Saki (1870-1916) is the pen name of Hector Hugh Munro. In a series of short stories, he created the characters Reginald and Clovis, two young men who happily take to task the conventional adult world. His collections of short stories include Reginald, The Chronicles of Clovis, Beasts and Super Beasts, and The Square Egg. Some of Saki's short stories, such as "Sredni Vashtar" and "The Muse on the Hill," are rather somber. He also wrote two novels, three plays, and one history. At the age of forty-four, Saki volunteered for active duty in World War I and was killed in action. Nearly all of his work is included in The Complete Works of Saki, published in 1976.