Master and Man
Master and Man is a short story written by Leo Tolstoy and first published in 1895.
In this story we meet Vasili Andreyevich Brekhunov, a rich merchant and his servant named Nikita. The two set out with a horse and sleigh to close a deal. A blizzard catches them in the middle of the journey and puts master, servant, and horse in danger.
Determined to reach the seller before a rival can, they press on and lose the road in the snow. They come across a village and stop there to rest, but Vasili Andreyevich insists that the journey be resumed, and this time the horse tires and the way is gone.
Nikita, far more thinly dressed than his master, begins to freeze. Then Vasili Andreyevich has a difficult choice to make: go on alone and leave his servant to die, or stay with him...
This digital edition of the book Master and Man is based on Louise and Aylmer Maude's translation.
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Public domain (US)·No sign-up·DRM-free·Real text, not scans
Copyright note. Master and Man by Leo Tolstoy 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 Master and Man in PDF or EPUB.
- Pages
- 55
- Reading time
- 1 hour 36 minutes
- Pace
- Intermediate
- First published
- 1895
- Language
- Russian
- Downloads
- 3,217
131 years later, still timely
Why Read Master and Man in 2026?
Snow, pride, and a road that becomes a reckoning. Tolstoy stages a moral reversal with disarming simplicity.
Today's connection
A short, bracing read about possession, compassion, and what finally matters when conditions strip status away.
Nature’s test
Weather as judge and teacher.
Ethical pivot
From self to self-giving.
Direction and destiny
A journey that alters a life.
These collections include Master and Man
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About the author
Leo Tolstoy
Epic realism with intimate ethics; the cadence of daily life turned into vision and care.
