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Whispers of the Black Death: Folktales from the Times of Pestilence
Whispers of the Black Death gathers eerie folktales born in the shadow of epidemic dread. From Norway’s broom-sweeping Plague-Wife to Brittany’s creaking death cart, from the blue mist that haunts an Alpine cottage to a Faroese grave where a hand refuses to rest, each story invites you to a fireside where fear and wonder share the same glow.
Edwin Corvinstone retells these legends in taut, vivid prose—no footnotes, no lectures, just the chill of hoofbeats at midnight and the ache of villages nailed shut against the unseen. You’ll meet scapegoats and saints, lone survivors and spectral collectors of souls, all moving through landscapes as beautiful as they are perilous.
Perfect for an autumn night or a quick shiver before sleep, this collection reminds us that imagination can race faster than any contagion—and that every generation finds its own way to whisper about the dark. Light the candle, turn the page, and listen.
Story
The Mule’s Confession - EnglandNa Goga, Noga! - PolandThe Grey Boy of Hiiumaa - EstoniaPesta and the Ferryman - NorwayThe Hand on the Grave - The Faroe IslandsThe Blue Smoke - SwitzerlandThe Cart of Ankou - FranceRypa of Jostedalen - NorwayThe Sacrificial Child - SwedenThe Stranger at Hervest’s End - GermanyThe Galar Mor - ScotlandThe Dance of Death - The Faroe IslandsAugustin’s Song - AustriaThe Plague Procession - PolandThe Foxford Blacksmith - IrelandThe Grim Wedding at Grimma - GermanyThe Plague Bearer - MoldovaThe Strange Visitor - EnglandThe book includes a complimentary e-book with additional plague stories in the realm of urban legends.
Edwin Corvinstone retells these legends in taut, vivid prose—no footnotes, no lectures, just the chill of hoofbeats at midnight and the ache of villages nailed shut against the unseen. You’ll meet scapegoats and saints, lone survivors and spectral collectors of souls, all moving through landscapes as beautiful as they are perilous.
Perfect for an autumn night or a quick shiver before sleep, this collection reminds us that imagination can race faster than any contagion—and that every generation finds its own way to whisper about the dark. Light the candle, turn the page, and listen.
Story
The Mule’s Confession - EnglandNa Goga, Noga! - PolandThe Grey Boy of Hiiumaa - EstoniaPesta and the Ferryman - NorwayThe Hand on the Grave - The Faroe IslandsThe Blue Smoke - SwitzerlandThe Cart of Ankou - FranceRypa of Jostedalen - NorwayThe Sacrificial Child - SwedenThe Stranger at Hervest’s End - GermanyThe Galar Mor - ScotlandThe Dance of Death - The Faroe IslandsAugustin’s Song - AustriaThe Plague Procession - PolandThe Foxford Blacksmith - IrelandThe Grim Wedding at Grimma - GermanyThe Plague Bearer - MoldovaThe Strange Visitor - EnglandThe book includes a complimentary e-book with additional plague stories in the realm of urban legends.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
101 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 12, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 21, 2025
A Haunting Reflection on Fear and Humanity
"Whispers of the Black Death: Folktales from the Times of Pestilence" is a truly captivating and profoundly unsettling collection. The author masterfully retells eerie folktales born from the terrifying shadow of the Black Death across Europe, transporting you to a time when fear and wonder coexisted under a pall of dread. From Norway's haunting Plague-Wife to the creaking death cart of Brittany, each story is retold in vivid prose that chills you to the bone.
Beyond the wonderfully grim narratives, what truly resonated with me was the author's insightful intention in presenting these tales. The book serves as a powerful reminder of humanity's age-old tendency to personify plagues and attribute blame to certain people or groups in an attempt to "exorcise" unseen evil. It starkly illustrates how religious and folk superstitions, coupled with prejudice, have historically led to immense suffering—from the burning of witches to the AIDS crisis of the 80s, and indeed, any time a "plague" (whether disease, disaster, or even poverty) prompts the targeting of others.
This collection is not just a journey into a dark historical period; it’s a vital lens through which to critically understand our own modern times. It captures the pulse of people's fears and worldviews from across northern Europe during the Plague, offering a grim yet beautiful testament to the human spirit and the crucial lessons we must continually learn from history.
"Whispers of the Black Death: Folktales from the Times of Pestilence" is a truly captivating and profoundly unsettling collection. The author masterfully retells eerie folktales born from the terrifying shadow of the Black Death across Europe, transporting you to a time when fear and wonder coexisted under a pall of dread. From Norway's haunting Plague-Wife to the creaking death cart of Brittany, each story is retold in vivid prose that chills you to the bone.
Beyond the wonderfully grim narratives, what truly resonated with me was the author's insightful intention in presenting these tales. The book serves as a powerful reminder of humanity's age-old tendency to personify plagues and attribute blame to certain people or groups in an attempt to "exorcise" unseen evil. It starkly illustrates how religious and folk superstitions, coupled with prejudice, have historically led to immense suffering—from the burning of witches to the AIDS crisis of the 80s, and indeed, any time a "plague" (whether disease, disaster, or even poverty) prompts the targeting of others.
This collection is not just a journey into a dark historical period; it’s a vital lens through which to critically understand our own modern times. It captures the pulse of people's fears and worldviews from across northern Europe during the Plague, offering a grim yet beautiful testament to the human spirit and the crucial lessons we must continually learn from history.
October 20, 2025
Whispers of the Black Death is a marvellous collection of folktales and legends with a common theme... the bubonic plague. Even having passed through the Covid-19 epidemic, there’s something about the plague that sticks in our collective psyche, haunting us all these centuries later. This collection of stories stirs these fears, encapsulating how the people of the time from across Europe tried to rationalise the unthinkable.
In general, the text is well-written, although it could use a little polish here and there. There are a couple of actual errors, such as the use of the European notation for thousand (e.g. 300.000 rather than 350,000) in Chapter 4, and ‘axle’ being spelled ‘axel’ in Chapter 7. I’m also unsure about the inclusion of ‘The Hand on the Grave’ (Chapter 5), which actually relates to a smallpox outbreak that, although equally devastating in this case, is different from the Black Death (the bubonic plague).
The above small issues in no way detract from the appeal of this book and I look forward to Edwin Corvinstone’s next project. Highly recommended!
In general, the text is well-written, although it could use a little polish here and there. There are a couple of actual errors, such as the use of the European notation for thousand (e.g. 300.000 rather than 350,000) in Chapter 4, and ‘axle’ being spelled ‘axel’ in Chapter 7. I’m also unsure about the inclusion of ‘The Hand on the Grave’ (Chapter 5), which actually relates to a smallpox outbreak that, although equally devastating in this case, is different from the Black Death (the bubonic plague).
The above small issues in no way detract from the appeal of this book and I look forward to Edwin Corvinstone’s next project. Highly recommended!
October 11, 2025
Fascinating and Insightful
A very insightful and well written book of mainly "retellings" of Folk tales written about and/or during the Plague. Superstitions and conspiracy theories it seems, are part and parcel of human nature. The people, during the Plague, believed in anything from innocuous posies to sacrifices and even a Plague Maiden.
Our most recent encounter with a worldwide illness like COVID-19 tells us that humans are just as prone to superstitions and conspiracy theories as those people were.
A very insightful and well written book of mainly "retellings" of Folk tales written about and/or during the Plague. Superstitions and conspiracy theories it seems, are part and parcel of human nature. The people, during the Plague, believed in anything from innocuous posies to sacrifices and even a Plague Maiden.
Our most recent encounter with a worldwide illness like COVID-19 tells us that humans are just as prone to superstitions and conspiracy theories as those people were.
November 29, 2025
An insightful anthology of European tales of death and the plague. Stories come from England, Poland, Estonia, Norway, the Faroe Islands, Switzerland, France, Sweden, Germany, Scotland, Austria, Ireland, and Moldova. Morals range from practicing selflessness (via sacrifice of others and self) to prevent the spread of the plague to maintaining hope despite the looming threat of death. Often the plague is personified and rots all around it with its presence alone.
October 26, 2025
I expected more. Creepy, possibly spooky tales about the Black Plague, but they all kinda read the same and were boring. The first story was the only interesting story because of the animals taking the roles of judge, jury, and executioner, and dealing out 'judgement' on the lowest of the low, believing their (innocent) 'crime' was the fault of the plague. A tale similar to what happened.
January 7, 2026
This is more of a 4.5. I enjoyed the collection of folktales related to plagues, as well as some of the annotations on the author’s research of the folktales and plagues.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews