One interesting known short story is 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry. It's about a young couple who are very poor. The wife cuts and sells her long beautiful hair to buy a chain for her husband's precious watch. Meanwhile, the husband sells his watch to buy a set of combs for his wife's hair. It shows the selfless love between them.
Well, 'The Necklace' by Guy de Maupassant is quite famous. It's about a woman who borrows a diamond necklace for a ball, loses it, and then spends years in poverty trying to replace it, only to find out in the end that the original necklace was a fake. 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe is another well - known short story. It's a psychological thriller where the narrator's guilt over murdering an old man is driven to madness by the sound he imagines is the old man's heart still beating. Then there's 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' by Ambrose Bierce, which has a very unexpected ending.
There's 'A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings' by Gabriel García Márquez. This story features a strange old man with wings who appears in a small village. People are both curious and cruel towards him. It's a magical realist story that makes you think about how we treat the different and the unknown. 'The Lady, or the Tiger?' by Frank R. Stockton is well - known too. A man is put in an arena and has to choose between two doors, behind one is a lady and behind the other a tiger. It leaves the ending up to the reader's imagination.
One is 'The Monkey's Paw' by W. W. Jacobs. It's about a magical monkey's paw that grants wishes but with a terrible cost. Every wish brings unexpected and often horrifying consequences.
One well - known biblical short story is 'David and Goliath'. David, a young shepherd, defeated the giant Goliath with just a sling and a stone, showing great faith and courage. Another is 'The Good Samaritan'. It tells of a Samaritan who helped a man in need when others passed by, teaching about kindness and neighborly love. Also, 'Jonah and the Whale' is famous. Jonah was swallowed by a large whale after trying to avoid God's command, and it's a story about obedience.
Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis' is also a famous European short story. In it, Gregor Samsa wakes up one day to find himself transformed into a giant insect. It explores themes of alienation, family, and the human condition in a very unique and thought - provoking way.
One well - known kid short story is 'The Tortoise and the Hare'. In this story, the hare is overconfident and takes a nap during a race against the tortoise. The slow - but - steady tortoise wins the race, teaching kids the value of perseverance.
One well - known short story is 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry. It's a heartwarming tale about a young couple who sacrifice their most prized possessions for each other.
The story of the Yule Cat in Icelandic folklore. It was a huge and rather terrifying cat that prowled around during Christmas time. People were afraid of it. If they didn't work hard and finish their wool work before Christmas, the Yule Cat would eat them. So it was a strange but effective way to encourage people to be productive before the holidays.
There are stories of anonymous acts of kindness within the LDS community. For example, a group of LDS members secretly provided food and shelter to a family in need during a difficult winter. These small, unpublicized acts show the true spirit of the community.
There is the story of Bessie Coleman. She was the first African - American woman to earn a pilot's license. In the early 20th century, when racial and gender barriers were high, Coleman had to go to France to get her training. She came back to the United States and became a famous stunt flyer, inspiring many African - Americans, especially women, to pursue their dreams in aviation.