00:00
Support comes from WISE, the smart way to sendmoney around the world.
Your life is global. Your money should be too.
Some providers promise no fees on overseastransfers,
but extra costs often hide in bloated exchangerates.
Choose WISE. You can send money overseas foreducation,
or spend in over 40 currencies while traveling.
Get the exchange rate that you'd usually see onGoogle.
Plus, count on 24-7 customer support.
Be smart. Get WISE. Visit WISE.com. T's and C'sapply.
Welcome to Short Stories with Peter from YourEnglish Toolbox.
Today, an abridged adaptation of How Much LandDoes a Man Need? by Leo Tolstoy.
Listen for a man who keeps moving.
The boundary of enough was a farmer who believedthat one thing stood between him and happiness.
If I had enough land, I would have nothing tofear.
His family worked hard, saved what they could, andbought a small farm.
For a while, Pahom was content with it.
He loved walking through fields that belonged tohim.
But neighbors, animals, wandered onto his crops,and arguments followed.
I need more space where other people cannottrouble me.
He sold his farm and moved with his family to aplace with much more land.
Again, he was pleased until he began comparingwhat he owned with what he might own.
The more he gained, the further away enough seemedto move.
Then a traveler told him about wide-open landbelonging to the Bashkir people.
Pahom set out with a servant, carrying gifts forhis hosts and money for a purchase.
After several days, they arrived among tentsbeside a river.
The hosts welcomed them, and their chief explainedan unusual offer.
Our price is 1,000 rubles for a day.
03:04
How can you sell land by the day?
Walk around as much land as you can betweensunrise and sunset, and it will be yours.
But you must return to your starting point beforethe sun goes down.
If you do not return in time, you lose your moneyand receive no land.
Pahom imagined a huge farm, more than his familycould ever need.
His excitement kept him awake, and an unsettlingdream disturbed his brief sleep.
Before sunrise, the group gathered on a low hilloverlooking the plain.
The chief placed his cap on the ground to mark thestarting point, put the money on it,
and took a spade to mark his boundary.
Remember, you must come back here before sunset.
I understand, and I will not go too far.
He set off at dawn, with cool air on his face andthe grass brushing his legs.
At first, he walked steadily, stopping to cutmarks in the earth.
The soil was rich, and every stretch ahead seemedbetter than the last.
Just a little further, and then I will turn.
But a little further became another field, anotherpatch of grass, another promising piece of ground.
When he finally turned, the hill behind him lookedvery small.
By midday, the sun was hot, and his feet weresore.
He stopped for bread and water, but did not allowhimself much rest.
I can rest later, when all this belongs to me.
Ed lay a damp hollow with especially good grass,and he could not bear to leave it outside his
boundary.
He made another detour, although the afternoon wasslipping away.
At last, he looked towards the hill and understoodhow far he had come.
06:11
I have taken too much, and I am running out oftime.
He abandoned his plan for a neat boundary andheaded straight back.
His legs felt heavy, and the sun seemed to besinking faster with every step.
He began to run, throwing aside the things thatslowed him down.
Now he was out of breath, but still he pressed on.
I must reach the hill before the light disappears.
The waiting people waved their arms and called tohim.
From below the hill, he suddenly lost sight of thesun.
Too late, after all that effort.
Then he realized that the people above him couldstill see it.
With his last strength, he struggled up the slopetowards the cap.
He reached it with his hands and fell forward ontothe ground.
You have gained a great deal of land.
But Pahom did not answer.
His servant knelt beside him and found that he wasdead.
The servant took the spade and dug a grave justlong enough for his body.
After a lifetime of wanting more, Pahom neededonly six feet of earth.
End of the story.
Let's dive into the language and break down someof the key vocabulary from the story.
First, be content with something means feelsatisfied with it, without needing more.
Pahom was content with his farm, but that feelingdid not last.
You might say, I am content with a quiet weekendat home.
Being content does not mean that you can neverhave ambitions.
09:06
It describes feeling that what you have is enough.
Second, set off at dawn means begin a journey whendaylight first appears.
We set off at dawn to avoid walking in the middayheat.
Set off describes the start of the journey, tellsus when.
Run out of time means have no time left orapproach the point when it will be too late.
We are running out of time, so we need to finishthe meeting.
You do not have to be physically running to usethis expression.
Now choose the expression that fits.
You are satisfied with your small flat and do notwant a bigger one.
You are content with your flat.
You begin a walk as the first daylight appears.
You set off at dawn is approaching, but your workis unfinished.
Our episode page has these expressions and morelanguage from the story,
including make a detour and out of breath at yourEnglish toolbox through the link in the
description.
Before you leave, consider one question.
When does wanting more begin to take away whatmatters?
Thank you for listening, and I will see you nexttime.
