The Sick Pike by Frank R. Stockton
The Sick Pike is a short story written by Frank R. Stockton about a young boy who catches a pike fish and brings it home to his family. The pike becomes sick, and the boy's mother nurses it back to health. When the pike recovers, it returns to its natural habitat in the lake.
By Frank R. Stockton · First published 1874 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Humor · 706 words
First lines
There is no reason why a pike should not be sick. Everything that has life is subject to illness, but it is very seldom that any fish has the good sense and the good fortune of the pike that I am going to tell you about.
This pike was a good-sized fellow, weighing about six pounds, and he belonged to the Earl of Stamford, who lived near Durham, England. His story was read by Dr. Warwick to the Literary and Philosophical Society of Liverpool. I am particular about these authorities because this story is a little out of the common run.
What this Textopian page supports
The Sick Pike 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: Fable, Children's Literature, Humor, Fantasy, Short Story
- Length: 706 words
- Structure: 1 section, 9 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Sick Pike by Frank R. Stockton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Sick Pike?
- How does this short story by Frank R. Stockton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fable first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Fable — The story features anthropomorphized animals and conveys a moral lesson.
- Children's Literature — The narrative is simple, engaging, and suitable for a young audience.
- Humor — The story contains humorous elements, particularly in the depiction of the pike's behavior.
- Fantasy — The story includes fantastical elements, such as a fish seeking medical treatment and forming a bond with a human.
Tags
fable · morality · humor · nature · fish · pike · storytelling · allegory · human behavior · satire · adventure · conflict