Selfish Johnnie by Madeline Leslie
A selfish young boy named Johnnie May refuses to share his toys with his siblings, always pulling them away and claiming them as his own. His selfishness extends beyond possessions to his general behavior and willingness to help others. One morning, while warming himself by the nursery fire, Johnnie is asked by the nurse Mary to carry a parcel upstairs to his mother, as she cannot leave his little brother Charlie unattended until the other servant returns. Johnnie refuses, unwilling to leave his comfortable spot by the fire. Mary then asks him simply to watch over Charlie while she goes, but Johnnie ignores this responsibility as well, absorbed entirely in his own comfort and pleasure. While Johnnie sits idly staring into the fire, little Charlie climbs onto a high chair near the window, slips, and falls heavily against the corner of a table. The child's face is badly cut and bleeding, and he suffers a serious injury that leaves him ill for a considerable time afterward. The narrator makes clear that this accident could entirely have been prevented had Johnnie chosen to be kind and helpful rather than selfishly focused on his own comfort. The story uses this incident as a moral lesson, emphasizing that selfishness causes real harm not only to those around us but ultimately reflects a failure of Christian character. Readers are reminded that true goodness requires thinking of others before oneself, following the example of Jesus, who pleased not himself. The tale serves as a cautionary portrait of how a child's self-centeredness, even in small everyday moments, can lead to serious and painful consequences for the vulnerable people around him.
By Madeline Leslie · First published 1872 · Genre: Children's Literature, Moral Fiction, Coming-of-Age · 289 words
First lines
A SELFISH little boy was Johnnie May, and no one loved him. If his brothers or sisters wanted to play with any of his toys, he would pull them away rudely and say, "You sha'n't have them. They are mine. You must go and get your own."
One morning Johnnie was sitting at the nursery fire, warming himself, when Mary the nurse came to him and said, "If you please, Master Johnnie, will you take this parcel upstairs to your mamma? A man has just left it at the door, and I do not like to leave Charlie until Jane comes back, as he might get into mischief."
"No, I won't go; you may go yourself. I want to get warm," said Johnnie.
"Then please look after your little brother, till I come back," said Mary.
What this Textopian page supports
Selfish Johnnie is listed on Textopian as a short story by Madeline Leslie, dated 1872 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Madeline Leslie
- Date: 1872 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's Literature, Moral Fiction, Coming-of-Age, Domestic Fiction, Realistic Fiction
- Length: 289 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Selfish Johnnie by Madeline Leslie
- 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
Genres
- Children's Literature — Written by Madeline Leslie, a prolific 19th-century author of children's books, this work is primarily targeted at young readers with moral instruction.
- Moral Fiction — The title 'Selfish Johnnie' suggests a character study focused on the vice of selfishness, typical of Leslie's didactic approach to teaching children virtue and vice.
- Coming-of-Age — The narrative likely follows a young protagonist's journey toward self-improvement and maturation, a common theme in children's literature of this era.
- Domestic Fiction — Madeline Leslie's works typically feature family settings and domestic scenarios as the backdrop for moral lessons.
Tags
children's literature · moral fiction · Christian fiction · didactic fiction · family values · selfishness · character development · moral lessons · virtue · repentance · kindness · generosity