

OLYMPIAN NIGHTS - by - JOHN KENDRICK BANGS
ILLUSTRATIONS
OLYMPIAN NIGHTS
I. I Reach Mount Olympus
II. I Seek Shelter and Find It
III. The Elevator Boy
IV. I Summon a Valet
V. The Olympian Links
VI. In the Dining-Room
In this lively tale a weary yet eager explorer sets off for the foot of the famed Mount Olympus, hoping to witness the epic clash between Greeks and Turks that newspaper reports have turned into legend. Guided by the lanky, quick‑witted Hippopopolis, he finds himself trekking through sun‑soaked hills, swapping barbed jokes about gods, calves, and the absurdities of modern bureaucracy. Their banter, peppered with references to Apollo, Jupiter and ancient heroes, creates a charming mix of satire and adventure that feels both timeless and oddly contemporary.
The narrative unfolds as the pair settle for a night under a massive tree, sharing stories and speculating on whether the deities have truly abandoned their lofty perch. From the narrator’s self‑deprecating humor to Hippopopolis’s democratic musings, the first act sets a tone of playful curiosity. Listeners can expect a whimsical journey that blends mythic scenery with witty commentary, inviting them to wander alongside two unlikely companions as they chase the promise of hidden wonders on Olympus.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (173K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Paul Good, Suzanne Shell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2006-03-11
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1862–1922
Best remembered for witty, imaginative stories that helped shape what later came to be called Bangsian fantasy, this American humorist delighted readers with playful takes on the afterlife, politics, and everyday absurdity. He also had a lively career in magazine editing, bringing his sharp comic voice to both fiction and journalism.
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