7

I read this story when I was 10 or 11 and found it very moving.

An alien from a very advanced species crashes on Earth. He is trying to communicate with humans to get help. He looks like a very cute furry animal, and no-one will pay him attention except to put him into some sort of travelling carnival sideshow, from which he escapes. The end is tragic...he goes to live with rabbits in a field.

The story might have been called something like 'The Star Creature'.

Improve this question
5
  • 2
    My first thought was Quozl from the title, but very different. :)
    – FuzzyBoots
    Commented Mar 26, 2020 at 15:27
  • Reminds me of Harriet's Hare (goodreads.com/book/show/1168387.Harriet_s_Hare), though obviously that's from much later and at least one girl does listen to the alien.
    – Showsni
    Commented Mar 27, 2020 at 12:37
  • 1
    Something about this is calling Theodore Sturgeon's name, but I can't find one of his stories that matches.
    – Zeiss Ikon
    Commented Mar 31, 2020 at 14:10
  • Thank you Zeiss Ikon.....I was about 12 when I read the story, and devoured every Victor Gollancz book I could fiind in the library (in the late 1960s.) I know I read plenty of Theodore Sturgeon.
    – blackisle girl
    Commented Mar 31, 2020 at 14:23
  • possibly the same as scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/238905/… (which is newer but has an accepted answer)
    – Otis
    Commented Nov 10, 2020 at 4:44

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
5

I think I've found this one. "The Star Beast" (1963) by Nicholas Stuart Gray.

It appears that the entire story can be read in a Google Books preview.

The creature falls from the sky, and shows up, hurt, at a farmer's door. The authorities take it away but refuse to acknowledge its intelligence, so it gets sold to a circus. As it gives up trying to communicate it gets increasingly treated like a dumb animal until it is finally broken. The ending is indeed very sad:

The last glimpse that anyone saw of it was by a hunter in the deeps of the forest.

It was going slowly looking in terror at rabbits and squirrels. It was weeping aloud and trying desperately to walk on all fours.

Improve this answer
1
  • Funny that this is also the title of a well-known YA by Heinlein.
    – user2490
    Commented Aug 18, 2020 at 0:21

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.