The Steel Flea

Nikolai Leskov's 'The Steel Flea' is a captivating and eccentric tale that combines elements of folklore, historical fiction, and satire. Set in a small Russian village, the story follows the misadventures of a group of craftsmen who attempt to engineer a giant mechanical flea for a Tsarist competition. Leskov's writing style is both humorous and insightful, blending realistic detail with fantasti...