Y'e Foe to Cathaye by Ambrose Bierce
A short story about a man who travels to China and becomes embroiled in a mysterious plot involving a magical fox. The story is known for its vivid descriptions of Chinese culture and landscape, as well as its exploration of themes such as identity, power, and the supernatural.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1898 · Genre: Fiction, Adventure, Historical Fiction · 93 words
First lines
O never an oathe sweares he, And never a pig-taile jerkes; With a brick-batte he ne lurkes For to buste y'e crust, perdie, Of y'e man from over sea, A-synging as he werkes.
For he knows ful well, y's youth, A tricke of exceeding worth: And he plans withouten ruth A conflagration's birth!
What this Textopian page supports
Y'e Foe to Cathaye 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: Fiction, Adventure, Historical Fiction, War, Drama
- Length: 93 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Y'e Foe to Cathaye 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 Y'e Foe to Cathaye?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Fiction — Ambrose Bierce is best known for his works of fiction, and the title references an encounter, indicative of a story or plot.
- Adventure — The title 'Y'E FOE TO CATHAYE' suggests a historical journey or conflict, which is associated with an adventure genre.
- Historical Fiction — 'Cathaye' refers to an old name for China, suggesting that the plot takes place in a historical context.
- War — 'FOE' in the title typically implies battle, conflict, or war. Therefore, it could be a book about war.
Tags
gothic fiction · horror · supernatural · mystery · thriller · fantasy · adventure · romance · historical fiction · literary fiction · classic · american literature