The Goblin and the Huckster
A young goblin is tricked into trading his most precious possessions for worthless trinkets by a cunning huckster. The goblin's losses are compounded when he tries to reclaim the items, only to be swindled again. His desperation grows as he becomes increasingly impoverished and humiliated.
By Hans Christian Andersen · First published 1908 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Children's Literature · 1,749 words
First lines
There was once a regular student: he lived in a garret, and nothing at all belonged to him; but there was also once a regular huckster: he lived on the ground floor, and the whole house was his; and the goblin kept with him, for on the huckster's table on Christmas Eve there was always a dish of plum porridge, with a great piece of butter floating in the middle. The huckster could accomplish that; and consequently the goblin stuck to the huckster's shop, and that was very interesting.
What this Textopian page supports
The Goblin and the Huckster is listed on Textopian as a short story by Hans Christian Andersen, dated 1908 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Hans Christian Andersen
- Date: 1908 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Humor, Moral Tale
- Length: 1,749 words
- Structure: 1 section, 21 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Goblin and the Huckster by Hans Christian Andersen
- 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 Goblin and the Huckster?
- How does this short story by Hans Christian Andersen fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fairy Tale first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- The Tin Woodman Of Oz by L. Frank Baum
- Rudy And Babette by Hans Christian Andersen
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story features fantastical elements such as a goblin and magical occurrences, typical of fairy tales.
- Fantasy — Incorporates magical realism with talking objects and a goblin, fitting the fantasy genre.
- Children's Literature — The narrative style and moral lessons are suitable for a young audience, common in children's literature.
- Humor — Contains humorous elements, such as the goblin's antics and the playful interactions between characters.
Tags
Fantasy · Fairy Tale · Adventure · Magic Realism · Moral Lesson · Coming of Age · Self-Discovery · Friendship · Good vs Evil · Deception · Consequences · Redemption