A delicate balance

"Tell me a story... One just true enough to be interesting and not true enough to be tiresome."

--- Saki

From The Complete Saki, "The Story of St. Vespaluus (p.166).

I'm working my way slowly through Saki's short stories. I'm not entirely convinced that the book (Penguin edition) is complete, having seen references elsewhere to writings of Saki's that don't show up in the book. Or maybe they do.

A volume such as this, in my opinion, needs an introduction. The lack of an introduction leaves me feeling unanchored.

There is something fascinating and disturbing about these stories. Maybe it has to do with the variety of ways women can be killed by wild beasts.