Short Story - All adults in <group> share nightmare of coming disaster. They kill their children to spare them. Disaster never happens Bradbury?

[snevel]

I probably read this as part of an SFF anthology from the library in the late 60's early 70's.

I read a lot of Asimov, Heinlein, Clarke and Bradbury in those days. I originally remember it as one of the stories in Bradbury's "Illustrated Man". A review of Wikipedia story synopses from that collection says it isn't.

A group (my feeling is a city, but could be culture wide) of adults all have the same dream/nightmare of an immediate disaster that will kill everything in the village/city/county/planet. After much agonizing in a quickly organized meeting, the adults decide to kill all their children to spare them the pain and panic of their coming demise.

Of course, come morning, all the adults are still alive, kneeling beside the corpses of their dead children. In reality, the disaster has come, but they have done it to themselves.

I still think it must be Bradbury. The plot and twist at the end are very much like his work, but I can't be sure. I'd appreciate the help.

adTHANKSvance!

Simeon Nevel

 

[Danny McG]

I think it was indeed, as you first thought, from The Illustrated Man.
'The last night of the world'.

However, in the book, the couple simply put their kids to bed and then settle down themselves.

In the cinema version with Rod Steiger he takes it a step further and poisons them, only to gaze in guilt at his wife in the morning, as she is delighted the apocalypse didn't happen and asks for the children.

(I have, somewhere or other, read the big screen version in a book as well)

Edit: Thinking and I might be wrong with This!

 

[ZlodeyVolk]

Edit: Thinking and I might be wrong with This!

No, no, @dannymcg, I think you have the right of it. I would've said 'The last night of the world' as well, but based on my more recent recollection of the version shown in the 1969 film (which I revisited only a month or so ago) than upon my recollection of the anthology, which I probably read in 1976.

 

[snevel]

I think it was indeed, as you first thought, from The Illustrated Man.
'The last night of the world'.

However, in the book, the couple simply put their kids to bed and then settle down themselves.

In the cinema version with Rod Steiger he takes it a step further and poisons them, only to gaze in guilt at his wife in the morning, as she is delighted the apocalypse didn't happen and asks for the children.

(I have, somewhere or other, read the big screen version in a book as well)

Edit: Thinking and I might be wrong with This!

Thanks! I'm pretty sure you're correct and that I'm conflating the story as written and the Rod Steiger filmed version.

I just reviewed the wikipedia article at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Illustrated_Man#Story_summaries
and see that the summary for the story matches the original version, not the film:

"The Last Night of the World"​

A married couple awaken to the knowledge that the world is going to end that very evening. Nonetheless, they go through their normal routines, knowing and accepting the fact that there is no tomorrow. "​

​

That's why I didn't recognize the story.

Thanks so much for your help.

Simeon

 

[ZlodeyVolk]

You're welcome. It's pretty rare that I am helpful, hereabouts.

 

[Danny McG]

And (nothing at all to do with this question but I had a random urge to post it) here's a barbarian viewpoint..

 

[ZlodeyVolk]

So did Billy conquer all of Asgard. And having no further concern, he ate many chickens and drank much soda. Honour and fear were heaped upon his name. In time, he became a king by his own hand. But that is another story.

 

[BAYLOR]

And (nothing at all to do with this question but I had a random urge to post it) here's a barbarian viewpoint..

Ah yes, the gentle and thoughtful wisdom of Conan The Barbarian.