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The Mysterious Stranger is the vel attempted by the American author Mark Twain. He worked on it intermittently from 1897 through 1908. Twain wrote multiple versions of the story; each involves a supernatural character called Satan. In 1590, three boys, Theodor, Seppi and Nikolaus, live relatively happy simple lives in a remote Austrian village called Eseldorf (German for Assville or Donkeytown ). The story is narrated by Theodor, the village organist's son. Other local characters include Father Peter, his niece Marget, and the astrologer. One day, a handsome teenage boy named Satan appears in the village. He explains that he is an angel and the nephew of the fallen angel Satan. Young Satan performs several magical feats. He claims to be able to foresee the future and informs the group of unfortunate events that will soon befall those they care about. The boys don't believe Satan's claims until one of his predictions comes true. Satan proceeds to describe further tragedies that will befall their friends. The boys beg Satan to intercede. Satan agrees, but operates under the technical definition of mercy. For instance, instead of a lingering death due to illness, Satan simply causes one of Theodor's friends to die immediately. In the village and in other places around the world where Satan transports them magically, the boys witness religious fanaticism, witch trials, burnings, hangings, deaths and mass hysteria. Finally, Satan vanishes with a brief explanation: here is God, universe, human race, earthly life, heaven, hell. It is all a dream - a grotesque and foolish dream. Nothing exists but you. And you are but a thought - a vagrant thought, a useless thought, a homeless thought, wandering forlorn among the empty eternities!

Product Identifiers

PublisherCreateSpace

ISBN-101543089224

ISBN-139781543089226

eBay Product ID (ePID)237335320

Product Key Features

Book TitleNo. 44, the Mysterious Stranger

Number of Pages102 Pages

LanguageEnglish

TopicGeneral

Publication Year2017

GenreLiterary Collections

AuthorMark Twain

FormatTrade Paperback

Dimensions

Item Height0.2 in

Item Weight7.4 Oz

Item Length9 in

Item Width6 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

Country of PublicationUnited States

SubjectsAnthologies

Content NoteBlack & White Illustrations

Picture 1 of 1

No. 44, the Mysterious Stranger by Mark Twain (2017, Trade Paperback)