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The Interlopers
Two men, Ulrich von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym, are both in a forested area on the Carpathian Mountains one night. The men are sworn enemies, embroiled in a generations-old land dispute. On this particular night, each hopes to find the other in order to kill him in defense of their property rights
6 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1910
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525 people want to read
About the author
Saki
1,749 books595 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 - 30 of 170 reviews
August 22, 2023
A long standing feud between Ulrich Von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym, on the eastern spurs of the Carpathians, comes to a head one stormy winter’s night, when the two come face to face, each intent on murder, but there is a very unexpected ending, very unexpected indeed!
Here’s the link http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-sto...
Here’s the link http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-sto...
May 8, 2020
"Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony." -- Morpheus
This short story builds in suspense as you wonder who will triumph, then turns slightly anticlimactic as the tension eases, and then suddenly and unexpectedly culminates in a formidable conclusion.
Read online here: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-sto...
This short story builds in suspense as you wonder who will triumph, then turns slightly anticlimactic as the tension eases, and then suddenly and unexpectedly culminates in a formidable conclusion.
Read online here: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-sto...
finished-story-article
November 1, 20204★
“If only on this wild night, in this dark, lone spot, he might come across Georg Znaeym, man to man, with none to witness - that was the wish that was uppermost in his thoughts. And as he stepped round the trunk of a huge beech he came face to face with the man he sought.”
A long-standing family feud over a patch of forest find two enemies hunting at the same time. One is now the owner, the other is the dispossessed landholder now poaching. Each is really hoping to hunt the other.
The website at the bottom has a link to it and to a few other short stories you might enjoy.
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
Click-Clack the Rattlebag by Neil Gaiman
The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin
My review of The Lottery
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of Click-Clack the Rattlebag
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of The Story of an Hour
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All the stories are available here:
https://archive.vcu.edu/english/engwe...
“If only on this wild night, in this dark, lone spot, he might come across Georg Znaeym, man to man, with none to witness - that was the wish that was uppermost in his thoughts. And as he stepped round the trunk of a huge beech he came face to face with the man he sought.”
A long-standing family feud over a patch of forest find two enemies hunting at the same time. One is now the owner, the other is the dispossessed landholder now poaching. Each is really hoping to hunt the other.
The website at the bottom has a link to it and to a few other short stories you might enjoy.
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
Click-Clack the Rattlebag by Neil Gaiman
The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin
My review of The Lottery
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of Click-Clack the Rattlebag
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of The Story of an Hour
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All the stories are available here:
https://archive.vcu.edu/english/engwe...
June 10, 2015
I've arranged my thoughts into a haiku:
"It's all well and good,
Making peace, ending our strife,
But we're the squatters."
"It's all well and good,
Making peace, ending our strife,
But we're the squatters."
February 19, 2022
that ending got me shakin in my boots
10/10 enemies to lovers story
10/10 enemies to lovers story
July 15, 2021
I read this in English class
May 5, 2014
This book is a classic! It teaches you to forgive your enemy's even if they drive you crazy. To forgive and forget before it's too late to fix the past. It is definitely a dark humor. I liked it but if you don't like bad endings this isn't for you.
April 7, 2024
Saki is a great author who loves his twist endings and so do I. I used to have my freshman classes read this story and they loved the gruesome cliffhanger ending. I love the Hatfield and McCoy-esque feel to this story, which says so much about the futility of the conflict.
Read
October 11, 2020Read for school so no rating
July 24, 2024
THE ENDING 😭!!!!
November 2, 2025
A generation spanning enmity, comes to its end when faced with a common misfortune, followed by a tragedy. While the concept is quite novel, in my opinion, but the execution was far too rushed. Should’ve been left to brew further. But overall, an enjoyable read.
November 29, 2017
Read for school. It was ok
May 22, 2017
Personal Response:
This story was all right. I was not extremely impressed by it, but it was good enough to let me continue to read. It is very easy to understand, and it was a decent storyline. I didn't really like the point where the tree fell only because it made the story a little cheesey. Overall, this was not a very bad story for me to read, but it did have a sort of cliffhanger that I probably could predict.
Plot:
Ulrich von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym have a very bad relation with each other. The story began with some history on why the relation is so poor between them. Gradwitz acquired his bit of forestland from a lawsuit, but Znaeym still claims that Gradwitz owns the land illegally. One night, both men went into their land to defend their claims, but in reality, are there to kill each other. This particular night had a windstorm which played an important part in the upcoming meeting of the two men. As they walked through the woods, they met, both with rifles, ready to kill, but at that exact moment, a strong gust blew over a huge tree, trapping both of them underneath. Instead of quarreling again, like they usually do, they make promises to save each other if one man's search party comes before the other. With the coming of a lull in the wind, the two men decide to call out to their parties, and appear to hear answer. They call again and see shapes running down the hill where they sat. The only problem is that these shapes were wolves.
Characterization:
At the start of the story, Gradwitz and Znaeym were complete enemies. They had absolutely no desire for each other and were inclined to kill each other. After the tree fell on them, they still hated each other severely, but the anger subsided as they began to realize their fate. Gradwitz and Znaeym learned to live with each other because there was nothing else they could do.
Recommendation:
This was an okay story for anyone to read. It is not hard to understand at all, and is probably fit for any middle school student to read. There is a very obvious storyline that even the most uneducated reader would well understand this book.
This story was all right. I was not extremely impressed by it, but it was good enough to let me continue to read. It is very easy to understand, and it was a decent storyline. I didn't really like the point where the tree fell only because it made the story a little cheesey. Overall, this was not a very bad story for me to read, but it did have a sort of cliffhanger that I probably could predict.
Plot:
Ulrich von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym have a very bad relation with each other. The story began with some history on why the relation is so poor between them. Gradwitz acquired his bit of forestland from a lawsuit, but Znaeym still claims that Gradwitz owns the land illegally. One night, both men went into their land to defend their claims, but in reality, are there to kill each other. This particular night had a windstorm which played an important part in the upcoming meeting of the two men. As they walked through the woods, they met, both with rifles, ready to kill, but at that exact moment, a strong gust blew over a huge tree, trapping both of them underneath. Instead of quarreling again, like they usually do, they make promises to save each other if one man's search party comes before the other. With the coming of a lull in the wind, the two men decide to call out to their parties, and appear to hear answer. They call again and see shapes running down the hill where they sat. The only problem is that these shapes were wolves.
Characterization:
At the start of the story, Gradwitz and Znaeym were complete enemies. They had absolutely no desire for each other and were inclined to kill each other. After the tree fell on them, they still hated each other severely, but the anger subsided as they began to realize their fate. Gradwitz and Znaeym learned to live with each other because there was nothing else they could do.
Recommendation:
This was an okay story for anyone to read. It is not hard to understand at all, and is probably fit for any middle school student to read. There is a very obvious storyline that even the most uneducated reader would well understand this book.
May 11, 2017
Personal Response:
I really enjoyed reading this short story. There is a lot of tension when it comes to the two characters getting free, and which man’s men will arrive first. When reading this book, I made a prediction; this prediction was actually correct. Overall, this was a very nice short story.
Characterization:
Ulrich von Gradwitz is a wealthy hunter who had relatives who stole a piece of land from the Znaeym family. In the beginning of the story, he is looking for Georg so he can kill him. He later proposes to be friends with Georg Znaeym.
Georg Znaeym is a hunter who had relatives that had a piece of land stolen from them. He is enemies with Ulrich von Gradwitz for no other reason that his ancestors had hated the Gradwitz family. He later accepts Ulrich’s proposal to be friends.
Plot Summary:
Ulrich von Gradwitz is hunting in his woods, hoping he finds his enemy, Georg Znaeym. He finds him, and before they fight, lightning strikes and a tree falls on them. They verbally fight for a while, and eventually decide to become friends. They then work together to shout for help. They see figures coming toward them, however they are bloodthirsty wolves.
Recommendation:
I recommend this short story to people who like to see perfect resolutions get ruined. I would not recommend this book to people who like happy endings.
I really enjoyed reading this short story. There is a lot of tension when it comes to the two characters getting free, and which man’s men will arrive first. When reading this book, I made a prediction; this prediction was actually correct. Overall, this was a very nice short story.
Characterization:
Ulrich von Gradwitz is a wealthy hunter who had relatives who stole a piece of land from the Znaeym family. In the beginning of the story, he is looking for Georg so he can kill him. He later proposes to be friends with Georg Znaeym.
Georg Znaeym is a hunter who had relatives that had a piece of land stolen from them. He is enemies with Ulrich von Gradwitz for no other reason that his ancestors had hated the Gradwitz family. He later accepts Ulrich’s proposal to be friends.
Plot Summary:
Ulrich von Gradwitz is hunting in his woods, hoping he finds his enemy, Georg Znaeym. He finds him, and before they fight, lightning strikes and a tree falls on them. They verbally fight for a while, and eventually decide to become friends. They then work together to shout for help. They see figures coming toward them, however they are bloodthirsty wolves.
Recommendation:
I recommend this short story to people who like to see perfect resolutions get ruined. I would not recommend this book to people who like happy endings.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2023
nice short read.
September 6, 2023
Had to read it for school
Read
August 11, 2025could not tell you what happens in this one 😭😭
March 10, 2026
i read this for school…..
not my favourite but also it was only like 10 pages
not my favourite but also it was only like 10 pages
February 19, 2026
I used to teach “The Interlopers” to my ninth-grade students as an example of story structure, situational irony, and external conflict — it’s an outstanding example of all that and more thanks to the masterful writing of Hector Munro, using the pen name Saki. Though it’s a bit too short to appeal to our pathos, its bleak setting, its theme of man vs. nature, and its famous ironic twist ending belie this timeless tale of friends becoming enemies.
On a cold wintry night east of the Carpathian Mountains, Ulrich von Gradwitz patrols the forest strip that has been in his family for three generations, seeking the life of his lifelong enemy Georg Znaeym, whose family has feuded with the von Gradwitz family over ownership of the land for decades. Just as Ulrich and Georg come face to face, however, they become trapped together underneath a giant falling beech tree, which forces them to talk to one another for the first time in their lives.
Munro begins the story without preamble, establishing the barbaric nature of two neighbors hunting one another simply because they inherited a feud from their grandfathers’ lawsuit over the forestland. Ulrich von Gradwitz is arguably the protagonist, as our story begins with him and he is the first to extend friendship to his enemy, but there seems to be remarkably little difference between him and Georg Znaeym, who covets and raids the forest in revenge. Their shared trouble and pain forces them to work together, and their triumphant declaration of peace — in an empty forest with none to witness it — is appropriately haunting. Even more haunting is the implication that their reconciliation would have brought peace to hundreds of others affected by the three-generational feud,
Munro does a great job of establishing the disturbed, eerie disquiet in the night forest, marked by an unnatural bloodthirst and a willingness to murder another person over legalities and possession. Nature herself intervenes by crushing both men under an enormous beech tree, stripping both of their means to kill each other. They profess distaste for a forest that clearly neither of them is truly the master over, and that confession seems to spur them to realize that they are not so different as they thought — in fact, Munro makes them almost interchangeable. Munro builds the tension magnificently, providing us with a metaphorical countdown as both Ulrich and Georg wait for their men to rescue one and kill the other. The dialogue is testy and terse, but it quickly melts into a heartfelt conversation between two men who have probably never discussed anything together in their lives. The bitter, barren landscape, of course, rules as conqueror in the end, much in the style of Jack London.
The meaning of the word “interlopers” morphs throughout the story — where at first it seems to refer to the trespassing Georg, it could also refer to Ulrich’s ancestors for snatching away Georg’s ancestors’ home, making Ulrich as much of an interloper as his enemy. When they finally confront each other, they are pleased to be face-to-face without any unnecessary interlopers intruding on their personal feud. Once the men become friends, however, “interlopers” comes to mean any man who might stand in the way of their plans to make peace and join their families.
It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moral of “The Interlopers” — Munro has us celebrate alongside Ulrich and Georg when they begin praying that they will have the chance to make the first gesture of kindness to the other, Ultimately, it’s a story of a reckoning, of a forest that cares nothing about the human matters that go on inside it.
Link to “The Interlopers” on East of the Web
On a cold wintry night east of the Carpathian Mountains, Ulrich von Gradwitz patrols the forest strip that has been in his family for three generations, seeking the life of his lifelong enemy Georg Znaeym, whose family has feuded with the von Gradwitz family over ownership of the land for decades. Just as Ulrich and Georg come face to face, however, they become trapped together underneath a giant falling beech tree, which forces them to talk to one another for the first time in their lives.
Munro begins the story without preamble, establishing the barbaric nature of two neighbors hunting one another simply because they inherited a feud from their grandfathers’ lawsuit over the forestland. Ulrich von Gradwitz is arguably the protagonist, as our story begins with him and he is the first to extend friendship to his enemy, but there seems to be remarkably little difference between him and Georg Znaeym, who covets and raids the forest in revenge. Their shared trouble and pain forces them to work together, and their triumphant declaration of peace — in an empty forest with none to witness it — is appropriately haunting. Even more haunting is the implication that their reconciliation would have brought peace to hundreds of others affected by the three-generational feud,
Munro does a great job of establishing the disturbed, eerie disquiet in the night forest, marked by an unnatural bloodthirst and a willingness to murder another person over legalities and possession. Nature herself intervenes by crushing both men under an enormous beech tree, stripping both of their means to kill each other. They profess distaste for a forest that clearly neither of them is truly the master over, and that confession seems to spur them to realize that they are not so different as they thought — in fact, Munro makes them almost interchangeable. Munro builds the tension magnificently, providing us with a metaphorical countdown as both Ulrich and Georg wait for their men to rescue one and kill the other. The dialogue is testy and terse, but it quickly melts into a heartfelt conversation between two men who have probably never discussed anything together in their lives. The bitter, barren landscape, of course, rules as conqueror in the end, much in the style of Jack London.
The meaning of the word “interlopers” morphs throughout the story — where at first it seems to refer to the trespassing Georg, it could also refer to Ulrich’s ancestors for snatching away Georg’s ancestors’ home, making Ulrich as much of an interloper as his enemy. When they finally confront each other, they are pleased to be face-to-face without any unnecessary interlopers intruding on their personal feud. Once the men become friends, however, “interlopers” comes to mean any man who might stand in the way of their plans to make peace and join their families.
It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moral of “The Interlopers” — Munro has us celebrate alongside Ulrich and Georg when they begin praying that they will have the chance to make the first gesture of kindness to the other, Ultimately, it’s a story of a reckoning, of a forest that cares nothing about the human matters that go on inside it.
Link to “The Interlopers” on East of the Web
March 18, 2017
A short story I read in my Language Arts class (grade 9). My favorite part was the end.
December 21, 2016
Personal Response:
I read the short story version of this book. I liked this story very much because it left the reader in suspense for most of the time. I was always wondering whether they were going to murder each other or if they were going to make up in the end of the story. The suspense towards the end of the story was amazing as well due to both of the men not knowing who was running towards them.
Plot Summary:
There are two families that live near each other, one that owns hunting land and one that steals their land from them and hunts on it even though it is not their property. These two families have been in a feud for generations and the major two men that are fighting go by the names of Ulrich von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym. The family that owns the land is Ulrich's family. However, Georg and his family are hunting on this land. These two men absolutely despised each other. They have both wished the worst of the worst upon their neighbor. They had both even come to the point of where they had chosen murder as a choice to "destroy" each family. This was very close to occurring when during one night, the Gradwitz family decided that they were going to look guard for the night and catch the Znaeym family on their land. While the men were standing guard at the edge of the forest, Ulrich heard a noise that was coming from far into the woods and he had a very eery feeling about the situation so he decided to go into the woods by himself to see if he could find his foe. When he ended up meeting his foe in the forest, they both stood silently staring at one another, knowing that they could kill one another at any given moment. This however did not happen due to the winds picking up so greatly that branches fell from the tree above that pinned them both to the ground. They both could not escape the "traps" that they were in. However, during this time of containment, the two foes made up for their grueling and foolish actions over the years and ended up making a deal to become friends. Finally after they had made up, they heard noises coming from up on the hill and they were very excited because their men were going to find them and help them after the grueling times in the forest. However, the noises that they heard were not the voices that they had thought they had heard. They were the sounds of wolves.
Characterization:
Ulrich von Gradwitz is the first main character of this short story and is the owner of the land that both of the men are fighting over. He is very protective of his lands due to the amount of wildlife in it and how much hunting that both him and his family do. He absolutely despises his foe, Georg Znaeym. This man is the other main character in this short story. This is the man that has been hunting on his neighbors land when instructed not to. Him and his family hunt on this wealthy, resourceful land which creates a feud between the two hunting families. Towards the end of the story, it describes how the foes who absolutely despise one another, become friends and come to an agreement in the end.
Recommendation:
I gave this short story three out of five stars due to the lack of interesting opinions and facts. It was very suspicious which was very good in the middle of the story and towards the end there was so much suspense which created an intense mood. I personally liked the ending a lot more than what the beginning and middle did for the story. I would recommend this short story to anyone that is looking for a good short story of suspense. I would also recommend it to high school students just due to some of the advanced language used in the story.
I read the short story version of this book. I liked this story very much because it left the reader in suspense for most of the time. I was always wondering whether they were going to murder each other or if they were going to make up in the end of the story. The suspense towards the end of the story was amazing as well due to both of the men not knowing who was running towards them.
Plot Summary:
There are two families that live near each other, one that owns hunting land and one that steals their land from them and hunts on it even though it is not their property. These two families have been in a feud for generations and the major two men that are fighting go by the names of Ulrich von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym. The family that owns the land is Ulrich's family. However, Georg and his family are hunting on this land. These two men absolutely despised each other. They have both wished the worst of the worst upon their neighbor. They had both even come to the point of where they had chosen murder as a choice to "destroy" each family. This was very close to occurring when during one night, the Gradwitz family decided that they were going to look guard for the night and catch the Znaeym family on their land. While the men were standing guard at the edge of the forest, Ulrich heard a noise that was coming from far into the woods and he had a very eery feeling about the situation so he decided to go into the woods by himself to see if he could find his foe. When he ended up meeting his foe in the forest, they both stood silently staring at one another, knowing that they could kill one another at any given moment. This however did not happen due to the winds picking up so greatly that branches fell from the tree above that pinned them both to the ground. They both could not escape the "traps" that they were in. However, during this time of containment, the two foes made up for their grueling and foolish actions over the years and ended up making a deal to become friends. Finally after they had made up, they heard noises coming from up on the hill and they were very excited because their men were going to find them and help them after the grueling times in the forest. However, the noises that they heard were not the voices that they had thought they had heard. They were the sounds of wolves.
Characterization:
Ulrich von Gradwitz is the first main character of this short story and is the owner of the land that both of the men are fighting over. He is very protective of his lands due to the amount of wildlife in it and how much hunting that both him and his family do. He absolutely despises his foe, Georg Znaeym. This man is the other main character in this short story. This is the man that has been hunting on his neighbors land when instructed not to. Him and his family hunt on this wealthy, resourceful land which creates a feud between the two hunting families. Towards the end of the story, it describes how the foes who absolutely despise one another, become friends and come to an agreement in the end.
Recommendation:
I gave this short story three out of five stars due to the lack of interesting opinions and facts. It was very suspicious which was very good in the middle of the story and towards the end there was so much suspense which created an intense mood. I personally liked the ending a lot more than what the beginning and middle did for the story. I would recommend this short story to anyone that is looking for a good short story of suspense. I would also recommend it to high school students just due to some of the advanced language used in the story.
October 20, 2016
Personal Response
I found this short story to be one of the better ones I've read. I like the whole enemy of my enemy is my friend theme. The two men who've always hated each other eventually get into a situation where they must become friends to survive and I really enjoyed that.
Summary
This story is about two men who've hated each other for years. One of the men, Ulrich Von Gradwitz, owned a large forest with was overflowing with game. The other man however, inherited a quarry and was also a game snatcher. This mans name was Georg Znayem and his quarry was on the border of the forest. One night, Ulrich stood out watching and listening for any wild beast that may come through those woods. Ulrich had gathered his foresters to keep watch in the forest in the case that any thieves may try to sneak it. That night was a rather disturbed night. There was a terrible wind storm and the whole forest was alive. Ulrich eventually moved from where he was down the slope, still listening for any intruder. Ulrich hoped he would come across Georg so he could end him. And just like that, his wish was granted. As he stepped around a large beech tree, Georg was standing there, both men with rifles in hand and hate in their hearts. Just then, the storm kicked in and knocked over the large tree, which fell and landed on the two men, pinning them down. Ulrich wasn't too badly injured, just he couldn't move, while Georg was in serious trouble. Somehow, Georg was still able to spit some cocky remarks at Ulrich, and Ulrich was getting annoyed. Georg still wanted to fight Ulrich and he kept saying his men will free him and then decide Ulrich's fate. Then silence fell upon them, until Ulrich brought out his wine flask and drank some. Then he noticed how miserable Georg looked, and offered him some. Georg refused because he didn't want to share wine with an enemy. Ulrich then started talking about he's been thinking that they should end their rivalry and try to call for help together. Georg thought about it, and then he realized that he couldn't get out of there without Ulrich's help. So the two of them called, waited a few minutes, then called again. Soon Ulrich noticed about 8-9 figures coming over the hill. The two men were so happy to be saved, until the figures got closer. Ulrich laughed, a laugh of fear. Georg asked who they were. Ulrich responded "Wolves."
Characteraztion
The two men at first in this story both hate each other. Their families have been in a rivalry for three generations, and Ulrich and Georg just dispised one another. The two men where both out for blood, until an unlikely situaton happens and they end up becoming friends to help save each other.
Reccommendation
I would reccomend this to anyone who likes suspenseful stories or short stories. It was a very good short story in my opinion. Im sure many others would enjoy this as well.
I found this short story to be one of the better ones I've read. I like the whole enemy of my enemy is my friend theme. The two men who've always hated each other eventually get into a situation where they must become friends to survive and I really enjoyed that.
Summary
This story is about two men who've hated each other for years. One of the men, Ulrich Von Gradwitz, owned a large forest with was overflowing with game. The other man however, inherited a quarry and was also a game snatcher. This mans name was Georg Znayem and his quarry was on the border of the forest. One night, Ulrich stood out watching and listening for any wild beast that may come through those woods. Ulrich had gathered his foresters to keep watch in the forest in the case that any thieves may try to sneak it. That night was a rather disturbed night. There was a terrible wind storm and the whole forest was alive. Ulrich eventually moved from where he was down the slope, still listening for any intruder. Ulrich hoped he would come across Georg so he could end him. And just like that, his wish was granted. As he stepped around a large beech tree, Georg was standing there, both men with rifles in hand and hate in their hearts. Just then, the storm kicked in and knocked over the large tree, which fell and landed on the two men, pinning them down. Ulrich wasn't too badly injured, just he couldn't move, while Georg was in serious trouble. Somehow, Georg was still able to spit some cocky remarks at Ulrich, and Ulrich was getting annoyed. Georg still wanted to fight Ulrich and he kept saying his men will free him and then decide Ulrich's fate. Then silence fell upon them, until Ulrich brought out his wine flask and drank some. Then he noticed how miserable Georg looked, and offered him some. Georg refused because he didn't want to share wine with an enemy. Ulrich then started talking about he's been thinking that they should end their rivalry and try to call for help together. Georg thought about it, and then he realized that he couldn't get out of there without Ulrich's help. So the two of them called, waited a few minutes, then called again. Soon Ulrich noticed about 8-9 figures coming over the hill. The two men were so happy to be saved, until the figures got closer. Ulrich laughed, a laugh of fear. Georg asked who they were. Ulrich responded "Wolves."
Characteraztion
The two men at first in this story both hate each other. Their families have been in a rivalry for three generations, and Ulrich and Georg just dispised one another. The two men where both out for blood, until an unlikely situaton happens and they end up becoming friends to help save each other.
Reccommendation
I would reccomend this to anyone who likes suspenseful stories or short stories. It was a very good short story in my opinion. Im sure many others would enjoy this as well.
October 29, 2019
BADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD BOOOOOOOOKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2014
It was a pretty good short story, the only one I've ever actually been interested in. I liked how the author addressed the fact that in life threatening circumstances it is better to come together than to pull apart. In The Interlopers this happens after the tree falls and pins the two characters to the ground. After realizing that they would be there a while, they had a change in heart about each other. For years their families had been sworn enemies, but this one situation made them realize how stupid it all was and still is. The ending was also a great twist.
November 22, 2015
Classic story of vendetta and reconciliation; Masterful narration with a swift storyline and limited character cast.
September 14, 2016
Good suspense, a cliffhanger ending, and good writing. Characters are good. Not necessarily something I'd read again or typically read, but I'm glad I read it because I like suspense.
3.5 stars.
3.5 stars.
January 15, 2024
Packs a punch (pun intended).
November 25, 2025
Binge Reviewing Greatest Short Fiction: Standalone and Anthologies
Whenever I reread Saki, I always feel like I’m stepping into a polite drawing room where someone has quietly hidden a live grenade under the teacups. The Interlopers has that exact sensation — a story that begins with familiar tensions and then slips into something sharper, funnier, and far more ironic than you brace for.
And because it’s Saki, the whole thing moves with this eerie smoothness, like the narrative is smirking at you from behind a velvet curtain.
What instantly strikes you is the atmosphere. Saki doesn’t waste time: the forest feels alive, watchful, and almost too silent in the way forests in stories tend to be when trouble is waiting just offstage. You feel the cold, the sense of hostility that isn’t just between people but in the landscape itself.
There’s something beautifully compact about how he does this — the natural world isn’t just background scenery; it’s practically a character, with moods, intentions, and a talent for timing that’s almost theatrical.
The heart of the story revolves around a feud, the kind of generational grudge that has hardened into identity. Two people locked into a rivalry so old and so inherited that it feels like part of their bloodline.
And honestly, Saki writes them in a way that’s both funny and unsettling. Their pride is oversized, their stubbornness is almost operatic, and yet you can’t help but see little flickers of humanity poking through the cracks.
It’s that classic Saki trick: he lets you laugh at his characters while also—just a little—feeling for them.
But what really gives this story its charm is the way he lets the characters slowly shift. They start out as these rigid figures, carved out of ego and obligation, and then the situation they’re thrown into begins to soften everything. You watch them go from defensive to reflective, from combative to strangely candid.
It’s almost tender at moments, like two people suddenly remembering they’re human beings before they’re labels in an old family feud.
And the cool thing is, Saki doesn’t overplay it. The emotional movement is subtle, understated, and all the more effective because it feels like it’s happening in real time.
There’s also this undercurrent of dark humour that runs through the whole thing. You know that feeling when you sense a joke forming in the background, but you’re not sure when it’ll land?
That’s this story. It’s dry, it’s ironic, and it certainly doesn’t treat human grudges with the seriousness we often give them. Instead, Saki seems to say, “Look how small people can be, even in the vastness of nature,” but he says it with such elegance that you grin even as you wince.
What stays with you long after finishing is the emotional rhythm. The characters go through a quiet arc that feels almost hopeful, and then the story… well, it dances in a different direction, without telling you outright what steps it’s taking.
And even without describing anything explicitly, Saki leaves you with a chill — the good kind, the literary kind, the kind that comes from realizing how delicate our moments of connection really are. And how very dependent they are on things we can’t control.
Personally, I love how Saki takes a simple setup — a feud, a forest, two stubborn people — and turns it into a reflection on pride, vulnerability, and the cosmic joke that is human conflict. He’s not preachy, and he’s not sentimental; he’s just observant. Wickedly observant.
And the story works because it feels so effortless, like he barely needed to lift a finger to build all that tension, irony, and atmosphere.
What makes it even more special is how contemporary it feels. Feuds may not be the same today, but people still cling to their anger like it’s a family heirloom. The pettiness, the defensiveness, the sudden reconciliation, the unexpected turn—these rhythms are still ours.
And Saki captures them in a way that’s crisp, lean, and unexpectedly emotional.
Highly recommended—especially if you enjoy stories that are compact, slyly humorous, and capable of making the forest around you feel a little more alive than usual.
Unconditionally recommended.
Whenever I reread Saki, I always feel like I’m stepping into a polite drawing room where someone has quietly hidden a live grenade under the teacups. The Interlopers has that exact sensation — a story that begins with familiar tensions and then slips into something sharper, funnier, and far more ironic than you brace for.
And because it’s Saki, the whole thing moves with this eerie smoothness, like the narrative is smirking at you from behind a velvet curtain.
What instantly strikes you is the atmosphere. Saki doesn’t waste time: the forest feels alive, watchful, and almost too silent in the way forests in stories tend to be when trouble is waiting just offstage. You feel the cold, the sense of hostility that isn’t just between people but in the landscape itself.
There’s something beautifully compact about how he does this — the natural world isn’t just background scenery; it’s practically a character, with moods, intentions, and a talent for timing that’s almost theatrical.
The heart of the story revolves around a feud, the kind of generational grudge that has hardened into identity. Two people locked into a rivalry so old and so inherited that it feels like part of their bloodline.
And honestly, Saki writes them in a way that’s both funny and unsettling. Their pride is oversized, their stubbornness is almost operatic, and yet you can’t help but see little flickers of humanity poking through the cracks.
It’s that classic Saki trick: he lets you laugh at his characters while also—just a little—feeling for them.
But what really gives this story its charm is the way he lets the characters slowly shift. They start out as these rigid figures, carved out of ego and obligation, and then the situation they’re thrown into begins to soften everything. You watch them go from defensive to reflective, from combative to strangely candid.
It’s almost tender at moments, like two people suddenly remembering they’re human beings before they’re labels in an old family feud.
And the cool thing is, Saki doesn’t overplay it. The emotional movement is subtle, understated, and all the more effective because it feels like it’s happening in real time.
There’s also this undercurrent of dark humour that runs through the whole thing. You know that feeling when you sense a joke forming in the background, but you’re not sure when it’ll land?
That’s this story. It’s dry, it’s ironic, and it certainly doesn’t treat human grudges with the seriousness we often give them. Instead, Saki seems to say, “Look how small people can be, even in the vastness of nature,” but he says it with such elegance that you grin even as you wince.
What stays with you long after finishing is the emotional rhythm. The characters go through a quiet arc that feels almost hopeful, and then the story… well, it dances in a different direction, without telling you outright what steps it’s taking.
And even without describing anything explicitly, Saki leaves you with a chill — the good kind, the literary kind, the kind that comes from realizing how delicate our moments of connection really are. And how very dependent they are on things we can’t control.
Personally, I love how Saki takes a simple setup — a feud, a forest, two stubborn people — and turns it into a reflection on pride, vulnerability, and the cosmic joke that is human conflict. He’s not preachy, and he’s not sentimental; he’s just observant. Wickedly observant.
And the story works because it feels so effortless, like he barely needed to lift a finger to build all that tension, irony, and atmosphere.
What makes it even more special is how contemporary it feels. Feuds may not be the same today, but people still cling to their anger like it’s a family heirloom. The pettiness, the defensiveness, the sudden reconciliation, the unexpected turn—these rhythms are still ours.
And Saki captures them in a way that’s crisp, lean, and unexpectedly emotional.
Highly recommended—especially if you enjoy stories that are compact, slyly humorous, and capable of making the forest around you feel a little more alive than usual.
Unconditionally recommended.
Read
October 20, 2021 The short story “The Interlopers” by Saki is a good story based on the literary elements used in the story.
The short story is about a feud between neighboring landowners Ulrich von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym. Ulrich and Georg are engaged in a feud that dates all the way back to their grandfathers, who had a nasty dispute over a piece of land between their properties. The end of this story is kind of ironic because Ulrich and Georg call for help and think that their men are coming to help them, but they can't see clearly. This irony emphasizes the theme of the story, humans believe they are in control, but nature is in fact in control. Like when the men have made peace with each other and are ready to be rescued. When they hear sounds they expect to see men, but instead they see wolves coming toward them.
A good short story should include motive, characterization, and allusion. Saki effectively uses all three of these literary elements. “You would come and keep the Sylvester night beneath my roof, and I would come and feast on some high day at your castle”.The allusion here is to a Saint's Day celebrating Pope Sylvester, pope of the Roman Catholic Church.
All of the elements go along with the story because of the characters emotions and just the setting in general. And they both have motives because of the feud.
The short story is about a feud between neighboring landowners Ulrich von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym. Ulrich and Georg are engaged in a feud that dates all the way back to their grandfathers, who had a nasty dispute over a piece of land between their properties. The end of this story is kind of ironic because Ulrich and Georg call for help and think that their men are coming to help them, but they can't see clearly. This irony emphasizes the theme of the story, humans believe they are in control, but nature is in fact in control. Like when the men have made peace with each other and are ready to be rescued. When they hear sounds they expect to see men, but instead they see wolves coming toward them.
A good short story should include motive, characterization, and allusion. Saki effectively uses all three of these literary elements. “You would come and keep the Sylvester night beneath my roof, and I would come and feast on some high day at your castle”.The allusion here is to a Saint's Day celebrating Pope Sylvester, pope of the Roman Catholic Church.
All of the elements go along with the story because of the characters emotions and just the setting in general. And they both have motives because of the feud.
Read
October 24, 2021 The short story, “The Interlopers” by Saki is a good story based on the literary elements used in the story.
The short story is about the main characters, Gradwitz and Znaeym have been enemies since birth. Their grandfathers have fought over a piece of forestland. While the courts ruled in Gradwitz favor, the Znaeymn Family has never accepted the ruling. They have formed groups in order to achieve their goal of killing each other and claiming their land. But as they grow old, Gradwitz and Znaeymn decide to put the killing aside and become best friends.
A good short story should include plot twists, characterization, and drama. Saki effectively uses plot twists when the two main characters who hate each other and gather groups to kill each other end up later on making an agreement and becoming friends as they grow old. Saki also uses characterization well by introducing the characters as enemies and how their grandfathers were enemies and fought over land and how the grandchildren carry on with the fighting over the land. Saki uses drama effectively by starting off as the two main characters rounding up groups to kill each other.
The short story, “The Interlopers” by Saki can be considered a good story based on the literary elements used. “The Interlopers’’ is worth reading.
The short story is about the main characters, Gradwitz and Znaeym have been enemies since birth. Their grandfathers have fought over a piece of forestland. While the courts ruled in Gradwitz favor, the Znaeymn Family has never accepted the ruling. They have formed groups in order to achieve their goal of killing each other and claiming their land. But as they grow old, Gradwitz and Znaeymn decide to put the killing aside and become best friends.
A good short story should include plot twists, characterization, and drama. Saki effectively uses plot twists when the two main characters who hate each other and gather groups to kill each other end up later on making an agreement and becoming friends as they grow old. Saki also uses characterization well by introducing the characters as enemies and how their grandfathers were enemies and fought over land and how the grandchildren carry on with the fighting over the land. Saki uses drama effectively by starting off as the two main characters rounding up groups to kill each other.
The short story, “The Interlopers” by Saki can be considered a good story based on the literary elements used. “The Interlopers’’ is worth reading.
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