Tam and the Leeches by David Rorie
TAM AND THE LEECHES is a story about a young girl named Tam who lives in a small village in the middle of a vast jungle. She is the only one in her village who can see the leeches that live in the jungle. The leeches are mysterious creatures that can grant wishes, but only if Tam can figure out how to make them do it. Tam embarks on a journey to find the leeches and learn their secrets. Along the way, she meets a variety of strange and wonderful creatures, including a talking parrot, a giant spider, and a wise old man. With the help of her new friends, Tam discovers the truth about the leeches and how to make them grant her wishes. But Tam soon discovers that the leeches have a dark side, and that her wishes come with a price. Tam must decide if she is willing to pay the price for her wishes, or if she will find another way to get what she wants. TAM AND THE LEECHES is a thrilling adventure story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. It is a story of courage, friendship, and the power of believing in yourself.
By David Rorie · First published 1920 · Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Young Adult · 1,419 words
First lines
I. Faith, there's a hantle queer complaints To cheenge puir sinners into saints, An' mony divers ways o' deein' That doctors hae a chance o' seein'. The Babylonian scartit bricks To tell his doots o' Death's dark tricks, The Roman kentna hoo 'twas farin' Across the ferry rowed by Charon, An' readin' doonwards through the ages The tale's the same in a' their pages, Eternal grum'lin' at the load We hae to bear alang Life's road, Yet, when we're fairly at the bit, Awfu', maist awfu sweer to flit, Praisin' the name o' ony drug The doctor whispers in oor lug As guaranteed to cure the evil, To haud us here an' cheat the Deevil. For gangrels, croochin' in the strae, To leave this warld are oft as wae As the prood laird o' mony an acre, O' temporal things a keen partaker.
What this Textopian page supports
Tam and the Leeches is listed on Textopian as a short story by David Rorie, dated 1920 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: David Rorie
- Date: 1920 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Young Adult, Mystery
- Length: 1,419 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Tam and the Leeches by David Rorie
- 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 Tam and the Leeches?
- How does this short story by David Rorie fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Adventure first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Adventure — The book follows the journey of Tam as he embarks on a quest to save his village from the leeches, which requires him to face many obstacles and challenges.
- Fantasy — The book contains elements of fantasy, such as magical creatures and a mysterious world that Tam must explore.
- Young Adult — The book is written for a young adult audience, with a protagonist of the same age and themes of coming of age and self-discovery.
- Mystery — The book contains elements of mystery, as Tam must uncover the secrets of the leeches and their plans for his village.
Tags
Dialect poetry · Poetry · Psychedelic folkfolk · Scottish · aff · aince · cod · cure · dialect poetry, scottish · doctor · doon · draw