
A young boy grows up under the shadow of his father’s proud military career, a man whose reputation is built on bravery and battlefield scars. When a simple sight across the street—a mischievous neighbor making faces—spooks the child, his father’s harsh rebuke turns a harmless fear into a painful lesson in masculinity. The narrative captures the boy’s inner turmoil, from the trembling in his eyes to the embarrassment of a nose that turns ghost‑white at the slightest fright.
Through witty self‑reflection and vivid, slightly exaggerated details, the story explores how a child's sense of self can be shaped—and bruised—by relentless expectations. The protagonist’s struggle to prove his worth, while wrestling with his own quirks and the sting of his father's words, invites listeners into a world where courage is questioned and identity is still being forged. The tone balances humor with heartfelt honesty, making the early chapters both relatable and compelling.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (125K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by deaurider, Barry Abrahamsen and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2018-01-14
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
Best known today for the French work behind the 1884 English translation Coward or Hero?, this elusive 19th-century writer left behind a story of courage, fear, and moral testing. Very little biographical detail seems to have survived, which gives the work an added air of mystery.
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