The Legend of the Bleeding-heart
The Legend of the Bleeding-heart is a children’s novel by Annie Fellows Johnston. It tells the story of a young girl named Mary, who lives in a small village in the Appalachian Mountains. Mary is a kind and gentle soul, but she is also a bit of a dreamer. One day, while walking in the woods, she discovers a mysterious flower with a heart-shaped petal that is bleeding red. She soon learns that the flower is a symbol of love and that it has the power to heal broken hearts. With the help of her friends, Mary embarks on a quest to find the source of the flower and to restore the broken hearts of the people in her village. Along the way, she learns valuable lessons about friendship, courage, and the power of love.
By Annie Fellows Johnston · First published 1907 · Genre: Fantasy, Children's Literature, Adventure · 2,738 words
First lines
In days of old, when all things in the Wood had speech, there lived within its depths a lone Flax-spinner. She was a bent old creature, and ill to look upon, but all the tongues of all the forest leaves were ever kept a-wagging with the story of her kindly deeds. And even to this day they sometimes whisper low among themselves (because they fain would hold in mind so sweet a tale) the story of her kindness to the little orphan, Olga.
'Twas no slight task the old Flax-spinner took upon herself, the day she brought the helpless child to share the shelter of her thatch. The Oak outside her door held up his arms in solemn protest.
What this Textopian page supports
The Legend of the Bleeding-heart is listed on Textopian as a short story by Annie Fellows Johnston, dated 1907 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Annie Fellows Johnston
- Date: 1907 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Children's Literature, Adventure, Romance
- Length: 2,738 words
- Structure: 1 section, 47 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Legend of the Bleeding-heart by Annie Fellows Johnston
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Legend of the Bleeding-heart?
- How does this short story by Annie Fellows Johnston fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Beauty And The Beast by Anonymous
- The Rider On The White Horse by Theodor Storm
- The Voyages Of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
- The Frog Prince by Walter Crane
- Grimms Fairy Tales by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- Aladdin And The Wonderful Lamp by Walter Crane
Genres
- Fantasy — The title of the book suggests a mythical or fantastical element, and the author is known for writing children's fantasy stories.
- Children's Literature — The author is known for writing children's stories, and the title suggests a story that could be suitable for a younger audience.
- Adventure — The title suggests a story with an exciting journey or quest, which is a common element of adventure stories.
- Romance — The title suggests a story with a romantic element, which is a common element of romance stories.
Tags
Fairy tales · bead · blood · blossom · called · castle · charm · cottage · cried · dame · day · days
More by Annie Fellows Johnston
- Mildred's Inheritance; Just Her Way; Ann's Own Way (1906)
- The Quilt that Jack Built; How He Won the Bicycle (1904)
- Big Brother (1893)
- In the Desert of Waiting: The Legend of Camel-back Mountain (1904)
- Georgiana of the Rainbows (1920)
- The Little Colonel (1907)
- The Gate of the Giant Scissors (1920)
- Two Little Knights of Kentucky (1902)
- All works by Annie Fellows Johnston