
A mischievous schoolboy roams the pages of this lively tale, turning everyday situations into comic catastrophes. The narrator sets out to poke fun at the self‑important scholars and melodramatic romantics who dominate serious literature, swapping lofty moralizing for slapstick mishaps. From the very beginning, the boy’s well‑meaning pranks quickly spiral into chaos, inviting both laughter and a hint of gentle correction.
The story follows his earnest attempts to outwit classmates, teachers, and even the occasional “honorable gentleman,” only to discover that his schemes often backfire in the most spectacular ways. Through witty asides and playful exaggeration, the narrative lampoons the pretensions of both pedants and poets while subtly reminding listeners that mischief carries its own price. Though the humor is abundant, the underlying message stays simple: a blunder‑prone youngster learns, the hard way, that cleverness without caution can lead to unintended trouble.
Language
en
Duration
~12 hours (736K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2017-03-15
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
b. 1860
Known for playful, satirical fiction, this late-19th-century writer published humorous stories that poke fun at the conventions of popular novels of the day.
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