Hans, the Herb-Gatherer
Hans, the Herb-Gatherer is a short story by Frank R. Stockton about a young man named Hans who lives in a small village and makes his living gathering herbs from the forest. One day, while out collecting herbs, he discovers a hidden cave that leads to an underground kingdom ruled by a beautiful princess. The princess falls in love with Hans and offers him riches beyond his wildest dreams if he will stay with her forever. However, Hans misses his family and friends back home and decides to return to the surface world. Despite the princess's pleas for him to stay, Hans leaves the underground kingdom and returns to his village, where he continues to gather herbs and live a simple life.
By Frank R. Stockton · First published 1874 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Children's Literature, Fantasy · 1,428 words
First lines
Many years ago, when people had not quite so much sense as they have now, there was a poor widow woman who was sick. I do not know what was the matter with her, but she had been confined to her bed for a long time.
She had no doctor, for in those days many of the poor people, besides having but little money, had little faith in a regular physician. They would rather depend upon wonderful herbs and simples, which were reported to have a sort of magical power, and they often used to resort to charms and secret incantations when they wished to be cured of disease.
What this Textopian page supports
Hans, the Herb-Gatherer is listed on Textopian as a short story by Frank R. Stockton, dated 1874 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Frank R. Stockton
- Date: 1874 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Moral Tale
- Length: 1,428 words
- Structure: 1 section, 21 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Hans, the Herb-Gatherer by Frank R. Stockton
- 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 Hans, the Herb-Gatherer?
- How does this short story by Frank R. Stockton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fairy Tale first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story contains elements of folklore, magical herbs, and a moral lesson, typical of fairy tales.
- Children's Literature — The narrative is simple, with clear moral lessons and a focus on kindness, making it suitable for children.
- Fantasy — The plot involves magical herbs and supernatural beliefs, fitting the fantasy genre.
- Historical Fiction — The setting and societal beliefs reflect a past era, providing a historical context.
Tags
adventure · folklore · nature · herbs · gathering · fantasy · self-discovery · journey · friendship · wisdom · magic · rural