OUR SHORT STORY.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 31, 6 October 1911, Page 5

OUR SHORT STORY.

Traveller and Peasant

(The interior of a peasant hut. An old Traveller is sitting on a bench, reading a book. A Peasant, the master of the hut, just home from his Avork, sits down to supper and asks the Traveller to share it. The Traveller declines. The Peasant eats, and when he has finished, rises, says grace, and sits down beside the old man.) Peasant: What brings you? . '. Traveller (taking oh his spectacles and putting down his book): There "is no train till to-morrow. The station is crowded, so I asked your missis to let mc stay the night with you, and she allowed it. Peasant: That's all right; you can stay. Traveller: Thank you! . . . . Well, and how are you living nowadays ? Peasant: Living? What's our life like? ... As bad as can bel Traveller: How's that? Peasant: Why, because we've nothing to live on! Our life is so hard that if we wanted a worse one we couldn't get it. . . . You see, there are nine of us in family; all want to eat, and I have only got in four bushels of corn. Try and live on that! Whether one likes it or not, one has to go and work for wages . . . . and when you look for a job, wages are down! .... The rich do what they like with us. The people increase, but the land doesn't, and taxes keep piling up! There's rent, and the district tax, and the land tax, and the tax for bridges, and insurance and police, and for the corn storo too many to count! And there are the priests and the landlords They all ride on our backs, except those wdio are too lazy! Traveller: I thought the peasants were doing well nowadays. Peasant: So well that we go hungry for days at a time! Traveller: Tho reason I thought so was that they have taken to squandering so much money. Peasant: Squandering what money? How strange you talk! . . . Here are people starving to death, and you talk of squandering money! Traveller: But how is it? The papers say that 700 million roubles (and a million is a thousand thousands) —700 were spent by the peasants on vodka last year. Peasant: Are wo the only ones that drink? Just look at the priests . . . Don't they swill first-rate? And the gentlefolk aren't- behind-hand. Traveller: Still, that's only a small part. The greater part stills falls to the peasants. Peasant: What of that? Are we not to drink at all?

Traveller: No; what I mean is that if 700 millions were squandered on vodka in one year it shoAvs that life can't be so very hard . . . 700 millions! It's no joke . . .one can hardly imagine it! Peasant: But hoAV can one do without it? We didn't start the custom, and it's not for us to stop it There are tho Church feasts, and wed-? dings, and memorial feasts, and' bargains to be wetted with a drink . . . Whether one likes it or not, one can't get on Avithout it. It's the custom. Traveller: .But there are people who never drink, and yet they manage to live! After all, there's not much good in it. Peasant: No good at all! Only evil. Traveller: Then one ought not to drink. Peasant: Well, anyhow, drink or no drink, we'vo nothing to live on! We've not enough land. If Aye had land we could at least live ... but there's none to be had. Traveller: No land to be had! Why, isn't there plenty of land? Wherever ono looks, one sees land. Peasant: There's land, right enough, but it's not ours. Your elboAv's not far from your mouth, but just you try to bite it! Traveller: Not yours! Whose is it, then? Peasant: Whose? . . . Whose, indeed! There's that fat-bellied devil over there . . • he's seized 5000 acres. He has no .family, but he's never satisfied,' while we've had to give up keeping fowls —there's nowhere for them to run about? It's nearly time for us to stop keeping cattle, too . . we've no fodder for them; and if a calf, or maybe a horse, happens to stray into his field, Aye have to pay fines and give him our last farthing. Traveller: What does he 'want all that land for? Peasant: What does he want tho land for? Why, of course, he sows and reaps and sells, and puts the money in tho bank. Traveller: How can ho plough a stretch like that and get his harvest in ? Peasant: You talk as if you were a child! . .' . What's he got money for, if not to hire laborers?

One of Tolstoy's Luminous Teaching-Tales.

It's they that do the ploughing and reaping.

Traveller: These laborers are some of you peasants, I expect? Peasants : Some are from these parts, and some from elsewhere.

Traveller: Anyway, they are peasants ?

Peasant: Of course, they are! . . • the same as ourselves. Who but a peasant ever works? Of course, they are peasants. Traveller: And if the peasant did not go and work for him ? Peasant: Go or stay, he wouldn't let us have it. If the land were to lie idle he'd not part with it! Like the dog in the manger, that doesn't eat the hay himself and won't let others eat it.

Traveller: But how can he keep his land? I suppose it stretches over some three or four miles? How can he watch it all?

Peasant: How queer you talk! He himself lies on his back arid fattens his paunch; but he keeps Avatchmen! Traveller: And those watchmen, I dare say, are also peasants? Peasant: What else could they be? Of course they are! Traveller: So that the peasants work the rich man's land for him and guard it for him from themselves? Peasant: But lioav can ono help it ? Traveller: Simply by not going to work for him and not being his Avatchmen! Then the land would be free. The land is God's and the people are God's; let him who needs it, plough and soav and gather in the harvest! c Peasant: That is to say, you think AA r e ought to strike? To meet that, my friend, they have the soldiers. They'd send their soldiers . . . one, tAVo, fire! some would . get shot, and others taken up. Soldiers giA r e short shrift! Traveller: But is it not the likes of you that are soldiers? W T hy should they shoot at their oavii felloAVS ? Peasant: How can they help it? That's Avhat the oatih is for. Traveller: The oath? What oath? Peasant: Don't you understand? Ai-en't you a Russian? . . . The oath is—well, it's the oath! TraA r eller: It means swearing, doesn't it? Peasant: Well, of course! They swear by the Cross and by tho Gospels, to lay doAvn their life for their country. Traveller :: Well, I think that' should not be done. Peasant: What should not be done? TraA r eiler: Taking the oath. Peasant: Not done! Why, the law demands it! Traveller: No, it is not in the Law. In the Law of Christ it is plainly forbidden. He said: "Swear not at all." Peasant: Come now! What about the priests? Traveller (takes a book, looks for the place, and reads): ' 'It Avas said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but I say unto you, SAvear not at all. . , . But' let your speech be, Yea, yea;,nay, nay: and Avhatsoevor. is more than these is of the evil one." (Matthew v., 33.) So, according to Christ's laAv, you must not swear. Peasant: If there Avere no oath there would be no soldiers. Traveller: Well, and Avhat good are the soldiers ? Peasant: What good ? . . . But supposing other Tsars AVere to come and attack our Tsar . . . . Avhat then? Traveller: If the Tsars quarrel let them fight it ought for themselves. Peasant: Come! How could that, be possible ? Traveller: It is A T ery simple. He that believes in God, no matter Avhat you may tell him, will neA'er kill a manPeasant: Then why- did the priest read out in church that Avar Avas declared and the Reserves were to be ready ? Traveller: I know nothing about that; but I know that in the commandments, in the sixth, it says quite plainly: "Thou shalt do no murder." You see, it is forbidden for a man to kill a man. Peasant: That means at home! At the wars, lioav could you help it? They're enemies.;'! .i Traveller: According to Christ's Gospel, there is no such thing as an enemy. You aro told tolloreA r e everybody. (Opens the Bible and looks for place. *> Peasant: Well, read it!" Traveller: 'Te have heard that itwas said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and Avhosocver shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. . Ye have hoard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy: but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you." (MattheAv v., 21, 43-44.) (A long pause.) Peasant: Well, what about taxes ? Ought AA r e to refuse to pay them, too? Traveller: That's as you think best.

If your own '-children are hungry, naturally you should first feed them. Peasant: So you think soldiers are not wanted at all ?

Traveller: What good do they do? Millions and millions are collected from you and your folk for them— it's no joke to clothe and feed such a host! There are nearly a million of those idlers, and they're only useful to keep the land from you; and it's oil you they will fire. (The Peasant sighs and shakes his head.) Peasant: That's true enough! If everybody were to do it at once. . . . but if one or two make a stand, they'll be shot or sent to Siberia, and that will be the end of the matter.

Traveller: And yet there are men, even now —young mcn —who by themselves stand up for the Law of God and refuse to serve. They say: "According to Christ's Law, I dare not be a murderer! Do as you please, but I won't take a rifle in my hands!" ■ Peasant: Well, and what happens? Traveller: They aro put in prison; they remain there, poor fellows, three years, or four. . . . But I've heard that it's not so bad for them. And some are even let out as unfit for service—bad health! Though he is sometimes a strapping, broad-shouldered fellow, he's "not fit," because they're afraid of taking a man of that kind, for fear he should toll others that soldiering is against God's Law. So they; let him go. Peasant: Really? Traveller: Yes, sometimes it happens that they are let off; but it also-hap-pens that they die there. Still, soldiers die too, and even get maimed in service—lose a leg or an arm Peasant: Oh, you're a clever fellow! It would be a good thing, only it won't work out like that. Traveller: Why not? Peasant: That's why. Traveller: What's that? Peasant: That the authorities have .power given them. Traveller: They only havo the power baceuse you obey them. Do not obey the authorities and they won't have any power! Peasant (shakes his head) : You do talk queer! How can one do without the authorities? It is quite impossible to do without some authority! Traveller: Of course, it is! Only whom will you take for authority—the policeman or God? Whom will you obey—the policeman or God? Peasant: That goes without saying. No one is greater than God. To live for God is the chief tiling. Traveller: Well, if you mean to live for God, you must obey. God and not man. And if you live according to God, you will not bo a policeman, a village elder, a tax-collector, a watchman, or, above all, a soldier . . . . You will not promiso to kill men. - Peasant: And how about those longmaned fellows —the priests ? They -must see that tilings are being done not according to God's law. Then why don't they teach how it ought to bo ? . Traveller: I don't know anything about that. Let them go their way, and you go yours. Peasant: They are long-rnaned devils! Traveller: It is not right to judge others like that! We must each remember our own faults. Peasant: Yes, that's right owough(Long pause. The Peasant shakes hia head and smiles). What it comes to is this: that if we all were to tackle it at once, the land would be ours a% one go, and there would be no more taxes. Traveller: No, friend, -that's-': not what I mean. I don't mean that if we live according to God's will, tha land will be ours, and there will be no more taxes. I mean that our life ia evil, only because we ourselves do evil. If one lived according to God's will, life would not be evil. What our lifewould be like if we lived according to God's will, God alone knows; but-cer-tainly life would not be evil. We drink, scold, fight, go to law, envy and hat© men; we do not accept God's Law; we judge others ; call one fat-paunched and another long-maiied ; but if anyone offers us money, we are ready to do anything for it*, go as watchmen, policemen, of soldiers," to help ruin others, and to kill our own brothers. We ourselves live like devils, and yet avo complain of others! Peasant: That's so! But it is hard* oh, lioav hard! Sometimes it's more, than one can bear. Traveller: But for our souls' sakes* Aye must bear it. Peasant: That's quite right. . « * We Ka'c badly, because Aye forget God. Traveller: Y r cs, that's it! That's why life is evil. Take the Revolutionaries ; they say "Let us kill this or that' squire, or* these fat-paunched rich folk (it's all because of them), and then* oiir life will be happy." So they kill; and go on killing, and it profits them nothing. It's the same with the authorities: "Give us time!" they say, "and we'll.hang and do to death in the prisons a thousand - or a couple of thousand people, and then life will become good. . - ." But it only get* worse and worse!

Peasant: Yes, that's just it! Hoav can judging and punishing do any> good? It must be done according to . God's law. Traveller: Yes, that is just it. You must serve either God or the devil. If it's to be the devil, go and drink scold, fight, hate, covet, don't obey, God's LaAV, but man's laAvs, and life Avill be evil. If it is God, obey Him 1 aJone. Don't rob or kill, and don't even condemn, aud do not hate any] one. Do not plunge into evil actions, and then there will be no evil life.. Peasant (sighs) : " You speak AA'ell, daddy, very AA'ell —only Aye are taught so little! Oh, if AA'e Avere taught mora like that, things AA T ould be quite different! But people como from the town, and chatter about their way of better* ing things ; they chatter tine, but there's nothing in it. . . . Thank you, daddy, your v/ords are good! Well, where will you.sleep ? On the oven, yes? . .' .' The missis will make up a bed'for you* ~w '' _