
JURGEN
JAMES BRANCH CABELL
TO - BURTON RASCOE
—PHILIP BORSDALE.
—E. NOEL CODMAN.
—JOHN FREDERICK LEWISTAM.
A FOREWORD: WHICH ASSERTS NOTHING - I WHY JURGEN DID THE MANLY THING - II ASSUMPTION OF A NOTED GARMENT - III THE GARDEN BETWEEN DAWN AND SUNRISE - IV THE DOROTHY WHO DID NOT UNDERSTAND - V REQUIREMENTS OF BREAD AND BUTTER - VI SHOWING THAT SEREDA IS FEMININE - VII OF COMPROMISES ON A WEDNESDAY - VIII OLD TOYS AND A NEW SHADOW - IX THE ORTHODOX RESCUE OF GUENEVERE - X PITIFUL DISGUISES OF THRAGNAR - XI APPEARANCE OF THE DUKE OF LOGREUS - XII EXCURSUS OF YOLANDE'S UNDOING - XIII PHILOSOPHY OF GOGYRVAN GAWR - XIV PRELIMINARY TACTICS OF DUKE JURGEN - XV OF COMPROMISES IN GLATHION - XVI DIVERS IMBROGLIOS OF KING SMOIT - XVII ABOUT A COCK THAT CROWED TOO SOON - XVIII WHY MERLIN TALKED IN TWILIGHT - XIX THE BROWN MAN WITH QUEER FEET - XX EFFICACY OF PRAYER - XXI HOW ANAÏTIS VOYAGED - XXII AS TO A VEIL THEY BROKE - XXIII SHORTCOMINGS OF PRINCE JURGEN - XXIV OF COMPROMISES IN COCAIGNE - XXV CANTRAPS OF THE MASTER PHILOLOGIST - XXVI IN TIME'S HOUR-GLASS - XXVII VEXATIOUS ESTATE OF QUEEN HELEN - XXVIII OF COMPROMISES IN LEUKÊ - XXIX CONCERNING HORVENDILE'S NONSENSE - XXX ECONOMICS OF KING JURGEN - XXXI THE FALL OF PSEUDOPOLIS - XXXII SUNDRY DEVICES OF THE PHILISTINES - XXXIII FAREWELL TO CHLORIS - XXXIV HOW EMPEROR JURGEN FARED INFERNALLY - XXXV WHAT GRANDFATHER SATAN REPORTED - XXXVI WHY COTH WAS CONTRADICTED - XXXVII INVENTION OF THE LOVELY VAMPIRE - XXXVIII AS TO APPLAUDED PRECEDENTS - XXXIX OF COMPROMISES IN HELL - XL THE ASCENSION OF POPE JURGEN - XLI OF COMPROMISES IN HEAVEN - XLII TWELVE THAT ARE FRETTED HOURLY - XLIII POSTURES BEFORE A SHADOW - XLIV IN THE MANAGER'S OFFICE - XLV THE FAITH OF GUENEVERE - XLVI THE DESIRE OF ANAÏTIS - XLVII THE VISION OF HELEN - XLVIII CANDID OPINIONS OF DAME LISA - XLIX OF THE COMPROMISE WITH KOSHCHEI - L THE MOMENT THAT DID NOT COUNT - A FOREWORD
A mischievous wanderer named Jurgen steps out of a medieval tapestry and into a world that feels both ancient and absurdly modern. The narrative opens with a playful chorus of riddles and mock‑epic verses, immediately setting a tone that mixes high satire with a breezy, conversational wit. Cabell’s language is richly layered, peppered with faux‑scholarly footnotes and flamboyant allusions that invite listeners to savor each turn of phrase.
From the very beginning, Jurgen embarks on a series of curious escapades—one moment courting a enigmatic sorceress, the next bargaining with a duke over the price of a shadow. His journey is less about a destination than about the quirky philosophies and paradoxes he encounters, turning ordinary encounters into witty examinations of love, destiny, and the nature of justice. The novel’s comic spirit and lyrical imagination make it a delightfully entertaining ride for anyone who enjoys a story that bends myth and humor together.
Language
en
Duration
~9 hours (530K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2005-08-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1879–1958
Best known for the witty and once-controversial novel Jurgen, this Richmond-born writer built a strange, elegant body of fantasy that mixed satire, romance, and myth. His books were admired by major literary figures of his day and helped give early American fantasy a distinctly playful voice.
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by James Branch Cabell

by James Branch Cabell

by James Branch Cabell

by James Branch Cabell

by James Branch Cabell

by James Branch Cabell

by James Branch Cabell

by James Branch Cabell