Published in Harper's Magazine in 1946, "Beware of the Dog," by Roald Dahl, is a short story that recounts the experiences of Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilot Peter Williamson after he is shot down during a World War II bombing mission.

A Republican sniper of the Irish civil war waits on a rooftop, pondering whether he can risk giving away his position by lighting his cigarette. He decides to take the risk, and faces the unexpected consequences. Written while the Irish Civil War was still ongoing, The Sniper was Liam O’Flaherty’s first published work (published 1923 in The New Leader), and went on to become his most famous.