Ivan the Fool Page #7

"Ivan the Fool" is a novella by Leo Tolstoy that examines the themes of wisdom, folly, and the nature of happiness. The story follows the life of Ivan, a simple and good-hearted peasant who is often regarded as foolish by those around him. Despite his lack of worldly wisdom, Ivan possesses a profound understanding of what truly matters in life—love, kindness, and contentment. Throughout the narrative, Tolstoy contrasts Ivan's humble perspective with the greed and pretentiousness of others, ultimately suggesting that genuine wisdom may reside in sincerity and simplicity rather than in societal conventions. Through a blend of humor and moral reflection, Tolstoy invites readers to reconsider their definitions of intelligence and success.

								

soldiers,” they declared.

“Oh! you fools,” said the old devil, “soldiers may and may not be
killed; but if you disobey Ivan’s orders you will find certain death at
his hands.”

The fools remained absorbed in thought for some time and finally went
to Ivan to question him in regard to the matter.

On arriving at his house they said: “A General came to us with an order
from you that we were all to become soldiers, and if we refused you
were to punish us with death. Is it true?”

Ivan began to laugh heartily on hearing this, and said: “Well, how I
alone can punish you with death is something I cannot understand. If I
was not a fool myself I would be able to explain it to you, but as it
is I cannot.”

“Well, then, we will not go,” they said.

“Very well,” replied Ivan, “you need not become soldiers unless you
wish to.”

The old devil, seeing his schemes about to prove failures, went to the
ruler of Tarakania and became his friend, saying: “Let us go and
conquer Ivan’s kingdom. He has no money, but he has plenty of cattle,
provisions, and various other things that would be useful to us.”

The Tarakanian ruler gathered his large army together, and equipping it
with cannons and rifles, crossed the boundary line into Ivan’s kingdom.
The people went to Ivan and said: “The ruler of Tarakania is here with
a large army to fight us.”

“Let them come,” replied Ivan.

The Tarakanian ruler, after crossing the line into Ivan’s kingdom,
looked in vain for soldiers to fight against; and waiting some time and
none appearing, he sent his own warriors to attack the villages.

They soon reached the first village, which they began to plunder.

The fools of both sexes looked calmly on, offering not the least
resistance when their cattle and provisions were being taken from them.
On the contrary, they invited the soldiers to come and live with them,
saying: “If you, dear friends, find it is difficult to earn a living in
your own land, come and live with us, where everything is plentiful.”

The soldiers decided to remain, finding the people happy and
prosperous, with enough surplus food to supply many of their neighbors.
They were surprised at the cordial greetings which they everywhere
received, and, returning to the ruler of Tarakania, they said: “We
cannot fight with these people—take us to another place. We would much
prefer the dangers of actual warfare to this unsoldierly method of
subduing the village.”

The Tarakanian ruler, becoming enraged, ordered the soldiers to destroy
the whole kingdom, plunder the villages, burn the houses and
provisions, and slaughter the cattle.

“Should you disobey my orders,” said he, “I will have every one of you
executed.”

The soldiers, becoming frightened, started to do as they were ordered,
but the fools wept bitterly, offering no resistance, men, women, and
children all joining in the general lamentation.

“Why do you treat us so cruelly?” they cried to the invading soldiers.
“Why do you wish to destroy everything we have? If you have more need
of these things than we have, why not take them with you and leave us
in peace?”

The soldiers, becoming saddened with remorse, refused further to pursue
their path of destruction—the entire army scattering in many
directions.

CHAPTER XII.

The old devil, failing to ruin Ivan’s kingdom with soldiers,
transformed himself into a nobleman, dressed exquisitely, and became
one of Ivan’s subjects, with the intention of compassing the downfall
of his kingdom—as he had done with that of Tarras.

The “nobleman” said to Ivan: “I desire to teach you wisdom and to
render you other service. I will build you a palace and factories.”

“Very well,” said Ivan; “you may live with us.”

The next day the “nobleman” appeared on the Square with a sack of gold
in his hand and a plan for building a house, saying to the people: “You
are living like pigs, and I am going to teach you how to live decently.
You are to build a house for me according to this plan. I will
superintend the work myself, and will pay you for your services in
gold,” showing them at the same time the contents of his sack.

The fools were amused. They had never before seen any money. Their
business was conducted entirely by exchange of farm products or by
hiring themselves out to work by the day in return for whatever they
most needed. They therefore glanced at the gold pieces with amazement,
and said, “What nice toys they would be to play with!” In return for
the gold they gave their services and brought the “nobleman” the
produce of their farms.

The old devil was overjoyed as he thought, “Now my enterprise is on a
fair road and I will be able to ruin the Fool—as I did his brothers.”

The fools obtained sufficient gold to distribute among the entire
community, the women and young girls of the village wearing much of it
as ornaments, while to the children they gave some pieces to play with
on the streets.

When they had secured all they wanted they stopped working and the
“nobleman” did not get his house more than half finished. He had
neither provisions nor cattle for the year, and ordered the people to
bring him both. He directed them also to go on with the building of the
palace and factories. He promised to pay them liberally in gold for
everything they did. No one responded to his call—only once in awhile a
little boy or girl would call to exchange eggs for his gold.

Thus was the “nobleman” deserted, and, having nothing to eat, he went
to the village to procure some provisions for his dinner. He went to
one house and offered gold in return for a chicken, but was refused,
the owner saying: “We have enough of that already and do not want any
more.”

He next went to a fish-woman to buy some herring, when she, too,
refused to accept his gold in return for fish, saying: “I do not wish
it, my dear man; I have no children to whom I can give it to play with.
I have three pieces which I keep as curiosities only.”

He then went to a peasant to buy bread, but he also refused to accept
the gold. “I have no use for it,” said he, “unless you wish to give it
for Christ’s sake; then it will be a different matter, and I will tell
my baba [old woman] to cut a piece of bread for you.”

The old devil was so angry that he ran away from the peasant, spitting
and cursing as he went.

Not only did the offer to accept in the name of Christ anger him, but
the very mention of the name was like the thrust of a knife in his
throat.

The old devil did not succeed in getting any bread, and in his efforts
to secure other articles of food he met with the same failure. The
people had all the gold they wanted and what pieces they had they
regarded as curiosities. They said to the old devil: “If you bring us
something else in exchange for food, or come to ask for Christ’s sake,
we will give you all you want.”

But the old devil had nothing but gold, and was too lazy to work; and
being unable to accept anything for Christ’s sake, he was greatly
enraged.

“What else do you want?” he said. “I will give you gold with which you
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