The Godson (Tolstoy)
Short summary
A poor peasant's son was born and a mysterious stranger became his godfather. The boy grew up exceptionally gifted.
At ten, he searched for his godfather and found him in a palace with a golden roof.
The godfather forbade opening one sealed door. After thirty years, the godson disobeyed, sat on a throne inside, and used a sceptre to see the world. He intervened in earthly matters and killed a robber to save his mother. As punishment, he had to atone for the robber's sins. A hermit taught him to water three charred stumps until they sprouted. For years, the godson lived as a holy man. A violent robber repeatedly threatened him.
After twenty years, the godson's compassion finally moved the robber to repentance.
You have overcome me, old man. For twenty years I have resisted you, but now you have conquered me. Do what you will with me, for I have no more power over myself.
Detailed summary by chapters
Chapter titles are editorial.
Chapter 1. A peasant seeks godparents for his son
A son was born to a poor peasant who rejoiced and went to his neighbors asking them to stand godfather to the boy. Each neighbor refused, unwilling to be godfather to a poor man's child. After being rejected by everyone in his village, the peasant set off to another village. On the way, he met a stranger who offered to be godfather.
Chapter 2. The child grows up and seeks his godfather
The stranger directed the peasant to a rich tradesman in town whose daughter would serve as godmother. Both godparents appeared at the christening, but the godfather disappeared immediately afterward and was never seen again. The child grew strong and intelligent.
Chapter 3. Meeting the godfather on the road
At age ten, the boy went to give his godmother Easter greetings, then asked his parents about his godfather's whereabouts. They knew nothing about him. The boy set out to find his godfather and met a stranger on the road who revealed himself to be the godfather. He directed the boy to come to his home the next day, describing a house with a golden roof beyond a forest glade.
Chapter 4. The forest glade and the she-bear
Following his godfather's directions, the boy walked eastward to a forest glade where he witnessed a tragic scene. A she-bear and her cubs approached a trough of honey suspended beneath a heavy log. As the bears fed, the log swung back and forth. The she-bear repeatedly pushed it away, but each time it returned with greater force. First it killed a yearling cub, then ultimately crushed the she-bear herself, leaving the remaining cubs to flee into the forest.
Chapter 5. The palace and the sealed room
The boy continued to his godfather's magnificent palace with its golden roof. His godfather welcomed him and showed him through beautiful rooms, but forbade him to open one sealed door, warning him to remember what he had seen in the forest. The godson lived happily in the palace for what seemed like three hours but was actually thirty years. Eventually, curiosity overcame him and he opened the forbidden door, discovering a throne room. When he sat on the throne and took up a sceptre, the walls disappeared and he could see the entire world.
Using his newfound power, the godson intervened in worldly affairs. He helped his father catch a thief named Vasily Koudryashof, warned his godmother about her husband's infidelity, and when he saw a robber threatening his mother, he hurled the sceptre at the intruder, killing him instantly.
Chapter 6. The scepter and divine judgment
The godfather appeared and led his godson down from the throne, explaining his wrongdoings. He showed how the godson's interventions had caused more harm than good: Vasily had become completely corrupt after imprisonment, the godmother's husband had abandoned his family, and the godson's mother was consumed with guilt.
Had you sat here an hour longer, you would have ruined half mankind... by killing him you have taken his sins on yourself. Now you must answer for all his sins.
The godfather explained that the robber had murdered ten men and should have expiated his own sins, but by killing him, the godson had taken those sins upon himself. He was given thirty years to atone for both his own sins and those of the robber, or face taking the robber's place in punishment.
Chapter 7. The godfathers lesson and punishment
When the godson asked how to atone for the sins, his godfather instructed him to walk toward the rising sun and learn from what he observed. The godfather told him he would eventually reach a hermit in the forest who would teach him what to do.
When you have rid the world of as much evil as you have brought into it, you will have atoned both for your own sins and for those of the robber.
Chapter 8. Learning about evil in the world
The godson began his journey, pondering how to destroy evil without taking on more sins. He encountered peasants chasing a calf through a cornfield, trampling the crops. He advised them to stop chasing and let the owner call the calf, which worked perfectly. He then helped a woman clean her table by suggesting she rinse her cloth first, and assisted wheelwrights by telling them to fix their block before bending wood. Finally, he showed drovers how to build their fire properly by letting dry wood burn before adding damp brushwood.
Now I see that evil spreads evil. The more people try to drive away evil, the more the evil grows. Evil, it seems, cannot be destroyed by evil.
Chapter 9. Meeting the hermit and the charred stumps
The godson found a hermit in the forest and told him everything. The hermit led him to cut down a tree, chop it into three pieces, burn them to charred stumps, and plant them in the ground. He instructed the godson to water the stumps with water carried in his mouth from the river, applying the lessons he had learned: the first stump as he taught the woman, the second as he taught the wheelwrights, and the third as he taught the drovers.
Chapter 10. Years of penance and the first sprout
The hermit died, and the godson took his place, spending his days carrying water in his mouth to water the stumps and receiving visitors seeking spiritual guidance. His fame spread as a holy man, and people brought him food and gifts. He lived this way for two years, but none of the stumps sprouted. One day, a robber rode past, boasting of his crimes and threatening the godson.
The godson continued his penance for eight more years. Eventually, he decided to hide from people to avoid the temptation of pride. When he encountered the robber again while trying to leave, he spoke to him about repentance. The robber threatened him, but the next morning, the godson discovered that the first stump had sprouted into a young apple tree.
Chapter 11. The robber returns and the second sprout
The godson lived in hiding for ten more years, mysteriously receiving food that appeared on a tree branch. One day, he encountered the robber again, this time carrying a bound merchant's son whom he planned to torture for information about hidden money. Despite the robber's threats, the godson stood firm and demanded the captive's release.
I do not fear you. I fear no one but God, and He wills that I should not let you pass. Set this man free!
The robber freed his captive, and the next morning the godson found that the second stump had sprouted. He realized the robber had been secretly bringing him food all these years.
Chapter 12. Final confrontation and redemption
After another ten years, the godson's heart filled with joy and pity for mankind. When the robber appeared again, looking gloomy and downcast, the godson approached him with compassion and wept for him.
Brother, dear, have some pity on your own soul! In you lives the spirit of God. You suffer, and torment others, and lay up more and more suffering for the future.
The robber fell to his knees, confessing that the godson had conquered him after twenty years of resistance. He revealed that he had been bringing food and that his heart had gradually softened, especially when he saw the godson's fearlessness and compassion.
Chapter 13. Atonement complete
The godson led the robber to the stumps and discovered that the third had also sprouted. He understood the meaning of his experiences: like the woman who could only clean her table after rinsing her cloth, he could only cleanse others' hearts after purifying his own.
It is only when his own heart burnt warmly, that another's heart had been kindled by it. And the godson was full of joy that he had at last atoned for his sins.
The godson explained everything to the robber and then died peacefully. The robber buried him and continued his work, teaching others what the godson had taught him, thus completing the cycle of redemption and spiritual transformation.