The Owl and the Bell
The Owl and the Bell is a short story by George MacDonald about an owl who lives in a bell tower. The owl becomes friends with a bell ringer, but when the bell ringer dies, the owl is left alone and sad. One day, the owl hears a new bell ringer and realizes that life goes on even after loss.
By George MacDonald · First published 1876 · Genre: Fable, Poetry, Fantasy · 1,000 words
First lines
_Bing, Bim, Bang, Bome! _ Sang the Bell to himself in his house at home, High in the church-tower, lone and unseen, In a twilight of ivy, cool and green; With his _Bing, Bing, Bim, Bing, Bang, Bome! _ Singing bass to himself in his house at home.
Said the Owl, on a shadowy ledge below, Like a glimmering ball of forgotten snow, "Pest on that fellow sitting up there, Always calling the people to prayer!
What this Textopian page supports
The Owl and the Bell is listed on Textopian as a short story by George MacDonald, dated 1876 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: George MacDonald
- Date: 1876 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Poetry, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Humor
- Length: 1,000 words
- Structure: 1 section, 31 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Owl and the Bell by George MacDonald
- 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 The Owl and the Bell?
- How does this short story by George MacDonald fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fable first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- No End Of No Story by George Macdonald
- Little Boy Blue by George Macdonald
- Tell Me by George Macdonald
- At The Back Of The North Wind by George Macdonald
- A Make Believe by George Macdonald
- The Hills by George Macdonald
Genres
- Fable — The narrative features anthropomorphized animals, specifically an owl and a bell, conveying a moral lesson.
- Poetry — The text is written in verse form with a rhythmic and rhyming structure.
- Fantasy — The story involves fantastical elements, such as a bell with sentient qualities and an owl engaging in human-like reasoning.
- Children's Literature — The simple narrative style and moral undertones are characteristic of literature aimed at a younger audience.
Tags
fantasy · allegory · children's literature · moral lessons · imagination · nature · friendship · wisdom · adventure · mythical creatures · self-discovery · spirituality