In Carson McCullers' stories, there is a plethora of odd characters and mysterious events. For instance, there are two boys who never cross a carpet, or a dog that prances backward. However, the most peculiar is the eccentric Madame Zilensky, the new music professor at Ryder College: While she has an excellent reputation as a composer and educator, why does she tell lies all day long? And what is the significance of the King of Finland, whom she keeps mentioning? Madame Zilensky and the King of Finland is one of the most beautiful artist novellas in world literature, while A Tree, a Rock, a Cloud is one of the most touching love stories. In it, an old, disheveled man formulates an absurd theory of love, which he recounts to a newspaper boy in an empty café on a magical night. Carson McCullers' stories are filled with such wonders.