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Sisters visiting
The older sister lived in town and had everything handed to her, while the younger sister lived in the country and had worked for everything to get by. The younger sister explains how her work is rough but she knows it is sure and nothing could be taken away from her. This is what really sets the stories plot. -
Pahom introduction
Pahom was always looking for new land to have and to farm especially after he heard what a good investment it would be for him. One lady was selling her land to the peasants, and that's when Pahom realized he wanted a ton of land for himself. -
Pahom's first farm investment
Pahom had bought 40 acres from the women and paid half then and paid the other half over two years. He bowered seed and farming equipment and became a land owner. But then all his work was left when grass started growing over it. -
Trespassing
The neighboring peasants had been trespassing on Pahom's land and meadows, he let it go for a while. He never prosocuted any of them until he finally had enough one day when they did more than just trespass. -
The prosecuting
"'I cannot go on overlooking it, or they will destroy all I have. They must be taught a lesson." which is what Pahom had said right before he went to prosecute the peasants for chopping multiple trees. Pahom could not afford for them to destroy all he had, which was the land. But at the end of it all, they had no evidence to whom could've done that to Pahom's land. -
Pahom moving
Pahom figured that he shouldn't stay there because it would cause others to leave as well. So he traveled 300 miles on foot to the place where he stopped. -
25 acres per person
Every man had 25 acres of land for himself as a peasant. But he ended uo going back home by autumn and began selling most of his belongings. As soon as his family found their new settlement, they each got 25 acres, 125 acres all together. -
The land
Pahom had three times the amount of land that he did in his previous home. It was very comfortable and satisfactional to him for ssome time, but once Pahom got used to it, he wanted even more land. He didn't think he had quite enough land anymore. -
Freehold land
Pahom thought about getting freehold land to have a nicer homestead. The question kept popping up to him after renting land for 3 years. He looked out to buy some and came upon a peasant who was selling 13 hundred acres. But then finds out all he needs to do is meet the cheif. -
New land
Pahom migrates to give the Bashkirs presents and they say Pahom can pick whichever piece of land he wants to have and he can have it. After saying this the contemplate about that and end up saying he needs to see the cheif. -
The cheif
Pahom meets the cheif and the cheif says that whatever land Pahom can plow in one day can be all his, but he has to pay for it before it is his. Therefore, if Pahom doesn't make it back to a spot at sunset, the money and the land doesn't belong to him anymore. -
Deal
Pahom goes along with the cheifs idea. Pahom really wants the land and thinks it will be worth while for the land because it is so arable. So they sleep until sunrise, and they give Pahom a feather bed to sleep on. -
The beginning of the day
Pahom has trouble sleeping and wakes up late for the day which sets him a little behind on his plowing of the land. He gets out to the land and he can not wait to get started because he knows he can get many acres of land. -
Day of work
As the day goes on Pahom gets more and more exhausted. He gets thirsty and weak. Pahom loses energy quickly but keeps going because he wants the land and knows one day of suffering will set his life up smoothly. Pahom notices the sun starting to set on the horizon. -
The last straw
Pahom keeps going because he sees wet ladn and thinks it would be a shame if he misses out on it. Before he knows it he is pushing himself and running to get back to the spot before th sunset. He is exhausted and notices the sun has set right before he gets there, but they are yelling for him still because at the top of the hill the sun hadn't set so he keeps running. Pahom gets to the spot in time, the spot where he dies.