <Th> Publication date </Th> <Td> 1886 </Td> </Tr> <P> "How Much Land Does a Man Require?" (Russian: Много ли человеку земли нужно?, Mnoga li cheloveku zemli nuzhna?) is an 1886 short story by Leo Tolstoy about a man who, in his lust for land, forfeits everything . </P> <P> The protagonist of the story is a peasant named Pahom, who overhears his wife and sister - in - law argue over the merits of town and peasant farm life . He thinks to himself "if I had plenty of land, I shouldn't fear the Devil himself!". Unbeknownst to him, Satan is present sitting behind the stove and listening . Satan abruptly accepts his challenge and also tells that he would give Pahom more land and then snatch everything from him . A short time later, a landlady in the village decides to sell her estate, and the peasants of the village buy as much of that land as they can . Pahom himself purchases some land, and by working on the extra land is able to repay his debts and live a more comfortable life . </P> <P> However, Pahom then becomes very possessive of his land, and this causes arguments with his neighbors . "Threats to burn his building began to be uttered ." Later, he moves to a larger area of land at another Commune . Here, he can grow even more crops and amass a small fortune, but he has to grow the crops on rented land, which irritates him . Finally, after buying and selling a lot of fertile and good land, he is introduced to the Bashkirs, and is told that they are simple - minded people who own a huge amount of land . Pahom goes to them to buy as much of their land for as low a price as he can negotiate . Their offer is very unusual: for a sum of one thousand rubles, Pahom can walk around as large an area as he wants, starting at daybreak, marking his route with a spade along the way . If he returns to his starting point by sunset that day, all the land his route encloses will be his, but if he does not reach his starting point, he will lose his money and receive no land . He is delighted, as he believes that he can cover a great distance and has chanced upon the bargain of a lifetime . That night, Pakhom experiences a surreal dream in which he sees himself lying dead by the feet of the Devil, who is laughing . </P>

How much land does a man need tolstoy summary