The Snake And The Bell
The Snake and the Bell is a short story by Louis Becke, first published in 1898. It tells the story of a young man named John, who is living in a small village in the South Pacific. One day, he discovers a strange bell in the jungle, and when he rings it, a giant snake appears. The snake tells John that it is the guardian of a great treasure, and that if John can answer three riddles, he will be allowed to take the treasure. John is able to answer the riddles, and the snake grants him the treasure. John returns to his village with the treasure, and is able to use it to improve the lives of the villagers. The story is a parable about the power of knowledge and wisdom, and how it can be used to benefit others.
By Louis Becke · First published 1902 · Genre: Adventure Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance · 1,645 words
First lines
When I was a child of eight years of age, a curious incident occurred in the house in which our family lived. The locality was Mosman's Bay, one of the many picturesque indentations of the beautiful harbour of Sydney. In those days the houses were few and far apart, and our own dwelling was surrounded on all sides by the usual monotonous-hued Australian forest of iron barks and spotted gums, traversed here and there by tracks seldom used, as the house was far back from the main road, leading from the suburb of St. Leonards to Middle Harbour. The building itself was in the form of a quadrangle enclosing a courtyard, on to which nearly all the rooms opened; each room having a bell over the door, the wires running all round the square, while the front-door bell, which was an extra large affair, hung in the hall, the "pull" being one of the old-fashioned kind, an iron sliding-rod suspended from the outer wall plate, where it connected with the wire.
What this Textopian page supports
The Snake And The Bell is listed on Textopian as a short story by Louis Becke, dated 1902 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Louis Becke
- Date: 1902 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Fantasy
- Length: 1,645 words
- Structure: 1 section, 54 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Snake And The Bell by Louis Becke
- 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 Snake And The Bell?
- How does this short story by Louis Becke fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Adventure Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Martin Of Nitendi by Louis Becke
- Pakia by Louis Becke
- Five Head Creek by Louis Becke
- The Land Of The Hibiscus Blossom by Hume Nisbet
- The River Of Dreams by Louis Becke
- The Strange Adventure Of James Shervinton by Louis Becke
Genres
- Adventure Fiction — The book follows the adventures of a group of characters as they explore the South Pacific islands.
- Historical Fiction — The book is set in the late 19th century and is based on the author's own experiences in the South Pacific.
- Romance — The book features a romantic relationship between two of the main characters.
- Mystery — The book follows the characters as they attempt to solve a mysterious disappearance.
Tags
adventure · mystery · island · exploration · survival · friendship · conflict · cultural · nature · seafaring · historical · folklore