The Sphinx Apple by O. Henry (1904)
A wealthy man dies and leaves his fortune to be divided among the people who can answer a riddle he has devised. The riddle is: What can be broken but never held? The story follows several characters as they try to solve the riddle in order to claim their share of the inheritance.
By O. Henry · First published 1904 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Short Story, Humor · 7,108 words
First lines
Twenty miles out from Paradise, and fifteen miles short of Sunrise City, Bildad Rose, the stage-driver, stopped his team. A furious snow had been falling all day. Eight inches it measured now, on a level. The remainder of the road was not without peril in daylight, creeping along the ribs of a bijou range of ragged mountains. Now, when both snow and night masked its dangers, further travel was not to be thought of, said Bildad Rose. So he pulled up his four stout horses, and delivered to his five passengers oral deductions of his wisdom.
What this Textopian page supports
The Sphinx Apple is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1904 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: O. Henry
- Date: 1904 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Short Story, Humor, Drama, Romance
- Length: 7,108 words
- Structure: 1 section, 95 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Sphinx Apple by O. Henry
- 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 Sphinx Apple?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- A Startling Demonstration by O. Henry
- Slightly Mixed by O. Henry
- The Hand That Riles The World by O. Henry
- The Unprofitable Servant by O. Henry
- Calculations by O. Henry
- A Sure Method by O. Henry
Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex themes of love, human relationships, and societal expectations through nuanced character interactions and dialogue.
- Short Story — The narrative is structured as a short story, focusing on a single event and character development within a limited timeframe.
- Humor — The dialogue and character interactions contain elements of wit and satire, providing comedic relief amidst serious themes.
- Drama — The story presents dramatic tension through the characters' emotional conflicts and the unfolding of their backstories.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Irony · Plot Twist · Moral Lesson · Fable · Symbolism · Allegory · Realism