Saki and Clovis

Hector Hugh Munro was born in Akyab, Burma on the 18th of December 1870, and was killed by a sniper on the 16th of November 1916, near Beaumont-Hamel, France. He was a historian, political satirist and author of short stories, novels and plays. His pen-name Saki was taken from the Sufi poet Hafiz, who addressed several of his verses to a saki, or cupbearer.

The son of a Scottish military policeman, he was raised by his two aunts, Tom and Augusta. By all accounts, they were tyrranical in their upbringing of Hector, his sister Ethel and brother Charlie. Saki would later take his revenge on them in his poisonous fiction. He is persistently accused of misogyny in his writing, and it is true that there are few sympathetic female characters. However, to jaded modern tastes, characters such as the Baroness in the Clovis tales, and Matilda in The Boar-Pig are, if not exactly admirable, certainly refreshing and delightful.

He had an interest in natural history, and as a child in Burma raised a tiger cub. Animals play a strong part in his fiction. Something of the rural gothic influences many of his short stories - Gabriel-Ernest from Reginald In Russia is a key example. This story brings together two of Saki's favourite themes: the aforementioned rustic horror, and a fascination with the depraved innocence of young men. It is known that he was gay, and whilst in London and Burma kept a "houseboy". It was in London that he was to meet and befriend Siegfried Sassoon.

He enlisted in the 22nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers at the start of the Great War. He refused a commission, claiming that he could not expect soldiers to follow him unless he had experience of battle. He was promoted to lance-sargeant two months before his death. Even at the front, he continued to write.

A Selected Bibliography

• 1900: The Rise Of The Russian Empire
• 1902: The Westminster Alice
• 1904: Reginald
• 1910: Reginald In Russia
• 1911: The Chronicles Of Clovis
• 1914: When William Came
• 1914: Beasts And Super-Beasts
• 1923: The Toys Of Peace
• 1924: The Square Egg
• 1928: The Unbearable Bassington

Clovis Sangrail is one of the most wholly remarkable creations in all of fiction. He is not so much a cliché as an archetype. He is young, handsome, witty, rude, healthy, innocent, sensuous and very much alive. I am more than a little in love with him, and this archive is my way of spreading the word about this supraordinary young man. I think his voice comes across in the stories collected here.

I believe this collection to be complete. If it is not, please tell me! I would also love to read any Clovis stories that you may have written.