The Sending of Dana Da by Rudyard Kipling

A British officer jokingly asks his cunning servant, Dana Da, to put a magical curse on his rival, expecting nothing to happen. But Dana Da performs an elaborate and hilarious deception that causes the entire town to panic. The plot is a satirical look at superstition, colonial gullibility, and cunning trickery. Kipling pokes fun at both British and Indian characters. A humorous story with sharp cultural observations and a clever twist.