Ask the Robin
Two sisters, Aria and Linde, live in a charming cottage surrounded by a beautiful garden, nurtured by their late father, a gardener. After their father's tragic death, they struggle to maintain their home and livelihood. They sell flowers and wild fruits at the market, but as winter approaches, their resources dwindle. Linde dreams of a mysterious old woman who tells her to "ask the robin" after three market days, hinting at a deeper connection to their situation. As they prepare for the market, they discover that dried rose leaves from their father's garden can be sold for their fragrant qualities. Their sales exceed expectations, and Linde's dream recurs, urging her to seek the robin. She finds a path in the forest and encounters a robin who reveals that the forest is under a curse due to a past tragedy involving a robin killed by a boy. The curse can only be lifted by a maiden innocent of cruelty, and Linde is chosen for this task. On the night of the third market day, Linde ventures into the forest alone, guided by a robin. She reaches a clearing where she must break the curse by digging up the tomb of the robin killed long ago. With the help of the robin, she removes the arrow that has kept the bird in a state of enchantment. The robin is revived, and the curse is lifted, restoring the forest and allowing robins to return. In gratitude, the robins grant Linde a magical spade and the ability to summon rose leaves by placing a jar on her windowsill. The sisters prosper, their fame spreading for their fragrant rose leaves, and they live happily, forever connected to the magic of the forest and the robins. The story concludes with the legacy of the sisters and their enchanted garden, symbolizing hope, resilience, and the bond between nature and humanity.
By Mary Louisa Molesworth · First published 1894 · Genre: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Adventure · 15,064 words
First lines
Once upon a time -- a fairly long ago time -- there lived in a neat little cottage two young girls who were sisters. If you had gone to see them on a bright warm summer's day, I daresay you would have envied them and their life and their lot. For they were pretty and healthy and they loved each other dearly, and the cottage was charming to look at, in its dress of clustering roses and honeysuckle and traveller's joy, and other sweet and beautiful climbing, flowering plants. Furthermore, it stood in a little garden filled with treasures of different kinds, pansies, of which there was a great variety, and lilies and mignonette and all the flowers one loves to see in an old-fashioned garden of the kind. And the sisters kept it in perfect order, the beds were always raked, there was never a weed to be seen, the tiny plots of grass were like velvet.
What this Textopian page supports
Ask the Robin is listed on Textopian as a novel by Mary Louisa Molesworth, dated 1894 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Mary Louisa Molesworth
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Adventure, Nature Writing, Moral Tale
- Length: 15,064 words
- Structure: 1 section, 277 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Ask the Robin by Mary Louisa Molesworth
- 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 Ask the Robin?
- How does this novel by Mary Louisa Molesworth fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Genres
- Children's Literature — The book is primarily aimed at a young audience, featuring themes and narratives suitable for children.
- Fantasy — The story incorporates elements of fantasy, including anthropomorphized animals and imaginative scenarios.
- Adventure — The plot involves exploration and adventure, typical of children's stories that engage young readers.
- Nature Writing — The presence of a robin and nature themes suggests a focus on the natural world.
Tags
Children's Literature · Fantasy · Adventure · Mystery · Coming-of-Age · Friendship · Imagination · Magic · Nature · Orphan · Pursuit · Quest