Children of the Soil

"Children of the Soil" by Henryk Sienkiewicz is a story set in 19th-century Poland, presenting the life of Pan Stanislav Polanyetski as he deals with family, money, and relationships in the countryside. The book begins with Stanislav coming back to his childhood village, Kremen, after being away for years, bringing back memories of his youth. He meets Panna Marynia Plavitski, whose father owes him money, causing tension because Stanislav is drawn to her but needs to collect the debt. This creates a situation where he has to balance his feelings for Marynia with his family's needs, hinting at a conflict between what he wants and what he has to do.