Subject
Chimney sweeps -- Juvenile fiction Books
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Charles Kingsley
The Water-Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby
Project Gutenberg has several editions of this eBook: #36309 (Illustrated in B & W and Color) #25564 (Illustrated in Color) #1018 (Plain HTML file)
Charles Kingsley
The Water-Babies
"The Water-Babies" by Charles Kingsley is a children's novel written in 1862–1863. When young chimney sweep Tom falls into a river and transforms into a "water-baby," he begins a moral education in an underwater world. Guided by mystical fairies with peculiar names, Tom embarks on adventures alongside other water-babies, learning lessons about right and wrong. His journey includes reuniting with Ellie, an upper-class girl, and confronting his cruel former master. This Victorian fairy tale blends Christian redemption with social critique and satirical support for Darwin's evolutionary theories.
Charles Kingsley
The Water-Babies
"The Water-Babies" by Charles Kingsley is a children's novel written in 1862–1863. Young Tom, a chimney sweep, falls into a river and transforms into a "water-baby," beginning a fantastical moral education in an underwater world. Guided by mysterious fairies and reunited with Ellie, an upper-class girl, Tom embarks on adventures that teach him right from wrong. Through his journey, he must prove his moral worth and confront his cruel former master, ultimately earning redemption and a chance to return to human form.
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