Short stories | Lecturia

Lord Dunsany: The Hoard of the Gibbelins

“The Hoard of the Gibbelins” is a short story by Lord Dunsany, first published on January 25, 1911, in the magazine The Sketch, and later collected in The Book of Wonder (1912). At the world’s edge, beyond an ancient river, rises the tower of the gibbelins—monstrous beings who hoard fabulous riches to lure men to their doom and devour them. Alderic, a knight, studies for years the means of stripping the gibbelins of their treasure, until one day, mounted on a dragon, he embarks upon the perilous venture.

Ambrose Bierce: The Eyes of the Panther

“The Eyes of the Panther” is a short story by Ambrose Bierce, published on October 17, 1897, in the San Francisco Examiner. Jenner Brading and Irene Marlowe are in love, but she stubbornly refuses to marry him. Pressed by Jenner to explain the reason for her refusal, Irene recounts a strange and macabre episode from her family’s past that took place in an isolated cabin in the woods—an experience that left a deep mark on her life and seems to bar her from any marital commitment.

Arthur Conan Doyle: The New Catacomb

“The New Catacomb” is a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle, published in 1898 in The Sunlight Year-Book. In late nineteenth-century Rome, Burger and Kennedy are two young, eminent archaeologists bound by a relationship of intellectual rivalry and mutual admiration. During a conversation at Kennedy’s house, Burger confides to him an extraordinary discovery: he has found a Christian catacomb from the Roman period, intact and previously unknown. Fascinated, Kennedy presses to see the site and gain access to its secrets. After showing some reluctance, Burger agrees to guide him on a nocturnal exploration, but first imposes a peculiar condition.

Poul Anderson: The Man Who Came Early

“The Man Who Came Early” is a short story by Poul Anderson, first published in June 1956 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. An elderly Icelandic farmer from the tenth century recounts to a Christian priest the mysterious arrival of a stranger who, after a great storm, appeared wandering along the shore. Dressed in unfamiliar clothing and carrying strange artifacts, the newcomer claimed to come from a thousand years in the future and from a great nation that did not yet exist. Though skeptical—and at times taking him for a madman—a family decides to take him in and offer him shelter. Grateful, the man tries to adapt to that primitive society while recounting astonishing tales of his own time.

Mary Shelley: The Evil Eye

“The Evil Eye” is a short story by Mary Shelley, first published in 1829 in The Keepsake and later collected in Tales and Stories (1891). Set in the Balkans under Ottoman rule, it tells the story of Dmitri, a feared Albanian bandit believed to possess the supernatural power to cause harm with his gaze. His tragic past and formidable reputation inspire fear and superstition among the region’s inhabitants. When a former companion arrives seeking his help to recover a family inheritance, Dmitri agrees to take part in a scheme that will lead him through a labyrinth of adventures, where violence, honor, and a thirst for revenge threaten to awaken ghosts long thought buried.

Bram Stoker: Gibbet Hill

“Gibbet Hill” is a short story by Bram Stoker, published on December 17, 1890, in the Daily Express of Dublin. On an autumn day, a traveler explores the hills of Surrey. As he admires the beauty of the place, three figures catch his attention: two girls of exotic appearance, who seem to have come from India, and a fair-haired boy with an angelic smile. After speaking with them, they climb together to the summit of Gibbet Hill, a place of breathtaking views where a cross stands in memory of the execution of a former criminal. Intoxicated by the landscape, the traveler wanders into a wood and falls into a brief sleep. Upon waking, he will witness a disturbing scene.