Hi! My name's Niko and I'm trying to help out a friend who's writing a work about Ray Bradbury. We live in Germany, so it's hard to get some collections that are available only in the US and by now we've searched several sites and libraries, without really succeeding unfortunately.

Could someone please help me find these short stories, I mean Ray Bradbury's "The Fireman" and "The Piper"?

I did some researching on this site, too, so I know that "The Fireman" was collected in this year's Match to Flame, but $110 is too much money for a student. I also couldn't find a copy of William F. Nolan and Martin H. Greenberg's Science Fiction Origins of 1980, where this story should also be available.

Other than short excerpts, I wasn't able to find much information about "The Piper". I know that there are two editions of that story, the first one published in 1940 under the pen name Ron Reynolds, the second published three years later. My friend is actually looking for the second one, but my research showed that the 1943 story is based on the first one, albeit it's supposed to be a different story. Nevertheless, I think she could settle for the 1943 edition.

Does anyone happen to know how I could get these short stories? We'd be very grateful for your help!

Hi Niko, and welcome to the board.

Science Fiction Origins is available used through Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-1304710-210233...origins%22&x=20&y=20

"The Fireman" was first published in Galaxy magazine, February 1951. Copies sometimes turn up on eBay, so it would be worth searching there.

The 1943 version of "The Piper" was first published in Thrilling Wonder Stories magazine, Feb 1943. Again, searching eBay may turn up a copy. The story was also once anthologised, in but anthologised in The Future Makers, edited by Peter Haining, 1971. Amazon has several listings for this book, here:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/002-4507405-193681...re+makers%22&x=0&y=0

I hope this is useful information. My own website has a detailed "short story finder" which is useful for tracking down appearances of Bradbury stories.

Thanks for the help, philnic! I didn't think of looking for these books on eBay, so thank you for this suggestion, too! Your website is also very helpful!!