海角大神

More than a century and a half after his death, Henry David Thoreau endures in memory as the author of 鈥淲alden,鈥� as an accomplished naturalist, and as a pioneer in the practice of civil disobedience.

What is less known, though, is that Thoreau is now the star of his own slapstick YouTube video.

Although Thoreau showed flashes of dry New England wit in his books and journals, he doesn鈥檛 have a reputation for being a barrel of laughs.

But in an effort to raise money for a solar energy project at his birthplace in Concord, some of Thoreau鈥檚 admirers have recruited Walden Pond鈥檚 most famous resident for an Internet gag.

The nonprofit group that runs Thoreau Farm, the site of his birthplace that鈥檚 now preserved as a historic site, wants to install a solar photovoltaic system at the old homestead.聽聽 鈥淲e need to raise $25,000 by the end of November to get the system installed before the ground freezes,鈥� the organizers of the effort tell visitors at the group鈥檚 website.

The project is being billed as a perfect extension of Thoreau鈥檚 environmental values.

But fundraisers for the effort decided to have a little fun by imagining what might happen if a lack of solar-powered electricity leaves Thoreau Farm in the dark. In a new YouTube video, 鈥淗enry Thoreau Takes A Tumble,鈥� the legendary Transcendentalist 鈥� or perhaps an actor stand-in 鈥� tries to navigate the stairs of his birthplace without lighting, comically injuring himself in the bargain.

Viewers then witness poor Henry attempting to conduct his nature studies on crutches, with equally disastrous results.

Viewers can watch the brief video here.

Although solar technology wasn鈥檛 available in Thoreau鈥檚 day, he frequently mentioned sunlight in his writings. 鈥淭he sun,鈥� Throeau told readers at the end of 鈥淲alden,鈥� 鈥渋s but a morning star.鈥�

Danny Heitman is a Monitor contributor.