In Cornwall the tradition of storytelling goes back a long way… Years ago “drolling”, telling stories around the fire on the long nights, was a natural part of life there, and to thisday out-of-the-way country pubs still hold “storytelling nights”. This book is a collection of such stories, all but one set in Cornwall. Some of them, of course, involve the sea and all that flows from it. Others have a background in the mining days of two hundred years ago, but Cornwall is far more than its history. ‘The Short Order Chef’ is a story about the very modern dilemma of working in a county where most employers shut down for half the year, and one man’s very innovative solution to this situation. ‘The Kronek’ is a story about the conflict between the incomer community and the established locals. ‘Moonlight on the Water’ is a tale of ancient belief meeting modern life, and ‘The Man Engine’ is about the miner’s legend about the little people. And of course, there is the tradition of piracy and smuggling. ‘Captain Avery’s Emerald’ is a sideways look at time and history that refuses to lie down and die peacefully. All the stories stand alone, and they all have a very dark heart. If you like your stories with a dark twist, this one is for you.
