The Gilded Idol and the King Conch-Shell. the Ma
The Gilded Idol and the King Conch-Shell is a short story by Frank R. Stockton about a man who finds a conch shell that grants wishes, but he soon realizes that his greed has led him to make poor choices. The Master of the House is another short story by Stockton about a man who tries to control everything in his household, only to realize that he cannot control everything.
By Frank R. Stockton · First published 1893 · Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery · 15,476 words
First lines
The rose-vines were running riot over the old garden wall, and as it was now midsummer and the season of their full bloom had passed, John Gayther set to work one morning to prune and train them. The idea of doing this was forcibly impressed upon his mind that day by the fact that the Mistress of the House had returned the evening before, and he knew that she would notice the untidy appearance of the rose-vines as soon as it should please her to come into the garden. The family had been at the sea-shore for nearly two weeks, and the gardener had missed them sorely, especially the Daughter of the House. They had now all returned, and the butler had told him that they had brought with them a visitor, a Frenchman. John Gayther, whose mind was always full of the Daughter of the House, immediately inquired if he was young; but the butler's answer was unsatisfactory, as he said the gentleman was neither young nor old, and talked queer English.
What this Textopian page supports
The Gilded Idol and the King Conch-Shell. the Master of the House is listed on Textopian as a novel by Frank R. Stockton, dated 1893 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Frank R. Stockton
- Date: 1893 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
- Length: 15,476 words
- Structure: 1 section, 328 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Gilded Idol and the King Conch-Shell. the Master of the House 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
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- Where does Adventure first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Story Of The Discovery Of Scheyichbi by Frank R. Stockton
- The Isle Of Ruim by Grant Allen
- The Lost Continent by Cutcliffe Hyne
- A Mysterious Vale by Sabine Baring Gould
- The Isle Of Skulls by Gertrude Atherton
- The Great Stone Of Sardis by Frank R. Stockton
Genres
- Adventure — The plot revolves around exciting and risky undertakings.
- Fantasy — The story includes fantastical elements and imaginative settings.
- Mystery — There are elements of suspense and investigation.
- Historical Fiction — The narrative is set in a past era with historical context.
Tags
adventure · fantasy · mystery · mythology · treasure · island · exploration · narrative · characters · conflict · imagination · suspense