A Bread and Butter Miss by Saki
The narrative revolves around a group of friends gathered for Derby week, engaging in discussions about horse racing and betting. Central to the plot is Lola Pevensey, who claims to have dreamt of the winner of the Derby, a horse named "Bread and Butter." Her dream captures the attention of the group, leading to debates about its significance and the potential winner's identity. As the characters analyze Lola's dream, they attempt to decipher its meaning, linking it to various horses in the race. The conversation reveals their differing opinions and superstitions regarding betting, with each character presenting their own theories and preferences. The atmosphere is filled with a mix of excitement and skepticism, particularly regarding Lola's supposed prophetic abilities. Despite the group's efforts to interpret the dream, Lola struggles with insomnia, which complicates their betting strategy. The tension builds as they await the race, with Lola's inability to dream again leading to frustration among her friends. They ultimately decide to split their bets between two horses, Nursery Tea and Le Five O'Clock, due to Lola's lack of clarity. On the day of the race, the group is anxious, and Lola's earlier claims about the brown horse winning become a point of contention. When the race concludes with Whitebait as the winner, the group realizes that Lola's dream may have hinted at the horse's identity through the symbolism of "bread and butter." The revelation leads to disappointment and blame directed at Lola for not providing clearer details about the horse's color. The story concludes with Lola retreating to her room, overwhelmed by the group's reproach, highlighting themes of luck, superstition, and the unpredictability of betting. The narrative captures the essence of human folly in the face of chance, illustrating how easily dreams and interpretations can lead to misguided decisions.
By Saki · First published 1914 · Genre: Comedy, Satire, Fiction · 2,152 words
First lines
"Starling Chatter and Oakhill have both dropped back in the betting," said Bertie van Tahn, throwing the morning paper across the breakfast table.
"That leaves Nursery Tea practically favourite," said Odo Finsberry.
What this Textopian page supports
A Bread and Butter Miss is listed on Textopian as a short story by Saki, dated 1914 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Saki
- Date: 1914 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Comedy, Satire, Fiction, Social Commentary, Short Story
- Length: 2,152 words
- Structure: 1 section, 58 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Bread and Butter Miss by Saki
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Bread and Butter Miss?
- How does this short story by Saki fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Comedy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Comedy — The story employs humor through witty dialogue and absurd situations surrounding horse racing and betting.
- Satire — It satirizes the obsession with betting and the irrationality of human behavior in the context of horse racing.
- Fiction — The narrative is a work of fiction, presenting a fictional scenario and characters.
- Social Commentary — It comments on social interactions and the dynamics of relationships among the characters during a social event.
Tags
satire · humor · society · class · relationships · irony · Victorian · short story · social commentary · character study · wit · dialogue