Short story by Arthur C. Clarke?

[raelizabeth]

I read a short story in my high school english textbook. I "think" it was by Arthur C. Clarke, and I don't even know the title. It was about this cool automated house, it had a nursery that played lullabies and I think read stories. It made breakfast every morning, but no one ate it and it just had to clean it all up later. There were outlines on the outside of the house of people, I think children playing. Eventually, the house catches on fire and "dies". I'd really like to read this again, but I can't seem to find it. Can anyone help??

 

[steve12553]

I read a short story in my high school english textbook. I "think" it was by Arthur C. Clarke, and I don't even know the title. It was about this cool automated house, it had a nursery that played lullabies and I think read stories. It made breakfast every morning, but no one ate it and it just had to clean it all up later. There were outlines on the outside of the house of people, I think children playing. Eventually, the house catches on fire and "dies". I'd really like to read this again, but I can't seem to find it. Can anyone help??

You were close in that it was one of the great ones from that era. The story is called "There will come Soft Rains" and it can be found in "the Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury. It is definitely worth rereading, as is the whole book.

 

[BigBadBob141]

The BBC did an excellent version of this on Radio 4, possible back in the 70s, either way I think I have it on tape.
It was done using the brilliant BBC Radiophonic Workshop.