The Song of the Morrow by Robert Louis Stevenson

Name: The Song of the Morrow
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson

A king's daughter, the fairest between two seas, lives a carefree life in a castle by the beach. One day, she encounters a crone who challenges her simple existence, suggesting that she lacks true power and understanding of life. The crone's words provoke the princess to seek knowledge about the future, leading her to isolate herself for nine years, consumed by thoughts of the morrow. As time passes, the princess hears a sound in the wind, prompting her and her nurse to venture to the beach, where they find the crone dancing. The crone reveals that she has achieved her own power and transforms into seaweed and sand, leaving the princess bewildered. Soon after, a hooded man appears, playing a pipe that enchants the princess. He claims to possess power over the hour and offers to share the song of the morrow. The princess, intrigued, invites him to her castle, where they spend another nine years together. Each autumn, the man asserts his power, while the princess requests the song of the morrow. Eventually, she realizes that her servants have vanished, and the man is no longer present, leaving only his clothes and pipes behind. In despair, she returns to the beach where she first met the crone, now transformed back into her former self, devoid of thoughts of the future and power, embodying the simplicity of life once more. The cycle of longing and realization concludes, emphasizing the themes of power, knowledge, and the essence of existence.

By Robert Louis Stevenson · First published 1913 · Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Allegory · 1,883 words

First lines

The King of Duntrine had a daughter when he was old, and she was the fairest King's daughter between two seas; her hair was like spun gold, and her eyes like pools in a river; and the King gave her a castle upon the sea beach, with a terrace, and a court of the hewn stone, and four towers at the four corners. Here she dwelt and grew up, and had no care for the morrow, and no power upon the hour, after the manner of simple men.

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The Song of the Morrow is listed on Textopian as a fable by Robert Louis Stevenson, dated 1913 CE.

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Work type: Fable
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Date: 1913 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Allegory, Romance, Literary Fiction
Length: 1,883 words
Structure: 1 section, 32 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Genres

Fantasy — The narrative features magical elements, such as the crone and the mysterious man with the power to pipe the song of the morrow.
Fairy Tale — The story has a fairy tale structure, including a royal character, moral lessons, and a focus on transformation and self-discovery.
Allegory — The themes of power, thought, and the passage of time serve as allegorical representations of human experience and existential reflection.
Romance — The underlying themes of longing and connection, particularly between the King's daughter and the mysterious man, suggest romantic elements.