On the Wings of the Wind
On the Wings of the Wind is a novel by Grant Allen that tells the story of two young men who set out to explore the world and find adventure. The book follows their journey through various countries and cultures, as they encounter new people and experiences along the way. Along the way, they learn valuable lessons about life, love, and friendship.
By Grant Allen · First published 1895 · Genre: Natural History, Science, Travel · 5,037 words
First lines
Of course, you know my friend the squirting cucumber. If you don't, that can be only because you've never looked in the right place to find him. On all waste ground outside most southern cities -- Nice, Cannes, Florence: Rome, Algiers, Granada: Athens, Palermo, Tunis, where you will -- the soil is thickly covered by dark trailing vines which bear on their branches a queer hairy green fruit, much like a common cucumber at that early stage of its existence when we know it best in the commercial form of pickled gherkins. As long as you don't interfere with them, these hairy green fruits do nothing out of the common in the way of personal aggressiveness. Like the model young lady of the books on etiquette, they don't speak unless they're spoken to.
What this Textopian page supports
On the Wings of the Wind is listed on Textopian as a short story by Grant Allen, dated 1895 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Grant Allen
- Date: 1895 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Natural History, Science, Travel, Essay, Educational
- Length: 5,037 words
- Structure: 1 section, 37 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for On the Wings of the Wind by Grant Allen
- 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 On the Wings of the Wind?
- How does this short story by Grant Allen fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Natural History first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- I Heard The Desert Calling by Gilbert Parker
- My Terminal Moraine by Frank R. Stockton
- The Heart Of The Wild by S. L. Bensusan
- Running After The Rainbow by Dinah Mulock
- A Desert Fruit by Grant Allen
- The Diver by George Macdonald
Genres
- Natural History — The text extensively discusses plant behavior, seed dispersal mechanisms, and ecological interactions.
- Science — The work provides scientific explanations and observations about plant biology and evolutionary adaptations.
- Travel — The narrative includes references to various geographical locations and their flora.
- Essay — The writing style is reflective and discursive, exploring themes of nature and evolution.
Tags
adventure · nature · exploration · romance · mystery · travel · freedom · self-discovery · friendship · conflict · journey · landscape