[3] Umiastoŭski was born into a noble family in Vilnia and was a cousin of the playwright Francišak Alachnovič.

During his studies in 1902-1904, he joined the underground student organisation The Association of Belarusian Education and Culture.

[1][2] In 1905 he returned to Vilnia, which at that time was being transformed into a hub of the Belarusian national movement.

In 1906, together with Ivan and Anton Luckievič, Kazimir Kastravicki and Alaiza Paškievič, he started publishing the newspaper Naša Dola ("Our Destiny"), becoming its editor.

The stories: Fear, In the Wood, Plica Polonica Doctor, Not a peasant's mind were written under the obvious influence of Belarusian folklore.