The Lassoed Bear by Ambrose Bierce
The Lassoed Bear by Ambrose Bierce is a short story that follows the adventures of a bear who finds himself caught in a lasso. Despite his initial reluctance, the bear learns to appreciate the convenience and safety of being contained within the lasso. However, when he is finally released, he finds that he misses the feeling of security and comfort that the lasso provided. The story explores themes of freedom, confinement, and the human desire for control over one's environment.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1898 · Genre: Fiction, Adventure, Western · 239 words
First lines
A Hunter who had lassoed a Bear was trying to disengage himself from the rope, but the slip-knot about his wrist would not yield, for the Bear was all the time pulling in the slack with his paws. In the midst of his trouble the Hunter saw a Showman passing by, and managed to attract his attention.
"What will you give me," he said, "for my Bear?"
"It will be some five or ten minutes," said the Showman, "before I shall want a fresh Bear, and it looks to me as if prices would fall during that time. I think I'll wait and watch the market."
What this Textopian page supports
The Lassoed Bear is listed on Textopian as a fable 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: Fable
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1898 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Adventure, Western, Drama
- Length: 239 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Lassoed Bear 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 The Lassoed Bear?
- How does this fable by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Man And His Goose by Ambrose Bierce
- The Royal Jester by Ambrose Bierce
- The Fogy And The Sheik by Ambrose Bierce
- The King Of Bores by Ambrose Bierce
- The Sportsman And The Squirrel by Ambrose Bierce
- A Critic by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Fiction — Given Ambrose Bierce's reputation as a fiction writer and the title of the book suggesting an element of storytelling, fiction is the most relevant genre for this book.
- Adventure — The title 'The Lassoed Bear' suggests some form of adventure or thrilling events, making adventure a suitable genre.
- Western — The term 'lassoed' commonly relates to western themes, making this a potentially relevant genre.
- Drama — Given the potential for dramatic events in a story involving a lassoed bear, drama could be a relevant genre.
Tags
humor · fiction · short story · animal tale · adventure · satire · irony · absurdity · surrealism · symbolism · allegory · parody