The Water Goats
The story revolves around a farmer named Si Klegg who lives near a river and has a peculiar habit of talking to animals. One day, he discovers that his goats have fallen into the river and are struggling to get out. He tries to rescue them but fails. In desperation, he makes a deal with the devil to exchange his soul for the ability to talk to animals. The devil agrees, and Si is able to communicate with the goats, who tell him they want to be thrown into the river again. Confused, Si complies, and the goats start to thrive in the water. As time passes, Si becomes famous for having "water goats" that can swim and dive like fish. However, he soon realizes that his deal with the devil will have severe consequences if he doesn't find a way to outsmart him.
By Ellis Parker Butler · First published 1900 · Genre: Humor, Satire, Short Story · 10,235 words
First lines
"And then," said the landscape gardener, combing his silky, pointed beard gently with his long, artistic fingers, "in the lake you might have a couple of gondolas. Two would be sufficient for a lake of this size; amply sufficient. Yes," he said firmly, "I would certainly advise gondolas. They look well, and the children like to ride on them. And so do the adults. I would have two gondolas in the lake."
Mayor Dugan and the City Council, meeting as a committee of the whole to receive the report of the landscape gardener and his plan for the new public park, nodded their heads sagely.
What this Textopian page supports
The Water Goats is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ellis Parker Butler, dated 1900 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Ellis Parker Butler
- Date: 1900 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humor, Satire, Short Story, Fiction
- Length: 10,235 words
- Structure: 1 section, 151 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Water Goats by Ellis Parker Butler
- 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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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Water Goats?
- How does this short story by Ellis Parker Butler fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Humor first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Humor — The story is primarily comedic, focusing on humorous situations and character interactions.
- Satire — The narrative employs satire to critique societal norms and behaviors.
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative, fitting the structure and length of a short story.
- Fiction — The plot and characters are entirely fictional, created for entertainment.
Tags
Humor · Satire · Rural Life · Farm Animals · Goats · Water · Flood · Disaster · Comedy · American Literature · Early 20th Century · Rural Setting