''The Haunted Jester'' is a collection of

short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...

Donald Corley James Donald Corley (1886–1955) was an American author of short stories, illustrator and architect. He is chiefly remembered for his three self-illustrated books, which included a number of classic fantasy short stories. Life and career Co ...

, illustrated by the author. Corley did not limit himself to one genre, but the primary distinction of the collection is its inclusion of a number of classic dark fantasies . It was first published in hardcover in New York by Robert M. McBride in September 1931. It was later reissued by Books for Libraries in 1970. One story from the collection, "The Bird with the Golden Beak", was included by

Lin Carter Linwood Vrooman Carter (June 9, 1930 – February 7, 1988) was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor, poet and critic. He usually wrote as Lin Carter; known pseudonyms include H. P. Lowcraft (for an H. P. Lov ...

in ''

Discoveries in Fantasy ''Discoveries in Fantasy'' is an anthology of fantasy short stories, edited by American writer Lin Carter. It was first published in paperback by Ballantine Books in March 1972 as the forty-third volume of its ''Ballantine Adult Fantasy series''. ...

'' (1972), for the

Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series The Ballantine Adult Fantasy series was an imprint of American publisher Ballantine Books. Launched in 1969 (presumably in response to the growing popularity of Tolkien's works), the series reissued a number of works of fantasy literature which ...

*"Seven Knights in Silver" *"The God from the Shelf" *"The Dance of the Drowned" *"The Red Lacquer Box of Nirr-lo-fan" *"The Bride's Feast" *"The Lama, the Lady, and the Topaz" *"The Road to Benachie" *"The Troubled Promises of Kings" *"The Eyes of Compassion" *"''Que le Diable!''" *"The Daughter of the Moon" *"''Droit de Seigneur''" *"Fifteen Annas in the Rupee" *"The Bird with the Golden Beak"

Reception

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' praised the collection, saying "when Mr. Corley writes lacquer legends of things far away and long ago, he assumes the mantle of all romancers since the telling of 'Arabian Nights'. . . . Life may be seldom so noble, so wistful or so colorful, but these stories, for all their artifice, give spur to the imagination." Lin Carter describes Corley's style as possessing a quality of "gorgeousness", which he characterizes as having "the sort of verbal richness that bejewels the pages of

Clark Ashton Smith Clark Ashton Smith (January 13, 1893 – August 14, 1961) was an influential American writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction stories and poetry, and an artist. He achieved early recognition in California (largely through the enthusiasm ...

's work or the ''

Arabian Nights ''One Thousand and One Nights'' (, ), is a collection of Middle Eastern folktales compiled in the Arabic language during the Islamic Golden Age. It is often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights'', from the first English-language edition () ...

'' ... lazy and singing,

ith The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometers, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is i ...

a certain playfulness to it ..."Carter, Lin, ed. ''

'', New York, Ballantine Books, 1972, pp. 101–103.

Notes

1931 short story collections American short story collections Fantasy short story collections {{1930s-fantasy-story-collection-stub

Contents

Reception

Notes