Steve Brown's Bunyip, and Other Stories

"Steve Brown's Bunyip, and Other Stories" by John Arthur Barry is a set of short stories that explore the funny and strange parts of living in the Australian outback. The stories focus on tough, but imperfect, characters who feel like real people. The first story is about Steve Brown, who the locals don't always trust. His own tall tales scare him when he thinks he sees a bunyip, though it is really an introduced elephant. The story includes his wife (Mariar), and balances suspense with comedy, showing silly situations that come from Steve's imagination. This beginning sets a lighthearted tone for the collection.