Tartarin de Tarascon

by Alphonse Daudet

"Tartarin de Tarascon" by Alphonse Daudet is a novel written in 1872. In the Provençal town of Tarascon, hunting enthusiasm far exceeds actual game, leading residents to shoot their own caps for sport. When middle-aged Tartarin's excitement over a caged lion is misinterpreted as plans for an African expedition, pride forces him into an absurd adventure. Armed with ridiculous equipment and prone to gullibility, he journeys to Algeria where misadventures await—including an encounter with a conman and an unexpected trophy.