1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales

In "The Storyteller" by Saki, three children and their aunt are traveling by train while she attempts, without much success, to capture their attention with a story.  The only other person in the compartment is a bachelor, who is becoming mildly irritated with the children's impatience at her inability to keep their attention, and he offers to tell them a story. At first affronted, she takes him t...

"Demetrios Contos" by Jack London tells of London's days dealing with the oyster pirates and fish poachers while working with the Fish Patrol in the waters off San Francisco and Oakland. Demetrios Contos was a Greek fisherman who relied on his catch to make his living. The Fish Patrol was his enemy, but there was a code among them all that demanded fairness, and despite differences in race and nat...

In this special two story episode, we give you two Ambrose Bierce ghost stories- the second one is called "Dead Duck" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Battle of Thermopylae (The 300 Spartans Story): An ancient Greek tale of the brave 300 standing againt 10,000 is told here by classic writer Charlotte Yonge. Music Credits: "Drive" and "Reverie" by Ross Bugden no copyright His link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p2d2iPnsGs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"The Bet" by Anton Chekhov: A banker and a lawyer become deeply involved in a discussion about capital punishment and the banker bets the lawyer 2 million that he can't survive in isolation for 5 years. To his surprise- the lawyer accepts the bet. Music: Reverance by Ross Bugden Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In "The Lady, or the Tiger", by Frank Stockton, a semi-barbaric king has devised a trial by chance that offers the accused a choice of two doors. Behind one is a beautiful lady who will become his wife once he opnes the door. Behind the other is a man-eating tiger waiting to spring upon whoever opens the door.   In the story, the king has discovered that his daughter is madly in love with a handso...

Jim Baker's BlueJay Yarn by Mark Twain-When Mark Twain stayed in a California gold camp in 1864-65 he picked up a lot of story ideas.  With his unique brand of humor, he manages to compare the labors of men digging things out of empty holes to the labors of a blue jay filling a knothole in the top of an empty house with acorns and not unfderstanding why he couldn't fill it. Learn more about your a...

In "Papa Panov's Special Christmas" from Leo Tolstoy, a cobbler in a little village in Russia finds the true meaning of Christmas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here's the hilarious "The Ransom of Red Chief" by O.Henry- Ever wonder what inspired the movie "Home Alone"?. It was probably this story by O.Henry, in which two bungling small-time crooks decide to kidnap a precocious ten-year-old boy and hold him for ransom, only to find that the boy is far more than they can handle. The story is well-written and will keep you smiling from the start. Enjoy all t...

In "The Widow's Cruise" by Frank Stockton four old sea captains stop for a meal at a lodging house run by two elder ladies and find that their tall tales meant to impress are dwarfed by the whopper of a tall tale the widow proprietor tells. Music So Bheag Si Mhor by The Wild Rovers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"The Story of Keesh" by Jack London: A young Eskimo boy, after losing his father, who was the best hunter for the tribe, shows what he is made of by using his brains and cunning to find food for his doubtful elders and bring he and his mother the respect they deserved. #JackLondon   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"A Daughter of the Aurora" by Jack London: Joy Molineau was half-French, half-Indian, and all knowing when it came to winning her man. She had one in mind, but wasn't quite sure if he could meet her standards- so she arranged a test of steel to see if he had what it takes....  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant: Maupassant's well-written tale of a young wife, married to a simple clerk, who could not appreciate what she had, always wanting to be a wealthy socialite.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In "Amateur Night" by Jack London, young lady from the country moves to the big city to find a job with the biggest newspaper, and gets turned down, but, not giving up, she finds a writer who befriends her and devises a plan by which she can show she has what it takes to become a reporter. #JackLondon #1001Podcast #Podcast #Classics #ShortStories STORIES BY JACK LONDON. BEST OF JACK LONDON. JACK L...

"Cousin Tribulation" by Louisa May Alcott: A great short story by Louisa May Alcott telling of how one family became closer by helping another family in need Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce: In this highly acclaimed short story, a southern farmer is accused of being a spy by the Union Army and finds himself about to be hung from a bridge trestle. This is one of the first short stories to use a "stream of conscience" narrative, and a story that has been used in countless movies and television shows. Check out our new 1001 E Book an...

"Mary Postgate" by Rudyard Kipling:  In England, during World War I, a caregiver named Mary Postgate takes revenge upon a downed German pilot who had just strafed and killed a young girl in her village. #Kipling #RudyardKipling #ShortStory #MaryPostgate   Check out our new 1001 Classics E Book Collection at Amazon Kindle and leave us a review!  Thanks  May 2018    https://www.amazon.com/Classic-Sh...

"An Adventure At Brownville" by Ambrose Bierce: A psychological thriller from Amrose Bierce that places a young woman under the hypnotic spell of a mysterious killer. Enjoy all our shows at www.1001storiespodcast.com #AmbroseBierce Check out our new May 2018 E Book Collection at Amazon and leave us a review Thanks  https://www.amazon.com/Classic-Short-Stories-Fireside-Collection-ebook/dp/B07CRW2RZ...

"History's Real Beauty and The Beast: Petrus and Anne Gonsalvus": This is a follow up to our recent episode titled "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST", which gave the abridged version of the Adult Fairy Tale written by Marie de Villanueve in 1748. It is very possible that Villanueve's inspiration may have come from the lives of Petrus and Catherine Gonsalvus, who were French courtisans best known for Petrus's...

"The Wendigo" Pt 2 by Algernon Blackwood: In this classic horror short story by Algernon Blackwood, a group of hunters in the north woods of Canada are stalked by a creature known to the Ojibwe Indians as The Wendigo. Music by Mattia Cupelli "Dark tension Rising"   Check out our first 1001 Classic Short Stories Collection at Amazon Kindle and leave us a kind review-Thanks! This story coming soon t...

"The Wendigo" Pt 1 by Algernon Blackwood: Blackwood used the legend of the wendigo to create a terrifying tale of a group of hunters in the Canadian wilderness who encounter this demonic spirit-monster. Real-life stories of the wendigo abound, dating back to the late 1700's in North America. Few writers can capture the irrational fear that even the most seasoned travelers can experience in the wil...

"Hearts and Hands" by O.Henry: This episode contains TWO stories from O'Henry: HEARTS AND HANDS: A young lady is traveling on a train from Denver when an old acquaintance sits down across from her. She engages in a conversation with him, never knowing that appearances can be deceiving. BEST STORIES BY O.HENRY. O.HENRY STORIES. O.HENRY PODCAST. NEW Enjoy 1001 Greatest Love Stories on Apple Devices...

Charles Dickens had heard the news of the wreck of the Royal Charter in Wales in October of 1859 and traveled to that area during Christmas. The salvage operation was still in progress, and the small village and the churches were still suffering the shocks of handling so much tragedy in so short a time. Dickens wrote of his visit in Chapter Two of his collection 'THE UNCOMMERCIAL TRAVELER" and sha...

This story by Charles Dickens is a part of a larger story about the 1859 wreck of The Royal Charter, a steam powered clipper on its way from Australia to Liverpool, and carrying 370 passengers and a crew of 112. Many of the passengers were gold miners returning from the Australian Gold rush with their riches, and their was gold in the cargo hold. Unfortunately, a huge storm came up as the ship app...

This tongue-in-cheek tale of a greedy man who makes a deal with the devil to broker a pirate's treasure by becoming a stingy moneylender is a Washington Irving classic, complete with a number of twists and lots of sardonic humor. We offer a biography of Washington Irving in the beginning, along with three sponsor messages, all of which are completed before our story begins. Enjoy all our episodes...