Pan Horror # 8 - 'king Hatbox Head

[dem]

Herbert Van Thal (ed.) - The Eighth Pan Book Of Horror Stories (Pan, 1967)

Raymond Williams - The Assassin
John D. Keefauver - The Most Precious
W. Baker-Evans - The Children
Ray Bradbury - The Illustrated Man
A.G. J Rough - Playtime
Maurice Sandoz - The Tsantsa
Dorothy K. Haynes - The Bean-Nighe
Raymond Harvey - The Tunnel
Bruce Lowery - The Growth
Frank Quinton - Lover’s Leap
Basil Copper - The Janissaries of Emilion
Raymond Williams - The Coffin Makers
Gerald Kersh - Sad Road To The Sea
Dulcie Gray - The Brindle Bull Terrier
AGJ Rough - Sugar and Spice
Rene Morris - The Computer
Martin Waddell - Suddenly – After a Good Supper
Walter Winward - The Benefactor
Charles Braunstone - Suitable Applicant
Priscilla Marron - My Dear How Dead You Look and Yet How Sweetly You Sing

I've had no luck with number * at all. First I insisted on calling it 'bucket head' when, as paisley correctly points out, it's a bleedin' hatbox, then I blithely added notes to several stories which .... appeared in #11. So let's try again.

A nice unpleasant one to help everybody get through the summer of love. I'd forgotten how effective The Children and Play Time were until, prompted by FM, I gave them the once over. Rough was on form in this one - if anything, Sugar And Spice - all two pages of it - is even more horrible. Lovers Leap has something of the EC comic about it and would probably have suited an Amicus adaptation. Not sure about Pricilla Marron, though. I found her brief effort as clever-clever as its title suggests and plain annoying.

Raymond Williams - The Assassin : Set in 1079 which is surely a first for a Pan horror story. Rufus Flaubard has been approached by William de Burgh and his sister Matilda to rid her of husband Sir Hubert Marshal of the horrible table manners. His prize: Matilda plus Hubert's castle so he certainly has an incentive. Unfortunately he's betrayed by a creaking door, overpowered and dragged down to the torture chamber. Hubert wishes to know who's behalf he's acting upon and a poker and brazier full of red hot coals suggests it's only a matter of time before Rufus tells him. Can Matilda murder her sadistic other half before her lover blabs?

I can't believe I'd forgotten all about The Assassin as it really is a terrific opener.

Gerald Kersh - Sad Road to the Sea: Thatcher the tailor is owed money by several of his customers but that's of no consequence to odious landlord Mr. Burke. He wants the rent paid up in full today otherwise Thatcher is out on the street. In a moment of panic Thatcher batters the horrible bastard and makes a break for it down to Southend. All he wants is to swim in the sea before the corpse is discovered and the police come hunting for him.

More of a crime and pursuit story than outright horror, but Thatcher's nightmare is one of number #8's highlight's and would have made the story worthy of inclusion in Ron Holmes Macabre Railway Stories alongside Raymond Harvey's The Tunnel.

W. Baker-Evans - The Children: Mr. Gillespie's taxi breaks down in the middle of nowhere en route to Zagreb. Ignoring his driver's warning, he wanders off into the wood and chances upon four feral children playing with the remains of a small animal. A nasty and very effective four pages.

Dulce Gray - The Brindle Bull-Terrier: Janet and her stepbrother Nigel are dumped on their tutor, Miss Dycie, for the Easter holiday. Janet despises the pair of them and, when she ruins Miss Dycie's prized leather-bound volumes in the bath, the furious teacher beats her savagely. Janet threatens to run off and show her bruises to the Police and, realising she's done for, Miss Dycie lets her neurotic guard-dog Sheba loose on the girl ...

As with most Dulce Gray stories, this one is well written but it seems short a killer sentence or two. There's one thing leaving it to the imagination, but this would have benefited from a gratuitous description of the dogs dinner, so to speak.

No such worries with Walter Winward - The Benefactor. Nice fat uncle Ben Russel is a regular Saint to the St. Mary's Children's Home and today he's taking little Janet on an outing to London as a special treat. Then he's taking her back to his flat. Where he has a pretty flimsy negligee ready for her. Child-molestation, Satanism, necrophilia - this is more like the Pan Horror series I know.

Rene Morris - The Computer: An OK idea - in the future, trials are obsolete; 'Eminent Citizens' are notified by computer which criminal they are to eliminate - and even if Rene Morris doesn't make much of the story she at least has the satisfaction of accurately prophesying Windows ME home edition.

Martin Waddell - Suddenly – After a Good Supper: A neat little study of the pleasures of premature burial and the lengths a man will go to to survive in a sealed vault when there's a recently dead gran handy.

A. G. J. Rough - Sugar And Spice: Many of the later short-shorts read like the space fillers they probably are but this is great. Warning to parents: if your little Jimmy displays sadistic tendencies don't buy him a Junior Handyman Set for Christmas. And don't let him play unsupervised with his nice little sister Louise.

To be continued .....

[dem]

Charles Braunstone - Suitable Applicant: Monica and Helen are sunning themselves on the beach, searching the 'Help Wanted' columns for a summer job. Monica thinks she's struck it jammy when she lands the well paid (£20 a week!) position of live-in companion to retired surgeon Sir Henry Ward at Borewood Manor. All she has to do is feign interest in his anecdotes about great amputations past and act as his occasional tennis and cards partner.
Helen is shocked to see the job advertised once again the following week. Why would Monica quit such a cushy number and how comes she's not been in touch? She decides the best way to find out is to fill the vacancy herself.

Very much in the tradition of 'Flavia Richardson's Behind The Yellow Door with a dash of Alex Whites and a supersick ending. Needless to say, a big hit with this reader.

Raymond Harvey - The Tunnel: Night signalman George Wiggs arrives home unexpectedly to discover wife Veronica in bed with his friend Steve. He sneaks out unseen and returns to the box to plot his fiendish revenge. Two cups of drugged tea later and the lovers are bound hand and foot to the tracks. Dead grisly!

Frank Quinton - Lover’s Leap: Stage actor Bernard is on tenterhooks when the revue reaches Melbourne. He's not been back for twelve years, ever since he ran off with brother Paul's wife.
Paul has made good - he's now the local Mayor - and, happily for the embarrassed Bernard, is prepared to let bygones be bygones. He even invites him over for a midnight dip in his private pool ...

Priscilla Marron - My Dear How Dead You Look and Yet How Sweetly You Sing: Wilbraham fillets his wife and buries the pieces beneath the floorboards. She's not done yet, though and communicates a warning that his time is soon come - in verse. As contrived as the title suggests but by no means the worst filler Van Thal ever used to pad out a Pan Horror.

Raymond Williams - The Coffin-Makers: Set in 1839 just as the groovy body-snatching profession was finally dying out. Samuel Peel and the broody, hulking Thomas Carter are the craftsmen of the title, the one more dedicated than the other. Thomas is mourning the death of family friend Dr. Edmunds while sleazy Samuel is planning to dig up the deceased and relieve him of his jewellery. When Thomas finds out about his colleague's grave-robbing antics he dishes out a decidedly macabre punishment.

Ray Bradbury - The Illustrated Man: When he becomes too fat and obese to continue as the carnival's tent-man, William Philippus Phelps visits the witch lady who tattoo-es him all over, instructing him not to remove the bandages from his chest and back for the time being as they'll not be ready for a week and a fortnight respectively. The "Great Unveiling" of the first tattoo is a money-spinner but it almost causes a riot as it depicts William throttling his insufferable wife, Lisabeth. She gives him an ultimatum: either it goes or she does - but the grotesque illustration can't be removed. And what has the witch engraved on his back?

Great fun with an unforgettable climax as Phelps is pursued by tent peg-wielding carney freaks.

A. G. J Rough - Playtime: Six year old David Tate loves playing games but his parents refuse to participate. Oh happy day when his mum stoves her head in while cleaning the windows! What fun David can have now she's finally decided to join in!

*****

Franklin Marsh

The Assassin - Raymond Williams: damn' good opener - Medieval skullduggery and torture - the first of the red hot pokers.

The Most Precious - John D Keefauver: I've grizzled before and I'll grizzle again. It's a pretty good story,atmospheric, well told, but the joke end line makes me tear my hair out. I didn't get it the first time and now I do it makes me mad that the whole story builds up to this - I see Mr Keefauver has made further entries in the series - I hope he improves

The Children - W Baker-Evans: Great! Ordinary beginning chilling ending. Gets in,does the business, gets out after four pages. Superb.

The Illustrated Man - Ray Bradbury: Should this have been included? Yes. It's a good little story with enough horror to pass.

Playtime - A G J Rough: This is horror in my opinion. This little four pager has had a disturbing effect on me. The Bulger case? I'm not sure. But it is the essence of horror

The Tsantsa - Maurice Sandoz: This one was a struggle. Written in a rather florid style, I was fearing another Most Precious - a lot of waffle leading up to a rubbish joke finale. But there's a lot more to it than that. Beginning with a disgusting description of how to shrink a human head, it then goes into a man in asylum telling his story tale. The horror of a one-sided relationship, the hideous thrill of being involved in dangerously illicit activities, it tries to cover a whole range of emotion. There's even some uncomfortable comedy. A neat ending. I'm not quite sure, but I think it's worth the effort.

The 'Bean-Nighe' - Dorothy K Haynes: Anyone know if this is actually based on a legend? I'll have to refer it to our Caledonian BHF friend Moodie - he appears to have been the dialogue coach on this one - 'Wheesht, can't ye?' A very good story - ghostly rather than gory and all the better for it.

The Tunnel - Raymond Harvey: This is the stuff! Could I describe this as the most 'Marshesque' story so far? Marital Infidelity,Jazz Mags, Nudity,Sex , a welter of gore and some rats - all done in the best possible taste!

The Growth - Bruce Lowery: American and set in the future. But an interestingly creepy story with some stomach-churning moments.
That's it so far!

[noose]

Have discovered that Raymond Williams was also Raymond Harvey AND Charles Braunstone...

[dem]

believe it or not, that makes sense to me as all "their" stories are so no-nonsense nasty. The Assassin, Suitable Applicant and the plain ugly Father Forgive Me are my favourites, but The Coffin Makers, Smile Please, The Tunnel .... he really didn't put a foot wrong, did he?

[dem]

Ah, so i'm not the only man with the x-ray eyes around here! In David Sutton's introduction to Back From The Dead he reminds us of Stephen Gallagher's quote regarding the Pans from the Jones & Paget edited Dark Voices "It was reassuring to know that someone out there cared enough to give us a book with a severed head in a bucket on the cover." Anyhow, as i'm on Back From The Dead just now, thought it might be an idea to reacquaint myself with some choice selections from one of the originals: Bucket/ Hatbox head suggested itself as i never did finish my notes.

Martin Waddell - Suddenly - After a Good Supper: Aferhill Cemetery. After four days Denis snaps out of his catatonic trance and so begins his desperate struggle to escape, first his (fortunately, cheapskate) coffin, then the sealed vault, before suffocation, thirst, starvation or all three do for him. His only hope - that he can locate a steel bell-pull in the pitch dark to alert someone of his plight. The longer he's trapped, the more his hunger pangs torment him, but what's there to eat in a family vault?

Dorothy K. Haynes - The Bean-Nighe: Mary passes a mean faced woman washing a sheet in the river. At first, Mary takes the old biddy for her ma, and just avoids being struck by the wet cloth when she lashes out at her. Mary rushes home to tell mother of the incident and mother is horrified: Mary has crossed the path of the Beane-Nighe, she who washes the shrouds of those soon to die. The smart money is on her brother Ian, deathly pale and coughing up blood, but three days later and he seems to be picking up. When the waiting becomes unbearable, mother persuades Mary to seek out the washerwoman and ask which of them is to die? She'll be perfectly safe, just so long as the Beane-Nighe doesn't hear her creeping up from behind. Haynes, as ever, writes with a powerful conviction and this is yet another sad and horrific gem to sit alongside Thou Shalt Not Suffer A Witch, The Head, Up, Like A Good Girl and similar commendably cheerless tales.

Maurice Sandoz - The Tsantsa: One of the longer stories, and i've only got through five pages, but i like what i've read so far. Sandoz begins by documenting the Jivaros indian tribes recipe for the perfect shrunken head. Particularly like that Sandoz is concerned that "this may discourage my readers, especially those of the fair sex."

[Johnlprobert]

Nov 28, 2010 9:38:54 GMT dem said:

Dorothy K. Haynes - The Bean-Nighe: Mary passes a mean faced woman washing a sheet in the river. At first, Mary takes the old biddy for her ma, and just avoids being struck by the wet cloth when she lashes out at her. Mary rushes home to tell mother of the incident and mother is horrified: Mary has crossed the path of the Beane-Nighe, she who washes the shrouds of those soon to die. The smart money is on her brother Ian, deathly pale and coughing up blood, but three days later and he seems to be picking up. When the waiting becomes unbearable, mother persuades Mary to seek out the washerwoman and ask which of them is to die? She'll be perfectly safe, just so long as the Beane-Nighe doesn't hear her creeping up from behind. Haynes, as ever, writes with a powerful conviction and this is yet another sad and horrific gem to sit alongside Thou Shalt Not Suffer A Witch, The Head, Up, Like A Good Girl and similar commendably cheerless tales.

I'm a big fan of Dorothy's stuff & we have her collection 'Thou Shalt Not Suffer A Witch & Other Stories' here at Probert Towers. First published in 1949 we've got the 1996 paperback with 36 stories with 9 illustrations by Mervyn Peake - lovely!

[cw67q]

Dount* me in as another DKH fan. I've only read a few scattered stories in anthologies, but they have all been excellent.
- chris

*or even Count me in, if you prefer (edit)

[Dr Strange]

On DKH -

I read a book (i.e. novel) when I was a kid that I am almost 100% certain was by her, but I've never been able to track down again. It was definitely a "children's book" (though possibly it would be called "young adult" today) but had some fairly grown-up stuff going on in it too.

The central character is a young girl from a poor Scottish family, and the setting is urban and fairly modern (but hard to say when exactly - maybe just after WW2, but possibly before). The girl has what would be called "second sight", and in particular sees (and is sometimes taken by) the "Wild Hunt". I don't remember much more, except it was all pretty bleak. There was some sub-plot involving the local orphanage I think (possibly the girl goes to work there?), and something about the local minister, and I think the girl's father may be an alcoholic... I don't think it had a happy ending. All the sort of things that you see in her short stories, yet I can't find anything listed that seems to relate to that book.

I had it in hardback, with a dust jacket that had an illustration of the little girl being swept up by the Hunt (I think). Anyone know what it was?

[dem]

Dec 24, 2007 8:07:56 GMT dem said:

Franklin Marsh wrote:

The Tsantsa - Maurice Sandoz: This one was a struggle. Written in a rather florid style, I was fearing another Most Precious - a lot of waffle leading up to a rubbish joke finale. But there's a lot more to it than that. Beginning with a disgusting description of how to shrink a human head, it then goes into a man in asylum telling his story tale. The horror of a one-sided relationship, the hideous thrill of being involved in dangerously illicit activities, it tries to cover a whole range of emotion. There's even some uncomfortable comedy. A neat ending. I'm not quite sure, but I think it's worth the effort.

Maurice Sandoz - The Tsanta: FM is spot on, it's a slow burner and no mistake, but i enjoyed it. Sandoz (presumably) visits his friend Dr. Marchand at a Marseilles asylum and requests an interview with a very insane patient of the doctor's choice. Marchand decides that 'Jose F.' is the ideal candidate. Jose proves to be a genial, intelligent fellow, but there are two alarming peculiarities about him. One, the weird shape of his head and two, his explanation of how it got that way. It's a long story but the gist of it is:

Don Jose's masochistic tendencies mean he can only ever find contentment with a domineering woman, so it seems as if all his Christmas's have come at once when he meets the divine Alice. However, Alice's passion is not for other people but the unique and morbid gifts she can persuade them to lavish upon her, and she sets Jose a bastard of a challenge. One taste of the ecstasy that awaits him if he'll only do her this trifling favour and Alice calls a sex strike until he provides her with her heart's desire: a shrunken head. Not just any shrunken head, but "I want a Tsanta prepared from the head of a white man ... and he must be fair headed." Jose realises that the only way he can grant her wish is to have one made to order which involves recruiting a specialist dealer, Senor Roche of Trinidad, and his less than scrupulous supplier, Sanchez. Sanchez comes up with the goods, but too late for Alice, who falls victim to a deadly yellow fever epidemic. $200, 000 the lighter, the bereaved Jose donates the hideous relic to a museum. Meanwhile, the shape of his head undergoes some very strange modifications ...

Bruce Lowery - The Growth: Chicago, 2021. Shortly before her sixtieth birthday, mother, a hypochondriac, complains of a tiny, peas-sized lump below her ribs. Her 27 year old son, well used to mum's imaginary ailments, tells her to forget about it as it's sure to go away as swiftly as it arrived. It doesn't. Two weeks later she's admitted the hospital, the pea has swollen to the size of a melon and shows no inclination to stop there. The medical experts are astonished - and quietly pleased - that here is a tumour like no other! Of course, they've no intention of removing it: that would betray their duty to science. Far better to let it go about its business and see what happens ...

[Craig Herbertson]

Nov 29, 2010 11:58:30 GMT Dr Strange said:

On DKH -

I read a book (i.e. novel) when I was a kid that I am almost 100% certain was by her, but I've never been able to track down again. It was definitely a "children's book" (though possibly it would be called "young adult" today) but had some fairly grown-up stuff going on in it too.

The central character is a young girl from a poor Scottish family, and the setting is urban and fairly modern (but hard to say when exactly - maybe just after WW2, but possibly before). The girl has what would be called "second sight", and in particular sees (and is sometimes taken by) the "Wild Hunt". I don't remember much more, except it was all pretty bleak. There was some sub-plot involving the local orphanage I think (possibly the girl goes to work there?), and something about the local minister, and I think the girl's father may be an alcoholic... I don't think it had a happy ending. All the sort of things that you see in her short stories, yet I can't find anything listed that seems to relate to that book.

I had it in hardback, with a dust jacket that had an illustration of the little girl being swept up by the Hunt (I think). Anyone know what it was?

I'm not sure but that has some of the trappings of George Macdonald if it was set in the late 1900's. Sometimes Macdonald could be deceptively modern. I think I might have read it too as it seems awfully familiar.

[Dr Strange]

Nov 30, 2010 6:59:38 GMT Craig Herbertson said:

I'm not sure but that has some of the trappings of George Macdonald if it was set in the late 1900's. Sometimes Macdonald could be deceptively modern. I think I might have read it too as it seems awfully familiar.

No, I am pretty sure it isn't George Macdonald - I think it's definitely set later than that. There's also (I think) quite a strong anti-religious subtext, which really wouldn't fit with Macdonald. It was a strange mix of realism and fantasy - often it seemed like the fantasy element (The Wild Hunt, The Good People) was just an escapist fantasy for the girl, who had a pretty shitty life and little hope of things getting any better. Possibly it would count as a sort of "magical realism", though I am never sure I really understand that term correctly. It wouldn't surprise me much if it turned out not to be DKH, yet I still have this nagging feeling that it was...

[erebus]

If we were to compose a Pan top 30 in order of how good they are ( maybe a good thread idea). This under appreciated volume would feature fairly highly on my list. I've been reading through the books in order and have had a good time with it.
The story that always stood out from being a lad was Sugar and Spice. This and its companions of crazed kids, Children and Playtime also never left me. The other story I recalled from youth was The Assassin, the grisly ending thrilled me. Sick little sod I was back then.
But perhaps the tale that I really enjoyed here, and I'm surprised it rarely gets a mention in Pan Posts and discussions was The Bean Nighe. The thought of some creepy old hag washing death shrouds in a river and bringing upon death is very eerie, this is perhaps the creepiest tale in the book. Its no Whispering Horror by a long stretch, but its certainly in my most spookiest of Pan stories.
The Tunnel and Suddenly After A Good Supper are typical Pan gems which are to be cherished. And Bradburys Illustrated Man of course is a classic, love the closing lines.
Another notable feature occurred to me reading Suitable Applicant. Its rather like...but of course not as horrific... a distant cousin to Kowolongo Plaything. Although a more subtle variation. The torso of the young lady is tucked up in bed and made ready by the Butler for the main character Sir Henry.
Number 8 for me has everything a Pan should have. Classics, Rampant unnecessary violence, eerie spooky stories and the obligatory revenge tale. Let down by perhaps Most Precious this volume has now shot up the hit parade. Although 9 is next and I always nailed that down as my favorite one a few years back.

[dem]

Jan 25, 2014 19:11:45 GMT erebus said:

If we were to compose a Pan top 30 in order of how good they are ( maybe a good thread idea).

Or you might like to try a poll? I think it would be a bit like our attempt to decide on a favourite Pan cover - guaranteed to drive everyone insane.

Again for what little its worth, volume eight is very high up in my estimation, too, though I think 9 just about tops it. 1-3, while owing less to Van Thal than Christine Campbell Thomson and Charles Birkin, are my overall favourites, even 14 is a mid-series highlight, but even the relative duffers have at least a story or two to recommend them.

[cropseymaniac]

Jan 25, 2014 19:56:26 GMT dem said:

Jan 25, 2014 19:11:45 GMT erebus said:

If we were to compose a Pan top 30 in order of how good they are ( maybe a good thread idea).

Or you might like to try a poll? I think it would be a bit our attempt to decide on a favourite Pan cover - guaranteed to drive everyone insane.

That would be great. I'd love to see which Pan books got the most votes. I'd also love to know which story in each book was considered the standout. I bought Pan#2 just for Guy Preston's The Inn, Pan#3 for Dunsany's Two Bottles of Relish and Pan#14 for Gilbert Phelps' The Hook.

I received Dorothy K. Haynes' collection (Thou Shalt Not Suffer a Witch) a few days ago, but when I read the Bean Nighe, I was a little disappointed. It builds a mood that is effective and foreboding, the Irish dialogue is surprisingly authentic, but it ends on a rather understated cliffhanger. I felt it could have done with a stronger ending, rather than just retelling the legend. For anyone who is interested, it's a real legend. The Bean Nighe is basically the Bean Sidhe (Banshee) in a different guise. If you see her, it is a grim portent that you or someone in your family is going to die. Centuries ago, soldiers would see her washing bloody clothes by the river as they marched into battle. Sometimes they would even see severed limbs floating in the water...

[cauldronbrewer]

Jan 25, 2014 21:02:07 GMT cropseymaniac said:

I received Dorothy K. Haynes' collection (Thou Shalt Not Suffer a Witch) a few days ago, but when I read the Bean Nighe, I was a little disappointed. It builds a mood that is effective and foreboding, the Irish dialogue is surprisingly authentic, but it ends on a rather understated cliffhanger. I felt it could have done with a stronger ending, rather than just retelling the legend. For anyone who is interested, it's a real legend. The Bean Nighe is basically the Bean Sidhe (Banshee) in a different guise. If you see her, it is a grim portent that you or someone in your family is going to die. Centuries ago, soldiers would see her washing bloody clothes by the river as they marched into battle. Sometimes they would even see severed limbs floating in the water...

I'll be curious to hear what you think of the rest of the collection. I liked "The Bean-Nighe" quite a bit, but for me the book's high point is undoubtedly "Up, Like a Good Girl."

There's a Haynes thread, in case you're curious.