Great Britain | Lecturia

Saki: The She-Wolf

“The She-Wolf” is a short story by Hector Hugh Munro (Saki), published on August 6, 1912, in the Morning Post. It tells the story of Leonard Bilsiter, a man fascinated by esotericism who returns to England after a trip to Russia with tales of “Siberian magic.” During a stay at Mary Hampton’s house, conversations about occult powers intensify, and Mary challenges Leonard to turn her into a she-wolf. What begins as an intriguing proposition turns into a series of unexpected events that will test the beliefs and nerves of everyone present.

H. G. Wells: The Triumphs of a Taxidermist

“The Triumphs of a Taxidermist” is a short story by H. G. Wells, published on March 3, 1894, in the Pall Mall Gazette and collected in the book The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents (1895). The story takes place in the small, messy home of an eccentric taxidermist who, between glasses of whiskey, enthusiastically reveals his trade secrets. With a sarcastic and provocative tone, he describes his most unusual achievements: from faking extinct birds to inventing non-existent species. The story, laden with black humor, pokes fun at scientific credulity and the obsession with collecting curiosities.

Saki: Gabriel-Ernest

“Gabriel-Ernest” is a short story by Saki (Hector Hugh Munro), published in 1909 in The Westminster Gazette. The story begins when Van Cheele, an English country gentleman, encounters a strange boy in the woods on his property. His wild behavior and enigmatic responses arouse the man’s unease and curiosity. Later, the boy appears at Van Cheele’s home, temporarily taken in by his aunt, who calls him Gabriel-Ernest. Soon, disturbing signs reveal that this guest is more than he appears to be.

H. G. Wells: The Flowering of the Strange Orchid

The Flowering of the Strange Orchid is a short story by H. G. Wells, first published on August 2, 1894, in Pall Mall Budget. The story follows Winter-Wedderburn, a quiet and solitary man who finds excitement in his hobby of cultivating exotic orchids. One day, he acquires a strange plant collected from remote regions, which awakens in him a sense of mystery. Fascinated by its unusual growth, he spends his days tending to the greenhouse, unaware that the orchid holds more than just beauty. The tale blends the ordinary with the unsettling, drawing the reader into an atmosphere of growing suspense.

H. G. Wells: The Magic Shop

The Magic Shop is a story by H.G. Wells, published in 1903, that transports us to a place full of mysteries and surprises. A father, accompanied by his son Gip, enters an ordinary magic shop that reveals itself as an enchanted space where the amazing comes to life. Crystal balls that materialize out of nowhere mirrors that distort reality, and doors that appear and disappear create an atmosphere that oscillates between the wonderful and the disturbing. The fine line between fantasy and reality is completely blurred in this magical bazaar.

H. G. Wells: The Door in the Wall

“The Door in the Wall,” a story by H.G. Wells published in The Daily Chronicle in 1906, tells the story of Lionel Wallace, a man who, as a child, discovers a mysterious door in a wall that promises to lead him to a place of extraordinary beauty and serenity. Throughout his life, the door reappears before his eyes on several occasions. However, the obligations of everyday life always prevent Wallace from escaping to that world of magic where he knows he will be happy. The narrative, full of mystery and symbolism, delves into the permanent human conflict between the satisfaction of daily duties and ambitions and the desire to escape where life can be lived in peace and tranquillity.