A short story that might fit is 'The Necklace' by Guy de Maupassant. The main character, Mathilde Loisel, borrows what she thinks is an expensive necklace from a friend to wear to a high - society event. She loses it and spends years in poverty trying to replace it. Only later does she find out the necklace was a fake. It's a story about vanity and the consequences of false pride.
There is also 'The Lady, or the Tiger?' by Frank R. Stockton. In an ancient kingdom, a man is accused of loving the king's daughter. He is put in an arena where he has to choose between two doors. Behind one is a tiger that will kill him, and behind the other is a lady he will have to marry. The king's daughter knows which is which. It's a short story full of suspense and moral ambiguity.
There are many online literary databases and forums. For example, Goodreads has groups dedicated to different types of literature. You can post in relevant groups asking if anyone knows of an 'old firm' short story. Additionally, Project Gutenberg offers a vast collection of free e - books, some of which are short stories. It's possible that the story you're looking for is among them. Some university libraries also have digital collections that are accessible to the public, and these could be a great source to find such an old short story.
The historical context often makes an 'old firm' short story interesting. It gives us a glimpse into the past, how businesses were run, the relationships between people in a firm. For example, it might show the different work ethics and social hierarchies that existed.
Old firm short stories often have well - developed characters in a short space. For example, in 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson, in just a few pages, we get a sense of the whole town's people and their strange tradition. They usually also have a clear moral or message, like in 'Aesop's Fables' where each story teaches a lesson about life, such as 'Slow and steady wins the race'.
One old lady short story could be 'The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything'. In this story, an old lady encounters various spooky things like a pair of pants that walks by itself, a shirt that flaps on its own, etc. But she's not afraid and in the end, she uses these things to create a scarecrow. It's a fun and slightly spooky story for kids.
One great old man short story is 'The Old Man and the Sea' by Ernest Hemingway. It tells the story of an old fisherman's epic battle with a giant marlin. The old man shows great perseverance and determination in the face of nature's challenges.
One short old western story is 'The Outcasts of Poker Flat' by Bret Harte. It tells about a group of people banished from a town during a gold rush. The story is filled with themes of redemption and human nature in the unforgiving western setting.
The story of 'The Tortoise and the Hare' is also suitable. The hare is very fast and he mocks the slow - moving tortoise. But during the race, the hare is so overconfident that he takes a nap. Meanwhile, the tortoise keeps moving steadily towards the finish line. Eventually, the tortoise wins the race. This story can teach 4 - year - olds the importance of perseverance.
Some bookstores might have sections dedicated to classic literature. You might find what you're looking for there. Also, check out online bookstores and search for old short story anthologies.
The story of Joseph is located in the book of Genesis of the Old Testament. It's an important and interesting account that has been studied and discussed by many over the years.
As someone who loves reading novels, I don't have the ability to search for online literature content. But I can recommend you a classic foreign short love story called The True Meaning of Love. This novel was written by SS Python and first published in 1886. This novel is about the love story between a young man and an old woman, and it talks about the true meaning of love and the nature of human emotions. I hope you will like this story.