The Severed Hand by Wilhelm Hauff
The story follows a young man named Hans, who is the son of a poor farmer. One day, while out hunting, Hans finds a severed hand in the forest. He takes it home and puts it in a box, and soon discovers that it has magical powers. The hand grants Hans three wishes, and he uses them to become wealthy and powerful. But his newfound wealth and power come with a price: the hand demands a human sacrifice. Hans must choose between sacrificing his own life or that of his beloved. In the end, Hans makes the ultimate sacrifice and gives up his own life to save his beloved. The story ends with a moral about the power of love and self-sacrifice.
By Wilhelm Hauff · First published 1820 · Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance · 6,101 words
First lines
I was born in Constantinople; my father was a dragoman at the Porte, and besides, carried on a fairly lucrative business in sweet-scented perfumes and silk goods. He gave me a good education; he partly instructed me himself, and also had me instructed by one of our priests. He at first intended me to succeed him in business one day, but as I showed greater aptitude than he had expected, he destined me, on the advice of his friends, to be a doctor; for if a doctor has learned a little more than the ordinary charlatan, he can make his fortune in Constantinople. Many Franks frequented our house, and one of them persuaded my father to allow me to travel to his native land to the city of Paris, where such things could be best acquired and free of charge. He wished, however, to take me with himself gratuitously on his journey home. My father, who had also travelled in his youth, agreed, and the Frank told me to hold myself in readiness three months hence. I was beside myself with joy at the idea of seeing foreign countries, and eagerly awaited the moment when we should embark. The Frank had at last concluded his business and prepared himself for the journey. On the evening before our departure my father led me into his little bedroom. There I saw splendid dresses and arms lying on the table. My looks were however chiefly attracted to an immense heap of gold, for I had never before seen so much collected together.
What this Textopian page supports
The Severed Hand is listed on Textopian as a short story by Wilhelm Hauff, dated 1820 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Wilhelm Hauff
- Date: 1820 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Fairy Tale
- Length: 6,101 words
- Structure: 1 section, 30 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Severed Hand by Wilhelm Hauff
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Fantasy — The Severed Hand is a fantasy novel by Wilhelm Hauff, featuring magical elements such as a talking severed hand, a magical ring, and a magical sword.
- Adventure — The Severed Hand follows the adventures of the protagonist, a young man named Wilhelm, as he embarks on a quest to find the magical sword and save his kingdom.
- Romance — The Severed Hand features a romantic subplot between Wilhelm and a princess, as they fall in love and work together to save the kingdom.
- Fairy Tale — The Severed Hand is a classic fairy tale, featuring elements such as a magical sword, a talking severed hand, and a quest to save a kingdom.
Tags
Fiction · Short stories · affair · also · cloak · could · day · father · first · florence · found · friend