Two of the Pious by Ambrose Bierce
Two of the Pious is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce, first published in 1893. The story follows two men, John and Tom, who are known for their piety and religious devotion. However, when they encounter a mysterious stranger who offers them a deal, their faith is put to the test. The stranger proposes that they each choose one of two doors, behind which lies either great wealth or unimaginable suffering. John chooses the first door, while Tom chooses the second. The story then follows the consequences of their choices and the moral lessons they learn along the way.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1893 · Genre: Short Stories, Satire, Historical · 87 words
First lines
A Christian and a Heathen in His Blindness were disputing, when the
Christian, with that charming consideration which serves to distinguish the truly pious from the wolves that perish, exclaimed:
"If I could have my way, I'd blow up all your gods with dynamite."
"And if I could have mine," retorted the Heathen in His Blindness, bitterly malevolent but oleaginuously suave, "I'd fan all yours out of the universe."
What this Textopian page supports
Two of the Pious is listed on Textopian as a fable by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1893 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: 1893 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Stories, Satire, Historical, Horror
- Length: 87 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Two of the Pious by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Two of the Pious?
- How does this fable by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Short Stories first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- A Retort by Ambrose Bierce
- The Writer And The Tramps by Ambrose Bierce
- Johndonkey by Ambrose Bierce
- A Bad Night by Ambrose Bierce
- A Revivalist Revived by Ambrose Bierce
- The Cynics Bequest by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Short Stories — Ambrose Bierce is known for his brief and often cynical short stories.
- Satire — Bierce's works often contain satirical elements and social critique.
- Historical — Given the publication era of Bierce's work, this book may contain historical elements pertinent to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- Horror — While not his primary focus, Bierce did write some stories with horror elements.
Tags
horror · gothic · supernatural · fiction · short story · irony · satire · dark humor · religion · faith · skepticism · parody