A Ballad of Pikeville
"A Ballad of Pikeville" is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce in 1890. The story follows a man named Williamson, who has been hired to kill a man named Pikeville. However, upon arriving at Pikeville's home, Williamson discovers that Pikeville is not the monster he was made out to be, and he begins to question his own morality and the nature of his assignment. The story explores themes of justice, morality, and the consequences of violence.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1898 · Genre: Short Stories, Historical Fiction, War & Military · 649 words
First lines
Down in Southern Arizona where the Gila monster thrives, And the "Mescalero," gifted with a hundred thousand lives, Every hour renounces one of them by drinking liquid flame -- The assassinating wassail that has given him his name; Where the enterprising dealer in Caucasian hair is seen To hold his harvest festival upon his village-green, While the late lamented tenderfoot upon the plain is spread With a sanguinary circle on the summit of his head; Where the cactuses (or cacti) lift their lances in the sun, And incautious jackass-rabbits come to sorrow as they run, Lived a colony of settlers -- old Missouri was the State Where they formerly resided at a prehistoric date.
What this Textopian page supports
A Ballad of Pikeville is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1898 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1898 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Stories, Historical Fiction, War & Military, Psychological, Literary Fiction
- Length: 649 words
- Structure: 1 section, 12 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Ballad of Pikeville by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Ballad of Pikeville?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Short Stories first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Reconciliation by Ambrose Bierce
- A Man by Ambrose Bierce
- My Monument by Ambrose Bierce
- The Two Cavees by Ambrose Bierce
- A Prayer by Ambrose Bierce
- An Inscription by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Short Stories — This book is part of Bierce's collection of short stories primarily revolving around the experiences of the common man during the Civil War.
- Historical Fiction — The book is set in the historical context of America's Civil War and deliberately represent the era's conditions.
- War & Military — The story, like many of Bierce's works, involves military operations and confrontations experienced during the Civil War.
- Psychological — Themes of emotion, drama and human psyche are explored within the context of warfare situations.
Tags
gothic · horror · supernatural · mystery · thriller · fiction · short story · american literature · classic · literary fiction · psychological horror · small town