The Two Brothers
Leo Tolstoy
Two brothers set out on a joumey together. At noon they lay out on a forest to rest. When they woke up they say
a stone lying next to them. There was something written on the stone, and they tried to make out what it was.
“Whoever finds this stone, let him go straight to the forest at sunrise. In the forest, a river will appear, let him swim
across the river to the other side. There he will see a she-bear and her cubs. Let him take the cubs from her and run
up the mountain with them, without looking back. On the top of the mountain, he will see a house, and in that house
he will find happiness.”
When they had read what was written on the stone, the younger brother said: “Let us go together. We can swim
across the river, carry off the bear cubs, take them to the house on the mountain, and together they find happiness.”
1 am not going into the forest after bear cubs,” said the elder brother, “and I advise you not to go. In the first
place, no one can know whether what is written on this stone is the truth -perhaps it was written in jest… In the
second place, even if what is written here is the truth-suppose we go into the forest and night comes, and we cannot
find the river. We shall be lost. And if we do find the river, how are we going to swim across it? In the third place, even
if we swim across the river, do you think it is an easy thing to take her cubs away from a she-bear? She will seize us,
and instead of finding happiness, we shall perish and all for nothing. And, most of all, the stone does not tell us what
kind of happiness we should find in that house. It may be that the happiness awalting us there is not at all the sort of
happiness we would want.”
The younger brother replied, “In my opinion, you are wrong. What is written on the stone could not have been
put there without reason. And it is all perfectly clear. In the first place, no harm will come to us if we try. In the second
place, if we do not go, someone else will read the inscription on the stone and find happiness, and we shall have lost
it all. In the third place, if you do not make an effort and try hard, nothing in the world will succeed. In the fourth place,
I should not want it thought that I was afraid of anything.”
And so, the younger brother followed all the instructions on the stone. When he reached the top of the mountain
the people came out to take him to the city, where they made him their king. He ruled for five years, but in the sixth
year, another king waged war against him. The city was conquered, and he was driven out.
Again, the younger brother became a wandered, and he arrived one day at the house of the elder brother. The
brother was living in a village and had grown neither rich nor poor. The two brothers rejoiced at seeing each other, and
at once began telling of all that happened to them.
“You see,” said the elder brother, “I was right. Here I have lived quietly and well, whole you, though you may have
been a king, have seen a great deal of trouble.”
1 do not regret having gone into the forest and up the mountain,” replied the younger brother. “I may have nothing
now, but I shall always have
something to remember, while you have no memories at all.”
Guide Questions
1. Is the main character relatable to you? (Cite some qualities that make you similar or different.)
2. Is the setting effective or useful in making you visualize the scenes? (Cite some lines that appeal to your senses.)
3. is the plot interesting? (Cite aspects of the story that make it good or dull.)
4. Is the conflict clear and realistic? (Indicate if it is something that people are likely to experience in life.)
5. Is the theme relevant to human experiences? (Besides an explanation, write the theme you inferred from the story.)
1) i cant answer this, you are the one who can answer this one, because you are the reader not me
2The setting of the story is effective in making readers visualize the scenes. For instance, when the brothers woke up and found the stone with an inscription, the forest setting is described as a place of rest and mystery. The description of the forest adds to the overall mood of the story.
3The plot of the story is interesting because it presents a conflict between the two brothers’ different perspectives on pursuing happiness. The younger brother takes a risk and follows the instructions on the stone, while the elder brother plays it safe and stays behind. The resolution of the story shows that taking risks can lead to unexpected outcomes, but it does not guarantee long-term happiness.
4The conflict in the story is clear and realistic, as it reflects the conflict between the desire for adventure and the desire for stability and security that many people experience in life.
5The theme of the story is that taking risks can lead to unexpected outcomes, and that pursuing happiness requires courage and determination. The story also shows that happiness can be found in unexpected places, and that memories and experiences are valuable even if they do not lead to material success.
