# Folklore and Ancient Beliefs in Short Fiction

> Theme guide for Short Fiction by M. R. James.

The narratives draw heavily on local legends, witch trials, pagan rituals, and folk tales, such as the story of the three holy crowns, the witch of Castringham, and the old man on the hill, grounding the supernatural in traditional beliefs.

## Where it surfaces

- [The Ash-Tree](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_35_se/chapters/the-ash-tree): The witch trials and the belief in witches' power to curse and cause harm through natural objects like the ash tree reflect deep-rooted folklore.
- [Count Magnus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_35_se/chapters/count-magnus): The local traditions about Count Magnus's cruelty and the Black Pilgrimage reflect deep-seated folk beliefs about dark pacts and supernatural retribution.
- [A School Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_35_se/chapters/a-school-story): The discussion of schoolboy ghost stories and the Latin phrase 'Remember the well among the four yews' tap into folklore and ancient symbolism.
- [Casting the Runes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_35_se/chapters/casting-the-runes): Karswell's use of a magic-lantern show with terrifying imagery and his study of witchcraft reflect a manipulation of folkloric and ancient beliefs for malicious ends.
- [Mr. Humphreys and His Inheritance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_35_se/chapters/mr-humphreys-and-his-inheritance): The parable draws on classical and folkloric motifs of the labyrinth, with references to Theseus and the idea of a hidden treasure guarded by supernatural dangers.
- [The Residence at Whitminster](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_35_se/chapters/the-residence-at-whitminster): Mrs. Maple recounts local folklore about Viscount Saul's ghostly activities, including his nightly visits to windows and the belief that a withered heart makes an ugly thin ghost.
- [A Neighbour's Landmark](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_35_se/chapters/a-neighbour-s-landmark): The cryptic country song about 'that which walks in Betton Wood' and the local lore surrounding the wood's removal.
- [A Warning to the Curious](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_35_se/chapters/a-warning-to-the-curious): The legend of the three holy crowns is a piece of local folklore, believed to protect the coast from invaders, and is passed down through generations.
- [An Evening’s Entertainment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_35_se/chapters/an-evening-s-entertainment): The grandmother's tale embodies oral tradition, passing down a local legend of murder and supernatural dread.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_35_se/themes/folklore_and_ancient_beliefs
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_35_se/themes