Equal Inheritance
Equal Inheritance
Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910)
A certain merchant had two sons. The elder son was his favorite, and he intended to leave all his wealth to this son when the merchant died. The mother felt sorry for her younger son, and she asked her husband not to tell the boys of his intention. She hoped to find some way of making her sons equal. The merchant heeded her wish and did not make known his decision.
One day the mother was sitting at the window weeping. A traveler approached the window and asked her why she was weeping.
“How can I help weeping?” she said. “There is no difference between my two sons, but their father wishes to leave everything to one and nothing to the other. I have asked him not to tell them of his decision until I have thought of some way of helping the younger. But I have no money of my own, and I do not know what to do in my misery.”
Then the traveler said to her, “There is help for your trouble. Tell your sons that the elder will receive the entire inheritance, and that the younger will receive nothing. Then they will be equal.”
The younger son, on learning that he would inherit nothing, went to another land, where he served his apprenticeship and learned a trade. The elder son lived at home and learned nothing, knowing that someday he would be rich. When the father died, the elder son who did not know how to do anything spent all his inheritance. However, the younger son, who had learned how to make money in a foreign country, became rich.
Questions for Discussion
1. The merchant believes that compared to his elder son, his younger son is
A) less important
B) irresponsible
C) untrustworthy
D) less intelligent
2. Which word best describes how the mother feels after hearing her husband’s decision?
A) cautious
B) helpless
C) shocked
D) uncertain
3. Which statement best describes the theme of the story?
A) Inheriting money brings bad luck.
B) Siblings should learn to get along with one another.
C) Learning how to earn money is better than having money given to you.
D) Some people have to work hard for success; others have success handed to them.
4. Which quotation from the story foreshadows, or predicts, the conclusion of the story?
A) “The elder son was his favorite, and he intended to leave all his wealth to this son when the merchant died.”
B) “She hoped to find some way of making her sons equal. The merchant heeded her wish and did not make known his decision.”
C) “Tell your sons that the elder will receive the entire inheritance, and that the younger will receive nothing. Then they will be equal.”
D) “The elder son lived at home and learned nothing, knowing that someday he would be rich.”
5. Read this sentence from the story.
The mother felt sorry for her younger son, and she asked her husband not to tell the boys of his intention.
Which word means about the same as “intention”?
A) hope
B) plan
C) reason
D) regret