A Warning to the Curious
A Warning to the Curious is a collection of four supernatural tales by M.R. James, first published in 1925. The first story, "Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad," tells the story of a professor who discovers an ancient whistle while on a seaside holiday. When he blows the whistle, he unleashes a supernatural force that will haunt him for the rest of his life. The second story, "The Ash Tree," follows a man who moves into an old house and discovers a strange tree in the garden. He soon learns that the tree is cursed and that anyone who harms it will suffer a terrible fate. The third story, "The Treasure of Abbot Thomas," tells the story of a man who discovers a hidden treasure in an old abbey. He soon learns that the treasure is guarded by a supernatural force and that anyone who takes it will suffer a terrible fate. The fourth story, "A View from a Hill," follows a man who moves to a small village and discovers a strange hill. He soon learns that the hill is haunted by a supernatural force and that anyone who goes near it will suffer a terrible fate. The stories in A Warning to the Curious are classic examples of the ghost story genre and are sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
By M.R. James · First published 1925 · Genre: Horror, Mystery, Fantasy · 7,485 words
First lines
The place on the east coast which the reader is asked to consider is Seaburgh. It is not very different now from what I remember it to have been when I was a child. Marshes intersected by dykes to the south, recalling the early chapters of Great Expectations; flat fields to the north, merging into heath; heath, fir woods, and, above all, gorse, inland. A long sea-front and a street: behind that a spacious church of flint, with a broad, solid western tower and a peal of six bells. How well I remember their sound on a hot Sunday in August, as our party went slowly up the white, dusty slope of road towards them, for the church stands at the top of a short, steep incline. They rang with a flat clacking sort of sound on those hot days, but when the air was softer they were mellower too. The railway ran down to its little terminus farther along the same road. There was a gay white windmill just before you came to the station, and another down near the shingle at the south end the town, and yet others on higher ground to the north. There were cottages of bright red brick with slate roofs. but why do I encumber you with these commonplace details? The fact is that they come crowding to the point of the pencil when it begins to write of Seaburgh. I should like to be sure that I had allowed the right ones to get on to the paper. But I forgot. I have not quite done with the word-painting business yet.
What this Textopian page supports
A Warning to the Curious is listed on Textopian as a short story by M.R. James, dated 1925 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: M.R. James
- Date: 1925 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Horror, Mystery, Fantasy, Thriller
- Length: 7,485 words
- Structure: 1 section, 57 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for A Warning to the Curious by M.R. James
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Horror — The book is a collection of ghost stories written by M.R. James, a renowned author of horror fiction.
- Mystery — The stories in the book feature mysterious and unexplained events that the characters must investigate and solve.
- Fantasy — The stories contain supernatural elements such as ghosts, curses, and other fantastical elements.
- Thriller — The stories contain suspenseful elements and often feature characters in dangerous situations.
Tags
horror · ghost stories · supernatural · mystery · suspense · folklore · British literature · short stories · paranormal · historical · literary fiction · M.R. James