The Vain Spell by Edith Nesbit
A woman casts a spell to reunite with her deceased lover on a specific night when the conditions are right for the living and dead to meet again. She calls out to him, but he does not respond. The corpse remains in its grave, and the woman realizes that the hour for their reunion has passed and will never come again, rendering her spell vain.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1901 · Genre: Fantasy, Children's Literature, Adventure · 449 words
First lines
The house sleeps dark and the moon wakes white, The fields are alight with dew; "Oh, will you not come to me, Love, to-night? I have waited the whole night through, For I knew, O Heart of my heart, I knew by my heart, That the night of all nights is this, When elm shall crack and lead shall part, When moulds shall sunder and shot bolts start To let you through to my kiss."
So spake she alone in the lonely house.
What this Textopian page supports
The Vain Spell is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edith Nesbit, dated 1901 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: 1901 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Children's Literature, Adventure
- Length: 449 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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- Work identity for The Vain Spell by Edith Nesbit
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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- How does this short story by Edith Nesbit fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Similar titles
- Silence by Edith Nesbit
- White Magic by Edith Nesbit
- Winter by Edith Nesbit
- Song by Edith Nesbit
- Magic by Edith Nesbit
- The Garden by Edith Nesbit
Genres
- Fantasy — The narrative involves magical elements and supernatural events.
- Children's Literature — The story is primarily aimed at young readers with its simple language and moral lessons.
- Adventure — The plot involves a journey and a series of exciting events and challenges.
Tags
Fantasy · Magic · Adventure · Children's Literature · Classic · British Literature · Early 20th Century · Fiction · Novel · Youth Fiction · Imagination · Whimsy