“A Witch Shall Be Born” is one of the original sword and sorcery novellas by Howard about Conan the Cimmerian. It was written in only a few days in spring of 1934 and first published in Weird Tales in December 1934. A book edition was published in 1975 by Donald M. Grant, Publisher with illustrations by Alicia Austin.
The story concerns a witch replacing her twin sister as queen of a city state, which brings her into conflict with Conan who had been the captain of the queen’s guard. Themes of paranoia, and the duality of the twin sisters, are paramount in this story but it also includes elements of the conflict between barbarism and civilization that is common to the entire Conan series. One scene stands out. Conan’s crucifixion early in the story during the second chapter (“The Tree of Death”) is considered one of the most memorable scenes in the entire series.
Contents
- 658 • A Witch Shall Be Born • [Conan] • novelette by Robert E. Howard
- 658 • A Witch Shall Be Born • interior artwork by Hugh Rankin
- 687 • The Vengeance of Ti Fong • short story by Bassett Morgan
- 687 • The Vengeance of Ti Fong • interior artwork by H. R. Hammond
- 701 • Black God’s Shadow • [Jirel of Joiry] • novelette by C. L. Moore
- 701 • Black God’s Shadow • interior artwork by H. R. Hammond
- 719 • The Graveyard Duchess • short story by Jean Ray (trans. of Le gardien du cimetière 1919) [as by John Flanders]
- 719 • The Graveyard Duchess • interior artwork by H. R. Hammond
- 725 • Solitude • poem by Roderic Papineau
- 726 • Xeethra • [Zothique] • novelette by Clark Ashton Smith
- 727 • Xeethra • interior artwork by Clark Ashton Smith
- 739 • The Trail of the Cloven Hoof (Part 6 of 7) • serial by Arlton Eadie
- 739 • The Trail of the Cloven Hoof (Part 6 of 7) • interior artwork by H. R. Hammond
- 759 • Fog • poem by Mary C. Shaw
- 760 • The Werewolf’s Howl • short story by Brooke Byrne
- 765 • A Matter of Faith • short story by August Derleth and Mark Schorer [as by August W. Derleth and Mark Schorer]
- 771 • Weird Story Reprint • (1928) • interior artwork by Hugh Rankin
- 771 • Pale Pink Porcelain • (1927) • short story by Frank Owen
- 776 • The Eyrie • (1924) • interior artwork by Andrew Brosnatch
- 776 • The Eyrie (Weird Tales, December 1934) • [The Eyrie] • essay by The Editor
- 776 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): Miniature Jewels of Fiction • essay by Ernest M. Smola
- 776 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): Rainbow-Colored Ink • essay by Louis C. Smith
- 776 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): More Stories of Northwest Smith • essay by Herb Hock
- 777 • Coming Next Month (Weird Tales, December 1934) • essay by uncredited
- 778 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): The Supreme Witch • essay by J. J. O’Donnell
- 778 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): Reactions to Black God’s Kiss • essay by Vennette Herron
- 778 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): Reactions to Black God’s Kiss • essay by Vennette Herron
- 778 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): Reactions to Black God’s Kiss • essay by Bert Felsburg
- 778 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): Reactions to Black God’s Kiss • essay by Fred Anger
- 778 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): Reactions to Black God’s Kiss • essay by Jack Darrow
- 778 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): Reactions to Black God’s Kiss • essay by Manly Wade Wellman [as by Manley Wade Wellman]
- 778 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): Reactions to Black God’s Kiss • essay by Alvin Earl Perry
- 778 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): Reactions to Black God’s Kiss • essay by Edwin F. Caswell
- 778 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): A Few Orchids • essay by Lucy Leonard Kessler
- 778 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): A Plea for Science-Fiction • essay by Stuart Ayers
- 779 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): Pithy Comments • essay by Robert Bloch
- 779 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): About Howard’s Serial • essay by D. de Woronin
- 779 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): Quinn, Howard vs. Moore, Smith • essay by Ernest H. Ormsbee
- 780 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): Jirel of Joiry • essay by Virginia Kidd
- 782 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): The Three Marked Pennies • essay by M. A. Reynolds
- 782 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): The Lovely Ladies • essay by Mary A. Conklin
- 782 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): A New Reader Comments • essay by V. A. McDowell
- 783 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): An Embarrassing Experience • essay by Ian C. Knox
- 783 • Letter (Weird Tales, December 1934): Weird Story Reprint • essay by Jack McCoy
| Publisher : | Popular Fiction Publishing Company |
| Year : | December 1934 |
| Replica by: | Girasol May 2013 |
| Format : | Pulp |
| Pages : | 132 |
| Cover : | Margaret Brundage |
| Illustrations : | Se above |
Notes
Volume 24, Number 6.
Page numbers run from 657 to 784 excluding covers.
Cover illustrates a scene from “A Witch Shall Be Born”.
