| Portrait of William Stearns Davis | Frontispiece |
| FACING PAGE | |
| “‘Give him the maid, Franz, and all the fiends go with her’” | 33 |
| “‘Back to Witch Martha; back! Fly fast, as you love me’” | 84 |
About This Book
A rain-swept rural setting frames a folkloric tale about a devout solitary whose routine charity to villagers draws him into a sequence of episodic encounters with supernatural portents, a feared witch, a young maiden, and outsiders representing worldly authority. Each chapter stages moral and spiritual trials—temptation, rivalry, and the intrusion of political force—woven with local lore and vivid natural description. The narrative shifts from quiet devotional moments to crises that test conscience and communal ties, ending in a reflective resolution that emphasizes inner conviction, redemption, and the persistence of faith within a small community.