The Mysterious Stranger, A Romance (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Mark Twain
- First Published: 1916
- Type of Work: Philosophical fantasy
- Time of Work: 1590
- Setting: Eseldorf, Austria
- Principal Characters: Theodor Fischer, Nikolaus Bauman, Seppi Wohlmeyer, Satan, Father Adolf, Father Peter, The Astrologer, Marget, Wilhelm Meidling
- Genres: Short fiction, Philosophical realism, Fantasy
- Subjects: Philosophy or philosophers, Folkloric or magical people, Self, Witches or witchcraft, Sixteenth century, Devils or demons, Austria or Austrians, Satan or Satanism
- Locales: Eseldorf, Austria
The Story
In sleepy Eseldorf, in the Middle Ages, three boys—Theodor, Nikolaus, and Seppi—meet a mysterious stranger who is young, handsome, beautifully dressed, and so charming that everything is more exciting in his presence— yet unknown to them, the dashing newcomer is Satan incarnate. With his breath he lights the pipes the boys are not supposed to be smoking and provides them each with the fruit of his choice. He entrances them by making a crowd of finger-sized men and women and a most cunning castle, but because the living figures are noisy, he crushes two...
[The entire page is 1513 words long]
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