The Big Oven

The Big Oven is an 1899 Russian short story attributed to Leo Tolstoy. It tells the story of a man whose household oven malfunctions. Ignoring his neighbour’s advice to repair it, he continues using it through the harsh Russian winter. The oven consumes a disproportionate amount of firewood, forcing him to tear down fences, outbuildings, and even parts of his home for fuel. In the end, he is left with nothing but the oven itself and is forced to move in with strangers.
The fable illustrates the dangers of stubbornness and neglecting basic maintenance. Malfunctioning ovens and other household appliances, when left unrepaired, can lead to greater loss and hardship over time.
Danny Kaye recorded a dramatic reading of The Big Oven for Little Golden Records in the early 1960s, based on a translation by Nathan Haskell Dole. This recording has since been used in English as a second language education.