The Imp and the Crust (Tolstoy)
Short summary
A poor peasant went to plough his field, bringing bread for breakfast. When he returned to eat, his bread had vanished.
Instead of cursing, he forgave the thief. An imp had stolen the bread, expecting curses, but was dismayed by the peasant's goodness.
The Devil threatened to punish the imp unless he corrupted the peasant within three years.
Disguised as a laborer, the imp helped the peasant grow surplus grain, then taught him to make alcohol. The peasant drank, became mean to his wife, refused hospitality to the poor, and fought with guests. The Devil watched pleased. The imp explained:
The blood of the beasts is always in man; but as long as he has only enough... for his needs, it is kept in bounds.
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
The stolen bread and the peasants unexpected response
A poor peasant went out early one morning to plough his field, taking with him only a crust of bread for breakfast. He prepared his plough, wrapped the bread in his coat, placed it under a bush, and began working. When he grew hungry and his horse tired, he went to retrieve his meal but discovered the bread had vanished.
An imp had stolen the bread while the peasant worked, hiding behind the bush and waiting to hear him curse and call upon the Devil. Instead, the peasant responded with remarkable grace:
It can't be helped... After all, I shan't die of hunger! No doubt whoever took the bread needed it. May it do him good!
The Devils ultimatum and the imps new strategy
The imp returned crestfallen to report his failure to the Devil.
The Devil became furious upon hearing how the peasant had blessed his thief instead of cursing. He warned:
If the peasants, and their wives after them, take to that sort of thing, it will be all up with us. The matter can't be left like that!
The Devil gave the imp three years to corrupt the peasant, threatening to have him ducked in holy water if he failed. Frightened, the imp devised a new plan and transformed himself into a laboring man to work for the peasant.
Prosperity through cunning agricultural advice
The first year, the imp advised the peasant to sow corn in marshy ground. The year proved exceptionally dry, and while other peasants' crops withered under the scorching sun, the poor peasant's corn in the marsh grew thick, tall, and full-eared. He harvested more grain than he needed for the entire year.
The second year, the imp suggested sowing on the hillside. A wet summer followed, beating down and rotting other farmers' crops in the valleys, but the peasant's hilltop harvest flourished magnificently. His surplus grain grew even larger, leaving him wondering what to do with such abundance.
Then the imp revealed how to mash the excess grain and distill spirits from it. The peasant began making strong drink, consuming it himself and sharing it with friends. The imp proudly reported his success to the Devil, who decided to observe the results personally.
The introduction of alcohol and its immediate effects
The Devil arrived to find the peasant hosting well-to-do neighbors for drinking. When the peasant's wife accidentally spilled a glass while serving, her husband's transformation became evident. He berated her harshly:
What do you mean, you slut? Do you think it's ditchwater, you cripple, that you must go pouring good stuff like that over the floor?
The imp nudged the Devil, pointing out this was the same man who had not grudged his last crust. When a poor peasant entered uninvited, tired from work and hoping for refreshment, the host showed no hospitality, muttering:
I can't find drink for everyone who comes along.
The transformation: from kindness to cruelty through drink
As the drinking continued, the peasants' behavior deteriorated progressively. The imp explained to the Devil how alcohol would transform them:
Now they are like foxes, wagging their tails... presently you will see them like savage wolves... Wait till they have had a third glass... they will be like swine.
The prediction proved accurate. After more drinks, the peasants abandoned their false, oily speeches and began fighting viciously, punching each other's noses. The host joined the brawl and received a thorough beating. By their third glass, they became completely brutish, muttering and shouting without reason, staggering home like animals. The host fell face-first into a puddle, grunting like a hog.
When the Devil asked about the drink's composition, expecting fox, wolf, and swine blood, the imp revealed the truth:
When he began to turn God's good gifts into spirits for his own pleasure... the fox's, wolf's and swine's blood in him all came out.
The imp explained that beast blood always exists in humans, but remains controlled when people have only what they need. Excess leads to corruption. The Devil praised the imp's success, forgave his earlier failure, and promoted him to high honor.