The Ballad on Songbirds and Snakes - Part I: “The Mentor”

Sep 22, 2026

A dystopian narrative set in the Capitol and its districts opens with epigraph quotations and chapter-part structures, then follows Coriolanus as he prepares for a reaping ceremony while confronting poverty and social surveillance. His stained, improvised uniform becomes a focal problem as Tigris’s disappearance heightens his desperation. The family’s daily patriotism rituals, damaged apartment setting, and scarcity of possessions underscore the war’s lingering aftermath and the moral pressure surrounding the upcoming event.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages425

Reading Time10 h 55 min

AccessFree to download

Part I: “The Mentor”

Part II: “The Prize”

Part III: “The Peacekeeper”

Epilogue

Contents Cover Title Page Dedication Epigraph Part I: “The Mentor” 12345678910 Part II: “The Prize” 11121314151617181920 Part III: “The Peacekeeper” 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Epilogue The Hunger Games Teaser Acknowledgments About the Author Copyright “Hereby it is manifest, that during the time men live without a common Power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called Warre; and such a warre, as is of every man, against every man.” —Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, 1651 “The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges everyone: and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions. . . .” —John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 1689 “Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains.” —Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract, 1762 “Sweet is the lore which Nature brings; Our meddling intellect Misshapes the beauteous forms of things; —We murder to dissect.” —William Wordsworth,“The Tables Turned,” Lyrical Ballads, 1798 “I thought of the promise of virtues which he had displayed on the opening of his existence, and the subsequent blight ofall kindly feeling by the loathing and scorn which his protectors had manifested towards him.” —Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1818 Coriolanus released the fistful of cabbage into the pot of boiling water and swore that one day it would never pass his lips again. But this was not that day. He needed to eat a large bowl of the anemic stuff, and drink every drop of broth, to prevent his stomach from growling during the reaping ceremony. It was one of a long list of precautions he took to mask the fact that his family, despite residing in the penthouse of the Capitol’s most opulent apartment building, was as poor as district scum. That at eighteen, the heir to the once-great house of Snow had nothing to live on but his wits. His shirt for the reaping was worrying him. He had an acceptable pair of dark dress pants bought on the black market last year, but the shirt was what people looked at. Fortunately, the Academy provided the uniforms it required for daily use. For today’s ceremony, however, students were instructed to be dressed fashionably but with the solemnity the occasion dictated. Tigris had said to trust her, and he did. Only his cousin’s cleverness with a needle had saved him so far. Still, he couldn’t expect miracles. The shirt they’d dug from the back of the wardrobe—his father ’s, from better days—was stained and yellowed with age, half the buttons missing, a cigarette burn on one cuff. Too damaged to sell in even the worst of times, and this was to be his reaping shirt? This morning he had gone to her room at daybreak, only to find both his cousin and the shirt missing. Not a good sign. Had Tigris given up on the old thing and braved the black market in some last-ditch effort to find him proper clothing? And what on earth would she possess worth trading for it? Only one thing—herself—and the house of Snow had not yet fallen that far. Or was it falling now as he salted the cabbage? He thought of people putting a price on her. With her long, pointed nose and skinny body, Tigris was no great beauty, but she had a sweetness, a vulnerability that invited abuse. She would find takers, if she had a mind to. The idea made him feel sick and helpless and, consequently, disgusted with himself. From deep in the apartment he heard the recording of the Capitol anthem,“Gem of Panem,” kick on. His grandmother ’s tremulous soprano voice joined in, bouncing off the walls. Gem of Panem, Mighty city, Through the ages, you shine anew. As always, she was painfully off-key and slightly behind tempo. The first year of the war, she’d played the recording on national holidays for fiveyear-old Coriolanus and eight-year-old Tigris in order to build their s

FAQs

What major event does Coriolanus prepare for at the start of the text?

He prepares for the reaping ceremony, including sorting out what he will wear and how he must present himself.

Why is Coriolanus anxious about his shirt?

The shirt is visibly damaged and attention-grabbing, and he later finds it missing along with Tigris, worsening his worry.

How does the family’s anthem recital reflect the story’s setting?

The anthem “Gem of Panem” is played despite the war’s consequences, showing lingering patriotism, damage to their home, and the emotional weight carried by the grandmother’s performances.

Sep 22, 2026

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