A poet and
author of children's books, Walter de la Mare is one of the
acknowledged masters of the supernatural short story.
Novels
The
Return,
Arnold, 1910
(The hero, Arthur Lawford, takes on the physical
appearance of an 18th century suicide, Nicholas de Sabathier, and
has to deal with the consequences.)
ditto, Collins, 1922 (250 signed
copies)
ditto, Knopf (U.S.), 1922
Short Stories
The
Riddle and Other Stories, Selwyn & Blount, 1923
(Includes: The Looking
Glass: A borderline supernatural tale in which a
companion to an old lady visits a haunted garden, but the
experience is ambiguous. Seaton's Aunt: A classic tale
that may be read as supernatural, or not. Seaton's impossible aunt
may or may not be vampiric. The Bird of
Passage: The Bird of Passage, if heard, is supposed to
given the hearer a desire for wanderlust, but it probably heralds
death. Out of the Deep: James take's over his uncles
house and his troubled youth is evoked. The Creatures An allegorical tale
in which the narrator discovers a remarkable Edenic garden.
The
Riddle: Seven children go to live with their grandmother
and inexplicably disappear into a carved chest in the
attic.)
(Miss Jemima: Jemima is an old woman when
she recounts the tale of when she was young and had a vision of a
beautiful woman, a fairy, who tempts her to run away.)
Two
Tales: 'The Green Room' and 'The Connoisseur', Bookman's Journal, 1925 (200
signed copies)
(Includes: The Green Room: A young man sees
the ghost of a young woman who has written poetry. When he has it
published in memory of her she is displeased.)
The
Connoisseur and Other Stories, Collins, 1926
(Includes: All Hallows: The ancient church
of All Hallows has been overcome with evil. Mr.
Kempe: Not always considered supernatural, this is the
horror story of a mad recluse.)
ditto, Knopf (U.S.), 1926
Seaton's
Aunt, Faber,
1927 (wraps)
(Includes Seaton's Aunt: A classic tale
that may be read as supernatural, or not. Seaton's impossible aunt
may or may not be vampiric.)
On the
Edge, Faber,
1930
(Includes: A Recluse: A traveller finds
himself the guest for a night of a recluse. When he leaves the
next morning the suggestionj is that the recluse is dead.
Crewe: A servent tells how he
strove to drive away his fellow servants so that he would gain
from a legacy. One of the sevants commits suicide but returns in
the form of a scarecrow. The Green Room: A young man sees
the ghost of a young woman who has written poetry. When he has it
published in memory of her she is displeased.)
ditto, Knopf
(New York), 1931
The Wind
Blows Over,
Faber, 1936
(Including: 'What Dreams May
Come':While fighting for her life after a car accident
Emmeline meets Death. The Talisman: A Renaissance
watch mentions love and death on an inscription, bringing both to
two men who find it. A Revenant: The ghost of Poe challenges
a lectuter who has spoken of him in disparaging terms.
The
Trumpet: An ambiguous story of the supernatural when a
boy falls to his death from a church roof. Strangers and
Pilgrims: A stranger in a churchyard is the ghost of a
suicide looking in vain for his grave. The House: A man leaves his
house, presumably because he has died.)
ditto, Macmillan (U.S.),
1936
The Nap
and Other Stories, Nelson Classics, 1938
(Includes: All Hallows: The ancient church
of All Hallows has been overcome with evil )
Best
Stories of Walter de la Mare, Faber, 1942
(Includes: All Hallows: The ancient church
of All Hallows has been overcome with evil. Crewe: A servent tells how he
strove to drive away his fellow servants so that he would gain
from a legacy. One of the sevants commits suicide but returns in
the form of a scarecrow. The House: A man leaves his
house, presumably because he has died. Seaton's Aunt: A classic tale
that may be read as supernatural, or not. Seaton's impossible aunt
may or may not be vampiric. The Trumpet: An ambiguous story
of the supernatural when a boy falls to his death from a church
roof. 'What Dreams May Come':While fighting for her life
after a car accident Emmeline meets Death.)
The
Collected Tales of Walter de la Mare, Knopf (U.S.), 1950
(Including: All Hallows: The ancient church
of All Hallows has been overcome with evil. The
Creatures An allegorical tale in which the narrator
discovers a remarkable Edenic garden. The Riddle: Seven children go
to live with their grandmother and inexplicably disappear into a
carved chest in the attic Seaton's Aunt: A classic tale
that may be read as supernatural, or not. Seaton's impossible aunt
may or may not be vampiric. Strangers and
Pilgrims: A stranger in a churchyard is the ghost of a
suicide looking in vain for his grave. The Trumpet: An ambiguous story
of the supernatural when a boy falls to his death from a church
roof.)
A Beginning & Other Stories, Faber & Faber
(London) 1955
(Includes: Odd Shop: A semi-allegorical
tale in which a shopkeeper shows the customer little cages which
contain voices. Music: A doctor hears the
supernatural music of the sea and air. The Guardian: A horrific
night-time vision brings love. Bad Company: The narrator feels
compelled to follow an old man into his home where he finds that
the old man is dead. He destroys a vicious will that he finds.
The
Quincunx: An old woman has hid her fortune, but her nephew
reveals the key to its location while he is sleep-walking.
An
Anniversary: The ghost of an old lover returns.)
Ghost
Stories,
Folio Society, 1956 (slipcase)
(Including: Out of the
Deep: James take's over his uncles house and his
troubled youth is evoked. The House: A man leaves his
house, presumably because he has died. "Revenant", The Green
Room: A young man sees the ghost of a young woman who
has written poetry. When he has it published in memory of her she
is displeased. Bad Company: The narrator feels compelled
to follow an old man into his home where he finds that the old man
is dead. He destroys a vicious will that he finds. The
Quincunx: An old woman has hid her fortune, but her nephew
reveals the key to its location while he is sleep-walking.
An
Anniversary: The ghost of an old lover returns.)
Some
Stories,
Faber, 1962
(Includes The Trumpet: An ambiguous story
of the supernatural when a boy falls to his death from a church
roof.)
Eight
Tales, Arkham
House (U.S.), 1971
(Including: "Kismet", "The Hangman Luck", "A
Mote", "The Village of Old Age", "The Moon's Miracle", "The
Giant", "De Mortuis".)
Children's Stories
Broomsticks and Other Tales, Constable, 1925
(Includes: Pigtails Ltd: Miss Rawlings has
a vision of a little girl and decides to foster similar children.
They never age. The Dutch Cheese: When a young farmer throws a
dutch cheese at the local fairies they steal his sheep and his
sister must strike a bargain with them. Miss Jemima: Jemima is an old
woman when she recounts the tale of when she was young and had a
vision of a beautiful woman, a fairy, who tempts her to run away.
The
Thief: A thief tries to obtain a magic egg which will
bring him happiness. Broomsticks: A cat is in league with
witches. Lucy: Lucy is Jean's imaginary friend, and at the very
end of his life materialises. The Sleeping Boys of
Warwickshire: The spirits of tree oppressed boys working for a
chimney sweep escape at night to play. He is able to stop them
from returning to their bodies, which remain in a state of
suspended animation and become curiosities for decades.
The
Lovely Myfanwy: A fairy tale in which a father is turned into an
ass and will only be released when he consents to a juggler
marrying his daughter. Alice's
Godmother: The ancient Godmother, presumably a witch,
offers Alice immortality.)
ditto, Knopf (U.S.), 1930
The Lord
Fish, Faber,
1933
(Includes: The Lord Fish: A youth discovers
a beautiful woman who has been half transformed into a fish. As he
attempts to help her he is himself half-turned into a fish for
some time. A Penny A Day: A woman makes a deal with a
dwarf but he tricks her. The Jacket: A magical jacket
has given success to a man who, in his old age, passes it on to
another. Dick and the Beanstalk: A sequel to Jack and the
Beanstalk, set many years later. Hodmadod: In his youth a man
had seen a fairy next to a scarecrow, but when he buys the
scarecrow later the fairy does not come with it.)
The
Scarecrow and Other Stories, Faber, 1945
(Includes: The Scarecrow or
Hodmadod: In his youth a man had seen a fairy next to a
scarecrow, but when he buys the scarecrow later the fairy does not
come with it. The Lovely Myfanwy: A fairy tale in which a
father is turned into an ass and will only be released when he
consents to a juggler marrying his daughter. Broomsticks: A cat is in league with
witches.)
see
also
The Treasure Cave, edited by Lady Cynthia
Asquith, Jarrolds, [1928]
(Includes: The Game At
Cards: A charcoal burner is granted the wish that he
may never loose at cards, and uses this gift to keep an old lawyer
out of hell.)
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