"The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry

February 12
24 mins

Episode Description

Two small-time criminals hatch what seems like the perfect money-making scheme: kidnap a wealthy man’s son and wait for the ransom.


But in this hilarious short story by O. Henry, the kidnappers quickly discover their young captive has plans of his own. Packed with mischief, escalating disaster, and one of the most famous comic reversals in American fiction, this tale proves that sometimes the victim is the one in control.

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All stories in this podcast are public domain works, read by the Jason Hovde. No copyrighted material is used.

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