Saki Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Hector Hugh Munro
Hector Hugh Munro by E. O. Hoppé (1913)
Born	(1870-12-18)18 December 1870 Akyab, British Burma
Died	14 November 1916(1916-11-14) (aged 45) Beaumont-Hamel, France
Pen name	Saki
Occupation	Author, playwright
Nationality	British

Military career
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1914–1916
Rank	Lance Sergeant
Unit	22nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
Battles/wars	First World War Battle of the Somme Battle of the Ancre †

Hector Hugh Munro (born December 18, 1870 – died November 14, 1916) was a British writer. He is much better known by his pen name, Saki. People also often called him H. H. Munro.

Saki was famous for his clever, funny, and sometimes dark stories. These stories often made fun of society and culture during the Edwardian era (the early 1900s). Many English teachers and experts consider him a master of the short story. He is often compared to other great short story writers like O. Henry.

Besides his many short stories, Saki also wrote a full-length play. He wrote two shorter plays and a history book called The Rise of the Russian Empire. He also wrote a short novel, The Unbearable Bassington, and a fantasy story, When William Came. This last book was about a future German invasion of Britain.

Life Story
His Pen Name "Saki"
Popular Stories
On Radio
On Television
On Stage
See also

Life Story

Growing Up

Hector Hugh Munro was born in Akyab (now Sittwe), which was then part of British Burma. His father, Charles Augustus Munro, worked as an Inspector General for the police there. His mother was Mary Frances Mercer.

In 1872, when Hector was very young, his mother died. After this, his father sent Hector and his two older siblings, Ethel and Charles, back to England. They went to live with their grandmother and two aunts, Charlotte and Augusta, in a very strict home in Devon.

Many people believe that his aunts were the inspiration for some of the characters in his stories. For example, the aunt in "The Lumber Room" is thought to be a lot like Aunt Augusta. Hector and his siblings were mostly taught at home by governesses. Later, Hector went to Pencarwick School and then to Bedford School.

In 1887, his father retired and returned from Burma. He then traveled around Europe with Hector and his siblings. In 1893, Hector followed his father's path and joined the Indian Imperial Police in Burma. However, he got sick with fevers many times and had to return home after only 15 months.

Becoming a Writer

In 1896, Hector decided to move to London to become a writer. He started his career as a journalist. He wrote for newspapers like The Westminster Gazette and The Morning Post.

His first book, The Rise of the Russian Empire, was a history book. It came out in 1900 under his real name. But it wasn't a big success.

Around this time, he started writing short stories. He published his first short story, "Dogged," in 1899. In 1900, he began writing political satire. He worked with an artist named Francis Carruthers Gould on a series called "Alice in Westminster." This was when he first used the pen name "Saki." The series made fun of important political figures of the time.

In 1902, Saki became a foreign correspondent for The Morning Post. He reported from places like the Balkans and Russia. He even saw the 1905 revolution in St. Petersburg. After some time in Paris, he returned to London in 1908.

He continued to write many short stories, which were published in newspapers and magazines. His first collection of stories, Reginald, came out in 1904. Other collections followed, including Reginald in Russia (1910), The Chronicles of Clovis (1911), and Beasts and Super-Beasts (1914). He also wrote two novels, The Unbearable Bassington (1912) and When William Came (1913).

His Death

When the First World War began in 1914, Hector Hugh Munro was 43 years old. This was officially too old to join the army. However, he chose to join as an ordinary soldier instead of becoming an officer. He first joined the 2nd King Edward's Horse. Later, he moved to the 22nd Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers and was promoted to lance sergeant.

He was very brave and often returned to the battlefield even when he was sick or hurt. In November 1916, he was hiding in a shell crater in France during the Battle of the Ancre. A German sniper shot and killed him. It is said that his very last words were "Put that bloody cigarette out!"

What He Left Behind

Hector Hugh Munro does not have a known grave. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France.

In 2003, a special blue plaque was placed on his old flat at 97 Mortimer Street in London. This plaque honors important people who lived there.

After his death, his sister Ethel destroyed most of his personal papers. She also wrote her own story about their childhood. This was included in a book of his sketches called The Square Egg and Other Sketches (1924). Friends and writers have written books about his life, but they often rely on Ethel's memories.

Recently, some of Saki's stories that had been forgotten were found again. These include "The Optimist" (1912) and "Mrs. Pendercoet's Lost Identity" (1911). More stories were found in 2021 in Russian archives.

His Pen Name "Saki"

The pen name "Saki" comes from a famous old Persian poem. It is called the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. In the poem, "Saki" refers to the person who serves wine or drinks. Both his friend Rothay Reynolds and his sister Ethel confirmed this meaning.

On Radio

Saki's stories have been adapted for radio. In 1938, Orson Welles' radio show, The Mercury Theatre on the Air, performed three of Saki's short stories. One of them was "The Open Window."

"The Open Window" was also adapted for a children's record album in 1962. It was called Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Ghost Stories for Young People.

On Television

Several of Saki's stories have been made into TV shows.

"The Schartz-Metterklume Method" was an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents in 1960.
Saki: The Improper Stories of H. H. Munro was an eight-part TV series in 1962.
"The Open Window" was also an episode of Tales of the Unexpected in 1984.
In 2007, the BBC made a TV production called Who Killed Mrs De Ropp?. It featured three of Saki's short stories: "The Storyteller," "The Lumber Room," and "Sredni Vashtar".

On Stage

Saki's stories have also been turned into plays and musicals.

The Playboy of the Week-End World (1977) by Emlyn Williams used 16 of Saki's stories.
Wolves at the Window (2008) by Toby Davies adapted 12 stories.
Saki Shorts (2003) is a musical based on nine of his stories.
Miracles at Short Notice (2011) is another musical based on his short stories.
Life According to Saki (2016) is a play inspired by Saki's life and work.

Saki facts for kids

Contents