In 1820, Baron Freidrich Heinrich Karl de la Motte Fouque (1777-1843) published The Field of Terror. The horror story was first translated into English by Robert Pearse Gillies (1788-1858), Fouque's friend, in 1821 and later collected in the three volume anthology of German short stories titled: The Magic Ring, or The Castle of Montfaucon. The first English translation appeared in Vol VII of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine; the interesting and bold publication that gave us so many fine short stories of horror when the genre was in its infancy. The following letter by Gillies introduced the tale:
DEAR CHRISTOTHER,
I Have, for the sake of variety, chosen, instead of another dramatic criticism, to present your readers, in this Number, with one of the "Kleine Romane" of my excellent friend, the Baron de La Motte Fouque. Nor have I selected one of his longer and more serious compositions under this title, but preferred one of the numerous (I might say numberless) fairy tales, which he has thrown off with the playful grace of a genuine master. To shadow out the various modifications and contentions of good and evil in this life, typified and impersonized by-fairies, demons, &c. is a favourite system of the Baron. Hence his partiality to the superstitions of his country—to which, by his inventive genius, and his moral and philosophic powers, he has given an interest and importance altogether new. That your readers may duly appreciate this little Tale, it may be permitted us to remind them, that among the mountains, in the north of Germany, there is one which has been said to possess, among other minerals, the magnet, in such abundance, that the labours of the husbandman were there found to be impracticable. As one fable naturally begets another, it followed, of course, that this difficulty was ascribed to the immediate agency of malignant demons. It remained however, for the genius of Fouque, to moralize this legend; and probably, one ought not to rate the intelligence of any reader so low as to suppose that the moral of the following tale will not immediately be discovered. It may be considered, indeed, but a new modification of our own old chivalric legend of a knight, assailed by all the delusive horrors of witchcraft and sorcery, which vanish, one after another, before his invincible courage and constancy. (A legend, by the way, which has been so well given in the "Bridal of Triermain," and in vol. III. of Drake's "Literary Hours.") It will doubtless be perceived, that the adventures of Conrad are, in reality, no more than those of many a poor Farmer—who, with courage and perseverance, struggles against the difficulties of his fortune—and, at last, even from sterile fields, on which he is haunted by the demons of apprehension, indolence, and despondency, may, by contented industry, gain a competent livelihood, a comparative affluence. Your friend, R. P. G.
This is a fine German fantasy tale and it introduces the first (and only) hobgoblin in this countdown of the Top 40 short horror stories from 1800-1849. Conrad, the protagonist farmer, not only makes a deal with the hobgoblin, but he brings the evil character into his house. The troubles of this farmer are a metaphor for so many areas of all people's lives regardless of their profession. It is as profound now as it was nearly 200 years ago. If "The Field of Terror" were not based loosely off German legend, this story would have appeared higher on the list. The tarnishment of not being completely original prevents it from doing so.
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