The Unruly Sprite (Half-Told Tales)
This collection of short stories features a mix of fantasy and realism, exploring themes of morality, identity, and the human condition through the lens of magical realism. The tales are often humorous and satirical, using irony and absurdity to critique societal norms and conventions.
By Henry Van Dyke · First published 1909 · Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Literary Fiction · 3,111 words
First lines
There was once a man who was also a writer of books.
The merit of his books lies beyond the horizon of this tale. No doubt some of them were good, and some of them were bad, and some were merely popular. But he was all the time trying to make them better, for he was quite an honest man, and thankful that the world should give him a living for his writing. Moreover, he found great delight in the doing of it, which was something that did not enter into the world's account -- a kind of daily Christmas present in addition to his wages.
What this Textopian page supports
The Unruly Sprite (Half-Told Tales) is listed on Textopian as a short story by Henry Van Dyke, dated 1909 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Henry Van Dyke
- Date: 1909 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Literary Fiction, Allegory, Humor
- Length: 3,111 words
- Structure: 1 section, 65 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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- The Story Of The Year by Hans Christian Andersen
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- The Glass Dog by L. Frank Baum
- Buckwheat by Hans Christian Andersen
- The Girl Who Trod Upon Bread by Hans Christian Andersen
Genres
- Fantasy — The presence of sprites and magical elements defines the story as fantasy.
- Romance — The narrative includes romantic elements, particularly the relationship between the man and the lady.
- Literary Fiction — The story explores themes of creativity, companionship, and the human condition, characteristic of literary fiction.
- Allegory — The sprites and their interactions serve as allegorical elements reflecting deeper truths about human nature and relationships.
Tags
Fantasy · Fairy Tale · Short Story Collection · Literary Fiction · American Literature · 19th Century Literature · Children's Literature · Mythology · Magic Realism · Coming of Age · Self-Discovery · Morality Tales