The Peasants has been translated from the original Polish by Michael H. Dziewicki, Reader of English Literature at the University of Krakow. I wish to make special acknowledgment to Dr. A. M. Nawench ...

“Praised be Jesus Christ!” “World without end!⁠—What, my good Agatha? And whither be you wandering now?” “Out into the world, please your Reverence, into the wide world!” she answered, with a wave of ...

“Praised be Jesus Christ!” “World without end!⁠—What, my good Agatha? And whither be you wandering now?” “Out into the world, please your Reverence, into the wide world!” she answered, with a wave of ...

A good many people had gathered by this time in Boryna’s yard, which, surrounded on three sides by farm buildings, was separated from the road by an orchard on the fourth. Several women were offering ...

When daybreak began to shed its light on the cabin-roofs, and dispel the night, and make the stars to fade, things were already moving about Boryna’s hut. Kuba had left the stable. There was hoarfrost...

Sunday had come round: a bright September Sunday, with plenty of gossamers and sunshine in the air. All Boryna’s livestock was feeding in the stubble beyond the barn; and Kuba, watching heedfully over...

Autumn was growing ever more and more autumnal. The pale days passed, dragging themselves over the empty soundless fields, and died away beyond the forest, always stiller, always paler, like the Sacre...

The rain had now begun to come down in earnest. Ever since the fair, all things had been drowned in a grey turbid shimmer, through which only the dim outlines of the forest or the hamlet loomed, embro...

The next day was as rainy and dreary as the one before. Every now and then, someone would cone out of a hut to peer anxiously into a mist-blurred world, and see if it was clearing up a little. And not...

It was on the following day that the news of the marriage arranged between Boryna and Yagna burst upon the village of Lipka. The Voyt had gone over to her with the proposal. His wife, whom he had seve...

It was shortly after Yagna’s engagement had taken place; All Souls’ Day had dawned. Ever since morning, the church-bells of Lipka had tolled incessantly, slowly; their doleful and sorrowful notes, flo...

“I speak of this, both from the pulpit, and to every man in particular.⁠ ⁠…”⁠—The wind put an end to the rest of the sentence by blowing violently down the priest’s throat, making him fall into a fit ...

“Are you sleeping, Yagna?” “How can I sleep? I woke at dawn⁠ ⁠… with the thought that I am to be married today.” “You are sorry, darling, are you?” she whispered; there was in her heart a mingling of ...

It was grey dawn when Vitek, tired out by the merrymaking and driven home by Yagustynka, hastened to Boryna’s hut. A little watch-light was burning there, like a glowworm. Vitek looked in at the windo...

Winter had come. In the first days, it was but trying its strength⁠—wrestling with the autumn, and howling far away in the livid distance, like some ravenous monster. Now dawned those chilly glacial d...

Winter had come. In the first days, it was but trying its strength⁠—wrestling with the autumn, and howling far away in the livid distance, like some ravenous monster. Now dawned those chilly glacial d...

Towards noon it had cleared up a little, but only as if a rushlight had been kindled and whisked about among the shadows; what brightness there was vanished soon, and it grew dark again, and looked as...

It was not very early in the morning when the miller took Antek on as a workman, and, leaving him in the yard amongst great piles of logs, went to Matthew, who was just then getting some timber placed...

Since daybreak on Christmas Eve, the whole village was in a state of feverish excitement and bustling activity. It had again frozen during the night, and as the frost came after a couple of mild days ...

The Boryna family returned from church very late; and but a few minutes later, they were all in bed, snoring loud. All except Yagna alone. Wearied though she was, she did not fall asleep. She turned o...

“I thought,” he muttered sourly, “you’d been lost in some snowdrift!” “In such a storm as this, how could I go faster? I had to grope my way along, for the snow blew in my eyes so, I could not keep th...

On Twelfth Night, which that year fell on a Monday, the folk were slowly filing out of church, even before Vespers were over. For they heard from the tavern the music and singing, and made their way t...

After that Twelfth Night, Boryna’s house became like a tomb. No weeping, no clamour, no invectives: but a sinister silence dwelt there, telling of rancour and suppressed resentment. Everybody in the h...

The snow had been, since early morning, threatening to fall. The day rose, cloudy and very boisterous; grains of snow came down, minute, like unsifted groats; and the gale, gaining in strength as the ...

On that same day, when work was over and the evening well on towards night, they began to drop in at Klemba’s for the grand spinning-party. Dame Klemba had invited elderly women, for the most part, ki...

Past the orchard, gliding swiftly, stooping forward as they went under the snow-laden boughs, they ran like frightened deer along by the barns and into the murky snow-plain, into the starless night, i...

The morrow which followed that memorable night was full of great excitement; and all Lipka swarmed like an anthill when a naughty boy has thrust a stick into it. Dawn had scarcely risen, people had bu...

Spring was drawing nigh. March had come, with its own most foul weather⁠—quagmiry, chilly, foggy; with its daily falls of sleet, its daily thick, shaggy, dingy mists, creeping along over the fields, a...

Spring had come. Like a toiler who, having slept the sleep of exhaustion, is forced to rise ere dawn after a too short rest, and go out and plough without delay, the April morning was rising lazily. I...

Spring had come. Like a toiler who, having slept the sleep of exhaustion, is forced to rise ere dawn after a too short rest, and go out and plough without delay, the April morning was rising lazily. I...

The next day was Palm Sunday. Bright and early, Hanka rose, putting on only her petticoat, and throwing a shawl on her shoulders, for the cold. Round she looked everywhere, even to the boundaries of t...

“Yuzka, kindle the fire; fill all our pots with water, and put them on to boil. I am off to Yankel’s to get the seasonings.” “Then hurry; Ambrose will be here straightway.” “No fear; he cannot come so...

Roch, grieving bitterly over all the evil in the village, walked slowly on along the shores of the pond. Yes, things were so bad in Lipka that they could not possibly be worse. That diseases prevailed...

It was pitch-dark in the lanes; in every cottage all the lights were out; the laggards were now dropping in to church. Outside stood a number of carts, with horses unharnessed, whose pawing and snorti...

It was a strange piece of news that Hanka heard the next morning; one that made her start up in bed. But Yagustynka luckily caught hold of her in time, and pressed her down on the pillow. “Hold ye sti...

“Our boys are returning!” The news came like a flash of lightning, and spread through Lipka like wildfire. Were they, truly? And if so, when? No one knew. Only one thing was sure: the constable of the...

It was a delightful day, warm, yet bracing: a day on which the peasant, after a hearty sleep, jumps up as he wakes, and⁠—his prayers first said⁠—sets to work with scarce the shadow of a yawn. A huge r...

The green Whitsuntide boughs, decorating the cabin-doors, had not yet quite withered, when one morning Roch dropped most unexpectedly into the village. It was only after hearing Mass, however, and hav...

The days between Corpus Christi and the next Sunday passed slowly for Matthew, Gregory, and their friends. Matthew had to suspend his work on Staho’s cabin, and the others too gave up their occupation...

It was early dawn, and all the country was covered over with a deep azure bloom of haze like a ripe plum, when Hanka drove up to the cabin, whose inmates were all asleep as yet. But with the sharp cla...

Thus did Matthias Boryna die. With dreadful yelps and howls, and leaps against the door to be let in, Lapa awoke the sleepers in the cabin, who were enjoying their Sunday rest; and then he pulled them...

Thus did Matthias Boryna die. With dreadful yelps and howls, and leaps against the door to be let in, Lapa awoke the sleepers in the cabin, who were enjoying their Sunday rest; and then he pulled them...

It was an ideal summer’s day. About ten in the morning: for the sun stood halfway between east and south, and ever with hotter fires. And all the bells in Lipka belfry had begun to peal with might and...

“Pray, Hanka, may I go home?” Yuzka entreated, laying her head down upon the pew-seat. “Aye, do: run about everywhere like a silly calf!” said Hanka, rebuking her, and looking up from her rosary. “But...

Hanka could not sleep a wink that night, after such manifold and painful experiences. She continually thought that she heard someone creeping about the premises, along the road, or even close to the c...

“Pete, bring firewood in!” Hanka called out from the cabin-door. She was covered with flour and very untidy with bread-making. A big fire roared in the baking-oven. She raked the coals to spread them ...

“Lie still once for all, and trouble me not!” Matthew growled, rolling over on the other side in a bad temper. Simon was quiet for a minute; but as soon as ever Matthew was snoring again, he slipped a...

Yagustynka went to the Borynas’. She had gathered some wild strawberries, and brought them for Yuzka. Hanka was then milking the cows outside the hut: so she sat down under the eaves and told her of a...

It was near noontide, and the heat greater and greater. The people were all assembled outside the District Office; but the head of the District had not yet appeared. The scrivener had several times co...

Antek left the assembly about as willingly as a cat driven away from a bowl of milk. He was even deliberating whether he had not better return, when, perceiving the gendarmes following him, he was str...

On entering the village, Yagna at once could see that something out of the ordinary was going on. The dogs in the farmyard were barking in great excitement; the little ones, hiding in the orchards, pe...

On the lighter soils, they were beginning to reap already; on the heavier, they were preparing all things for the harvest that was about to take place. It was but a few days after Roch’s flight. Lipka...

On a sudden he made a start to rush after her. “Whither?” his mother asked grimly, blocking the way. “Why⁠—why have ye turned her out? Because she was so kind to me? It is unjust⁠—unjust⁠—and I will n...

Life was fast becoming impossible at Dominikova’s. Yagna was always straying about like someone distraught, heedless of everything in the world. Andrew did his work in a slovenly way, and his absences...

Voyt⁠—the headman of the community. ↩ Two men go to the girl’s family, offering vodka in the young man’s name; if the girl drinks to him, she is regarded as affianced. ↩ An annual local festival held ...