Showing results by narrator "Cathy Dobson" in All Categories

A medieval legend about an evil curse, a love triangle, and a dreadful tragedy. Harald and Alfred are love rivals for the hand of the beautiful Ysault. While Ysault favours the noble Harald, she does not know that Harald is under a terrible curse, inherited from his wicked grandfather.

The region is being ravaged by a vicious werewolf which carries off livestock and children, but mysteriously only on nights when Harald is away from the castle. Alfred notices this strange coincidence and determines to take advantage of the insight to beat his love rival.

A rich anthology of forty-five great stories by some of the most renowned storytellers in the world. Saki, O. Henry, Edgar Allan Poe, Barry Pain, Guy de Maupassant, M. R. James, A. J. Allan, Guy Boothby, Jerome K. Jerome and many more giants of the piterary world contribute to this collection of tiny tales which pack a huge punch.

Many stories have stood the test of time, but this selection have entranced audiences for thousands of years and remain as fresh today as they were when first told. A fascinating collection which gives vivid insights into lives in ancient times and the issues that occupied the people of the day.

John Buchan (1875-1940) was a Scottish writer, barrister, and member of Parliament and later become Baron Tweedsmuir and governor-general of Canada. While he was most famous for adventure stories, such as "The Thirty-Nine Steps", he was also popular for his supernatural horror stories, of which "The Watcher by the Threshold" and "The Wind in the Portico" are prime examples.

This anthology brings together five very different examples of Buchan's best work.

Thomas Hardy's sinister tale of jealousy, unrequited love and a mysterious and hideous curse. When Farmer Lodge brings his new wife home, nobody is more resentful and yet curious about her than his spurned former lover, Rhoda Brooke. But a terrifying and supernatural nightmare in which the two women fight, leaves strange and sinister marks on the young wife's arm. Over the weeks and months that follow, the arm begins to wither and wrinkle.

Katharine Pyle's masterly retelling of well-loved folk tales from around the world. •The Meester Stoorworm – A Story from Scotland •Jean Malin and the Bull Man – A Louisiana Tale •The Widow’s Son – A Scandinavian Tale •The Wise Girl – A Serbian Story •The History of Ali Cogia – From the Arabian Nights •Oh! – A Cossack Story •The Talking Eggs – A Story from Louisiana •The Frog Princess – A Russian Story •The Magic Turban, the Magic Sword and the Magic Carpet – A Persian Story

A grisly collection of despicable crimes told by some of the world's best writers.

Set during the Franco-Prussian war, de Maupassant's story tells of a group of German soldiers occupying and gradually vandalising a stately home in Normandy. Bored of the dull location and incessant rain, the group of young officers decide to send to the nearest town for a group of prostitutes, so that they can hold an orgiastic dinner party. Among the women is the spirited young Rachel, whose willingness to fraternize with the Prussians is put to the test, with catastrophic results.

The tales tell the stories of children whose disobedience or bad habits lead them to a sticky end. No childhood is complete without characters like Shock-Headed Peter who never cuts his fingernails or combs his hair, or Suck-a-Thumb or Fidgety Philip? The comically gruesome fates which befall the children is partly what makes Struwelpeter so appealing to young listeners.

Alexander Pushkin's greatest short story. Hermann, a young German officer serving in the Engineers regiment, is obsessed by gambling, although he never indulges in it himself. One night he hears a tale about how a wealthy 87-year-old Countess in St. Petersburg once learned the secret of how to win on three cards from the Duc d'Orleans. He becomes obsessed with learning the secret himself. In pursuit of this aim, he becomes enamoured of the Countess' companion, the beautiful Lizaveta.

A delightful anthology of great works by some of Europe's greatest short story writers....

When the philosopher's apprentice unwittingly swallows his elixir of life, he faces a future of eternal youth and immortality. Initially this feels like a wonderful blessing... but as time goes on and his beloved wife ages before his youthful eyes and spirals into jealousy and resentment of his permanent youthful appearance, the gift begins to feel more like a terrible curse.

Over 10 hours of riveting stories by some of the world’s greatest short-story writers.

William Wymark Jacobs (1863 - 1943) was an English author of short stories and novels. His most popular works in the early part of the last century were his humorous tales set around the docks of Wapping and in the tap-room of the infamous Cauliflower tavern. Many of his stories were written in a Cockney vernacular and were keenly observant of character. His most famous horror stories are "The Monkey's Paw" and "His Brother's Keeper" both of which have been included in numerous anthologies.

A superb anthology of 40 great classic humorous stories.

Edward Frederic Benson (1867-1940) was an English novelist, biographer, memoirist, archaeologist, and short story writer, best known for his evocative and beautifully narrated ghost stories. This collection brings together twenty of his most brilliant works.

J. Meade Falkener's timeless classic adventure story of smugglers, hidden treasure, mysterious ghosts and daring escapes. Written in 1898, the story has remained a much loved classic among children and adults alike, owing to its gripping storyline, sympathetic characters and swift narrative pace. The village of Moonfleet has been dominated by the Mohune dynasty for centuries.

Sir Hugh Seymour Walpole (1884-1941) was a New Zealand-born English novelist famous for his skill at scene setting and vivid plots. He was a best-selling author in the 1920s and 1930s and remains popular to this day. "The Snow" is a multilayered ghost story in which the phantom of a jealous and vindictive first wife seems to haunt the new young bride of her husband. As the cracks in their relationship widen, the malevolent ghost tightens her evil grip on the second wife.

Amyas Northcote (1864-1923) was an English writer and a contemporary of M. R. James. He is best known for his ghost stories. 'The Young Lady in Black' is an eerie tale of a woman who died, leaving one crucial task in her life unfinished. The tale poses at the outset the question of whether the dead can return to earth to bring incomplete tasks to their conclusion...and the weird circumstances of this story appear to confirm the theory.

An astonishing collection of fifty of the greatest short stories ever written by some of literature's most highly acclaimed writers. 1. "Odour of Chrysanthemums" by D. H. Lawrence; 2. "Miss Harriet" by Guy de Maupassant; 3. "Twenty-six Men and a Girl" by Maxim Gorky; 4. "Hot Potatoes" by Arnold Bennett; 5. "Rats" by M. R. James; 6. "Zodomirsky’s Duel" by Alexandre Dumas; 7. "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin; 8. "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe; 9. "The Encased Man" by Anton Chekhov.