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Tooth and Claw
Conradin is ten years old. He lives alone with his aunt. He has two big secrets. The first is that he hates his aunt. The second is that he keeps a small, wild animal in the garden shed. The animal has sharp, white teeth, and it loves fresh blood. Every night, Conradin prays to this animal and asks it to do one thing for him, just one thing. This collection of short stories is clever, funny, and shows us 'Nature, red in tooth and claw'. In other words, it is Saki at his very best.
- GenresShort Stories
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
26 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Saki
1,688 books592 followersBritish writer Hector Hugh Munro under pen name Saki published his witty and sometimes bitter short stories in collections, such as
The Chronicles of Clovis
(1911).
His sometimes macabre satirized Edwardian society and culture. People consider him a master and often compare him to William Sydney Porter and Dorothy Rothschild Parker. His tales feature delicately drawn characters and finely judged narratives. "The Open Window," perhaps his most famous, closes with the line, "Romance at short notice was her specialty," which thus entered the lexicon. Newspapers first and then several volumes published him as the custom of the time.
His works include
* a full-length play, The Watched Pot , in collaboration with Charles Maude;
* two one-act plays;
* a historical study, The Rise of the Russian Empire , the only book under his own name;
* a short novel, The Unbearable Bassington ;
* the episodic The Westminster Alice , a parliamentary parody of Alice in Wonderland ;
* and When William Came: A Story of London under the Hohenzollerns , an early alternate history.
Oscar Wilde, Lewis Carroll, and Joseph Rudyard Kipling, influenced Munro, who in turn influenced A. A. Milne, and Pelham Grenville Wodehouse.
His sometimes macabre satirized Edwardian society and culture. People consider him a master and often compare him to William Sydney Porter and Dorothy Rothschild Parker. His tales feature delicately drawn characters and finely judged narratives. "The Open Window," perhaps his most famous, closes with the line, "Romance at short notice was her specialty," which thus entered the lexicon. Newspapers first and then several volumes published him as the custom of the time.
His works include
* a full-length play, The Watched Pot , in collaboration with Charles Maude;
* two one-act plays;
* a historical study, The Rise of the Russian Empire , the only book under his own name;
* a short novel, The Unbearable Bassington ;
* the episodic The Westminster Alice , a parliamentary parody of Alice in Wonderland ;
* and When William Came: A Story of London under the Hohenzollerns , an early alternate history.
Oscar Wilde, Lewis Carroll, and Joseph Rudyard Kipling, influenced Munro, who in turn influenced A. A. Milne, and Pelham Grenville Wodehouse.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 25, 2020
Ferret god,A child who eats child,The world's most proper child with three medals,A cat that learns to speak English,The magic that turns a woman into a she-wolf...and a lot more strangeness.
February 9, 2013
I like Saki's stories. I think I've already read some of those stories in this book by some other publishers. It includes:
-Sredni Vashtar
-The Story-Teller
-Gabriel-Ernest
-Tobermory
-The She-Wolf
I liked "Tobermory" very much. It is about a cat who learned human's language. It could upset some people because cats can go anywhere; your bed room, kitchen, living room, in which the cats would know what you say or what you do, and would tell some other people about it.
I tried to compare "The She-Wolf" in graded reader's version to in the original book written by Saki to see how different they are. Yes, it is very different. There are lots of unfamiliar words that I would like to look up into a dictionary. That way it is very hard for me to keep on reading. For example:
The original: His dabblings in the unseen might not have carried him beyond the customary platitudes of the drawing-room visionary if accident had not reinforced his stock-in-trade of mystical lore. In company with a friend, who was interested in a Ural mining concern, he had made a trip across Eastern Europe at a moment when the great Russian railway strike was developing from a threat to a reality; its outbreak caught him on the return journey, somewhere on the further side of Perm, and it was while waiting for a couple of days at a wayside station in a state of suspended locomotion that he made the acquaintance of a dealer in harness and metalware, who profitably whiled away the tedium of the long halt by initiating his English travelling companion in a fragmentary system of folk-lore that he had picked up from Trans-Baikal traders and natives...
The simplified: Nothing very strange happened to Leonard, until one year he traveled by train across Eastern Europe. He had a long conversation with a Russian passenger, who talked about magic and 'hidden power' in a most interesting way. Leonard listened excitedly.
I really appreciate this graded reader series, while I wish I can read original stories some time!
-Sredni Vashtar
-The Story-Teller
-Gabriel-Ernest
-Tobermory
-The She-Wolf
I liked "Tobermory" very much. It is about a cat who learned human's language. It could upset some people because cats can go anywhere; your bed room, kitchen, living room, in which the cats would know what you say or what you do, and would tell some other people about it.
I tried to compare "The She-Wolf" in graded reader's version to in the original book written by Saki to see how different they are. Yes, it is very different. There are lots of unfamiliar words that I would like to look up into a dictionary. That way it is very hard for me to keep on reading. For example:
The original: His dabblings in the unseen might not have carried him beyond the customary platitudes of the drawing-room visionary if accident had not reinforced his stock-in-trade of mystical lore. In company with a friend, who was interested in a Ural mining concern, he had made a trip across Eastern Europe at a moment when the great Russian railway strike was developing from a threat to a reality; its outbreak caught him on the return journey, somewhere on the further side of Perm, and it was while waiting for a couple of days at a wayside station in a state of suspended locomotion that he made the acquaintance of a dealer in harness and metalware, who profitably whiled away the tedium of the long halt by initiating his English travelling companion in a fragmentary system of folk-lore that he had picked up from Trans-Baikal traders and natives...
The simplified: Nothing very strange happened to Leonard, until one year he traveled by train across Eastern Europe. He had a long conversation with a Russian passenger, who talked about magic and 'hidden power' in a most interesting way. Leonard listened excitedly.
I really appreciate this graded reader series, while I wish I can read original stories some time!
April 19, 2015
1. Oxford level 3
2. 4/18=40min 4/19=60min
3. short story, god of animal, good teller, cat, talk, wild human, wolf
4 a. Third story is that a man can talk with a clever cat. the cat knows her owner's secret and guest's secret and disclose it.
4 b. I like the story, but if I had a cat which can talk, I couldn't live comfortably. I have a dog and I often speak with him one-sidedly
and so he know about my dark side memory. I wish I had animal which can't speak forever.
5. This book is composed of five short story and so It is easy to read. and all stories are involved with animals so if you like animals,
you would like this book.
2. 4/18=40min 4/19=60min
3. short story, god of animal, good teller, cat, talk, wild human, wolf
4 a. Third story is that a man can talk with a clever cat. the cat knows her owner's secret and guest's secret and disclose it.
4 b. I like the story, but if I had a cat which can talk, I couldn't live comfortably. I have a dog and I often speak with him one-sidedly
and so he know about my dark side memory. I wish I had animal which can't speak forever.
5. This book is composed of five short story and so It is easy to read. and all stories are involved with animals so if you like animals,
you would like this book.
October 28, 2015
1. Oxford, level 3
2. 10/26=60 mins. 10/28=40 mins.
3. dangerous, animal, train, children, bachelor, Bertha, wolf
4. a: It is the most beautiful story that I have ever heard. ( from 'The Story-Teller' )
b: I do not think this story was beautiful because the girl was killed by a wolf. I regret it and I hoped that she can escape from a wolf.
5. There are five short stories about dangerous animals in this book. Some stories were difficult to understand for me, but others were a little interesting. About 'The Story-Teller', one of the story in this book, I cannot accept that why the good girl was eaten by s wild wolf at the end of the story.
2. 10/26=60 mins. 10/28=40 mins.
3. dangerous, animal, train, children, bachelor, Bertha, wolf
4. a: It is the most beautiful story that I have ever heard. ( from 'The Story-Teller' )
b: I do not think this story was beautiful because the girl was killed by a wolf. I regret it and I hoped that she can escape from a wolf.
5. There are five short stories about dangerous animals in this book. Some stories were difficult to understand for me, but others were a little interesting. About 'The Story-Teller', one of the story in this book, I cannot accept that why the good girl was eaten by s wild wolf at the end of the story.
June 30, 2024
مجموعة قصصية تضم خمسة قصص تحتوي كل قصة على حيوانات خطيرة او مفترسة تجرح او تقتل، وتحصل هذه القصص في حديقة او منزل او في اكثر الاماكن تمدنً حيث استحالة وجود حيوانات خطيرة كهذة (التناقض)
لم تتواجد هذه حيوانات بقربنا اذن؟ تطرح القصص فكرة رغبتنا لوجودها حولنا في بعض الاحيان، فهي تؤدي فرضا او تخدم غرضا، سواء كانت حيوانات طريفة او وحشية ودموية فانها دائما ما تعض اكثر الاماكن حساسية، تختبر اقنعتنا التي نرتدي وافكارنا التي ندعي.
القصة الثالثة مرعبة قليلا ومع اني لا افضل قصص الرعب والجو الذي تضعني فيه الا انها كانت مشوقة
عنوان المجموعة القصصية (Tooth and Claw) تعبير اصطلاحي يحتضن عدة معاني مثل العنف والوحشية والدموية والانتقام او المنافسة الشرسة، واخيرا القتل بشراسة.
لم تتواجد هذه حيوانات بقربنا اذن؟ تطرح القصص فكرة رغبتنا لوجودها حولنا في بعض الاحيان، فهي تؤدي فرضا او تخدم غرضا، سواء كانت حيوانات طريفة او وحشية ودموية فانها دائما ما تعض اكثر الاماكن حساسية، تختبر اقنعتنا التي نرتدي وافكارنا التي ندعي.
القصة الثالثة مرعبة قليلا ومع اني لا افضل قصص الرعب والجو الذي تضعني فيه الا انها كانت مشوقة
عنوان المجموعة القصصية (Tooth and Claw) تعبير اصطلاحي يحتضن عدة معاني مثل العنف والوحشية والدموية والانتقام او المنافسة الشرسة، واخيرا القتل بشراسة.
February 18, 2021
Wow these are truly strange stories mainly about feline animals... each story was short but included many characters, so it was relatively difficult to understand the communication between those people. Anyway, it’s fun to imagine nonliteral backstories!
March 6, 2022
3/5
hayatimda okuduğum en garip öykülere sahipti aw
hayatimda okuduğum en garip öykülere sahipti aw
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April 6, 2024每日英语听力
November 7, 2014
1. 11/2=40m,11/3=40m
2. Oxford level3
3. wild
animal
Wolf
Cat
Ferret
Disappear
Speak
4.This book has five stories about animals.
Generally, our image of animals is cute. In this book, animals are not cute but a little scary.
They have secrets and specific power.
People around the animals are confused and feel fear. It was the first time for me to meet these wild animals in the book. It was scary but interesting.
5. The most favorite story is about a boy and ferret. The boy didn't have his parents and friends. He lived with his aunt, but she was really unkind to him. Actually the boy had two secrets. One of it is that he didn't like his aunt at all. Another one is that he had a wild ferret. He believed that his ferrets was his god. He prayed "please do one thing." for his ferret again and again.
One day his aunt found his ferret and tried to get it... But...?
2. Oxford level3
3. wild
animal
Wolf
Cat
Ferret
Disappear
Speak
4.This book has five stories about animals.
Generally, our image of animals is cute. In this book, animals are not cute but a little scary.
They have secrets and specific power.
People around the animals are confused and feel fear. It was the first time for me to meet these wild animals in the book. It was scary but interesting.
5. The most favorite story is about a boy and ferret. The boy didn't have his parents and friends. He lived with his aunt, but she was really unkind to him. Actually the boy had two secrets. One of it is that he didn't like his aunt at all. Another one is that he had a wild ferret. He believed that his ferrets was his god. He prayed "please do one thing." for his ferret again and again.
One day his aunt found his ferret and tried to get it... But...?
September 30, 2012
-OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY level 3
-Time: 9/24=60minutes 9/25=50minutes 9/27=50minutes 9/29=60minutes 9/30=30minutes
- 7-words summary: Alone-Boy-Have-Secrets-Appear-Animals-Helpful
1. How do you feel if the doctor told you that you will not live much longer?
I feel very sad and I can't believe that. But I want to do something that I can do it now.
2. Do you like cats?
Yes, I'm prefer cats to dogs.
I found this book and chose it at the library bacause I don't know about this stories, but I like this book's cover's picture. I've never read book that level 3 so this time I tried to read level 3, but I think this book was a little difficult for me and it was more difficult than level 2.
I'm weak at reading so at first, I try to read a little easy book that I can read without a dictionary.
-Time: 9/24=60minutes 9/25=50minutes 9/27=50minutes 9/29=60minutes 9/30=30minutes
- 7-words summary: Alone-Boy-Have-Secrets-Appear-Animals-Helpful
1. How do you feel if the doctor told you that you will not live much longer?
I feel very sad and I can't believe that. But I want to do something that I can do it now.
2. Do you like cats?
Yes, I'm prefer cats to dogs.
I found this book and chose it at the library bacause I don't know about this stories, but I like this book's cover's picture. I've never read book that level 3 so this time I tried to read level 3, but I think this book was a little difficult for me and it was more difficult than level 2.
I'm weak at reading so at first, I try to read a little easy book that I can read without a dictionary.
November 13, 2014
1. oxford level3
2. 11/12＝90
3. animal children aunt hate scary world story
4. I like “the stoly teller”. I especially like the scene aunt told the children story. Children talked a lot in a train, so aunt told the story to shut them up. It is commonplace happy ending, and preachy so children were very boried and they said to aunt, “It is the most stupid story I ever heard.” “I did't listen from the beginning of story.”
It is funny for me. I know children are always honest but their reactions were too insive so I almost burst into laughing.
5. This book is a collection of stories. All stories are about animals and strange. Their were nothing special the teachings but there are some thrill story so I was able to enjoy reading.
2. 11/12＝90
3. animal children aunt hate scary world story
4. I like “the stoly teller”. I especially like the scene aunt told the children story. Children talked a lot in a train, so aunt told the story to shut them up. It is commonplace happy ending, and preachy so children were very boried and they said to aunt, “It is the most stupid story I ever heard.” “I did't listen from the beginning of story.”
It is funny for me. I know children are always honest but their reactions were too insive so I almost burst into laughing.
5. This book is a collection of stories. All stories are about animals and strange. Their were nothing special the teachings but there are some thrill story so I was able to enjoy reading.
December 20, 2012
-oxford uni
-level 3
-12/13=60min, 12/14=40min, 12/19=30min
-7 words: boy, sickness, aunt, hate, ferret, god, hope
Do you have an animal as a pet? And why?
>No, because I live in an apartment so it is not allowed to have animals as a pet, but I want a small dog.
If you have things that you want to come true, do you hope to animal?
>No, because I think animals cannot contact with people, but if I were in the serious situation, I may hope to animal...
This book is consist of short stories, but every stories have same theme, about animals. Each stories have good contents so we can enjoy all stories. If you like animals, I think you can really enjoy reading this book.
-level 3
-12/13=60min, 12/14=40min, 12/19=30min
-7 words: boy, sickness, aunt, hate, ferret, god, hope
Do you have an animal as a pet? And why?
>No, because I live in an apartment so it is not allowed to have animals as a pet, but I want a small dog.
If you have things that you want to come true, do you hope to animal?
>No, because I think animals cannot contact with people, but if I were in the serious situation, I may hope to animal...
This book is consist of short stories, but every stories have same theme, about animals. Each stories have good contents so we can enjoy all stories. If you like animals, I think you can really enjoy reading this book.
July 1, 2015
1.Oxford level 3
2.6/30=50min,7/1=30min
3.short,animal,children,wolf,wild,aunt,joke
4a.I like the story "The Story-Teller" because Bertha was eaten by hungry wolf. I don't like the person like her because people who think "I'm the best." are always domineering, aren't they?? Even if he or she is good, something bad would happened to them!!
5.This book has five short stories and all stories have some animals. I could learn some new vocabularies from this book such as forbidden, bachelor and bush. I thought there were few conversations among characters than other books so if you like a story which has lots of conversations, I don't recommend this book.
2.6/30=50min,7/1=30min
3.short,animal,children,wolf,wild,aunt,joke
4a.I like the story "The Story-Teller" because Bertha was eaten by hungry wolf. I don't like the person like her because people who think "I'm the best." are always domineering, aren't they?? Even if he or she is good, something bad would happened to them!!
5.This book has five short stories and all stories have some animals. I could learn some new vocabularies from this book such as forbidden, bachelor and bush. I thought there were few conversations among characters than other books so if you like a story which has lots of conversations, I don't recommend this book.
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November 4, 20151. Oxford level3
2. 11/3 50min 11/4 50min
3. Short story, aunt, wild animals, wood, children, joke
4. A, "it's two months since I tasted child meat." I was really shocked when I understood the meaning.
B, People thought that the child had fallen into the river and been carried away two months ago. But actually he was eaten the boy who was actually a large, blackish-grey wolf with long white teeth and yellow eyes. It was really horrible thing...
5. This book has five short stories and all of them have wild animals. I don't like this book because the animals are really scary. These animals are not cute at all.
2. 11/3 50min 11/4 50min
3. Short story, aunt, wild animals, wood, children, joke
4. A, "it's two months since I tasted child meat." I was really shocked when I understood the meaning.
B, People thought that the child had fallen into the river and been carried away two months ago. But actually he was eaten the boy who was actually a large, blackish-grey wolf with long white teeth and yellow eyes. It was really horrible thing...
5. This book has five short stories and all of them have wild animals. I don't like this book because the animals are really scary. These animals are not cute at all.
April 24, 2013
OXFORD level 3
time: 4/21 40min, 4/24,40min
7words: boy, shed,ferret, god, story, wolf, child, hill
One question: Do you like to have a ferret? - Yes, I do. Ferrets are very cute so I want to live with them.
At first, I was attracted by the strange picture of cover of this book.
There are some wild animals, for example mouse, cat, wolf, and all of them have tooth and claw. This book has some short stories. These stories are a little strange and sometimes fearful for me. This book has fun that I can go on reading for some reasons.
time: 4/21 40min, 4/24,40min
7words: boy, shed,ferret, god, story, wolf, child, hill
One question: Do you like to have a ferret? - Yes, I do. Ferrets are very cute so I want to live with them.
At first, I was attracted by the strange picture of cover of this book.
There are some wild animals, for example mouse, cat, wolf, and all of them have tooth and claw. This book has some short stories. These stories are a little strange and sometimes fearful for me. This book has fun that I can go on reading for some reasons.
November 4, 2012
-oxford bookworms library level.3
-7 words summary:secret-woman-story-kill-stranger-elephants-wolf
-time:10/30,31,11/1,2,3,4=120 minutes
-discussion qestions:
1.Which books do you like, one long story book or many short story book?
*i like one long story book because it is more interesting for me to continue to read.
2.Have you ever heard mysterious story?
*No, so I was so frighten to read this book.
This book do not match to me, so I would like to choose cautious.
-7 words summary:secret-woman-story-kill-stranger-elephants-wolf
-time:10/30,31,11/1,2,3,4=120 minutes
-discussion qestions:
1.Which books do you like, one long story book or many short story book?
*i like one long story book because it is more interesting for me to continue to read.
2.Have you ever heard mysterious story?
*No, so I was so frighten to read this book.
This book do not match to me, so I would like to choose cautious.
June 18, 2014
Tooth and Claw (Oxford Level. 3)
06/18 =100 minutes
Animal, wild, kill, cruel, love, tooth, family
[Do one thing for me.]
Many people have a animal. Indeed, I have a dog. Of course, animals are not human, but they can be our friends or members of family. Even if that animal is very cruel, and he or she might kill or hurt people. This story lets us to think that we must not hate animals only because they are dangerous for us.
06/18 =100 minutes
Animal, wild, kill, cruel, love, tooth, family
[Do one thing for me.]
Many people have a animal. Indeed, I have a dog. Of course, animals are not human, but they can be our friends or members of family. Even if that animal is very cruel, and he or she might kill or hurt people. This story lets us to think that we must not hate animals only because they are dangerous for us.
October 28, 2012
-Oxford level 3
-Time 10/27 50minutes 10/28 15minutes
-7 word summary child-alone-think-his-Ferret-as-God
Discusussion questions
1.Have you ever had pets?
A. Yes,I have. I had two rabbits. They were very cute.
2.Which do you like long story or short story?
A. I like short story because I can read many stories.
This book contains many stories. Ｉ like this book.
-Time 10/27 50minutes 10/28 15minutes
-7 word summary child-alone-think-his-Ferret-as-God
Discusussion questions
1.Have you ever had pets?
A. Yes,I have. I had two rabbits. They were very cute.
2.Which do you like long story or short story?
A. I like short story because I can read many stories.
This book contains many stories. Ｉ like this book.
October 23, 2014
1. Oxford university press, level 3
2. 10/20 = 40 minutes, 10/21 = 50 minutes
3. wild animal,woods, pool, wild-looking boy, wolfish, aunt, werewolf (Gabriel-Ernest)
4a. It's two months since I tasted child meat.
4b. It's really unbelievable. So scary naked boy I thought.
5. One of my friends recommend this book, so I read it. All 5 stories were good.
2. 10/20 = 40 minutes, 10/21 = 50 minutes
3. wild animal,woods, pool, wild-looking boy, wolfish, aunt, werewolf (Gabriel-Ernest)
4a. It's two months since I tasted child meat.
4b. It's really unbelievable. So scary naked boy I thought.
5. One of my friends recommend this book, so I read it. All 5 stories were good.
September 18, 2014
this book is about treacherous animals in human environment,and they all have one thing in common. They all have teeth and sharp claws. this is a variety of short stories. i liked the fact that they all had the same thing in common but having different stories.
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June 17, 2014very good
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