20 h 54 minAudiobook7 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What if a haunted house makes you laugh, and a wicked baron gets exactly what he deserves?
In The Ingoldsby Legends; or, Mirth and Marvels, Thomas Ingoldsby gathers comic tales, ballads and poems full of ghosts, saints, witches, monks and rogues. Behind that borrowed name is Richard Harris Barham, a London clergyman who turns old chronicles, English folklore and church legends into stories told with a grin.
Haunted tales, saints' lives and monastic gossip supply the material; quick rhymes, puns and sudden turns supply the fun. Across old England, especially Kent, restless spirits and strange bargains meet human greed, vanity and folly. Canterbury, Dover and the Kentish coast give these curious stories a firm sense of place.
What you’ll discover
- Legends with a wink Discover old stories retold in lively rhyme, where solemn subjects make room for mischief.
- Hauntings with humor Enter haunted houses and meet restless spirits in ghost tales meant to amuse.
- Puns at every turn Enjoy names, Latin tags and everyday phrases twisted into unexpected comic shapes.
- Pride meets its match Watch greedy, vain and foolish figures face the prospect of strange, fitting punishments.
- A journey through Kent Explore the old houses, roads and cathedrals that give these legends their local character.
Who will love it
Perfect for lovers of ghost stories, ballads and wordplay, for anyone who enjoys a spooky tale told with a grin, and for listeners who like history, saints and village folklore with their laughter.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Tappington Everard links many of the tales
- Ghosts haunt the book with grim humor
- Saints outwit devils in comic combat
- Knights and barons learn painful lessons
- Friars, bishops and a thieving jackdaw
- Crime, ghosts and justice go hand in hand
- Famous stories get a burlesque makeover
- Victorian London speaks in topical comic verse
- Mock morals and playful sound make it fun aloud
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- Audiobook
- 20 h 54 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 7 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
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Die Ingoldsby-Legenden; oder: Heiterkeit und Wunder
A dead wife's clock chases a drunk up a Welsh mountain, and a jackdaw steals a cardinal's ring.
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In short
A clock with a dead woman's face chases a drunken Welsh husband over a mountain. A jackdaw steals a cardinal's ring.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Tappington Everard links many of the tales
The book is built around Tappington Everard, an old manor in east Kent and the home of the Ingoldsby family. Its portrait gallery, its oak chamber and its crowd of servants and guests tie the separate legends together. Many pieces are said to come from family papers, from the housekeeper Mrs Botherby, or from the learned antiquary Mr Simpkinson of Bath.
The opening tale sets the mood. Lieutenant Charles Seaforth, home from India and in love with his cousin Caroline, wakes night after night to find his trousers gone. His Irish servant Barney Maguire claims to have met a ghost in the garden. Tom Ingoldsby suspects a trick and offers to keep watch with his cousin.
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What is The Ingoldsby Legends about?
It is a collection of comic ghost stories, saints' legends and ballads, often set in Kent and told in jaunty rhyme. Tales of haunted houses, wicked knights, greedy friars and devils are linked by the Ingoldsby family of Tappington Everard.
Who was Thomas Ingoldsby?
Thomas Ingoldsby is the voice that welcomes readers into the collection. In the book he is also a character, a gentleman at Tappington Everard who collects family stories.
What does Mirth and Marvels mean?
The book brings laughter and wonder together. Mirth comes from jokes, puns and comic morals, while marvels include the miracles, ghosts and devils found in many tales. Together they make a laughing, spooky mix.
The author
Thomas Ingoldsby
1788–1845 · English humorist and priest
Thomas Ingoldsby was the pen name of Richard Harris Barham, a British writer and Anglican priest. He was born in Canterbury in 1788 and died in London in 1845. He served as a clergyman in Kent and London. His collection, The Ingoldsby Legends, began appearing in print in 1837.
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