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Ivan the Fool (story)

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him (the wise having fled Ivan's rule) and treat the invaders so well that the soldiers all desert. The Old Devil then transforms himself into a nobleman and offers to build Ivan a palace and factories. At first, the people work for him, but once they have enough gold, they stop. They will not even sell him any food. He then spends days talking to the people, to instruct them on how to use their brains rather than their hands to do their work, but they are unimpressed. When he becomes faint from hunger, he asks for bread. They laugh at him, and he collapses. Defeated, he disappears through a hole in the ground.
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The devil heals him with a root. With that accomplished, Ivan lets the devil go, but by innocently blessing him in God's name causes the devil to disappear. Simeon's devil, his assigned work finished, plagues Ivan, but Ivan finds him too, and the same sort of thing happens. For sparing his life, the devil shows Ivan how to create soldiers from straw. Once again, Ivan lets him go with God's blessing, causing the devil to vanish. The third devil suffers the same fate, after showing Ivan how to make gold using oak leaves.
1082: 205: 47: 132:. Though his brothers are easily tempted by money and military power, unsophisticated Ivan, with his simple way of life, defeats the treacherous devil. Ivan eventually becomes the ruler of the country despite the lack of a standing army or currency. All of the citizens are welcome at Ivan's table, where workers are fed first and intellectuals (those without 100:
bushels of coins for Tarras. Simeon conquers a kingdom, while Tarras has plenty of money, but they are not satisfied. They go to Ivan and demand more soldiers and gold. This time, however, Ivan refuses, as he has learned that they have caused misery with his gifts. Simeon then gives Tarras half his kingdom in exchange for half of Tarras's gold.
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One day, the Czar's daughter becomes ill. The Czar offers a rich reward and her hand in marriage to any man who can cure her. Ivan gives his last magic healing root to an ailing old woman, but still goes to see the daughter. The instant he reaches her balcony, she is cured. They are married, and when
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The third devil makes Ivan sick and sees to it that his plowing becomes much more difficult, but Ivan just works harder and overcomes the obstacles. Ivan discovers his little devil and is about to kill him, but the devil offers a wish in exchange for his life. Ivan wishes to be cured of his sickness.
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The Old Devil is greatly displeased that, due to Ivan's generosity, there is no conflict between the brothers, so he assigns a little devil to each brother to cause trouble. Simeon's devil fills him with excessive courage, leading to a disaster on the battlefield. For his failure, Simeon is scheduled
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The Old Devil goes to Ivan disguised as a General and offers to form a powerful army from his subjects. Ivan does not object, but his people are not interested, and Ivan does not force them to enlist. The Old Devil then incites the ruler of another country to invade, but Ivan's people are fools like
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The Old Devil becomes impatient, waiting for his little devils to return, and sets out to do their job himself. He shows Simeon how to strengthen his army. Simeon conquers a neighboring country, but when he attacks India, he is defeated. The Old Devil then sets up as a merchant in Tarras's kingdom.
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Simeon and Tarras leave the family farm. Simeon becomes a great soldier and marries a noble's daughter, but despite being granted an estate and high rank, runs out of money because of his spendthrift wife. He goes home and demands a third share of his father's wealth. His father is unwilling to do
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Ivan invites his brothers to a feast, but they decline, so Ivan hosts the village peasants. He gives them gold coins, then creates soldiers to sing and dance for them, before turning the soldiers back into straw. When Ivan's brothers find out what he can do, he conjures up an army for Simeon and
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Simeon is feared by all, while Tarras still collects taxes, despite having more money than he needs. Ivan, on the other hand, does not enjoy being a ruler. He sends for his parents and sister and resumes his old life. His wife, after thinking it over, joins him.
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for execution, but escapes from prison and returns home. The devil assigned to Tarras inflames his greed; he spends all of his money and borrows more to buy goods. He cannot pay back the loans, so he too flees home. Neither brother treats Ivan with any respect.
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Tarras becomes a rich merchant. However, his greed drives him to also insist on his share. His father objects, but Ivan again readily agrees to his brother's demands.
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so, as Ivan and Martha are the ones who helped him prosper, but Ivan has no objection, and Simeon receives his share.
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It describes the struggles of three brothers and a sister, the offspring of a rich peasant, against the Old Devil:
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He pays more than Tarras for workers and goods, no matter how much Tarras offers, so Tarras's money is useless.
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the Czar dies, Ivan has a kingdom, just like his brothers.
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Although the story is usually considered a children's
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Tarras-Briukhan or "Tarras the fat belly", a merchant
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The Triumph of the Farmer or Industry and Parasitism
1098: 183:Complete Text, Translated by Adolphus Norraikow 193:Complete Text, Translated by Constance Garnett 235: 880:Posthumous Notes of the Hermit Fëdor Kuzmich 242: 228: 962:Lev Tolstoy and the Russia of Nicholas II 53: 45: 1099: 394:Walk in the Light While There is Light 223: 13: 474:Recollections of a Billiard-marker 14: 1138: 160: 16:Russian fairy tale by Leo Tolstoy 1081: 1080: 822:The Kingdom of God Is Within You 739:The Light Shines in the Darkness 203: 136:on their hands) have to eat the 249: 39:" alludes to a popular hero of 35:, published in 1886. The name " 656:A Dialogue Among Clever People 607:How Much Land Does a Man Need? 579:Evil Allures, But Good Endures 1: 642:The Two Brothers and the Gold 516:God Sees the Truth, But Waits 166:Complete Text, Translated by 1117:Short stories by Leo Tolstoy 954:Departure of a Grand Old Man 523:The Prisoner of the Caucasus 7: 747:The Fruits of Enlightenment 213:public domain audiobook at 150:Bibliography of Leo Tolstoy 143: 119: 62: 10: 1143: 1076: 1037: 1009: 930: 889: 863: 845:The Inevitable Revolution 773: 714: 684:Work, Death, and Sickness 663:The Coffee-House of Surat 460:The Cutting of the Forest 444: 345: 270: 257: 1127:The Devil in fairy tales 991:Story of One Appointment 386:The Death of Ivan Ilyich 1058:Aylmer and Louise Maude 1063:Translators of Tolstoy 782:A History of Yesterday 59: 51: 723:The Power of Darkness 565:Where Love Is, God Is 354:A Landowner's Morning 57: 49: 853:A Calendar of Wisdom 1122:Christian anarchism 1107:Russian fairy tales 948:Christian anarchism 838:A Letter to a Hindu 814:What Is to Be Done? 798:The Gospel in Brief 763:The Cause of It All 731:The First Distiller 558:An Old Acquaintance 467:Sevastopol Sketches 402:The Kreutzer Sonata 29:literary fairy tale 1112:1886 short stories 1022:Tolstoj quadrangle 965:(1928 documentary) 943:Tolstoyan movement 649:A Lost Opportunity 586:Wisdom of Children 544:Diary of a Lunatic 509:The Porcelain Doll 155:Twenty-Three Tales 60: 52: 1094: 1093: 1053:Vladimir Chertkov 755:The Living Corpse 600:Promoting a Devil 593:The Three Hermits 434:The Forged Coupon 71:Simeon, a soldier 1134: 1084: 1083: 1068:Tolstoy scholars 978:The Last Station 628:Croesus and Fate 551:Quench the Spark 537:What Men Live By 370:Family Happiness 244: 237: 230: 221: 220: 207: 206: 41:Russian folklore 1142: 1141: 1137: 1136: 1135: 1133: 1132: 1131: 1097: 1096: 1095: 1090: 1072: 1033: 1005: 938:Yasnaya Polyana 931:Life and legacy 926: 885: 872:The Decembrists 859: 769: 710: 698:Alyosha the Pot 691:Three Questions 440: 341: 266: 253: 248: 204: 163: 146: 122: 65: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1140: 1130: 1129: 1124: 1119: 1114: 1109: 1092: 1091: 1089: 1088: 1077: 1074: 1073: 1071: 1070: 1065: 1060: 1055: 1050: 1041: 1039: 1035: 1034: 1032: 1031: 1030: 1029: 1019: 1013: 1011: 1007: 1006: 1004: 1003: 995: 987: 982: 974: 966: 958: 950: 945: 940: 934: 932: 928: 927: 925: 924: 918: 912: 906: 900: 893: 891: 887: 886: 884: 883: 876: 867: 865: 861: 860: 858: 857: 849: 841: 834: 826: 818: 810: 806:What I Believe 802: 794: 786: 777: 775: 771: 770: 768: 767: 759: 751: 743: 735: 727: 718: 716: 712: 711: 709: 708: 705:After the Ball 701: 694: 687: 680: 673: 670:The Young Tsar 666: 659: 652: 645: 638: 631: 624: 617: 610: 603: 596: 589: 582: 575: 568: 561: 554: 547: 540: 533: 526: 519: 512: 505: 498: 491: 484: 477: 470: 463: 456: 448: 446: 442: 441: 439: 438: 430: 426:Father Sergius 422: 418:Master and Man 414: 406: 398: 390: 382: 374: 366: 358: 349: 347: 343: 342: 340: 339: 331: 323: 315: 307: 299: 291: 283: 274: 272: 268: 267: 265: 264: 258: 255: 254: 247: 246: 239: 232: 224: 218: 217: 201: 200: 199: 191: 190: 189: 181: 180: 179: 162: 161:External links 159: 158: 157: 152: 145: 142: 121: 118: 82: 81: 80:Martha, a mute 78: 75: 72: 64: 61: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1139: 1128: 1125: 1123: 1120: 1118: 1115: 1113: 1110: 1108: 1105: 1104: 1102: 1087: 1079: 1078: 1075: 1069: 1066: 1064: 1061: 1059: 1056: 1054: 1051: 1048: 1047: 1043: 1042: 1040: 1036: 1028: 1025: 1024: 1023: 1020: 1018: 1015: 1014: 1012: 1008: 1001: 1000: 996: 993: 992: 988: 986: 983: 980: 979: 975: 972: 971: 967: 964: 963: 959: 956: 955: 951: 949: 946: 944: 941: 939: 936: 935: 933: 929: 922: 919: 916: 913: 910: 907: 904: 901: 898: 895: 894: 892: 888: 881: 877: 874: 873: 869: 868: 866: 862: 855: 854: 850: 847: 846: 842: 839: 835: 832: 831: 827: 824: 823: 819: 816: 815: 811: 808: 807: 803: 800: 799: 795: 792: 791: 787: 784: 783: 779: 778: 776: 772: 765: 764: 760: 757: 756: 752: 749: 748: 744: 741: 740: 736: 733: 732: 728: 725: 724: 720: 719: 717: 713: 706: 702: 699: 695: 692: 688: 685: 681: 678: 674: 671: 667: 664: 660: 657: 653: 650: 646: 643: 639: 636: 632: 629: 625: 622: 618: 615: 611: 608: 604: 601: 597: 594: 590: 587: 583: 580: 576: 573: 572:Ivan the Fool 569: 566: 562: 559: 555: 552: 548: 545: 541: 538: 534: 531: 530:The Bear Hunt 527: 524: 520: 517: 513: 510: 506: 503: 499: 496: 492: 489: 485: 482: 481:The Snowstorm 478: 475: 471: 468: 464: 461: 457: 454: 450: 449: 447: 445:Short stories 443: 436: 435: 431: 428: 427: 423: 420: 419: 415: 412: 411: 407: 404: 403: 399: 396: 395: 391: 388: 387: 383: 380: 379: 375: 372: 371: 367: 364: 363: 359: 356: 355: 351: 350: 348: 344: 337: 336: 332: 329: 328: 324: 321: 320: 319:Anna Karenina 316: 313: 312: 311:War and Peace 308: 305: 304: 300: 297: 296: 292: 289: 288: 284: 281: 280: 276: 275: 273: 269: 263: 260: 259: 256: 252: 245: 240: 238: 233: 231: 226: 225: 222: 216: 212: 211: 210:Ivan the Fool 202: 198: 195: 194: 192: 188: 187:at Wikisource 185: 184: 182: 178: 177:at Wikisource 175: 174: 173: 169: 165: 164: 156: 153: 151: 148: 147: 141: 139: 135: 131: 127: 117: 113: 109: 105: 101: 97: 93: 89: 86: 79: 76: 73: 70: 69: 68: 56: 50:Ivan the Fool 48: 44: 42: 38: 37:Ivan the Fool 34: 30: 26: 22: 21:Ivan the Fool 1044: 1017:Tolstoy Farm 997: 989: 981:(1990 novel) 977: 968: 960: 953: 870: 851: 843: 830:What Is Art? 828: 820: 812: 804: 796: 788: 780: 761: 753: 745: 737: 729: 721: 571: 502:Three Deaths 432: 424: 416: 408: 400: 392: 384: 376: 368: 360: 352: 333: 327:Resurrection 325: 317: 309: 303:The Cossacks 301: 293: 285: 277: 262:Bibliography 209: 172:Aylmer Maude 168:Louise Maude 130:Christianity 123: 114: 110: 106: 102: 98: 94: 90: 87: 83: 77:Ivan, a fool 66: 27:(in fact, a 20: 18: 1002:(2022 film) 994:(2018 film) 973:(1984 film) 970:Lev Tolstoy 957:(1912 film) 915:Lev Lvovich 774:Non-fiction 362:Two Hussars 335:Hadji Murat 251:Leo Tolstoy 197:at Bartleby 33:Leo Tolstoy 25:short story 1101:Categories 985:2009 film) 923:(daughter) 905:(daughter) 864:Unfinished 790:Confession 635:Kholstomer 621:Repentance 378:Polikúshka 126:fairy tale 903:Alexandra 677:Too Dear! 614:The Grain 410:The Devil 279:Childhood 138:leftovers 1086:Category 999:A Couple 882:" (1905) 840:" (1908) 707:" (1911) 700:" (1905) 693:" (1903) 686:" (1903) 679:" (1897) 672:" (1894) 665:" (1893) 658:" (1892) 651:" (1889) 644:" (1886) 637:" (1886) 630:" (1886) 623:" (1886) 616:" (1886) 609:" (1886) 602:" (1886) 595:" (1886) 588:" (1885) 581:" (1885) 574:" (1885) 567:" (1885) 560:" (1885) 553:" (1885) 546:" (1884) 539:" (1881) 532:" (1872) 525:" (1872) 518:" (1872) 511:" (1863) 504:" (1859) 497:" (1858) 490:" (1857) 483:" (1856) 476:" (1855) 469:" (1855) 462:" (1855) 455:" (1852) 453:The Raid 346:Novellas 215:LibriVox 144:See also 134:calluses 120:Analysis 63:Synopsis 1038:Related 921:Tatyana 488:Lucerne 287:Boyhood 1049:(1888) 1027:crater 1010:Honors 899:(wife) 897:Sophia 890:Family 875:(1884) 856:(1910) 848:(1909) 833:(1897) 825:(1894) 817:(1886) 809:(1884) 801:(1883) 793:(1882) 785:(1851) 766:(1910) 758:(1900) 750:(1891) 742:(1890) 734:(1886) 726:(1886) 495:Albert 437:(1904) 429:(1898) 421:(1895) 413:(1889) 405:(1889) 397:(1888) 389:(1886) 381:(1860) 373:(1859) 365:(1856) 357:(1856) 338:(1912) 330:(1899) 322:(1878) 314:(1869) 306:(1863) 298:(1856) 290:(1854) 282:(1852) 271:Novels 917:(son) 911:(son) 715:Plays 295:Youth 31:) by 909:Ilya 170:and 1103:: 140:. 43:. 878:" 836:" 703:" 696:" 689:" 682:" 675:" 668:" 661:" 654:" 647:" 640:" 633:" 626:" 619:" 612:" 605:" 598:" 591:" 584:" 577:" 570:" 563:" 556:" 549:" 542:" 535:" 528:" 521:" 514:" 507:" 500:" 493:" 486:" 479:" 472:" 465:" 458:" 451:" 243:e 236:t 229:v 19:"

Index

short story
literary fairy tale
Leo Tolstoy
Ivan the Fool
Russian folklore


fairy tale
Christianity
calluses
leftovers
Bibliography of Leo Tolstoy
Twenty-Three Tales
Louise Maude
Aylmer Maude
at Wikisource
at Wikisource
at Bartleby
Ivan the Fool
LibriVox
v
t
e
Leo Tolstoy
Bibliography
Childhood
Boyhood
Youth
The Cossacks
War and Peace

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