
E-text prepared by Al Haines
Grace H. Darling
Grace Darling grew up on the remote Farne Islands, where the sea was both a livelihood and a constant threat. From an early age she learned to balance the ordinary duties of a fisher‑woman with a deep sense of duty to her community, embodying the idea that a woman’s work is whatever needs doing. The narrative opens with a thoughtful exploration of the era’s debate over women’s roles, setting the stage for Grace’s quiet yet powerful defiance of convention.
When a violent storm drives a ship onto the treacherous rocks, Grace and her father become the unlikely rescuers, braving gale‑tossed waves to bring strangers to safety. Their daring act captures the imagination of a nation, illustrating how compassion and courage can transcend societal expectations. The story follows Grace’s rise from humble island life to a symbol of bravery, inviting listeners to reflect on the timeless question of what it truly means to answer a call for help.
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (461K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2007-11-03
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1834–1909
A self-taught Victorian writer who turned early struggles into a long, productive literary life, she became known for poems, hymns, biographies, and journalism that reached a wide popular audience. Writing under the name Marianne Farningham, she was one of the few women of her time to rise from a working-class background into the literary world.
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