Haïta the Shepherd

by Ambrose Bierce

Haita is a naive shepherd who prays at the shrine of Hastur, god of shepherds, and knows nothing of his origin.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Classics, Fantasy, Weird Fiction, Audiobook

7 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 24, 1891

About the author

died perhaps 1914

Caustic wit and a strong sense of horror mark works, including In the Midst of Life (1891-1892) and The Devil's Dictionary (1906), of American writer Ambrose Gwinett Bierce.

People today best know this editorialist, journalist, and fabulist for his short story, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge and his lexicon.

The informative sardonic view of human nature alongside his vehemence as a critic with his motto, "nothing matters," earned him the nickname "Bitter Bierce."

People knew Bierce despite his reputation as a searing critic, however, to encourage younger poet George Sterling and fiction author W.C. Morrow.

Bierce employed a distinctive style especially in his stories. This style often embraces an abrupt beginning, dark imagery, vague references to time, limited descriptions, the theme of war, and impossible events.

Bierce disappeared in December 1913 at the age of 71 years. People think that he traveled to Mexico to gain a firsthand perspective on ongoing revolution of that country.

Theories abound on a mystery, ultimate fate of Bierce. He in one of his final letters stated: "Good-bye. If you hear of my being stood up against a Mexican stone wall and shot to rags, please know that I think it is a pretty good way to depart this life. It beats old age, disease, or falling down the cellar stairs. To be a Gringo in Mexico--ah, that is euthanasia!"

Reviews

[Quirkyreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story took a detour from Bierce's usual story line. It was still very good.

[Netanella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Freely available short story here: https://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-st...

Regarding our little Haita the shepherd, who loyally takes care of his sheep and piously prays to Hastur for good weather. . .

Little dude is a fool. The second time the hot chick / maiden came around to see him and wants to shack up with him, the first thing out of his mouth is: I wish you were a guy!

Now, this doesn't even have to be a sexual thing. It could be anything. "Hey, man, thanks for the gift. So glad you got me a Nissan for my birthday! I wish you would have purchased a BMW instead. "

I recognized there are lots of allegories to this story, but jeez, Haita has it coming. No wonder he ends up spoon-feeding gruel to the bedridden hermit!

😄 😣 🙄

[Federico DN · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly good.

This was quite good, but not going to review it.

For the moment at least.

-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1891] [7p] [Classics] [3.5] [Not Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------

★★★★☆ The Damned Thing.
★★★★☆ An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. [3.5]
★★★☆☆ Un Habitante de Carcosa y otros Relatos de Terror. <--
★★★☆☆ Civil War Stories. [2.5]

-----------------------------------------------

Bastante bien.

Esto fue bastante bueno, pero no voy a reseñarlo.

Al menos por ahora.

-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1891] [7p] [Clásicos] [3.5] [No Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------

[Amy Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of curiosity, I've been tracking down the titles in the "Hastur Cycle", as listed here: The Hastur Cycle

Now, my primary exposure to Hastur before this is as an occasional god/being in a random list of such things in Lovecraft, and as a Creeper in Cthulhu Fluxx (where you pick a word, and any time a player says that word, they gain the Creeper).

This story does not fit those exposures at all. Hastur seems to be a rather benevolent shepherd deity. It's unclear if he's connected to the mysterious fair maid's appearance. If he is, perhaps she was sent out of irritation that Haita was neglecting his duties? She seems more sinister than Hastur, here, but Hastur plays a very minor role.

So now I'm curious how Hastur evolved into something more sinister, and will have to find the next title in the list.

[Flora · Rating 4 out of 5]

"(...) so sweet her look that the humming-birds thronged her eyes, thrusting their thirsty bills almost into them, and the wild bees were about her lips. And such was her brightness that the shadows of all objects lay divergent from her feet, turning as she moved."

Very A24-esque imagery, haha

[Alex Bright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah. It really IS that fickle, if it comes around at all.

[Sylvia Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short fable on the horror of chasing fleeting happiness. We squander every good thing, always looking for the greener grass.

[Lynsey Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh Lovecraft, Derleth and Chambers, what did poor Hastur ever do to you for you to turn him from a nice little Shepard deity into, well, whatever it is that you’ve turned him into.

More delving into the Lovecraftian mythos led me to this wee tale as it’s the first mention of Hastur the King in Yellow, The Unspeakable one, etc. etc. And to be honest theres not a lot going on in this one really it’s just a kind of morality tale. And the Hastur depicted is nothing at all like the snarling creature later depicted in the mythos stories which makes me applaud the creativity and maddeningly wide scope of the mythos writers.

Good for you lads, you took a dull wee god from a fairly insipid tale and turned him into a force to be reckoned with.

[William Cherico · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a pretty straightforward, cynical morality tale about how we neglect what we have to try and pursue something else. Ignoring the first mention of Hastur, a lot more chill than he would later become, this one's pretty unremarkable except for the part where a woman makes a sexual advance on Haïta and he says "wow, I wish you were a man because we would totally be bros."

[Divia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about Happiness embodied in the form of a beautiful woman. Happiness is personified and shown to be fleeting. It never stays long as we always want something more or some other emotion fills ours soul.

[Semjase · Rating 4 out of 5]

Increíble narración que te conduce entre los eventos más comunes y corrientes para al final dejarte una enseñanza de vida. Recomiendo ampliamente escuchar el audiolibro y análisis que hace “noviembre nocturno” ya que te ayuda a disfrutar aún más de esta lectura.

[Malum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came for the tale's connection to the Cthulhu mythos. I stayed for the interesting tale.

[Zelderon Morningstar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ending was a bit cheesy

[Bibliophileverse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story which is totally different from Ambrose Bierce's work.

[Forked Radish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haita should have stuck with sheep.

[Luiz Santiago · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,0

[Red · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haita is a strange lesson that comes with the origin of a Lovecraftian god. It can come off as dense but I think it's length perfectly fits what it is saying.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐

[Per · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/...

[Bella Pickup · Rating 5 out of 5]

The moral of this story is don't bother trying to be happy and look after ur damn sheep

[Laurence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple but tidy. Just as you try to snatch happiness she runs away.

Featuring Hastur, the king in yellow, God of shepherds..

[Jörg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kurze Geschichte, aber interessant, hat mir gut gefallen

[Katharine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A parable about happiness.

[Ivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always liked this unique little allegory for the pursuit of happiness. It's written almost like a biblical story, and thus distinguishes itself from most of Bierce's work

[Liz · Rating 1 out of 5]

This felt like a total waste of time. Audible edition narrated by Anthony Heald. This can be found in Can Such Things Be?

[Alvaro_atm92 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew she was Happiness all the time... good tale