The Town of Dae by Ambrose Bierce
The Town of Dae is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce in 1890. It follows the story of a man named John who visits a small town called Dae, where he discovers that the townspeople are all dead and have been preserved in a state of suspended animation. The story explores themes of death, grief, and the supernatural.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1899 · Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Horror · 1,349 words
First lines
"Swains and maidens, young and old, / You to me this tale have told."
Where the squalid town of Dae / Irks the comfortable sea, / Spreading webs to gather fish, / As for wealth we set a wish, / Dwelt a king by right divine, / Sprung from Adam's royal line, / Town of Dae by the sea, / Divers kinds of kings there be.
What this Textopian page supports
The Town of Dae is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1899 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: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Short Stories
- Length: 1,349 words
- Structure: 1 section, 29 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Town of Dae 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
Similar titles
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- The Shrieking Pit by Arthur J. Rees
- The Man And The Viper by Ambrose Bierce
- A Serenade by Ambrose Bierce
- The Taken Hand by Ambrose Bierce
- A Song In Praise by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Fiction — The story takes place in an invented space and includes events and characters that are not real and therefore belong to the Fiction genre.
- Fantasy — The book contains elements of the fantastic, manifesting in its supernatural occurrences and mystical elements, which aligns it with the Fantasy genre.
- Horror — Ambrose Bierce's work usually involves elements of horror, such as supernatural events and elements of fear and dread, which classify it within the Horror genre.
- Mystery — Inclusions of suspense, unknown future events, and mysterious circumstances places the book in the Mystery genre.
Tags
gothic fiction · supernatural horror · small town mystery · psychological thriller · literary horror · ghost story · haunting · creepy · atmospheric · spooky · eerie · frightening