In this whimsical tale, a hurkle—a creature from a distant world—unintentionally finds itself in an Earthly elementary school, sparking a comic adventure.

The narrative unfolds across two primary locations. The first is nestled in the "greatest city" of Lirht, a bustling metropolis located far beyond our galaxy. Here in a bustling lab, a scientist has been diligently crafting a transportation device. Amidst the chaos, a joyful hurkle kitten—a species known for their ceaseless happiness—merrily strays into the lab. With the staff absent, likely scurrying toward the city’s center where a recent explosion has created quite a stir, the kitten, akin to a playful Earthly feline, toys with the device's lights and switches. Its antics inadvertently catapult it to an unsuspecting elementary school on Earth.

This school becomes the stage for an unusual encounter between the alien visitor and its human hosts. Although the school might seem unremarkable, save for its stash of powdered DDT, it is within its mundane walls that the hurkle kitten causes a delightful disruption. In a classroom filled with uninterested children and a jaded teacher, the tingling sensation from its purr becomes a momentous event, perhaps the most thrilling occurrence the class has ever experienced.

Analysis

A key element in storytelling is the art of the comic narrative. Whether it stems from age-old folklore or contemporary fiction, its purpose is to elicit laughter and provide a reprieve from life's weighty challenges. "The Hurkle Is a Happy Beast" exemplifies this genre, brimming with absurd dialogue and playful diversions. It carries a cheerful, airy mood that conceals a more serious underlying theme. The story offers a delightful escape, while also stimulating reflection for those so inclined.

Sturgeon masterfully employs misdirection at the outset of "The Hurkle Is a Happy Beast." Initially, the tale seems set to unfold entirely on Lirht. The gwik, apparently the sole civilized species on the planet, are embroiled in political upheaval: "a gwik named Hvov, whom you may immediately forget, blew up a building which was important for reasons we cannot understand. This event caused great excitement, and gwik left their homes and factories and strubles and streamed toward the center of town." Sturgeon's candid admission that we might forget Hvov is apt, as the explosion and subsequent rush to the town's center deviate from the story's pivotal events—the hurkle kitten's playful interaction with some neglected scientific apparatus, leading to its unexpected journey to Earth.

The humor of the tale heavily relies on such clever redirections, guiding the reader down one path only to veer in a completely different direction. For instance, when the hurkle kitten's "slightest movements ceased, and it stretched out stiffly, motionless..." it appears lifeless, but in truth, the hurkle revives and gives birth to kittens. Even the story's brisk conclusion offers a surprising twist on the typical human-alien encounter narrative. Instead of conflict, there is serenity; instead of humans discerning the hurkle's nature, there is abandonment.

The comedy in "The Hurkle Is a Happy Beast" also springs from its digressions, such as musings on the activities of Moscow's denizens during the "Ten Days That Shook the World." The narrative seems to dart erratically, leaping between galaxies and shifting perspectives—from human to the hurkle's delightfully confused viewpoint. The whimsical names like "hurkle" and "gwik" further amplify the story’s comedic absurdity.