Faith by Edith Nesbit (1910)
The narrator stands before a gray wall, unable to see what lies beyond. Despite this, they have faith that a beautiful and welcoming world exists on the other side, with green lawns, white blossoms, and a loving heart waiting to care for those in need. The narrator contrasts their own knowledge of this unseen world with the ignorance of a tired tramp who only sees the grayness around him. The narrator prays to remember this faith in a world that currently seems bleak, trusting that there is more to life than what can be seen.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1910 · Genre: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Adventure · 298 words
First lines
A WALL / Gray and tall, / And a sky of gray, / And a twilight cold; / And that is all / That my eyes behold.
But I know that unseen, / Beyond the wall, / On a lawn of green / White blossoms fall / In the waning light; / And beyond the lawn / Curtains are drawn / From windows bright.
And within she moves with her gracious hands / And the heart that loves and that understands, / Waiting to succour poor souls in need, / And to bind with her blessing the hearts that bleed.
I know it all, though I cannot see; / But the tired-out tramp, / Dirty and ill, / In the evening's damp, / In the Spring's clean chill, / Knows not that there / Is the heart to care / For such as I and for such as he.
What this Textopian page supports
Faith is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edith Nesbit, dated 1910 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Date: 1910 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Adventure
- Length: 298 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Faith by Edith Nesbit
- 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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Similar titles
- As It Is by Edith Nesbit
- The Eternal by Edith Nesbit
- An Appeal To The Gods by B. M. Croker
- Three Souls by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- The Decadent by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- The Prophets Paradise by Robert W. Chambers
Genres
- Children's Literature — The narrative is primarily aimed at young readers, with a focus on moral and ethical lessons.
- Fantasy — The story incorporates elements of magic and supernatural phenomena.
- Adventure — The plot involves a series of exciting events and challenges.
Tags
Christianity · Religion · Spirituality · Philosophy · Theology · Mystery · Supernatural · Fantasy · Gothic · Victorian Era · British Literature · Classic