The Well Told Tale

We return to Oz this week, where our heroes have been driven out of the Emerald City by an army of girls who have deposed the king, our old friend, the Scarecrow from "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". They are on their way to get help from the Tin Man, now the emperor of a nearby kingdom. But what dangers will befall them on their journey? If you'd like to support The Well Told Tale, pl...

Last week, we began our second journey into the Marvelous Land of Oz, and met Tip and his inadvertent companion, Jack Pumpkinhead. These characters may seem familiar if you have ever seen Disney's 1985 film 'Return to Oz', a much darker sequel to the classic 'The Wizard of Oz'. Jack Pumpkinhead plays a pivotal role in the film, which takes elements of this Oz story and the...

This week brings us another Tale, and magical sequel, "The Marvelous Land of Oz," by L. Frank Baum. Having written "The Wizard of Oz," a Tale we have previously told, Baum was frequently contacted by excited children asking for more stories about the Land of Oz. He decided to finally give them what they wanted, with this sequel detailing the further adventures of the Scarecrow...

Our protagonist has been learning of some terrible events that, if town drunkard Zadok Allen is to be believed, explain some of the strange goings-on at Innsmouth. Fantastical tales of creatures from the deep, interbreeding with humans, sacrifices to the Old Ones... could any of it be true?  Our hero knows he needs to get out of Innsmouth, but will the residents let him? If you'd like to supp...

This week, we return to the mysterious and decaying town of Innsmouth.  Our narrator has spied town drunkard, Zadok Allen, and has heard that the old man might know a lot about the town's dark history,. However, he gets the sense that Innsmouth folk don't like outsiders talking to old Zadok for too long... If you'd like to support The Well Told Tale, please visit us on Patreon: http...

This week, we start a new Tale from one of our favourite writers, H. P. Lovecraft. 'The Shadow Over Innsmouth' was the only novella published in Lovecraft's lifetime, and although it forms a central part of his Cthulhu Mythos, Lovecraft didn't actually like it when it was finished, and it was only published after his friend August Derleth got involved.  The original run of book...

We return for the final part of 'Alice Through the Looking Glass'.  Alice has almost made it to the last row of the Looking Glass Land chessboard, where Alice will apparently become a Queen.  What does this mean for her? And will she ever get home? If you'd like to support The Well Told Tale, please visit us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thewelltoldtale Books - (buying books f...

This week, we return to Alice trying to navigate her way through Looking Glass Land. After successfully dealing with Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, Alice has moved on, and will shortly encounter Humpty Dumpty and the Lion and the Unicorn.  How will Alice deal with these colourful characters? If you'd like to support The Well Told Tale, please visit us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thewell...

This week, we continue with Alice's journey through the Looking Glass Land, where everything is backwards, or opposite, or just plain odd.  The theme of opposites seems to have been important for Lewis Carroll - Alice's journey to Wonderland began outside on a warm spring day, whereas her travels in Looking Glass Land began inside on a cold autumn one. The theme of playing cards was perv...

 This week, we begin a new Tale in a familiar world - we return with Alice to Wonderland in 'Through The Looking Glass' by Lewis Carroll. Although the first book, 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' is often most remembered, it was actually after this sequel was published that interest in Wonderland took off. Expect strange occurrences, baffling logic, fantastical character...

This week, we have the dramatic final part of "The Picture of Dorian Gray".  Dorian's conscience has been starting to prick at him, but a more pressing danger awaits him.  James Vane, the brother of actress Sybil Vane, who Dorian abandoned so many years ago, has finally tracked him down, hell bent on vengeance. What will James Vane do when he catches Dorian? Will Dorian's consc...

Last week, Dorian committed an act he cannot come back from - he murdered Basil in cold blood after showing him his portrait, the true face of his depravity. After all these years of degradation, does he still have a conscience to trouble him? If you'd like to support The Well Told Tale, please visit us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thewelltoldtale Books - (buying anything on Amazon thr...

Last week, Dorian locked away his portrait from prying eyes, and we learned of his indulgences over the years.  Free from the visible signs of his degradation, he is happy to indulge every vice and hide behind his ever-present beauty, but how long can he keep up this pretence? If you'd like to support The Well Told Tale, please visit us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thewelltoldtale Book...

Dorian is getting crueller by the day, and with every transgression depicting itself in the painted face of his portrait, Dorian has decided to store the canvas away where it can't be viewed accidentally.  But his own face remains untainted.  What will Dorian do, knowing that his misdeeds are never going to be visible to others? If you'd like to support The Well Told Tale, please visit u...

Last week was a watershed moment for the innocence of Dorian's youth. His idealised love for Sybil Vane ended in terrible circumstances and now, Dorian's soul has been irrevocably changed. So too, has his portrait. To Dorian's disbelief, the corruption that has crept in under Lord Henry's tutelage has not changed his perfect beauty, but his picture now bares a cruel smile. He h...

This week, we return to Victorian London's seedy theatrical world to learn more about the relationship between Dorian Gray and young actress Sybil Vane. Dorian is keen to show Sybil and her sublime talent off to his friends Lord Henry and Basil, and all seems well. However, this is where our Tale takes a dark turn... If you'd like to support The Well Told Tale, please visit us on Patreon...

Dorian has been enjoying living life away from its sheltered beginning.  Following Lord Henry's teachings, he has been going regularly to the theatre over the last several weeks and has met - and got engaged to - the actress Sybil Vane, who refers to him as Prince Charming.  Is all this moving a bit too fast? If you'd like to support The Well Told Tale, please visit us on Patreon: https:...

Last week, we saw the completion of Basil's portrait of Dorian Gray. Lord Henry Wotton has taken the impressionable youth under his wing, much to Basil's dismay.  Lord Henry was taken with the picture, which he mused had captured Dorian at the peak of his beauty, and opined on how unfortunate it was that the picture would stay perfect while Dorian himself degenerated with age, and not th...

Last time, we met Lord Henry Wotton, a hedonistic aristocrat, and his friend Basil Hallward, an artist who is infatuated with his muse, Dorian Gray.  They discussed Dorian, a youth whose beauty has made a considerable impression on Basil, but he is reticent to let Lord Henry meet him, as he considers he might prove a corrupting influence on young Dorian.  However, Lord Henry is about to get his wa...

We start the New Year with a new Tale from one of the English language's greatest writers, 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' by Oscar Wilde. Wilde produced many plays, poems and short stories in his illustrious career, but this is his only novel, or rather, novella.  He was feted in late Victorian society for his biting wit, but this story holds a much darker mirror up to the society he...

This Christmas week, we have a charming story from one of the world's greatest writers, Leo Tolstoy, called 'Where Love Is, God Is'.  Arguably best known for his epic novels such as 'War and Peace' and 'Anna Karenina', Tolstoy did write a number of short stories, including this one, first published in 1885.  This Tale is known by a few different names in the Engl...

To celebrate our 100th episode, we asked our high tier Patrons to choose a poem, and they have selected Samuel Taylor Coleridge's masterwork "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner."  A Tale of life, death, tragedy, and consequences, this is an expansive story as told to an unwitting wedding guest by the ancient mariner himself. If you'd like to support The Well Told Tale, and get acc...

This week, we have a classic short story from W. W. Jacobs, the gothic horror classic "The Monkey's Paw."  After its publication in 1902, it captured the public imagination, and was made into a film five times in the first half of the 20th century.  More recently, it provided the inspiration for the Stephen King novel which he said scares him the most, 'Pet Sematary'.  Muc...

Last week, we learned of the horrific backstory of our protagonist Nathaniel.  Scarred by the death of his father in what would appear to be an accident involving the lawyer Coppelius, he has become convinced that this Coppelius is The Sandman, and worse still, that he has followed him to his university town in the guise of the trader Coppola.  The idea is driving him insane, much to the concern o...

This week we bring you the start of the dark fairy tale, "The Sandman," by E. T. A. Hoffman, written originally in German in 1816.  The original legend of the Sandman most likely began in Scandinavia, and told of a benign being who would bring sleep to children by throwing sand in their eyes.  This far darker take on the legend may well have inspired Neil Gaiman's masterful graphic...