Twice-Told Tales

Twice-Told Tales

By

Nathaniel Hawthorne

A Short Story Collection

Twice-Told Tales is a short story collection in two volumes by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The first was published in the spring of 1837, and the second in 1842. The stories had all been previously published in magazines and annuals, hence the name.

Hawthorne was encouraged by friend Horatio Bridge to collect these previously anonymous stories; Bridge offered $250 to cover the risk of the publication. Many had been published in The Token, edited by Samuel Griswold Goodrich. When the works became popular, Bridge revealed Hawthorne as the author in a review he published in the Boston Post.

The title, Twice-Told Tales, was based on a line from William Shakespeare's The Life and Death of King John (Act 3, scene 4): "Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale, / Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man." The book was published by the American Stationers' Company on March 6, 1837; its cover price was one dollar. Hawthorne had help in promoting the book from Elizabeth Peabody. She sent copies of the collection to William Wordsworth as well as to Horace Mann, hoping that Mann could get Hawthorne a job writing stories for schoolchildren.

CONTENTSTHE GRAY CHAMPIONSUNDAY AT HOMETHE WEDDING-KNELLTHE MINISTER'S BLACK VEILTHE MAYPOLE OF MERRY MOUNTTHE GENTLE BOYMR. HIGGINBOTHAM'S CATASTROPHELITTLE ANNIE'S RAMBLEWAKEFIELDA RILL FROM THE TOWN PUMPTHE GREAT CARBUNCLETHE PROPHETIC PICTURESDAVID SWANSIGHTS FROM A STEEPLETHE HOLLOW OF THE THREE HILLSTHE TOLL-GATHERER'S DAYTHE VISION OF THE FOUNTAINFANCY'S SHOW-BOXDR. HEIDEGGER'S EXPERIMENT LEGENDS OF THE PROVINCE HOUSE:

I. HOWE'S MASQUERADE

II. EDWARD RANDOLPH'S PORTRAIT

III. LADY ELEANORE'S MANTLE

IV. OLD ESTHER DUDLEYTHE HAUNTED MINDTHE VILLAGE UNCLETHE AMBITIOUS GUESTTHE SISTER-YEARSSNOWFLAKESTHE SEVEN VAGABONDSTHE WHITE OLD MAIDPETER GOLDTHWAITE'S TREASURECHIPPINGS WITH A CHISELTHE SHAKER BRIDALNIGHT-SKETCHESENDICOTT AND THE RED CROSSTHE LILY'S QUESTFOOTPRINTS ON THE SEASHOREEDWARD FANE'S ROSEBUDTHE THREEFOLD DESTINY