A Witch is hardly Howard’s best, but it is a special Conan tale in the sense that it is at the same time a rather forgettable Conan story yet contains the most famous, or rather the most memorable scene of the entire series. Reading the story, one gets the impression that Howard was simply borrowing from that year’s production to craft the tale. The monster at the end of the story seems to be a cousin to that in the last chapter of Almuric. Taramis and Salome remind us that Howard was fascinated with brothers and sisters (with another occurrence of painful separation at birth) and also remind us of Howard’s interest in duality. Paranoia, a theme in Howard’s work as early as the Kull story The Shadow Kingdom (1926–27), runs rampant through this tale, and Howard repeats that people aren’t always what they seem to be. It is a frequent occurrence in Howard that evil lurks behind seemingly innocent features. In A Witch Shall Be Born, only Conan – and Howard? – seems to have all the facts. All other characters are as blind as Olgerd Vladislav to what has been taking place under their very eyes.
Conan, in A Witch Shall Be Born, is becoming a superhuman character. Howard was growing extremely confident with his creation as testifies the structure of the tale. We are here miles away from pulp formula: Conan – the protagonist – gives life to the entire story by being present in only two chapters. It is tempting to draw a parallel between Conan and what Howard thought he was achieving with the Conan series: The Texan knew he had a winner and that he could get away with almost everything, even not having the lead character in the story except in the central chapters. Conan dominates the whole story and this is made plain in the crucifixion scene. How can anybody kill a character – literarily or literally – who can survive such a scene as that one? For to write a crucifixion scene will automatically invite a Christic comparison. Conan probably became “immortal” with this scene and one wonders to what extent Howard wished it to be so. The story – average as it is – exudes Howard’s confidence in his creation. It was accepted with relish by Farnsworth Wright, published on the heels of four consecutive issues of Weird Tales starring the Cimmerian, and once again won the cover. Howard had every reason to be confident.
At the beginning of 1933, Howard only had one regular market. In mid-1934, he was appearing in almost every issue of Weird Tales, had succeeded in making Action Stories a regular market, with a Howard story in each issue, thought he had another regular market in Jack Dempsey’s Fight Magazine, was having stories published in several new and different magazines thanks to his agent Otis Adelbert Kline; furthermore, he thought he had just sold a novel to the British market.
It was an idyllic situation.
It wasn’t to last long.
NOTES ON THE CONAN TYPESCRIPTS AND THE CHRONOLOGY
By Patrice Louinet
LIST OF THE EXTANT CONAN TYPESCRIPTS (January–June 1934)
The final drafts of the stories published in Weird Tales were probably destroyed after the story was typeset, and thus are no longer extant. The surviving typescript for A Witch Shall Be Born is the exception rather than the rule, unfortunately.
Regarding the terminology used: a draft is “incomplete” when we are missing at least one page; it is “unfinished” when Howard didn't finish the draft. Sometimes Howard would write a draft and rewrite only a portion of it; such drafts are subdivided with numerals (i.e., draft b2 recycles pages from draft b1).
We are particularly indebted to Glenn Lord for furnishing copies of the typescripts mentioned below, and to Terence McVicker for the copy of the typescript of A Witch Shall Be Born.
The People of the Black Circle
– synopsis, untitled, 2 pgs.
– draft a, untitled, 80 pgs.
– draft b1, incomplete and unfinished (pgs. 10-92; 94-98 + 47a of 98; numbered 10-28, 30, 30-98 in error; missing pg. 93; pg. 47a discarded in favor of 47b; pgs. 1-9 lost, pgs. 10-90 survive as carbon (and were reused in draft b2); pg. 91 survives as original and carbon; pg. 47a and pgs. 92 and 94-98 as originals)
– draft b2 (final Weird Tales version) was comprised of draft b1 pgs. 1-10 [lost], draft b1 pgs. 11-91 [survive as carbon], plus draft b2 pg. 92 [lost] and pgs. 93-98 [survive as carbon]
In addition to his drafts, Howard wrote the paragraphs which appeared before the second and third installment of the serialization in Weird Tales, summing up the events of the previous chapters. A total of ten pages survive, six as originals and four as carbons, the latter identical to the text appearing in Weird Tales.
Untitled story
– synopsis, untitled, 3 pgs.
– draft, untitled and unfinished, 29 pgs.
The Hour of the Dragon
– synopsis, untitled, 2 pgs.
– notes, 4 pgs.
– draft a, untitled, incomplete and unfinished (pgs. 1-7, 21-29, 31-119 of 119)
– draft b1, untitled, diminishing to part-story, part-synopsis 160 pgs. (numbered 1-70, 72-116, 118-162 in error)
– draft b2, incomplete and unfinished, diminishing to a synopsis, (re-uses draft b1 pgs. 1-150 plus part of pg. 151; pgs. 151-163, 165-169 of 169; numbered 151, 153, 153-163, 165-169 in error; missing pg. 164)
– draft c, untitled, unfinished and incomplete, (pgs. 1, 3-196 of 196; missing pg. 2; numbered 1-65, 67-196 in error)
– draft d1, incomplete (pgs. 210-229 of 229 pgs.; numbered 210-227, 229, 229 in error; pgs. 1-209 were reused for drafts d2 and d3 then later lost; pgs. 210-216 were also reused for draft d2 and were discarded)
– draft d2 (re-uses draft d1 pgs. 1-216; numbered 217-221, 227-237 of 237; there are no missing pgs. between 221 and 227 in spite of the numbering)
– draft d3 [lost: this draft was probably 236 pgs. long, among the papers sent to Otis Adelbert Kline after Howard’s death and later lost; pgs. 1-209 came from draft d1; pgs. 210-236 were new]
– discarded pages from final draft (draft e): pgs. 1-4, 6, 9, 15-18, 24, 38-39, 46-50, 52, 55, 61, 70, 72 (2 different), 79-80, 85, 94, 96-99, 101, 111, 113, 117, 122, 128, 134-136, 170, 206, 211-213, 216-217, 221-223, 225-226, 228-229, 232-241 of 241 pgs. There is a strong possibility that these pages were discarded and revised when Howard prepared the novel for submission to Farnsworth Wright.
– draft e (final Weird Tales version) [lost: the carbon for this was probably among the papers sent to Otis Adelbert Kline after Howard’s death and later lost]
– submission sheet to Denis Archer, with verse heading, 1 pg.
A Witch Shall Be Born
– synopsis, untitled, 1 pg.
– draft a (this draft was sent to Robert H. Barlow on 5 July 1934; the typescript is now in private hands; unfortunately, it hasn’t been possible to examine the typescript for this edition.)
– draft b1, incomplete, 53 pgs. (pgs. 1-4, 6-52 survive as originals, pgs. 1-53 as carbon, with slight differences between the two.)
– draft b2 (final Weird Tales version: reuses draft b1, pgs. 1-52; pgs. 53-55 survive as originals, pgs. 54-55 as carbon [REH probably kept the wrong pg. 53 carbon in his files.])
NOTES ON THE ORIGINAL HOWARD TEXTS
The texts for this edition of Volume 2 of the Complete Conan of Cimmeria were prepared by Patrice Louinet, Rusty Burke and Dave Gentzel, with assistance from Glenn Lord. The stories have been checked either against Howard’s original typescripts, copies of which were furnished by Glenn Lord and Terence McVicker, or the first published appearance if a typescript was unavailable. Drafts of Howard’s stories, when extant, have also been checked to ensure the greatest accuracy. Every effort has been made to present the work of Robert E. Howard as faithfully as possible.
The study of the extant texts for A Witch Shall Be Born (Howard’s original typescript, the carbon thereof and the Weird Tales text), showed conclusively that Farnsworth Wright, the editor of Weird Tales, had censored several passages in the Conan stories, particularly bits of dialogue and descriptions that he probably found too “explicit”. Fortunately, carbons survive for most of the later Conan stories, often in complete or nearly-complete form. The
comparison of the texts for which both carbon and original typescript survive shows that these are nearly identical. The only differences concern the titles, subtitles and chapter divisions of the stories, which are often – but not always – absent from the carbons. Additionally, a few typographical errors may have been fixed, or a word replaced by another. Unless the original typescripts ever surface, Howard’s carbons offer by far the purest available text for many of the Conan stories.
Deviations from the original sources are detailed in these textual notes. In the following pages, page, line and word number are given as follows: 51.9.5, indicating page 51, ninth line, fifth word. Story titles, chapter numbers and titles, and breaks before and after chapter headings, titles and illustrations are not counted. The page/line number will be followed by the reading in the original source, or a statement indicating the type of change made. Punctuation changes are indicated by giving the immediately preceding word followed by the original punctuation.
The People of the Black Circle
Text taken from Howard’s carbon, provided by Glenn Lord, and from the September, October and November 1934 issues of Weird Tales. The surviving carbon is incomplete, lacking pages 1-9 and 92 of a 98 page typescript; the missing pages (from the beginning to “she asked” (page 10, line 1) and from “so willingly” (74.26.13) to “repeated helplessly” (75.12.7) are taken from the Weird Tales appearance. Howard’s chapters are untitled on the carbon; it is not known whether the subtitles are Howard’s or Wright’s. Changes from the Weird Tales text: 5.37.6: Sap; 7.6.13: Hills; 8.28.2: Majesty; 9.19.12: Skalos. 9.24.5: Majesty. Changes from Howard’s carbon: 10.18.9: b; 9.30.13: “a” omitted; 11.17.13: Eastern; 12.20.12: country-side; 12.25.9: Then; 15.10.7: sent led; 16.6.11: train; 16.9.9: unwanted; 17.4.2: of; 17.27.14: not of one of; 18.27.2: between; 20.10.7: excercise; 20.11.9: excercises; 21.17.6: ‘the’ absent from typescript; 22.2.10: ‘star-light’ hyphenated at line-break; 22.5.1: no comma after ‘carelessly’; 22.22.6: quiesence; 22.36.3: when; 24.21.1: gripped; 25.14.10: hillsmen; 25.32.13: irrelevent; 25.35.8: liad; 28.9.9: into; 28.9.13: seem; 30.17.12: no comma after ‘squatted’ (typed to right edge of carbon); 30.23.5: Irakzai; 32.18.11: fore-finger; 33.20.1: asonished; 33.20.7: distended; 33.34.4: ‘as’ absent from original; 37.5.7: no comma after ‘through’; 40.17.7: profferred; 40.24.10: hit; 40.25.2: supply; 41.7.5: comma after ‘flight’; 41.26.7: ‘north west’; 42.26.12: ‘in’ not in original; 42.28.7: what ever; 43.10.6: hypnostism; 44.34.4: hundred; 44.39.11: neophism; 45.1.12: excercise; 45.19.1: Raksha; 47.5.7: the top-left corner of the carbon is torn; ‘He shook’ and the ‘l’ of ‘loose’ are missing; the missing words appear in the Weird Tales version and the first draft; 47.16.3: river bed; 48.3.5: river bed; 48.27.6: traffick; 48.33.11: ‘chief’ not in original; 50.18.3: tough; 51.17.5: comma after ‘than’; 51.32.10: gald; 51.37.14: herslf; 51.37.15: in; 52.3.3: scrutinised; 52.9.6: every; 53.7.7: ‘to’ not in original; 53.22.8: loosly; 53.24.13: onlique; 54.10.4: on; 55.2.15: comma instead of semi-colon after ‘fingers’; 56.5.14: no comma after ‘first’; 56.18.7: no comma after ‘suddenly’; 56.27.8: ‘stems’ absent from original; the word appears in the Weird Tales text and in the first draft; 57.4.3: ‘in’ not in original; 58.10.11: wide braced; 59.10.11: infest; 59.26.1: ‘did’ not in original; 60.11.2: half blinded; 60.16.8: thunder storm; 60.17.1: nightning; 61.12.13: green robed; 61.15.3: ‘as’ not in original; 61.28.16: sheer walled; 62.32.8: ‘in a’ in original; 64.1.1: unprecendented; 64.31.14: black robed; 64.34.9: black robed; 65.35.8: no comma after ‘mid-stride’ in original; 66.12.9: reinacted; 66.24.11: suddeness; 66.27.6: ‘if’ not in original; 67.1.5: ‘whether’ not in original; 67.9.5: black robed; 67.9.9: no comma after ‘convulsions’ (typed to right edge of paper); 67.35.7: ‘the’ not in original; 68.7.9: his; 68.14.13: stars; 68.16.7: left hand; 70.2.11: half way; 70.8.1: sandal-wood; 72.1.1: He (there is no chapter transition at this point of Howard’s carbon.); 72.8.15: hair; 73.5.11: dociley; 73.14.5: to; 73.38.1: His; 74.1.1: semi-colon instead of comma after ‘Yes’. 77.9.6: left hand; 77.12.8: melee; 77.23.11: ‘was’ repeated; 77.29.13: van-guard; 78.12.2: accepting.
The Hour of the Dragon
Originally appeared in Weird Tales in five installments, December 1935 and January, February, March and April 1936. The verse heading did not appear in the magazine; it is taken from Howard's submission sheet for the novel prepared for British publisher Denis Archer in May 1934 (document provided by Glenn Lord). It is not known if the heading was included when the novel was sent to Weird Tales. There is no chapter 20 in the Weird Tales text: chapter 19 concluded the March 1936 installment, and the April installment began with chapter 21. A study of the drafts for the novel shows that this is a mistake in numbering rather than a missing chapter. 89.11.13: Zingarians; 133.22.13: not; 138.24.13: can not; 146.26.4: without; 156.32.11: intense; (‘incense’ in all surviving drafts); 166.8.7: Conon; 167.36.8: men; 172.13.5: ‘from’ not in original; 197.11.7: shoreline; 198.22.12: shoreline; 210.6.5: ceatures; 213.32.10: ‘was’ not in original; 244.16.13: men; 245.5.5: Gunderman.
A Witch Shall Be Born
Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, provided by Terence McVicker; page 5 is absent from the typescript; the text for this page has been taken from Howard’s carbon, provided by Glenn Lord. 257.12.2: ‘herself’ not in original; 258.21.8: coifure; 258.21.13: queen’s; 258.22.12: boudior; 260.8.1: ‘He’ underlined; 260.14.1: ‘He’ underlined; 260.16.2: ‘He’ underlined; 260.20.1: pouring; 260.21.1: ‘He’ underlined; 260.24.2: ‘He’ underlined; 261.23.5: semi-colon after ‘called’; 264.9.2: exclamation mark after ‘slain’; 266.5.11: happens; 266.31.6: no hyphen in ‘low-swinging’; 267.8.12: comma after ‘rescue’; 267.36.9: minature; 268.28.14: tavern-floor; 270.34.7: no em-dash before ‘he’; 270.35.1: comma instead of em-dash after ‘nomads’; 272.2.5: ‘to’ not in original; 274.6.14: independance; 274.27.6: ‘the’ not in original; 276.6.1: from whence; 277.1.5: envelopes; 277.10.5: contemptously; 277.21.7: coifure; 277.37.11: permenently; 278.24.4: every; 278.32.7: silvered; 280.15.11: aubdible; 282.13.14: it; 282.14.15: it; 282.21.15: vizer; 282.28.8: ‘a’ not in original; 285.26.8: hoard; 290.10.14: protect; 291.2.2: thick; 291.15.4: semi-colon after ‘merged’; 296.6.2: pillard; 296.36.2: cresent; 296.37.7: agonies; 300.5.2: there; 301.7.1: comma after ‘compassion’.
Untitled synopsis (The People of the Black Circle)
Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.
The Story thus Far... (The People of the Black Circle)
First page taken from Howard’s carbon, provided by Glenn Lord. The second carbon was also in Howard’s files but was in such bad condition that Glenn Lord had to retype it, respecting the original document’s layout, text and eventual mistakes. The text for this edition is taken from Glenn Lord’s retyping. No changes have been made for this edition.
Untitled synopsis (Amalric…)
Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.
Untitled draft (Three men squatted…)
Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.
Untitled synopsis (The Hour of the Dragon)
Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.
Notes for The Hour of the Dragon
Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.
Untitled synopsis (A Witch Shall Be Born)
Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.
I am grateful to Jerry Tiritilli, Rick Bernal, Scott Gustafson, Geof Darrow, Larry Majewski and Tom Gianni. Their enthusiasm for art and fantasy has always been an inspiration. Also for their suggestions and insights, I’d like to thank the Keegan family, Ba
rry Klugerman, Rick Vitone, Dave Burton, Mark Schultz and Al Wyman. Applause for Barbara and Jack Baum, if not for them, where would we be? Lastly, thanks to Marcelo Anciano. His vision of the Robert E. Howard/Wandering Star library is now considered a benchmark of quality in the publishing of fine books.
Gary Gianni
My thanks to the Wandering Star team for making it happen a second time. Marcelo, Stuart and Rusty: we did it! Thanks to Glenn Lord for his support of this project and his continuous help. These books couldn’t exist without you. Thanks also to Terence McVicker for his generosity and his help with this volume. And very special thanks to Shelly and Valérie for letting the boys out of the chores when superior duty called.
Patrice Louinet
Many thanks to the Wandering Star team, particularly Patrice, Marcelo and Stuart, for yeoman effort into the wee smalls; to Glenn Lord for his years of effort on behalf of REH and for his hard work in assisting this project; and of course to Shelly, with much love – thanks for letting me out of the chores when the deadline looms!