Shortalk - moving words off the page

The Lottery Ticket by Anton Chekov
The numbers on this lottery ticket are set to change the life of this family for ever! Written over 100 years ago this story is remarkably prescient in its ability to show how little human nature changes over time. The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant "There is nothing so humiliating as looking poor in the middle of a lot of rich women," thinks Mathilde Loisel. But how much is the necklace really worth? It has been said that this exquisite story is a 'Madame Bovary in miniature' (Maupassant was after all a close friend of Flaubert), and the protagonist in this story is also a beautiful young woman who finds herself in circumstances not to her liking.

The Devoted Friend by Oscar Wilde
Taken from 'The Happy Prince and other Tales', and originally published in 1888, The Devoted Friend is a moral tale for all ages. Hans is poor but happy and likes nothing more than to spend time in his beloved garden. He is the devoted friend of the rich miller who lives up the hill, and will do anything to help him. The miller gives Hans a broken wheelbarrow to replace his old one - but what sort of gift is this that costs so much? Althogh this fable is narrated by a green linnet to a water rat, we could all benefit by listening to what this bird has to say!