The story follows the life of a young boy named Vashti, who lives with his cruel and abusive guardian, Mr. Alleyne. Vashti finds solace in a talking mouse named Sredni Vashtar, whom he has brought up from a nest of kittens. When Mr. Alleyne discovers this, he becomes furious and tries to kill the mouse. Vashti is heartbroken and eventually succumbs to illness caused by his grief. The story ends with Sredni Vashtar being saved by a kind old woman who takes him in.
By Hector Hugh Munro · First published 1911 · Genre: Short Story, Horror, Gothic