The Mischief Book #[nn]

Jan 1880 · R. Worthington · [none]

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"Ice-Peter" is a delightfully grim little tale from 1880, written by Wilhelm Busch and Abby Langdon Alger and illustrated in full by Busch himself, whose sharp, expressive lines bring the escalating prank to life. A boy’s mischievous game with a blow gun takes a sudden, absurd turn when his target retaliates with a pot, sending the weapon careening into the boy’s throat—leaving the outcome as delightfully uncertain as the story’s title. The cover, also by Busch, captures the moment with the same deadpan precision that defines the whole piece.

Contains 5 stories

Ice-Peter

17 pp · Humor

In "Ice-Peter," a young boy's joyful ice skating adventure takes a chilly turn when he slips through the ice and becomes encased in solid frost. His worried parents rush to his aid, only to discover that thawing him out leaves behind nothing but a small puddle of water.

Cat and Rat

13 pp · Humor, Anthropomorphic-Funny Animals

The Boy and the Pipe

13 pp · Humor

Hans Huckebein; The Mischievous Raven

25 pp · Humor, Anthropomorphic-Funny Animals

In this delightfully absurd 1880 tale from The Mischief Book, a boy’s attempt to keep a raven as a pet quickly spirals into chaos when the clever bird wreaks havoc on his home, battles the other animals, and stumbles into a series of increasingly ridiculous misadventures—culminating in a truly unexpected mishap.

The Boy and the Pop-Gun

8 pp · Humor

A mischievous boy finds endless amusement in firing a blow gun through a fence hole at an older man, much to the man’s growing frustration. When the boy’s antics finally push the older man to his limit, a sudden, unexpected twist turns the tables in a way that leaves the boy thoroughly surprised.