This story concerns a Firework, who is one of many to be let off at the wedding of a prince and princess.

He considers all of the other characters with whom he interacts, the other fireworks, a frog, a dragonfly and a duck, to be his inferiors and criticizes them for not paying sufficient attention to him. The Rocket considers himself to be an unappreciated genius and firmly believes that he is destined for greatness. However, he fails to fulfill his only function, that of entertaining people by rising up into the air and exploding in front of an audience.

It was first published in 1888 in the anthology The Happy Prince and Other Tales, which, in addition to its title story, also includes  "The Nightingale and the Rose",  “The Happy Prince”, “The Selfish Giant” and "The Devoted Friend".