Old Pipes and the Dryad
Old Pipes and the Dryad is a short story by Frank R. Stockton about a man named Old Pipes who lives in a forest with his dog, Zero. One day, he meets a dryad who grants him three wishes. He uses his first wish to make himself young again, but then realizes that he misses the simple life of being old and content. With his second wish, he asks for a beautiful palace to live in, but soon becomes bored with its luxuries. Finally, with his third wish, he asks to return to his original state as an old man living in the forest with his dog. The story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and the importance of being content with what one has.
By Frank R. Stockton · First published 1896 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Children's Literature · 8,246 words
First lines
A mountain brook ran through a little village. Over the brook there was a narrow bridge, and from the bridge a foot-path led out from the village and up the hill-side, to the cottage of Old Pipes and his mother. For many, many years, Old Pipes had been employed by the villagers to pipe the cattle down from the hills. Every afternoon, an hour before sunset, he would sit on a rock in front of his cottage and play on his pipes. Then all the flocks and herds that were grazing on the mountains would hear him, wherever they might happen to be, and would come down to the village -- the cows by the easiest paths, the sheep by those not quite so easy, and the goats by the steep and rocky ways that were hardest of all.
What this Textopian page supports
Old Pipes and the Dryad is listed on Textopian as a short story by Frank R. Stockton, dated 1896 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: 1896 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Folk Tale, Short Story
- Length: 8,246 words
- Structure: 1 section, 115 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Old Pipes and the Dryad 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 Old Pipes and the Dryad?
- 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?
Similar titles
- The Lost Dryad by Frank R. Stockton
- The Bee Man Of Orn by Frank R. Stockton
- The Reflective Stag by Frank R. Stockton
- The Egg Shell by Rudyard Kipling
- The Night Bird A Myth by Charles Kingsley
- The Wild Knight And Other Poems A Fairy Tale by G. K. Chesterton
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story features magical elements, such as a dryad and enchanted events, typical of fairy tales.
- Fantasy — The narrative includes fantastical creatures and settings beyond the realm of reality.
- Children's Literature — The simple language and moral lessons are characteristic of children's stories.
- Folk Tale — The story draws on traditional folklore elements and themes.
Tags
fantasy · mythology · dryad · nature · folklore · adventure · mystery · imagination · whimsy · trees · magic · transformation