The King of the Mountains

"The King of the Mountains" by Edmond About is a French novel. The story is a delightfully humorous account of the adventures. The narrator presents a vivid account of brigandry and corruption in mid-18th century Athens. A young German botanist fresh out of the University is sent to Greece by the Hamburg Botanical Garden to study the flora. In search of rare plants, he met two English women, a mother, and her daughter, on the road that leads to the Parnitha. All three are abducted by a band of brigands led by Hatzistavros, «the king of the mountains», known for his cruelty. Given the refusal of the old English lady to pay the ransom, the botanist, loving the daughter, tries several times to escape.