The Story that Never Ends

Name: The Story that Never Ends
Author: Parker Fillmore

A shepherd with a large flock of sheep faces a challenge when he must return home after sunset. The brook he needs to cross has swelled due to recent rains, necessitating the use of a narrow footbridge. The sheep can only cross one at a time, leading to a prolonged wait. As the story unfolds, the narrator engages with an audience, particularly children, who grow increasingly impatient for the tale to progress. Each time they ask for the story to continue, they are met with the explanation that the sheep are still crossing the bridge, creating a cycle of anticipation and frustration. The narrative cleverly plays with the concept of storytelling itself, as the children’s eagerness mirrors the slow progress of the sheep. The shepherd's task becomes a metaphor for the nature of stories that can stretch indefinitely, reflecting on the patience required in both listening and storytelling. The tale emphasizes the idea that some stories may never reach a conclusion, as the act of storytelling can become an endless loop, much like the sheep crossing the bridge. Ultimately, the story concludes with the realization that the sheep are still crossing at dawn, and the shepherd must turn back to drive them to pasture, leaving the audience in a state of unresolved anticipation. This cyclical structure highlights the playful nature of narratives and the relationship between storyteller and audience, where the journey can be more significant than the destination.

By Parker Fillmore · First published 1943 · Genre: Fantasy, Children's Literature, Fable · 212 words

First lines

(_To be told very seriously_)

Once upon a time there was a shepherd who had a great flock of sheep. He used to pasture them in a meadow on the other side of a brook. One day the sun had already set before he started home. Recent rains had swollen the brook so that he and the sheep had to cross on a little footbridge. The bridge was so narrow that the sheep had to pass over one by one.

Now we'll wait until he drives them all over. Then I'll go on with my story.

What this Textopian page supports

The Story that Never Ends is listed on Textopian as a short story by Parker Fillmore, dated 1943 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: Parker Fillmore
Date: 1943 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fantasy, Children's Literature, Fable, Metafiction, Humor
Length: 212 words
Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Story that Never Ends by Parker Fillmore
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Story that Never Ends?
How does this short story by Parker Fillmore fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Fantasy — The story features a whimsical and imaginative premise involving a shepherd and his sheep, characteristic of fantasy narratives.
Children's Literature — The narrative style and structure cater to a young audience, engaging them with a simple yet captivating story.
Fable — The story conveys a moral lesson through its allegorical elements, typical of fables.
Metafiction — The self-referential nature of the storytelling, where the narrative comments on its own progression, aligns with metafiction.