Kujata by Jorge Luis Borges (1924)
The story revolves around a man who is condemned to death for having committed an unspecified crime. He is given the opportunity to escape by killing his jailer, but he chooses not to do so because he believes that if he were to succeed in escaping, he would be caught and punished again, and that this cycle of punishment and escape would continue indefinitely.
By Jorge Luis Borges · First published 1924 · Genre: Mythology, Fantasy, Religious · 130 words
First lines
In Moslem cosmology, Kujata is a huge bull endowed with four thousand eyes, ears, nostrils, mouths, and feet. To get from one ear to another or from one eye to another, no more than five hundred years are required. Kujata stands on the back of the fish Bahamut; on the bull's back is a great rock of ruby, on the rock an angel, and on the angel rests our earth. Under the fish is a mighty sea, under the sea a vast abyss of air, under the air fire, and under the fire a serpent so great that were it not for fear of Allah, this creature might swallow up all creation.
What this Textopian page supports
Kujata is listed on Textopian as a short story by Jorge Luis Borges, dated 1924 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Jorge Luis Borges
- Date: 1924 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mythology, Fantasy, Religious, Philosophical
- Length: 130 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Kujata by Jorge Luis Borges
- 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 Kujata?
- How does this short story by Jorge Luis Borges fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Mythology first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Heavenly Cock by Jorge Luis Borges
- Burak by Jorge Luis Borges
- The Salamander by Jorge Luis Borges
- Legend by Jorge Luis Borges
- The Panther by Jorge Luis Borges
- His End And His Beginning by Jorge Luis Borges
Genres
- Mythology — The narrative is based on Moslem cosmology and involves mythical creatures and structures.
- Fantasy — The description of fantastical beings and settings, such as a bull with thousands of eyes and a serpent capable of swallowing creation, aligns with fantasy elements.
- Religious — The text references religious cosmology and divine elements, such as the fear of Allah.
- Philosophical — The work explores existential themes and the structure of the universe, prompting philosophical contemplation.
Tags
Philosophical Fiction · Metaphysical Novel · Existentialism · Absurdism · Mythology · Symbolism · Futurism · Speculative Fiction · Short Story Collection · Literary Experimentation · Paradox · Time Travel