Mark Twain’s humorous satiric short stories about amongst other a stolen elephant and about a good and a bad boy. ( )

In the Penguin Little Black Classics Edition, The Stolen White Elephant is published in a volume with three other short stories by Mark Twain, namely The Story of the Bad Little Boy Who Didn't Come to Grief, The Story of the Good Little Boy Who Did Not Prosper and The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.

The Stolen White Elephant was published in 1882 and it is about a British government agent posted to India who is tasked by the King of Siam with presenting the Queen with a precious Siamese elephant. On his way to Britain he makes a stop in New Jersey in the US in order for the elephant to get some rest before traveling over the Atlantic. The elephant, however, goes missing and the police take over the case. Detectives are dispatched and follow leads in several states. It is the humorous depiction of the detectives' search that makes this story a fun read despite its tragic ending. 4 stars. ( )

Full review to come! ( )