In 1933 a sensationalist Argentinian newspaper employed Jorge Luis Borges to produce high-brow cultural commentary. Alongside the high-toned pieces, he also contributed these quirky blood-and-guts tales of gunslingers, gentlemanly scoundrels, evil wizards, pirates and false prophets.

In his writing, Borges always combined high seriousness with a wicked sense of fun. Here he reveals his delight in recreating (or making up) colourful stories from the Orient, the Islamic world and the Wild West, as well as his horrified fascination with knife fights, political and personal betrayal and bloodthirsty revenge. Sparkling with the sheer exuberant pleasure of story-telling, the publication of this collection marked the emergence of an utterly distinctive literary voice.