Background
Irving helped shape an American literary voice that drew on folklore, regional character, and playful narrators. His stories often make the act of telling part of the entertainment.
Reading notes
- Listen for the storyteller’s personality as well as the plot.
- Notice which details create a sense of place.
- Ask how humor changes the way you judge Sam and the people around him.
Version note
Prepared from the English text supplied in the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press bilingual anthology. The site owner confirmed publication permission for this source edition on 21 October 2026. Publisher and edition details remain recorded in the rights audit.