<Tr> <Th> Genre (s) </Th> <Td> Short story </Td> </Tr> <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>

How much the land does a man need