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The Story of the Siren

by E. M. Forster (1879–1970)

  • Free to read
  • 15 min read
  • 2 chapters
  • Reading level: 6th grade

"The Story of the Siren" by E. M. Forster is a short story written in the early 20th century. This work is characterized as a fictional narrative that delves into themes of beauty, desire, and the implications of myth in modern life. Set against the backdrop of the Mediterranean, the story explores the connection between the sublime and the mundane through its rich and poetic prose. The narrative unfolds as a conversation between a young man and a Sicilian fisherman concerning the mythical Siren, a creature said to lure men into the sea. The protagonist recounts an incident involving his brother Giuseppe, who surprisingly sees the Siren after a reckless act during a boat trip. This sighting brings profound changes to Giuseppe's life, leaving him overwhelmed with knowledge and despair. The story paints a poignant picture of aspirations and disappointments while examining human relationships and the tension between the mythical and real worlds. Ultimately, Forster's tale suggests the enduring allure of the unknown and questions whether the pursuit of beauty, or understanding, comes at a price.

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  • Short stories
  • Italy
  • English fiction · 20th century
  • Mermaids

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The Story of the Siren

Few things have been more beautiful than my note book on the Deist Controversy as it fell downward through the waters of the Mediterranean. It dived, like a piece of black slate, but opened soon, disclosing leaves of pale green, which quivered into blue. Now it had vanished, now it was a piece of magical india rubber stretching out to infinity, now it was a book again, but bigger than the book of all knowledge. It grew more fantastic as it reached the bottom, where a puff of sand welcomed it and obscured it from view. But it reappeared, quite sane though a little tremulous, lying decently open on its back, while unseen fingers fidgeted among its leaves.

"It is such a pity" said my aunt, "that you will not finish your work in the Hotel. Then you would be free to enjoy yourself and this would never have happened."

"Nothing of it but will change into something rich and strange," warbled the chaplain, while his sister said "Why it's gone into the water." As for the boatmen, one of them laughed, while the other, without a word of warning, stood up and began to take his clothes off.

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Contents

  1. The Story of the Siren
  2. Previous Publications

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About this edition

This free edition of The Story of the Siren by E. M. Forster comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #58581, released 2018-12-31. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Short Stories, Mythology, Legends & Folklore, British Literature.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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