Manor

A Novella by Karl Heinrich Ulrichs: Translated by Jason Wrench

By: Jason Wrench

Narrated by: Henry George Winter

The novella "Manor" is set on the remote Faroe Islands and tells the tragic and supernatural tale of a deep bond between two young boys, Har and Manor. Har, a 15-year-old boy from Strömö, is saved from drowning by Manor, an orphaned sailor four years his senior. They develop a close friendship, and Manor often visits Har, even swimming across the sound between their islands.

One day, Manor joins a whaling ship but dies in a shipwreck shortly before returning home. Har is devastated by Manor's death. Soon after, Manor's ghost begins visiting Har at night, embracing him with cold arms and sucking blood from his heart. Har, although tormented by these visits, finds solace in Manor's presence.

Har's mother, Lära, seeks help from a wise woman who reveals that Har is being visited by the dead. The villagers attempt to prevent Manor's spirit from returning by staking his body in the grave, but Manor's ghost continues to visit Har, who wastes away from the nightly encounters. Har eventually succumbs to his longing and dies, requesting to be buried with Manor and to have the stake removed from his friend's body.

The novella explores themes of love, loss, and the supernatural, depicting the intense and tragic connection between Har and Manor.

©2024 Jason Wrench (P)2024 Jason Wrench