This collection of short stories includes the unforgettable title tale along with other popular works by Frank R. Stockton, renowned for his humorous and satirical writing. The stories, characterized by ironic twists and surprise endings, often deal with impossible situations, such as a boy swallowed by a giant peach, or a prisoner about to be executed who is given the choice of two doors, behind one of which is freedom. Stockton's witty, often tongue-in-cheek style gently subverts conventional morality and literary tradition.

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