Author of "Fire and Ice" short story?

[geetus]

I've searched and searched, and I can't, for the life of me, find out who wrote this story. I discovered it my senior year in high school (11 years ago) in a science fiction class I took. The story wasn't in our textbook, but was copied (maybe from a magazine?), stapled, and passed out to the class.

The story goes like this (forgive me if the details are off):

A group of scientists crash landed on Mercury and somehow survived, but their lifeline is shortened to the extreme, in that they age extremely rapidly. They manage to procreate, and their offspring shares the same affliction. They are born, and die of old age in six days, and they survive the extreme heat and cold by living in caves. When the story begins, it's many generations after the scientists crash landed there, and one curious inhabitant hears a legend of a rocket ship located far away (at least it's too far away to reach before the sun rises), and tries to get there in hopes that he can save the rest of the people.

Can anyone tell me the author of this story? I'd really love to have a copy of it.

[Brightonian]

have you tried writing to your high school teacher?

[geetus]

I thought about that. I'm fairly certain he doesn't teach there anymore, but it's probably my best option. I've scoured the www & have come up with nothing so far. I'll give that a try.

[geetus]

Well what do you know? He still teaches at my old school! I have sent him an e-mail & hope to find out soon. I'll post what I find out.

[Brightonian]

Great! I bet he'll be really pleased that you're still thinking about his class 11 years later.

[Jaxsunn]

Your recollection seems to match up with Ray Bradbury's "Frost and Fire" published in his "R is for Rocket" collection. I read it when I was ten or so in a Bantam Pathfinder Edition paperback. Doubleday published the original edition in 1962.

[geetus]

I got an e-mail back from my high school techer. Yes, it is Ray Bradbury, Frost and Fire (Fire and Ice... I was close.) and the fact that I had the name of the story wrong could be why I had a hard time finding it .

My teacher said I would be surprised how often he gets e-mails like this. He said his most common request if for "The Sand Kings".

Anyway, I appreciate your help & your suggestions. I'll stick around & get some ideas of what to read next. Thanks a lot.