What I Found in the Sea. John Gayther
The story follows a young boy who finds a mysterious object while playing on the beach. He takes it home and discovers that it is a magical sea shell that can grant wishes. The boy uses his newfound power to help others, but soon learns that there are consequences for every wish he makes.
By Frank R. Stockton · First published 1897 · Genre: Adventure, Fiction, Short Story · 9,938 words
First lines
It was on a morning in June that John Gayther was hoeing peas, drawing the fine earth up about their tender little stems as a mother would tuck the clothes about her little sleeping baby, when, happening to glance across several beds, and rows of box, he saw approaching the Daughter of the House. Probably she was looking for him, but he did not think she had yet seen him. He put down his hoe, feeling, as he did, that this June morning was getting very warm; and he gathered up an armful of pea-sticks which were lying near by. With these he made his way toward a little house almost in the middle of the garden, which was his fortress, his palace, his studio, or his workshop, as the case might be.
What this Textopian page supports
What I Found in the Sea. John Gayther is listed on Textopian as a short story by Frank R. Stockton, dated 1897 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: 1897 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Fiction, Short Story, Literary, Mystery
- Length: 9,938 words
- Structure: 1 section, 116 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for What I Found in the Sea. John Gayther 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
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering What I Found in the Sea. John Gayther?
- How does this short story by Frank R. Stockton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Adventure first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Sea Voyage by Charles Lamb
- Jellands Voyage by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- The Find by Charles Kingsley
- Down In The Earth by Frank R. Stockton
- The Quest by Saki
- Old Mary by Louis Becke
Genres
- Adventure — The plot revolves around exploration and discovery in the sea.
- Fiction — The narrative is a work of imagination and creativity.
- Short Story — The book is composed of a concise and focused narrative.
- Literary — The writing style emphasizes descriptive language and character development.
Tags
adventure · mystery · exploration · ocean · discovery · fantasy · imagination · seafaring · narrative · journey · characters · nature