The two old men

A short story by leo tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy

42 pages, parution le 14/09/2022

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Résumé

Faith, sacrifice, and moral legacy - a timeless spiritual parable from Tolstoy In The Two Old Men, Leo Tolstoy crafts a short yet profound story about two elderly peasants, Efim and Elisha, who set out on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. As they travel, their paths diverge: one pushes forward toward the Holy Land, while the other stops to care for a starving, plague-stricken village. What begins as a religious journey becomes a powerful meditation on true charity and spiritual purpose. First translated into English by Leo Wiener, this compact tale reflects Tolstoy's deep ethical concerns and his belief in the primacy of action over ritual. The story challenges readers to ask: What is the real meaning of devotion? Is it found in holy destinations, or in acts of compassion? A concise masterpiece, blending moral clarity with narrative grace - ideal for fans of spiritual fiction, Russian classics, and philosophical storytelling. A must-read for admirers of Dostoevsky, Chekhov, and Kierkegaard - this is Tolstoy at his most distilled and humane. "Two Old Men" ("Два старика") is a short story by Leo Tolstoy written in 1885. It is a religious piece that was translated to English by Leo Wiener in 1904. The story is the retold in a sermon by Benedictine monk David Steindl-Rast, who concludes his retelling with, "Who really got the goal of pilgrimage?" The story is included in numerous Tolstoy collections, such as "Twenty Three Tales" (1924) and "Leo Tolstoy's 20 Greatest Short Stories" (2009).