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Cover of Strange Tales #7
Periodical
REH World editorial overlay

Strange Tales #7

Clayton Magazines Inc.

1933
Material type
Pulp magazine
Publication categories
Other pulpPulps: Other

Publication date: January 1933

Introduction

The story, THE CAIRN ON THE HEADLAND, is considered to be part of the Cthulhu Mythos. It was first published in this magazine. In this case mixed also with elements of both Norse Mythology and Catholic Christianity. in this case mixed also with elements of both Norse Mythology and Catholic Christianity.

It has a rather convoluted history, being in effect an adaptation of Howard's earlier story Spears of Clontarf, a historical adventure story by Howard focusing on the Battle of Clontarf (1014) and featuring Turlogh Dubh O'Brien or Black Turlogh, a fictional 11th Century Irishman created by Howard. Howard later rewrote "Spears" as "The Grey God Passes", which was very similar to Spears of Clontarf, but with added fantasy elements. Howard failed to sell the story in either version during his lifetime.

"The Cairn on the Headland" (Howard's third version of Spears of Clontarf) was a horror story set in the present, and succeeded in getting published in Strange Tales (January, 1933). It was later reprinted in August Derleth's Skull-Face and Others, as well as in Lancer Books' paperback collection Wolfshead.

(The Grey God Passes was posthumously published in a 1962 Arkham House hardcover Dark Minds, Dark Heart, while Spears of Clontarf was finally published in an eponymous 1978 chapbook).

Strange Tales of Mystery and Terror) was an American pulp magazine first published from 1931 to 1933 by Clayton Publications. It specialized in fantasy and weird fiction, and was a significant competitor to Weird Tales, the leading magazine in the field. Its published stories include "Wolves of Darkness" by Jack Williamson, as well as work by Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith. The magazine ceased publication when Clayton entered bankruptcy. It was temporarily revived by Wildside Press, which published three issues edited by Robert M. Price from 2003 to 2007.

Notes

Edited by Harry Bates "The Cairn on the Headland" is illustrated by Amos SewellAll uncredited non-fiction is not listed on the contents page, and is probably by Bates. All artwork is uncredited, except for the cover, credit is assigned by artist's signiture. Cover illustrates "Murgunstrumm" by Hugh B. Cave. "The Cauldron" is the magazine's letter section, and is subtitled "A Meeting Place for Sorcerers and Apprentices." Amos Sewell's header illustration is undated as it may have headed all of the magazine's letter columns, and it is subtitled "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble." The interior art for "The Second Internment" is signed "AS". The signature is identical to that of Amos Sewell's. There is an ad for the very first issue of My Love Story on page four.

Interior Artists

Amos Sewell Rafael DeSoto H. W. WessoIf you like to read a copy of this, just click the button below. 

Edition and production details

Format
Periodical (Pulp Magazine)
Publication date
January 1933
Pages
144
Publisher / imprint
Clayton Magazines Inc.
Cover art
H. W. Wesso
Illustrations
Listed under notes
Media details
Girsasol (March 2003), Fiction House Press (April 2019), Wildside (September 2004), Adventure House (October 2021)

1 linked Howard work

36 contents entries

  1. "The Cairn on the Headland"
  2. Human Embers • (1933) • essay by uncredited 7 · essay
  3. Non-REH Content
  4. The Second Interment • (1933) • short story by Clark Ashton Smith 8 · story
  5. "The Second Interment" by Clark Ashton Smith
  6. The Second Interment • (1933) • interior artwork by Amos Sewell 9 · artwork
  7. "The Thing that Walked on the Wind" by August W. Derleth
  8. Powwows of John George Hohman • (1933) • essay by uncredited 16 · essay
  9. "The Terror by Night" by Charles Willard Diffin
  10. The Thing That Walked on the Wind • [Cthulhu Mythos] • (1933) • short story by August Derleth [as by August W. Derleth] 18 · story
  11. "White Lady" by Sophie Wenzel Ellis
  12. The Thing That Walked on the Wind • (1933) • interior artwork by Rafael DeSoto 19 · artwork
  13. "Murgunstrumm" by Manly Wade Wellman
  14. The Legend of Gogmagog's Leap • (1933) • essay by uncredited 27 · essay
  15. "The Napier Limousine" by Henry S. Whitehead
  16. The Terror by Night • (1933) • short story by Charles Willard Diffin 28 · story
  17. The Cauldron (letter column)
  18. The Terror by Night • (1933) • interior artwork by H. W. Wesso 29 · artwork
  19. White Lady • (1933) • short story by Sophie Wenzel Ellis 42 · story
  20. White Lady • (1933) • interior artwork by H. W. Wesso 43 · artwork
  21. Murgunstrumm • (1933) • novella by Hugh B. Cave 50 · novelette
  22. Murgunstrumm • (1933) • interior artwork by Amos Sewell 50 · artwork
  23. Alburtus Magnus • (1933) • essay by uncredited 107 · essay
  24. The Napier Limousine • [Gerald Canevin] • (1933) • novelette by Henry S. Whitehead 108 · novelette
  25. The Napier Limousine • (1933) • interior artwork by Amos Sewell 109 · artwork
  26. Headless Ghosts • (1933) • essay by uncredited 120 · essay
  27. The Cairn on the Headland • (1933) • short story by Robert E. Howard 122 · story
  28. The Cairn on the Headland • (1933) • interior artwork by Amos Sewell 123 · artwork
  29. The Cauldron (Strange Tales of Mystery and Terror, January 1933): • (1933) • essay by various 136 · essay
  30. The Cauldron • (1932) • interior artwork by Amos Sewell 136 · artwork
  31. Letter (Strange Tales of Mystery and Terror, January 1933): Expert Opinion • (1933) • essay by August Derleth 136 · essay
  32. Letter (Strange Tales of Mystery and Terror, January 1933): "All Good" • (1933) • essay by Frank Thurston Torbett [as by F. T. Torbett] 137 · essay
  33. Letter (Strange Tales of Mystery and Terror, January 1933): This and That • (1933) • essay by Philip Turner (I) 137 · essay
  34. Letter (Strange Tales of Mystery and Terror, January 1933): The Tale of Macrocosmic Horror • (1933) • essay by Clark Ashton Smith 137 · essay
  35. Letter (Strange Tales of Mystery and Terror, January 1933): Like and No Like • (1933) • essay by Jennifer A. Hall [as by J. A. Hall] 138 · essay
  36. Letter (Strange Tales of Mystery and Terror, January 1933): From a Sorcerer's Apprentice • (1933) • essay by Jack Foley (I) 140 · essay

Contributors

H. W. Wesso
Cover artist

Characters / Featuring

James O'Brien

Additional related terms

Preserved from the former REH World tagging system; these terms have not yet been assigned as contributors, characters or subjects.

August DerlethClark Ashton SmithHugh B. CavePulpRobert E. Howard

Bibliographic and editorial layers

Howard Works source layer

Title
Strange Tales of Mystery and Terror Volume 3 Number 1 (#7)
Publisher
Clayton Magazines Inc.
Date
January 1933
Source file
strangetalesv3n1-clayton.html

REH World editorial layer

Title
Strange Tales #7
Publisher
Clayton Magazines Inc.
Date
January 1933
Source provenance

This record combines the preserved Howard Works bibliography with a reviewed REH World editorial overlay. Editorial values are displayed when present; Howard Works remains the source and fallback.