
A curious narrator, half‑doctor and half‑detective, finds himself dragged into a tangled web of village legends, eccentric scholars, and an old Irish housekeeper who insists the air itself hums with ancient spirits. The opening swirls between scientific rationales and whimsical folklore, setting a tone that feels both scholarly and mischievously playful. As the train rolls toward Swindon, the story hints at a deeper mystery waiting to be unearthed beneath the countryside stones.
The heart of the tale follows Malvina, a sprightly fairy attendant to the White Ladies of Brittany, who once served under the legendary Queen Harbundia. Though famed for kindness, Malvina’s impish streak leads her to prank mortals—refusing midnight dances by a mountain lake and stirring up harmless trouble that blurs the line between beneficence and mischief. Listeners will be drawn into a world where ancient Celtic myth collides with witty commentary, inviting them to wonder how much of the past truly lingers in the present.
Language
en
Duration
~5 hours (298K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Les Bowler. HTML version by Al Haines.
Release date
2000-01-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1859–1927
Best known for the sparkling comic classic Three Men in a Boat, this English humorist turned everyday mishaps into some of the most enduringly funny writing of the late Victorian era. His work mixes sharp observation with an easy warmth that still feels fresh.
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