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The Easter Egg
"The Easter Egg" is an unusual story because for
once "Saki" seems to be in deadly earnest and narrates for us
a straightforward and tragic tale with not the least trace
of irony.
once "Saki" seems to be in deadly earnest and narrates for us
a straightforward and tragic tale with not the least trace
of irony.
- GenresShort StoriesClassics
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1911
14 people want to read
About the author
Saki
1,669 books590 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 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 1, 2015
Don't assume the book is as innocent as an easter egg, because it's anything but that.
Wonderfully written. This author is growing on me.
Wonderfully written. This author is growing on me.
December 22, 2024
Goodreads describes this story as follows:
"'The Easter Egg' is an unusual story because for once "Saki" seems to be in deadly earnest and narrates for us a straightforward and tragic tale with not the least trace of irony."
Now everyone knows GR is almost beyond parody when it comes to the incredibly stupid pronouncements it makes but this description of Saki's 'The Easter Egg' has to hold some sort of record for inaccuracy. It may not quite reach the standard that literary critic Mary McCarthy used when she said "every word [playwright Lillian Hellman] writes is a lie, including 'and' and 'the'" but it comes close. Saki is not in earnest, the tale is not straightforward, it is as tragic as Tobermory, Gabriel Ernest or Sredni Vashtar (which is to say that someone dies but you never really get round to missing them) and is about as suffused with irony as any Saki story. I don't want to go into particulars because Saki's stories are brief but it is the brevity of genius. Knowing exactly what to put in, but more importantly, what to leave out, was an art at which he excelled. He could pack more characters, adventure and local colour in four pages then most authors can manage in as many hundreds.
That the story upsets and disturbs a number of GR reviewers is an unalloyed pleasure particularly if it spoils the shoddy commercialism and revolting sentimentality of the Easter season. Saki's Easter Egg is a knife eviscerating holiday pieties a century after it was written. How wonderful.
"'The Easter Egg' is an unusual story because for once "Saki" seems to be in deadly earnest and narrates for us a straightforward and tragic tale with not the least trace of irony."
Now everyone knows GR is almost beyond parody when it comes to the incredibly stupid pronouncements it makes but this description of Saki's 'The Easter Egg' has to hold some sort of record for inaccuracy. It may not quite reach the standard that literary critic Mary McCarthy used when she said "every word [playwright Lillian Hellman] writes is a lie, including 'and' and 'the'" but it comes close. Saki is not in earnest, the tale is not straightforward, it is as tragic as Tobermory, Gabriel Ernest or Sredni Vashtar (which is to say that someone dies but you never really get round to missing them) and is about as suffused with irony as any Saki story. I don't want to go into particulars because Saki's stories are brief but it is the brevity of genius. Knowing exactly what to put in, but more importantly, what to leave out, was an art at which he excelled. He could pack more characters, adventure and local colour in four pages then most authors can manage in as many hundreds.
That the story upsets and disturbs a number of GR reviewers is an unalloyed pleasure particularly if it spoils the shoddy commercialism and revolting sentimentality of the Easter season. Saki's Easter Egg is a knife eviscerating holiday pieties a century after it was written. How wonderful.
October 21, 2020
And then he goes and writes something entirely heart-breaking.
September 13, 2021
An Easter egg, a cherubic little tike, and a prince all converge in this very short tale. There is redemption for a son, while his mother of "good fighting stock" surprises no one. (1911)
Audible edition narrated by Nadia May. An Easter tale that is neither happy nor humorous, but a tale of redemption and bravery.
Audible edition narrated by Nadia May. An Easter tale that is neither happy nor humorous, but a tale of redemption and bravery.
March 7, 2024
This one is really dark.
March 17, 2024
Youtube
May 18, 2023
I have never been a fan of saki/munro. Some stories amuse me, but just barely, and I think his style smacks of condescension and arrogance (even if dated). I see plenty of five star reviews, including one with a brazen spoiler, so the reader should probably ignore my review. I found the story horrid. On or about Easter, my Alexa informed me that I could listen to an audible version for free. The audible was worse than the story. I stopped it after two long minutes. I managed to finish reading the (three page!) story here>
April 8, 2023
Devilishly clever tale about a terrorist act about to be committed by an unsuspecting child. Given a basket of Easter eggs to give to a prince it becomes apparent at the last moment that a bomb has been placed in it. A man who has been a coward all his life must make a decision to act. Simple yet very thought provoking story!
March 31, 2024
Not a very Eastery Easter egg.
September 17, 2024
I'm conflicted about this one. Rather dark
July 14, 2025
Had a blast reading this one
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews