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The Incursion |
| Description: |
|
The Incursion is one of Tolstoy’s earliest published stories, based on his own experiences as a young artillery officer in the Caucasus. It follows a Russian military unit during a campaign against local mountaineers and presents a vivid, realistic account of life in the army, the brutality of war, and the tension between cultures. |
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 |
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
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1852 |
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| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 28 |
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| Extent: |
|
53 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
The Cutting of the Forest |
| Description: |
|
The Cutting of the Forest is an early short story by Leo Tolstoy based on his experiences as a soldier in the Caucasus. It describes a Russian military operation to clear forest land held by mountain tribes during the imperial conquest of the region.
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 |
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
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1855 |
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| Reference: |
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The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 2 |
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| Extent: |
|
33 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Memoirs of a Marker |
| Description: |
|
Memoirs of a Marker is an early satirical short story by Tolstoy, narrated by a professional "marker"—a person hired to keep score during gambling games, often in elite social circles. The story offers a sharp critique of aristocratic decadence, gambling culture, and moral decay among Russia’s upper classes. |
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 |
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
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1855 |
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| Reference: |
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The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 3 |
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| Extent: |
|
14 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Sevastopol Sketches |
| Description: |
|
Sevastopol Sketches is a powerful trio of semi-autobiographical stories written by Tolstoy during his time as an artillery officer in the Crimean War, specifically during the Siege of Sevastopol. The pieces depict the grim realities of war—not through glorified heroism but with brutal honesty. Tolstoy uses shifting perspectives and documentary-style realism to explore the psychological, moral, and emotional toll of war on soldiers and civilians alike. The work criticizes both military bureaucracy and the romanticized narratives of war common in his time. |
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
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1855–56 |
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| Reference: |
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The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 2 |
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| Extent: |
|
104 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
Meeting a Moscow Acquaintance in the Detachment: From the Caucasian Notes of Prince Nekhlyudov |
| Description: |
|
This short story is part of Tolstoy’s Caucasian cycle and is narrated through the voice of Prince Dmitri Nekhlyudov, a recurring character and semi-autobiographical stand-in for the author.
The tale recounts a chance encounter between Nekhlyudov and an old Moscow acquaintance while serving in a military detachment in the Caucasus. |
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
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1856 |
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| Reference: |
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The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 3 |
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| Extent: |
|
20 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
The Snowstorm |
| Description: |
|
The Snow-Storm is a vivid, atmospheric short story drawn from Tolstoy’s early experiences traveling through Russia. It recounts a harrowing nighttime journey taken by a traveler (the narrator) who becomes lost with his guide in a blizzard. |
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
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1856 |
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| Reference: |
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The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 3
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| Extent: |
|
24 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
From the Memoirs of Prince D. Nekhlyudov (Lucerne) |
| Description: |
|
This short piece features Prince Dmitri Nekhlyudov, a recurring character in Tolstoy’s fiction and a semi-autobiographical figure representing the author’s moral and spiritual development. The story is written as a reflective narrative, recalling past events, often with a philosophical or ethical lens. |
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
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1857 |
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| Reference: |
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The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 3
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| Extent: |
|
21 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Albert |
| Description: |
|
Albert is a short and poignant story about a gifted but troubled violinist—Albert—who is both brilliant in his art and broken in his personal life. The narrative centers on the tension between artistic genius and social dysfunction, as Albert, a poor and erratic man, is dismissed by society despite his musical brilliance.
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
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1858 |
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| Reference: |
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The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 3
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|
| Extent: |
|
21 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Three Deaths |
| Description: |
|
Three Deaths is a short allegorical story in which three characters die—a noblewoman, a coachman, and a tree. Each death is portrayed differently, reflecting Tolstoy's philosophical views on truth, nature, and the human condition.
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1859 |
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| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 3 |
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| Extent: |
|
10 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Linen-Measurer (Kholstomer: The Story of a Horse) |
| Description: |
|
Kholstomer is one of Tolstoy’s most original and poignant short stories, narrated from the point of view of a horse. The protagonist, Kholstomer, is an old, once-proud steed reflecting on his life of labor, mistreatment, and neglect. Despite being strong and noble, he was judged negatively because of his unusual piebald coloring, which made him "ugly" in human eyes. |
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 |
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1861 |
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| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 4 |
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| Extent: |
|
30 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
What Men Live By |
| Description: |
|
What Men Live By is one of Tolstoy’s most beloved moral tales, centered on faith, compassion, and the divine presence in everyday life. The story follows a poor shoemaker named Simon, who finds a mysterious, silent man—Michael—on the street and takes him in. As the story unfolds, Michael is revealed to be an angel, sent to learn three lessons about humanity: what dwells in man, what is not given to man, and what men live by. |
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 |
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1881 |
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| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 12 |
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| Extent: |
|
41 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
The Three Hermits |
| Description: |
|
The Three Hermits is a short spiritual parable by Leo Tolstoy that highlights the simplicity of true faith. It tells the story of a bishop who visits three humble hermits living on a remote island. Concerned they don’t know the proper prayers, he tries to teach them formal religious doctrine. Later, the hermits miraculously follow his ship across the sea—on foot—asking him to repeat the prayer because they’ve forgotten it. |
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
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1884 |
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| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 12 |
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| Extent: |
|
6 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Memoirs of a Lunatic |
| Description: |
|
Memoirs of a Lunatic is a deeply introspective story in which Tolstoy explores the spiritual awakening of a man deemed insane by society. The narrator, after a moral and existential crisis, comes to see that the world’s values—wealth, ambition, and social approval—are forms of collective madness. Branded a lunatic for rejecting them, he attains a higher understanding of truth, love, and divine purpose. |
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1884-1903 |
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| Reference: |
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The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 28 |
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| Extent: |
|
11 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Neglect the Fire and You Cannot Put It Out |
| Description: |
|
Neglect the Fire and You Cannot Put It Out is a brief moral parable by Leo Tolstoy that warns of the danger of ignoring small moral failings or early signs of wrongdoing. Using the metaphor of an unattended fire, Tolstoy illustrates how neglecting to address spiritual or ethical issues early on can lead to destruction that becomes impossible to control. The story reflects his later belief in personal responsibility, moral vigilance, and the importance of inner purity and timely action. |
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
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1885 |
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| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 12 |
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| Extent: |
|
14 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
The Candle |
| Description: |
|
The Candle is a short, moral tale by Leo Tolstoy that emphasizes the spiritual value of kindness, honesty, and sincere intention. In the story, a peasant lights a candle in church as a humble offering. Though mocked by others and unnoticed by the clergy, his simple act is revealed to be more pleasing to God than the grand, prideful donations of the wealthy. |
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
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1885 |
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| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 12 |
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| Extent: |
|
8 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
The Two Old Men |
| Description: |
|
The Two Old Men is a short parable about faith, compassion, and the true meaning of pilgrimage. Two elderly neighbors, Efim and Elisha, set out to visit the Holy Land. Along the way, Elisha stops to help a starving, suffering family and gives away all his provisions, never completing the pilgrimage. Efim continues to Jerusalem and performs all the religious rites. |
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1885 |
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| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 12 |
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| Extent: |
|
19 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Where Love Is, There God Is Also |
| Description: |
|
Where Love Is, There God Is Also is one of Tolstoy’s most famous Christian parables. It tells the story of Martin Avdeitch, a lonely, humble shoemaker who longs to see God. One night, he dreams that Christ will visit him. The next day, he welcomes several people in need—a poor man, a cold woman with a baby, and a hungry child—offering kindness and help to each. |
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1885 |
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| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 12 |
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| Extent: |
|
11 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Texts for Chapbook Illustrations |
| Description: |
|
Texts for Chapbook Illustrations is a series of short, descriptive commentaries Leo Tolstoy wrote to accompany popular folk illustrations (lubok prints). Each text offers a moral, social, or spiritual reflection inspired by a traditional image, making them accessible for peasant readers. Tolstoy used these illustrations as a tool for popular education, pairing vivid pictures with brief texts that taught Christian values, social awareness, and ethical living. |
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1885 |
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| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 12 |
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| Extent: |
|
10 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
A Fairy-Tale About Ivan the Fool and His Two Brothers |
| Description: |
|
This satirical fairy tale by Tolstoy follows Ivan the Fool, a kind-hearted, simple peasant, and his two ambitious brothers—a proud soldier and a greedy merchant. When the Devil tries to tempt and ruin all three, only Ivan resists through his honesty, humility, and goodness. Despite his seeming foolishness, Ivan prospers by helping others and rejecting violence, wealth, and power.
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1885 |
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| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 12 |
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| Extent: |
|
27 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Popular Legends |
| Description: |
|
How the Devil Redeemed the Crust of Bread; The Repentant Sinner; The Kernel of the Size of a Hen’s Egg; How Much Land a Man Needs; The Godson; |
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 |
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1886 |
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| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 17 |
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| Extent: |
|
36 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Two Wayfarers |
| Description: |
|
Two Wayfarers is a short moral parable about compassion, humility, and the meaning of true faith. It tells of two travelers—a proud, self-righteous man and a humble, kind one—who encounter hardship on their journey. |
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1886 |
|
| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 28 |
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| Extent: |
|
3 p. |
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| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Three Sons |
| Description: |
|
Three Sons is a short moral parable in which a father tests his three sons to see who is most capable of managing the household after him. Each son demonstrates different abilities—one in physical labor, one in financial matters, and one in caring for people and fostering harmony. |
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PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1892 |
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| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 17 |
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| Extent: |
|
3 p. |
|
| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Labourer Emelyán and the Empty Drum |
| Description: |
|
Labourer Emelyán and the Empty Drum is a satirical parable in which a poor laborer named Emelyán learns that the noise of an empty drum is used to frighten and control people. Discovering the trick, he exposes it, showing that the power of oppressors often depends on illusion and fear rather than real strength. |
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|
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1892 |
|
| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 17 |
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| Extent: |
|
9 p. |
|
| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
The Memoirs of a Mother |
| Description: |
|
The Memoirs of a Mother is a poignant short story in which Tolstoy explores maternal love, grief, and moral awakening. Told through the reflections of a mother who has lost her child, the story examines the depth of human sorrow and the search for spiritual meaning amid suffering. |
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|
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1893 |
|
| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 28 |
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| Extent: |
|
10 p. |
|
| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
|
| |
| |
The Young Tsar |
| Description: |
|
The Young Tsar is an allegorical tale about a newly crowned ruler who dreams of the injustice and suffering caused by his power and privilege. In the dream, he witnesses the oppression of the poor and the moral corruption of those who serve him. Awaking in anguish, he realizes the heavy moral responsibility of leadership and vows to rule with compassion and justice. |
|
 |
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1894 |
|
| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 27 |
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| Extent: |
|
11 p. |
|
| Tags: |
|
Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Master and Workman |
| Description: |
|
Master and Workman is a powerful moral story about a wealthy landowner, Brekhunov, and his servant, Nikita, who set out on a journey during a snowstorm. When they become lost in the freezing wilderness, Brekhunov initially thinks only of saving himself. But as death approaches, he experiences a profound spiritual awakening and sacrifices his life to save Nikita, discovering the meaning of love and selflessness in his final moments. |
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 |
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1895 |
|
| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 19 |
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| Extent: |
|
43 p. |
|
| Tags: |
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Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Father Vasily: A Fragment |
| Description: |
|
Father Vasily: A Fragment is an unfinished piece that reflects Tolstoy’s late religious thought and moral concerns. The story centers on Father Vasily, a priest who begins to question the truth and purpose of church rituals and his own role within the institution. |
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|
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1902 |
|
| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 28 |
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| Extent: |
|
7 p. |
|
| Tags: |
|
Fiction, Short Stories, Unfinished |
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| |
| |
After the Dance |
| Description: |
|
After the Dance is a poignant story about innocence, love, and moral awakening. The narrator, Ivan Vasilievich, recalls a night of joy and romance at a grand ball, where he falls deeply in love with a colonel’s daughter. The next morning, he witnesses the same colonel brutally punishing a soldier, shattering his idealistic view of society and love. The story contrasts beauty and cruelty, showing how a single experience can change a person’s entire outlook on life. |
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|
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1903 |
|
| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 27 |
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| Extent: |
|
8 p. |
|
| Tags: |
|
Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
The Overthrow of Hell and Its Restoration |
| Description: |
|
A retelling of a legend written by Tolstoy in 1903 as an “illustration” to the article “Appeal to the Clergy.” The source was a legend told to him in 1879 by V. P. Shchegolenok. |
|
 |
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1903 |
|
| Reference: |
|
The Overthrow of Hell and Its Restoration |
|
| Extent: |
|
3 p. |
|
| Tags: |
|
Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
Alyosha the Pot |
| Description: |
|
Alyosha the Pot is one of Tolstoy’s simplest yet most deeply moving stories. It tells of Alyosha, a humble and obedient young servant who lives a life of quiet duty, kindness, and innocence. Though unnoticed and unappreciated, he embodies true Christian virtues—humility, love, and selflessness—until his untimely death. Through Alyosha’s modest life, Tolstoy illustrates the moral greatness found in ordinary goodness and the purity of a heart unspoiled by pride or ambition. |
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|
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1905 |
|
| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 27 |
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| Extent: |
|
5 p. |
|
| Tags: |
|
Fiction, Short Stories |
|
| |
| |
The Posthumous Papers of the Hermit, Fedor Kusmich |
| Description: |
|
The Posthumous Papers of the Hermit, Fedor Kusmich is a reflective tale inspired by a Russian legend that Tsar Alexander I did not die in 1825 but lived on in secret as a humble hermit named Fedor Kusmich. Tolstoy uses this story to explore themes of repentance, spiritual transformation, and the rejection of worldly power. |
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|
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1905 |
|
| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 28 |
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| Extent: |
|
16 p. |
|
| Tags: |
|
Fiction, Short Stories |
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| |
| |
My Dream |
| Description: |
|
My Dream is a brief allegorical story in which Tolstoy recounts a vivid dream that reveals his deepest moral and spiritual concerns. In the dream, he witnesses the suffering, injustice, and moral blindness of humanity, leading him to reflect on the illusion of progress and the need for inner transformation. |
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|
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1906 |
|
| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 27 |
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| Extent: |
|
10 p. |
|
| Tags: |
|
Fiction, Short Stories |
|
| |
| |
The Wisdom of Children |
| Description: |
|
The Wisdom of Children is a gentle and reflective story in which Tolstoy contrasts the innocence and moral clarity of children with the corruption and hypocrisy of adults. Through simple dialogue and everyday scenes, he reveals how children often understand truth, kindness, and fairness more naturally than those burdened by pride or social ambition. |
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|
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1908 |
|
| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 28 |
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| Extent: |
|
53 p. |
|
| Tags: |
|
Fiction, Short Stories |
|
| |
| |
There Are No Guilty People |
| Description: |
|
There Are No Guilty People is one of Tolstoy’s final works, written shortly before his death. The story presents the reflections of a man sentenced to death, who comes to see that every person is both guilty and innocent, shaped by forces beyond individual control. Through this meditation on justice, punishment, and compassion, Tolstoy condemns the death penalty and all forms of retribution. |
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|
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1909 |
|
| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 27 |
|
| Extent: |
|
10 p. |
|
| Tags: |
|
Fiction, Short Stories |
|
| |
| |
Three Days in the Village |
| Description: |
|
Three Days In The Village; Singing In The Village; Traveller And Peasant; A Talk With A Wayfarer; From The Diary; |
|
 |
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1910 |
|
| Reference: |
|
Three Days in the Village |
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| Extent: |
|
44 p. |
|
| Tags: |
|
Fiction, Short Stories |
|
| |
| |
Khodinka: An Incident of the Coronation of Nicholas II |
| Description: |
|
Khodinka: An Incident of the Coronation of Nicholas II is Tolstoy’s somber reflection on the Khodynka Tragedy, when over a thousand people were crushed to death during the coronation festivities of Tsar Nicholas II in Moscow. |
|
|
PDF
EPUB |
| Date: |
|
1910 |
|
| Reference: |
|
The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 28 |
|
| Extent: |
|
8 p. |
|
| Tags: |
|
Fiction, Short Stories |
|
| |
| |