The Steel Flea

Interesting Facts

• The main character of the book, Lefty, is a gunsmith from Tula who managed to shoe a flea created by English craftsmen.
• The book is a satire on Russian bureaucracy and highlights the contrast between Russian and foreign craftsmen.
• Lefty used microscopic horseshoes and nails to shoe the flea, symbolizing the skill and inventiveness of Russian artisans.
• The book emphasizes Lefty's patriotism, who, despite offers to stay in England, returns to his homeland.
• The work is also known by the title «The Tale of the Cross-eyed Lefty from Tula and the Steel Flea».
• Lefty dies in poverty, highlighting the tragic fate of talented individuals in Russia at that time.