The Motherless Child by Dinah Mulock
A widow, weary and alone, walks home through a bleak, snowy night. She has no family and lives a quiet, solitary life, earning her bread with patience. As she walks, she hears the faint cry of a child, a sound filled with sorrow rather than hunger. Intrigued, she follows the sound to an open house where she discovers a motherless child beside the lifeless body of its mother. The scene evokes a deep sense of compassion within her. Despite her own struggles, the widow chooses to care for the child, shutting the door behind her as she stays with the deceased for an hour. When she leaves, she carries the sleeping child in her arms, transforming her lonely existence. Over time, the widow finds joy and purpose in her new role as a caregiver. Though she is now old and frail, her heart is filled with happiness as the child brings life into her home. The once-empty cottage is now alive with youthful energy, laughter, and companionship. The bond between the childless widow and the motherless child creates a new family dynamic, illustrating themes of love, resilience, and the healing power of connection amidst loss.
By Dinah Mulock · First published 1854 · Genre: Drama, Historical, Romance · 472 words
First lines
SHE was going home down the lonely street, A widow-woman with weary feet And weary eyes that seldom smiled: She had neither mother, sister, nor child. She earned her bread with a patient heart, And ate it quietly and apart, In her silent home from day to day, No one to say her "ay," or "nay."
She was going home without care to haste; What should she haste for? On she paced Through the snowy night so bleak and wild, When she thought she heard the cry of a child, A feeble cry, not of hunger or pain, But just of sorrow. It came again. She stopped -- she listened -- she almost smiled -- "That sounds like a wail of a motherless child."
What this Textopian page supports
The Motherless Child is listed on Textopian as a short story by Dinah Mulock, dated 1854 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Dinah Mulock
- Date: 1854 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Drama, Historical, Romance, Adventure, Coming of Age
- Length: 472 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Motherless Child by Dinah Mulock
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Drama — The book contains intense moments of character interaction leading to emotional growth and resolution.
- Historical — The story is set in a specific historical period, affecting the characters' actions and situations.
- Romance — The narrative includes potential romantic relationships and emotional connections between characters.
- Adventure — The storyline involves the protagonist undertaking a journey with potentially dangerous or unexpected incidents.
Tags
orphan · loss · grief · family · identity · childhood · abandonment · resilience · love · sorrow · adoption · struggle