The Story of the Other Wise Man

Van Dyke, Henry, 1852-1933Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 4.0
Word count
53K words
Chapters
6

Tags

English Originals Foreign LiteratureReligion Life PhilosophySpiritual PracticeSpiritual ComfortTender SentimentTruth Goodness BeautyMoral CultivationClassic Short StoriesMagiReligious AllegoryChristmas Reading

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Story of the Other Wise Man by Henry Van DykeAuthor: Van Dyke, Henry, 1852-1933,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Jul 14, 2005

Editor's review

Henry Van Dyke's classic short story imagines a "fourth Wise Man," adding a sage who fails to join his companions as planned and, in his long search, places good deeds and faith above the goal of pilgrimage. Its power lies not in plot twists but in a gentle, restrained allegorical style: the protagonist misses his aim again and again, yet draws nearer to the true light through giving and sacrifice. As a public-domain electronic text, it is short and simply written, suitable as holiday reading or a starting point for ethical discussion. Readers familiar with the Christmas narrative will find another perspective; those unfamiliar with religious background can read it as a universal parable about searching and giving. There is no need to verify historical details while reading; it is better to finish it in one sitting in a quiet moment, then revisit the weight of each choice the protagonist makes.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Not a good fit for

Reading tips

  1. Choose a quiet time to read it in one sitting, then revisit each point where the protagonist misses or gives.
  2. Briefly learn about the Magi narrative beforehand, and afterward discuss the relationship between searching and arriving.
  3. Read passages aloud with friends or students in roles to feel the rhythm of the allegorical language.
  4. Make a short one-page excerpt of the choice that moves you most, then write two or three sentences in response.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

Contents

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6

FAQ

How is this story related to the biblical account? It borrows the narrative frame of the Magi's journey to pay homage and invents a search by a "fourth" sage; it is a literary expansion, not a historical supplement. Readers can treat it as an allegory rather than source material for historical verification.
Is it long? Can it be read in one sitting? It is a short story, not long, and the language is fairly simple. It can usually be read in one or two quiet sittings, suitable for holiday reading or close reading of a short piece.
Can I understand it without a religious background? Yes. The core of the story is searching, missing, and giving; even without familiarity with religious background, readers can grasp the allegorical meaning from the characters' choices. Knowing the basic narrative frame will help with some references.
Is it suitable for children? Judging from Project Gutenberg's classification, it falls near juvenile belles lettres; the language is not complex and the moral is gentle. As for whether it suits a child of a particular age, parents are advised to read it through first and then decide on shared or independent reading based on the child's comprehension.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Van Dyke, Henry, 1852-1933 Author

Henry Van Dyke (1852–1933) was an American author best known for his essays and Christmas stories. Public information about him is limited, and the details of his life are not further documented in this collection. Judging from the works available here, he wrote in a clear, quietly poetic style, dealing with themes of faith, goodwill, and inner growth; his narratives are gentle and carry a strong sense of festival and reflection. The Story of the Other Wise Man, his most widely read short work, follows the journey of a fourth Magi and is often regarded as a classic of Christmas literature; The Lost Word: A Christmas Legend of Long Ago continues in this legendary vein. The Mansion uses allegory to explore life and the world to come, brief in length but lingering in meaning. The essay collection Little Rivers: A Book of Essays in Profitable Idleness turns to nature and leisurely pleasure in an unhurried tone, reflecting his love of outdoor life. Thirty-three of his works are held here, showing that his writing spans fiction, parable, and essay, and that he earned a place in early twentieth-century American popular and holiday reading.