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A Deal in Ostriches

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165: 63: 22: 416:. After the first bird sold is slaughtered upon the deck, Potter forbids their slaughter until landfall in London. The price for each subsequent bird grows, netting Potter more than one thousand pounds. Padishah provides each new owner with his address and begs the men to mail the diamond once they find it. They rebuff him and go their own ways. 389:. The bird becomes mixed with the others during the resulting confusion. Word of the incident sweeps the vessel as Padishah demands the return of the diamond. He swears he would retrieve the diamond, but would not buy the birds. He demands his rights as a British Subject and plans to appeal to the British 411:
The birds’ owner accepts Potter’s offer and Padishah weeps over the sale. Potter offered to sell the birds to Padishah for more than twice the amount he paid. When Padishah balks, Potter sells the birds at auction on the ship. Interest in the auction flares when a Jewish diamond merchant assesses
404:, Padishah offers to buy all five birds. The caretaker refuses, but tells Padishah that another passenger, Potter, made a similar offer. While in Aden, Potter wired the birds owners in London, made the offer and his answer would be waiting in 1539: 1117: 1040: 400:
is aboard, much of the discussions are speculation. Padishah demands the ostriches from the caretaker, who refuses because he does not own the birds. Following a stopover in
1335: 596: 361:. The story is the tale of a carefully crafted and skillfully executed con or scam that exploited the natural greed of the protagonist's fellow passengers. 1170: 1363: 1138: 1096: 1191: 357: 408:. He intends to kill the birds to find the diamond. Padisha rages over this and the taxidermist curses himself for not having thought of it. 1534: 483: 182: 35: 1286: 1184: 812: 1103: 266: 248: 146: 49: 229: 127: 1054: 963: 201: 99: 1452: 1061: 684: 369:
A taxidermist is talking with an unnamed acquaintance about the price of birds when he tells the story of a bird auction on an
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Wells, H.G. H.G. Wells: The Complete Short Stories. Ernest Benn Ltd., London. Twenty First Edition. 1970. Page 229.
1321: 916: 215: 113: 1370: 1205: 1131: 900: 377:. Sir Mohini Padishah, a wealthy native Indian, is aboard the vessel. An unnamed caretaker, is on deck with five 1412: 580: 476: 340: 197: 95: 1485: 1419: 1405: 1258: 1230: 942: 724: 620: 501: 41: 1328: 1198: 652: 175: 73: 1075: 1005: 868: 828: 1480: 1293: 1244: 1152: 1082: 1026: 998: 984: 908: 556: 1500: 1426: 1110: 884: 740: 572: 540: 469: 419:
A week later, the taxidermist sees Padishah and Potter together in London. Padishah was an eminent
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The story was originally published anonymously in the December 20th, 1894 issue of the
339:. It is a cautionary tale about simple human greed. The taxidermist of Wells’ story " 1523: 935: 860: 772: 1307: 716: 644: 588: 1490: 1475: 1145: 1019: 991: 949: 636: 492: 336: 294: 290: 164: 62: 397: 378: 1251: 382: 708: 386: 374: 604: 420: 343:" (1894) makes a return appearance as the narrator of the story. 405: 401: 465: 461: 396:
The passengers debate the legalities of the situation. As no
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and later republished in the 1895 short story collection
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Travels of a Republican Radical in Search of Hot Water
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Works originally published in The Pall Mall Gazette
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Short story
H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
Triumphs of a Taxidermist

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