Master and Man Summary

Vasili Andreevich, a wealthy innkeeper and church elder in Grishkino, hears of a bidding war for the Goryachkin grove or a splendid piece of land he has long admired. He "borrows" 2,300 rubles from the church till to and adds it to his own 300 rubles to bring his bid to 3,000 rubles for the property, Then he orders his servant Nikita to saddle up the trusty steed Mukhorty to the sled and they take off across the landscape kin a driving snowstorm. Nikita is very fond of the horse, and treats him like a member of his human family. When the horse becomes sweaty from his labors, Nikita usually lets him rest; but this is a fear-driven gallop to get to Goryachkin and make his bid before the land is sold.

Nikita realizes that they have gotten off the path in...