The Man and the Viper
The Man and the Viper, written by Ambrose Bierce, is a short story that revolves around a man who encounters a viper in the forest. The man, out of curiosity, picks up the viper and holds it close, only to be bitten by it. Despite his initial reluctance, the man decides to keep the viper as a pet and trains it to obey him. However, the viper eventually escapes and returns to its natural habitat, leaving the man alone and contemplative about the nature of life and death.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1890 · Genre: Fable, Classical Literature, Short Story · 80 words
First lines
A Man finding a frozen Viper put it into his bosom.
"The coldness of the human heart," he said, with a grin, "will keep the creature in his present condition until I can reach home and revive him on the coals."
But the pleasures of hope so fired his heart that the Viper thawed, and sliding to the ground thanked the Man civilly for his hospitality and glided away.
What this Textopian page supports
The Man and the Viper is listed on Textopian as a fable by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1890 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: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Classical Literature, Short Story, Fiction
- Length: 80 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Man and the Viper 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 Man and the Viper?
- How does this fable by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fable first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- A Demand by Ambrose Bierce
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- Diagnosis by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Fable — The book is a retelling of Aesop's fable 'The Farmer and the Viper', hence classifying it as fable.
- Classical Literature — The source material of the story dates back to classical times, aligning it with classical literature.
- Short Story — Ambrose Bierce is known for his short stories and this title follows that format.
- Fiction — The narrative involves anthropomorphized characters and fantastical elements, categorizing it as fiction.
Tags
horror · short story · supernatural · violence · mystery · suspense · thriller · gothic · dark · macabre · grim · creepy