What Men Live By
A shoemaker shelters a mysterious stranger who learns three truths.
"What Men Live By" (sometimes titled "What People Live By") is an 1885 short story by Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. It appears in his collection *What Men Live By, and Other Tales*, also from 1885, which includes the pieces "The Three Questions", "The Coffee-House of Surat", and "How Much Land Does a Man Need?".
The plot follows Simon, a shoemaker who one winter day tries to collect a debt of about 5 rubles from customers to buy sheepskins for a coat for himself and his wife, Matryona. He recovers only 20 kopeks, spends it on vodka, and heads home. Near a roadside chapel, he spots a pale, naked man in poor health. Initially afraid, Simon returns out of shame, gives the man clothes, and brings him home. The stranger speaks little, saying only "I cannot tell" and "God has punished me." Matryona is angry at first, worried they lack food for the next day, but her pity grows as she feeds him, and the stranger’s grim face briefly brightens with a smile. The next day, Simon learns the man’s name is Michael and offers him shelter as an assistant. Michael learns quickly, and his skill and diligence bring modest prosperity to the business.
One winter, a nobleman orders boots that must last a year, threatening punishment if they fail. Michael stares past him and smiles a second time. Instead of boots, he makes soft slippers from the leather. Before Simon can protest, a messenger announces the nobleman’s death and requests burial slippers; Michael hands over the finished pair. In Michael’s sixth year, a woman brings twin girls, one lame, and orders shoes. She explains the twins are not hers: their mother died after childbirth, and her corpse crushed the infant’s leg. She adopted them out of compassion. Michael smiles a third time. After she leaves, Michael thanks Simon and Matryona, says God has forgiven him, and a radiant light surrounds him. Simon asks why he smiled only those three times. Michael reveals he is an angel, once tasked to take the soul of the woman who died giving birth. When she pleaded for her children, he spared her. As punishment, God sent him to fetch her soul, commanding him to learn three truths: what lives in man, what is not given to man, and what men live by. Michael learned the first truth—love lives in man—when Matryona showed compassion. The second—man is not given knowledge of his own needs—came when the nobleman planned for a future he wou
- author
- Leo Tolstoy
- year_written
- 1885
- genre
- Short story
- nationality
- Russian
- collection
- What Men Live By, and Other Tales
- also_in_collection
- The Three Questions, The Coffee-House of Surat, How Much Land Does a Man Need?
Lore & Background
The story follows Simon, a poor shoemaker who, after failing to collect a debt, finds a naked, ill stranger near a roadside chapel. Despite his own poverty, Simon clothes the man and brings him home. His wife Matryona initially resents the stranger but later shows him compassion, at which point the stranger smiles for the first time. The stranger, who calls himself Michael, stays with Simon and works as his assistant, bringing prosperity to the household through his skill and diligence.
Reader's Guide
The narrative centers on three moments when Michael smiles: when Matryona shows pity, when a nobleman orders boots but dies before wearing them, and when a woman explains she adopted twin orphans out of compassion. These smiles correspond to three truths Michael must learn: that love lives in man, that man is not given knowledge of his own needs, and that men live not by self-care but by love. The story reveals Michael is an angel punished for sparing a mother's life, and his return to heaven follows his learning of these truths. The tale has been adapted into a 1938 British film directed by Vernon Sewell and is referenced in Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's 1966 book *Cancer Ward*.
Did You Know?
- The story was written by Leo Tolstoy in 1885.
- It was included in the collection *What Men Live By, and Other Tales*, which also contains 'The Three Questions', 'The Coffee-House of Surat', and 'How Much Land Does a Man Need?'.
- The protagonist Simon is a shoemaker who initially fails to collect a debt of roughly 5 rubles, recovering only 20 kopeks.
- The story was adapted into a short British film in 1938 directed by Vernon Sewell.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the angel in 'What Men Live By'?
The angel is an unnamed, pale, naked figure Simon the shoemaker finds near a roadside chapel on a bitter winter day. He is a fallen angel banished for his pride, and he remains silent and weakened until Simon's hospitality begins to restore him.
What are the three truths the angel learns in the story?
Through Simon's acts of kindness, the angel discovers that people sustain themselves by love, by the spirit of God, and by the spirit of God. These revelations humble the once-arrogant angel and prepare him for his return to his proper place.
Why was the angel cast out of heaven?
The angel was expelled for his arrogance, having refused to bow before God and believing himself greater than the Creator. His pride led to his fall, and he wandered the earth in a weakened, silent state until a common man's compassion broke his isolation.
How does 'What Men Live By' end?
After absorbing the three truths, the angel departs and Simon wakes to find the stranger gone, his coat returned, and a small coin left in its place. The shoemaker goes on with his ordinary life, largely unaware of the divine encounter he had witnessed.
Why is this story significant in angel lore?
Tolstoy's tale offers a rare literary portrait of a fallen angel redeemed not by a heavenly decree but by a simple man's generosity. It has become a touchstone for discussions about how humility and love can restore even the most proud spiritual beings.
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