Legend by Jorge Luis Borges (1938)
The story revolves around a mythical land called Koenigsegg, where the inhabitants are obsessed with creating a perfect encyclopedia that catalogues all possible worlds. The protagonist, a scholar, discovers a mysterious book that contains an infinite number of pages, each describing a unique world. As he delves deeper into the book, he realizes that every possibility exists in one of these worlds, and that the concept of time is irrelevant. He becomes trapped in this labyrinthine narrative, unable to distinguish between reality and fiction. The story explores themes of infinity, paradox, and the limits of human knowledge, raising questions about the nature of reality and the power of language to shape our understanding of the world.
By Jorge Luis Borges · First published 1938 · Genre: Philosophical Fiction, Short Story, Allegory · 210 words
First lines
LegendAbel and Cain met again after Abel's death. They were walking in the desert and knew each other from a distance, for both men were very tall. The brothers sat on the ground, made a fire, and ate. For a while, they were untalkative, the way tired men can be after a long day's work. In the sky, some still unnamed star appeared. By the firelight, Cain made out the mark of the stone on Abel's forehead, dropped the food he was about to put into his mouth, and asked to be forgiven for his crime.
"I no longer remember-did you kill me or was it I who killed you? " Abel answered. "Here we are together again, just as we used to be."
What this Textopian page supports
Legend is listed on Textopian as a short story by Jorge Luis Borges, dated 1938 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: 1938 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Philosophical Fiction, Short Story, Allegory, Biblical Fiction, Literary Fiction
- Length: 210 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Legend 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 Legend?
- How does this short story by Jorge Luis Borges fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Philosophical Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Kujata by Jorge Luis Borges
- The Heavenly Cock by Jorge Luis Borges
- The Rejected Sorcerer by Jorge Luis Borges
- Burak by Jorge Luis Borges
- His End And His Beginning by Jorge Luis Borges
- Talos by Jorge Luis Borges
Genres
- Philosophical Fiction — Explores themes of forgiveness, memory, and guilt through a philosophical lens.
- Short Story — A brief narrative focusing on a single event and its implications.
- Allegory — Uses symbolic figures and actions to convey deeper moral and philosophical meanings.
- Biblical Fiction — Reimagines a story from the Bible, focusing on the characters of Cain and Abel.
Tags
Philosophical Fiction · Metaphysical Novel · Short Story Collection · Existentialism · Absurdism · Paradox · Time Travel · Futurism · Speculative Fiction · Mythology · Symbolism · Allegory