Songs from "The Water-Babies"
The Water-Babies is a children's novel by Charles Kingsley that was first published in 1863. The book tells the story of a young boy named Tom who drowns and is reborn as a water baby, living underwater with other water babies. Throughout the novel, Tom learns valuable lessons about life and death, and eventually returns to the surface to live among humans again. The Water-Babies contains many songs that are sung by the characters throughout the story. Some of these songs include "The Song of the Shark", which is a lullaby sung by the sharks to their young ones; "The Song of the Whale", which is a song about the beauty and power of whales; and "The Song of the Sea-Serpent", which is a song about the legendary sea creature. Overall, The Water-Babies is a classic children's novel that has been enjoyed by generations of readers. Its songs are an important part of the story, adding to its charm and appeal.
By Charles Kingsley · First published 1870 · Genre: Children's Literature, Adventure, Fantasy · 785 words
First lines
THE TIDE RIVER
Clear and cool, clear and cool, / By laughing shallow, and dreaming pool; / Cool and clear, cool and clear, / By shining shingle, and foaming wear; / Under the crag where the ouzel sings, / And the ivied wall where the church-bell rings, / Undefiled, for the undefiled; / Play by me, bathe in me, mother and child.
What this Textopian page supports
Songs from "The Water-Babies" is listed on Textopian as a poem by Charles Kingsley, dated 1870 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Charles Kingsley
- Date: 1870 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's Literature, Adventure, Fantasy, Moral
- Length: 785 words
- Structure: 1 section, 22 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Songs from "The Water-Babies" by Charles Kingsley
- 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
- The Air Mothers by Charles Kingsley
- The Childrens Heaven by George Macdonald
- No End Of No Story by George Macdonald
- Baby by George Macdonald
- The Blue Bird by Dinah Mulock
- I Ken Something by George Macdonald
Genres
- Children's Literature — This book is a collection of songs from the original novel 'The Water-Babies' which was written for children, featuring a child protagonist, Tom, who undergoes numerous adventures.
- Adventure — The songs are derived from the narrative centering around the protagonist's fantastical undersea adventures.
- Fantasy — Tom goes on a magical undersea journey which is loaded with fantastical creatures and situations, moreover, the very premise of a child transforming into a water-baby points towards fantasy genre.
- Moral — The songs, along with the original novel, are centered on a narrative intended to convey moral lessons, demonstrating a commitment to morally instructive literature.
Tags
children's literature · fantasy · adventure · moral lessons · nature · transformation · Victorian era · fairy tale · mythology · innocence · friendship · underwater