A Little Hero
A Little Hero is a short story written by Fyodor Dostoevsky and first published in 1849.
A Little Hero tells the story of an 11-year-old boy who is invited to a relative's party on the outskirts of Moscow. All the stimuli are new and unfamiliar to him: the people, the music, the party. All this seen through the innocence and vision of a child.
There he meets a beautiful adult woman with whom he falls in love. She realises the situation and begins to play pranks on him. Soon after, he also meets a friend of this woman and falls in love with her to such an extent that he tries to prove his bravery to others in an attempt to impress her.
This edition of the short story A Little Hero is based on the translation by Constance Garnett.
"At that time I was nearly eleven, I had been sent in July to spend the hol- iday in a village near Moscow with a relation of mine called T., whose house was full of guests, fifty, or perhaps more..."
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Public domain (US)·No sign-up·DRM-free·Real text, not scans
Copyright note. A Little Hero by Fyodor Dostoevsky is believed to be in the public domain in the United States only. It may still be copyrighted in other countries. If you are not in the United States, please check your local laws to ensure this eBook is in the public domain in your country before downloading A Little Hero in PDF or EPUB.
- Pages
- 39
- Reading time
- 1 hour 16 minutes
- Pace
- Intermediate
- First published
- 1849
- Language
- Russian
- Downloads
- 2,908
177 years later, still timely
Why Read A Little Hero in 2026?
A child observes adult vanity with unblinking clarity. A miniature Dostoevsky: parties, pride, and the birth of conscience.
Today's connection
Short enough for one sitting, rich enough for debate on perspective and moral awakening. It shows how seeing plainly can be its own bravery.
Child’s gaze
Small witness, big truths.
Social theater
Rooms full of masks.
Conscience forming
Feeling right from wrong.
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About the author
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Psychological depth and moral crisis under pressure; fiction that tests conscience, freedom, and society.
