Thakurda (the lord of the house)

“Thakurda” is a comic masterpiece by Tagore. “Thakurda” is a descendant of a noble aristocratic family, but due to unfortunate reasons the family lost its country seat years ago. After settling in Calcutta Thakurda started bragging about his aristocratic lineage to his friends, neighbours and relatives. His excessive storytelling nature has annoyed a lot of people including the narrator himself. Read the short story to know further how the narrator and his friends play a trick on Thakurda and how it personally affects the narrator J

The mystery of Marie Roget: Edgar Allan Poe

The dead body of  a perfume shop employee Marie Roget is discovered in banks of Seine river. The newspaper has developed a keen interest in this case and so is detective C. Auguste Dupin (fictional detective of Poe).

Kabuliwala ( The Seller from Kabul): Rabindranath Tagore

Kabuliwala is one of the Great Classic short story written by Rabindranth Tagore in his famous anthology Golpoguccha. Rahamat a seller in Kabul arrives at Calcutta leaving his little daughter in Kabul. In Kolkata he encounters with a little girl Mini, with  whom he finds the resemblance of her daughter. Initially Mini was scared to friend with Rahamat but finally they develop a strong bond for each other. Meanwhile Rahamat is send to prison for stabbing a man in the heat of anger. After some years when Rahmat returns from the prison and arrives at the door of Mini's house he founds that it is the day when Mini is getting married.

                                 

Roald Dahl: The Hitch-hiker

The Narrator of the story while driving his BMW picks a Hitch-hiker from the highway. While driving the narrator notices the self-contradictory nature of the hiker, which makes the narrator more inquisitive. The Hitch- hiker is annoyed by the inquisitive nature and he ascerts that he do not like questioning while driving. Meanwhile they both end up in a challenge of driving the car at 120 km/h which ends with a threat of life sentence and petty fine from a police officer. At the end the narrator discovers that the hiker can move his finger swiftly at a great speed when he takes a cigarette to his mouth.The hiker reveals that throughout the driving journey he had pickpocketed various things from the narrator which he returns to the narrator to  demonstrate an example of his skill. He prefers to be called as an fingersmith than a pickpocket because he finds the latter to be a vulgar word.

Overcoat: Nikolai Gogol

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The story revolves around a dedicated government clerk Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin, who is often teased by the young people in his office for his threadbare overcoat. During this period his zeal for work is replaced by the excitement to buy a new overcoat. He discusses with his tailor Petrovich to develop a new overcoat with finest material and finally his new overcoat becomes the latest talk of the office. One day on returning home from a party two ruffians kick him and take away his new overcoat. Disappointed by the loss Akaky urges the authority and a high rank general to help him find his overcoat, but his all attempts go in vain when he was rebuked by the high ranked general for bringing such a trivial issue to him. After the death of Akaky his ghost is seen in many places, which scares people and takes their overcoats. The instances finally stop when Akaky's ghost finally scare and take away the overcoat of the same high ranked general.

Sleepy Hollow: Washington Irving

The Ransom of Red chief: O.Henry

Two thieves Sam and Bill plans to kidnap the son of a wealthy Alabaman Ebenzer Dorset, but there plan unravels when they discovers that the boy is a complete menance.It is a comic short story by O.Henry which pioneered this particular genre in short stories.

Necklace: Guy de Maupassant

It is the story of Madame Mathilde, who fancies herself to be in an esteemed social position and dress like high profile ladies. In such an instance she borrows a necklace from Madame Jeanme Forestier despite several warnings from her husband. It is a real masterpiece by Maupassant and had inspired various writing and adaptations afterward.

tell tale heart: Edgar Allan Poe

It is gothic fiction written by Edgar Allan Poe, where the narrator suffers from an acute insanity and finally it leads him to commit the murder of an old man with vulture eye.

Khudito Pashan: (The Hungry Stones): Rabindranath Tagore

Hungry Stones is one of the greatest short story by Rabindranath Tagore.It is a story about a Tax collector; who is posted at Barich near the marble palace of Muhmad Alam Shah II. The locals and the old clerk Karim khan warns him about voices that can be heard from palace. Veteran bengali film director Tapan Sinha developed its celluloid version in 1961, on the 100th year birth aniversary of the writer.

How much Land does a man need? : Leo Tolstoy

The peasant Packhom affirms that he does'nt have enough land  to satisfy his wants. He states that if he had plenty of land he should'nt be fearing devil. Devil hearing Packhom  accepts the challenge and tells him that he will give him more land and later snatch it from him. The rest of story deals with  how this challenge affect Packhom and his land.

The Bet: Anton Chekhov

It is a short story about an unusual bet between a banker and young lawyer that whether capital punishment is better or death Penalty. The story further broaden's and tell's us how the bet churn's out the reality and enlighten them about capital punishment. This is a classic short story by Anton Chekhov and must be read by every enthusiastic short story readers.

The Two little Soldiers: Maupassant

Two Little soldiers is a short story about two soldiers Luc and Jean who spend their sunday free time's outside the barracks. Things suddenly change when a village girl started to accompany those soldiers on their sunday's.

Storyteller: Saki

It is a skit by Saki

Two thanksgiving day gentleman; O.Henry

The story is about Stuffy Pete who meets an anonymous old man on every thanksgiving day of the year, with an invitation of a dinner. The tale revolves around this two man and their fate on the current thanksgiving day with an understanding of high morale and humane; which makes this short story a Masterpiece.

The Pit and the Pendulum: Edgar Allan Poe

The Narrator of the story is sent to a cell after an inquisition by some sinister judges. The story revolves around the narrator's  experience inside the cell which is marked by a Pit at the center and a Pendulum at top.The Gloomy nature of the cell had made this short story into one of the most read Gothic Horror ever.

Nastanirh (Lonely wife): Rabindranath Tagore

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The story revolves around a woman and her suppressed individulity and emotion. Charulata is a woman who handles the household of Bhupati, a rennaisance man of the bengal new age. Bhupati believes that his wife is quite gifted and fears that her talent might not end up in manging the household, therefore he summons his carefree paternal cousin Amal to help to encourage her talent.Meanwhile Charulata develops an unusual bond with Amal. In the year 1964 the celluloid version of Nastanirh was made by the veteran film director Satyajit Ray and was named 'Charulata'.

Horla: Guy de Maupassant

In the form of a journal the narrator expresses his thoughts and anguish that had been troubling the narrator since he had seen a three masted boat. The narrator feels there is an unknown supernatural being in the boat which is coming to hunt him down.He finally comes to know after reading a lot that the unknown supernatural being  (Horla)  is feeding his life while the narrator is asleep.

Signalman : - Charles Dickens

It is a short story about a railway signalman, who encounters often with a ghost. Each time the ghost warns the signalman about the future mishaps.

Sadgati (The Deliverence) - Munshi Premchand

The story reveals the deep rooted prejudice for caste and how it is engulfing the conscience of humans in rural India. The story is a masterpiece by Munshi Premchand, the celluloid version of which was made in 1981 by the great Indian director Satyajit Ray.