Born of Man and Woman

Infobox short story |
name = Born of Man and Woman
author = Richard Matheson
country = flag|USA
language = English
series =
genre = Science fiction short story
published_in =
publication_type =
publisher =
media_type = Print (Magazine)
pub_date = 1950
followed_by =

"Born of Man and Woman" is a science fiction short story by Richard Matheson originally published in 1950.

Plot summary

This extremely short story is written in the form of a diary by a deformed eight year old boy, who is kept chained in the basement by his parents, and frequently beaten. He is, however, able to pull his chain out of the wall and is able to observe outside society. Once he listens in to a dinner party, but he is overheard and returned to the basement. On another occasion he climbs to a small window and observes his siblings outside, playing with friends. Some of the normal children spot him, and he is again beaten, and bleeds green blood. In a final incident, his young sister (to whom he refers as "little mother") comes into the basement with her pet dog. The boy hides from them in the coal pile, but is forced to crush the dog to death when it scents him and attacks.

The story ends with the boy hitting a stick out of his father's hands and promising violence against his parents if they beat him further. He thinks about running along walls and refers to having more than one set of legs, suggesting that he is extraordinarily different from a normal child.

"Born of Man and Woman" was among the stories selected in 1970 by the Science Fiction Writers of America as one of the best science fiction short stories of all time. As such, it was published in "The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume One, 1929-1964".