Whitman's Short Fiction

Whitman published many pieces of short fiction before the first publication of Leaves of Grass in 1855, and these were widely reprinted. For a complete list of reprints and citations, see the bibliography of publications and reprints of Whitman's fiction.

The following images and transcriptions are, unless otherwise noted, based on the first periodical publication. Whitman revised several of these stories and reprinted them in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle while he was editor of that paper, and he later included many of them in the "Pieces in Early Youth" section of Specimen Days and Collect (1882). We currently provide images and transcriptions of additional versions in cases where revisions were substantive. We also provide images and transcriptions for two versions of "Arrow-Tip," a longer piece that Whitman would dub an "Original Novelette" when he published it in installments in the Brooklyn Eagle. Eventually, we hope to provide images and transcriptions for versions of all of these stories as they appeared in the Brooklyn Eagle. In the meantime, readers should consult the major previous collection of Whitman's short fiction, Thomas L. Brasher, ed., The Collected Writings of Walt Whitman: The Early Poems and the Fiction (New York: New York University Press, 1963), for versions based on "that which can be presumed to have been the last printed version authorized by Whitman" (xix). Brasher also includes footnotes describing the differences between the original publication and the version he provides (not including changes in punctuation). For a more detailed discussion of our editorial rationale, see the introduction below, as well as the "Fiction" section of our Editorial Policy Statement.

For more information about the publication, circulation, and reception of the short fiction, see Stephanie Blalock and Nicole Gray, "Introduction to Walt Whitman's Short Fiction."

Death in the School-Room

• About
  "Death in the School-Room. A Fact," The United States Magazine and Democratic Review 9 (August 1841): 177–181

Wild Frank's Return

• About
  "Wild Frank's Return," The United States Magazine and Democratic Review 9 (November 1841): 476–482

The Child's Champion

• About
  "The Child's Champion," The New World, November 20, 1841: [321]–322
  
  For a revised version of "The Child's Champion," see "The Child and the Profligate," The Columbian Lady's and Gentleman's Magazine 2 (October 1844): 149–153.
  
  For the publication history of "The Child and the Profligate," see "About The Child and the Profligate."

Bervance: or, Father and Son

• About
  "Bervance: or, Father and Son," The United States Magazine and Democratic Review 9 (December 1841): 560–568

The Tomb-Blossoms

• About
  "The Tomb-Blossoms," The United States Magazine and Democratic Review 10 (January 1842): 62–68

The Last of the Sacred Army

• About
  "The Last of the Sacred Army," The United States Magazine and Democratic Review 10 (March 1842): 259–264

The Child-Ghost

• About
  "The Child-Ghost," The United States Magazine and Democratic Review 10 (May 1842): 451–459

Reuben's Last Wish

• About
  "Reuben's Last Wish," The Washingtonian, May 21, 1842: [1–2]

A Legend of Life and Love

• About
  "A Legend of Life and Love," The United States Magazine and Democratic Review 11 (July 1842): 83–86

The Angel of Tears

• About
  "The Angel of Tears," The United States Magazine and Democratic Review 11 (September 1842): 282–284

The Reformed

• About
  "The Reformed," The New York Sun, November 17, 1842: [4]
  
  For a revised version of "The Reformed," see "Little Jane," The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, December 7, 1846: 1.
  
  For the publication history of "Little Jane," see "About Little Jane."

The Death of Wind-Foot

• About
  "The Death of Wind-Foot," The American Review 1 (June 1845): 639–642
  
  For the first published version of "The Death of Wind-Foot," see Chapter II of Franklin Evans, Whitman's short temperance novel, which appeared in a special issue of The New World on November 23, 1842.

Lingave's Temptation

• About
  "Lingave's Temptation," New-York Observer, November 26, 1842: 192

The Madman

• About
  "The Madman," New York Washingtonian and Organ, January 28, 1843: [1]

The Love of the Four Students

• About
  "The Love of the Four Students," The New Mirror 2 (December 9, 1843): 153–155
  
  For a revised version of "The Love of the Four Students," see "The Boy-Lover," The American Review 1 (May 1845): 479–482.
  
  For the publication history of "The Boy-Lover," see "About The Boy-Lover."

Eris; A Spirit Record

• About
  "Eris; A Spirit Record," The Columbian Lady's and Gentleman's Magazine 1 (March 1844): [138]–139

My Boys and Girls

• About
  "My Boys and Girls," The Rover 3 (March or April 1844): 75

The Fireman's Dream

• About
  "The Fireman's Dream," New York Sunday Times and Noah's Weekly Messenger, March 31, 1844: [1]

Dumb Kate

• About
  "Dumb Kate.—An Early Death," The Columbian Lady's and Gentleman's Magazine 1 (May 1844): 230–231

The Little Sleighers

• About
  "The Little Sleighers," The Columbian Lady's and Gentleman's Magazine 2 (September 1844): 113–114

Arrow-Tip

• About
  "Arrow-Tip," The Aristidean 1 (March 1845): 36–64
• For a revised version of "Arrow-Tip," see "The Half-Breed; A Tale of the Western Frontier," which was serialized over eight issues in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle:
• "The Half-Breed; A Tale of the Western Frontier," The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 1, 1846: [1]
• "The Half-Breed; A Tale of the Western Frontier," The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 2, 1846: [1]
• "The Half-Breed; A Tale of the Western Frontier," The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 3, 1846: [1]
• "The Half-Breed; A Tale of the Western Frontier," The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 4, 1846: [1]
• "The Half-Breed; A Tale of the Western Frontier," The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 5, 1846: [1]
• "The Half-Breed; A Tale of the Western Frontier," The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 6, 1846: [1]
• "The Half-Breed; A Tale of the Western Frontier," The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 8, 1846: [1]
• "The Half-Breed; A Tale of the Western Frontier," The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 9, 1846: [1]

Shirval: A Tale of Jerusalem

• About
  "Shirval: A Tale of Jerusalem," The Aristidean 1 (March 1845): 12–15

Richard Parker's Widow

• About
  "Richard Parker's Widow," The Aristidean 1 (April 1845): 111–114

Revenge and Requital

• About
  "Revenge and Requital; A Tale of a Murderer Escaped," The United States Magazine and Democratic Review 17 (July and August 1845): 105–111
• For a revised version of "Revenge and Requital," see "One Wicked Impulse: A Tale of a Murderer Escaped," which was serialized over three issues in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle:
• "One Wicked Impulse! A Tale of a Murderer Escaped," The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, September 7, 1846: [1]
• "One Wicked Impulse! A Tale of a Murderer Escaped," The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, September 8, 1846: [1]
• "One Wicked Impulse! A Tale of a Murderer Escaped," The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, September 9, 1846: [1]
• For the publication history of "One Wicked Impulse!," see "About One Wicked Impulse! A Tale of a Murderer Escaped."

Some Fact-Romances

• About
  "Some Fact-Romances," The Aristidean 1 (December 1845): 444–449

The Shadow and the Light of a Young Man's Soul

• About
  "The Shadow and the Light of a Young Man's Soul," The Union Magazine of Literature and Art 2 (June 1848): 280–281

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