The Merry Men, and Other Tales and Fables by Robert Louis Stevenson: "The Merry Men, and Other Tales and Fables" by Robert Louis Stevenson is a collection of short stories and fables that showcase the author's storytelling prowess. The tales transport readers to various settings and time periods, capturing moments of adventure, mystery, and moral reflection. Through vivid narratives, Stevenson invites readers to embark on journeys filled with intrigue, imagination, and moral contemplation, leaving a lasting impression of his literary craftsmanship. Key Aspects of the Book "The Merry Men, and Other Tales and Fables": Diverse Tales: The collection presents a variety of stories and fables, each with its own unique setting, characters, and themes. Imaginative Storytelling: Stevenson's imaginative narrative style brings the stories to life, captivating readers with his vivid descriptions and vivid characterizations. Moral Lessons: Many of the fables within the collection offer readers thought-provoking lessons and reflections on human nature and behavior. Robert Louis Stevenson showcases his storytelling versatility and moral insights in "The Merry Men, and Other Tales and Fables," inviting readers to explore a range of imaginative narratives.

First published to critical acclaim in 1886, this mesmerising thriller is a terrifying study of the duality of man's nature. This volume also includes a collection of Stevenson's short stories

More than most writers, Robert Louis Stevenson requires a Literary Life. Fascination with Stevenson's life (the 'Stevenson biography' is almost a minor genre) has tended to eclipse his literary achievement. This study focuses on Stevenson's writing practice within the different geographical, cultural and political contexts that shaped it, from Scotland to the South Seas. Following Stevenson's own views on biography, the book is not structured primarily in terms of chronology, but is more a kind of literary geography than traditional literary history.

Example in this ebook ELSKET. "The knife hangs loose in the sheath." —Old Norsk Proverb. I spent a month of the summer of 188- in Norway—"Old Norway"—and a friend of mine, Dr. John Robson, who is as great a fisherman as he is a physician, and knows that I love a stream where the trout and I can meet each other alone, and have it out face to face, uninterrupted by any interlopers, did me a favor to which I was indebted for the experience related below. He had been to Norway two years before, and he let me into the secret of an unexplored region between the Nord Fiord and the Romsdal. I cannot give the name of the place, because even now it has not been fully explored, and he bound me by a solemn promise that I would not divulge it to a single soul, actually going to the length of insisting on my adding a formal oath to my affirmation. This I consented to because I knew that my friend was a humorous man, and also because otherwise he positively refused to inform me where the streams were about which he had been telling such fabulous fish stories. "No," he said, "some of those —— cattle who think they own the earth and have a right to fool women at will and know how to fish, will be poking in there, worrying Olaf and Elsket, and ruining the fishing, and I'll be —— if I tell you unless you make oath." My friend is a swearing man, though he says he swears for emphasis, not blasphemy, and on this occasion he swore with extreme solemnity. I saw that he was in earnest, so made affidavit and was rewarded. "Now," he said, after inquiring about my climbing capacity in a way which piqued me, and giving me the routes with a particularity which somewhat mystified me, "Now I will write a letter to Olaf of the Mountain and to Elsket. I once was enabled to do them a slight service, and they will receive you. It will take him two or three weeks to get it, so you may have to wait a little. You must wait at L—— until Olaf comes down to take you over the mountain. You may be there when he gets the letter, or you may have to wait for a couple of weeks, as he does not come over the mountain often. However, you can amuse yourself around L——; only you must always be on hand every night in case Olaf comes." Although this appeared natural enough to the doctor, it sounded rather curious to me, and it seemed yet more so when he added, "By the way, one piece of advice: don't talk about England to Elsket, and don't ask any questions." "Who is Elsket?" I asked. "A daughter of the Vikings, poor thing," he said. My curiosity was aroused, but I could get nothing further out of him, and set it down to his unreasonable dislike of travelling Englishmen, against whom, for some reason, he had a violent antipathy, declaring that they did not know how to treat women nor how to fish. My friend has a custom of speaking very strongly, and I used to wonder at the violence of his language, which contrasted strangely with his character; for he was the kindest-hearted man I ever knew, being a true follower of his patron saint, old Isaac giving his sympathy to all the unfortunate, and even handling his frogs as if he loved them. Thus it was that on the afternoon of the seventh day of July, 188-, having, for purposes of identification, a letter in my pocket to "Olaf of the Mountain from his friend Dr. Robson," I stood, in the rain in the so-called "street" of L——, on the —— Fiord, looking over the bronzed faces of the stolid but kindly peasants who lounged silently around, trying to see if I could detect in one a resemblance to the picture I had formed in my mind of "Olaf of the Mountain," or could discern in any eye a gleam of special interest to show that its possessor was on the watch for an expected guest. To be continue in this ebook

Shorter Scottish Fiction. Introduced by Roderick Watson. Ever since its first appearance in 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde has proved itself to be a tale of undiminished power for readers all over the world. It remains one of the great masterpieces of psychological fiction and yet it is not alone in Stevenson’s work, for he had explored similar themes in several other stories too, all inextricably linked with his native country. This collection makes a strong case for the essentially Scottish origins of Stevenson’s best short fiction, derived as it is from Calvinism’s feeling for the immanence of evil, and driven by a sense of man’s darker, divided self which goes back to Hogg’s Justified Sinner. Thus it is that the story of the respectable Dr Jekyll, even in a London setting, has links that stretch back to the narrow wynds of Edinburgh and the bleak moors and shores of the North. In this company stories of possession, doubleness and terror such as ‘The Merry Men’, ‘The Body Snatcher’, ‘Markheim’, ‘Thrawn Janet’ and others, reveal more clearly than ever their Scottish roots, and that fascination with the uncanny which brought the creator of Mr Hyde screamingly awake one winter’s night over a hundred years ago.

An Exotic Heir Weaving a web of revenge can be satisfying, but dangerous to your heart. London society is shallow and cruel, sending Cassandra Renwick running to Calcutta, the exotic seat of the British Raj. It’s a fascinating place filled with interesting sights – including the dark and mysterious Julian Ritchie. But she never thought that an even greater heartbreak could be here in this alien and enchanting land. Julian has always been discriminated against for being only half English. Embittered, he plots an intricate plan for vengeance with the innocent and lovely Cassandra as his pawn. But he soon finds that payback can be painful for the avenger as well when the threads of revenge unwittingly turn into the silken bonds of love. A Rake's Reward A treasure lost… American Sara Whately came to England with a single goal: recover a long-lost family treasure. Her father had long ago renounced his title and abandoned his country, but desperate financial straits call for desperate measures. Gaining access won’t be easy. The jewels are hidden on an estate Sara’s grandfather lost long ago in an unlucky turn of the cards. And then there’s the vexing, villainous, valiant Viscount Reath… A jewel of a woman… Sinclair Stratton, Lord Reath has always gotten everything he wants—money, privilege, and women. But after ten years in India, he’s returned to England, ready to make amends for his youthful follies. He plans to return his ill-gotten estate to its rightful owner but the man is impossible to find. And despite still being one of the most sought after rake’s in town, the bold American beauty he keeps encountering seems to be immune to his charms and dashing good looks. While Sara has promised to not just search for her grandfather's jewels, but make an attempt at fitting into society, it might just be that Viscount Reath is the treasure she actually needs. And a BONUS NOVELLA: Under the Mango Tree In 18th century Calcutta, Lakshmi Rai has grown up under and in the mango tree in her mother's garden. Escaping there from her chores every chance she gets, she hides amongst the branches to read and study, even though reading is unheard of—even forbidden—for a good Bengali girl. Only her brother knows and aids her in her passion for learning—until the day the Englishman comes into the garden and stood under her mango tree. Now all sorts of forbidden thoughts are entering her head—many of them having to do with the handsome Englishman, Lord Huntley, the man with blue-green eyes. But can a girl from a good Bengali family even dare to dream of such things? If she does, what else might be possible under the mango tree?