The Song of the Flying Fish
The Song of the Flying Fish is a collection of poems by G.K. Chesterton that explores themes of faith, love, and nature. The book includes some of his most famous works such as "The Donkey" and "The Rolling English Road".
By G.K. Chesterton · First published 1928 · Genre: Mystery, Detective Fiction, Crime · 8,582 words
First lines
THE soul of Mr. Peregrine Smart hovered like a fly round one possession and one joke. It might be considered a mild joke, for it consisted merely of asking people if they had seen his goldfish. It might also be considered an expensive joke; but it is doubtful whether he was not secretly more attached to the joke than to the evidence of expenditure. In talking to his neighbours in the little group of new houses that had grown up round the old village green, he lost no time in turning the conversation in the direction of his hobby. To Dr. Burdock, a rising biologist with a resolute chin and hair brushed back like a German's, Mr. Smart made the easy transition. "You are interested in natural history; have you seen my goldfish? " To so orthodox an evolutionist as Dr. Burdock doubtless all nature was one; but at first sight the link was not close, as he was a specialist who had concentrated entirely upon the primitive ancestry of the giraffe.
What this Textopian page supports
The Song of the Flying Fish is listed on Textopian as a poem by G.K. Chesterton, dated 1928 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: G.K. Chesterton
- Date: 1928 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Detective Fiction, Crime, Humor, Adventure
- Length: 8,582 words
- Structure: 1 section, 142 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Song of the Flying Fish by G.K. Chesterton
- 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 The Song of the Flying Fish?
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Similar titles
- The Moon by George Macdonald
- The Dreamer by Saki
- The Wild Knight And Other Poems The Lamp Post by G. K. Chesterton
- The Night Bird A Myth by Charles Kingsley
- The Wild Knight And Other Poems The Fish by G. K. Chesterton
- The White Horses by G. K. Chesterton
Genres
- Mystery — The plot revolves around a mysterious theft involving goldfish, with elements of investigation and deduction.
- Detective Fiction — The narrative includes a detective figure, Father Brown, who solves the crime using logical reasoning.
- Crime — The central event is a crime, specifically the theft of valuable goldfish, and the story explores the circumstances and resolution of this crime.
- Humor — The story contains humorous elements, particularly in the eccentricity of Mr. Smart and the absurdity of the situation.
Tags
fantasy · adventure · mythology · imagination · whimsy · nature · fish · flying · ocean · exploration · narrative · allegory