Lukundoo, and other stories

“Lukundoo, and other stories” by Edward Lucas White is a collection of short fiction written in the early 20th century. The volume brings together tales spanning the supernatural, the uncanny, and adventure, often blending horror and psychological suspense. The opening stories suggest a mix of exotic locales, mysterious diseases, dark folklore, and the testing of human character under extraordinary duress, introducing characters like Singleton, Etcham, Van Rieten, and Thorkell Vilgerdson as they confront bizarre and sometimes terrifying events. The opening of the collection begins with "Lukundoo," where a group of men is drawn into a chilling tale recounting Singleton’s harrowing African experience. The narrative quickly introduces an atmosphere of mystery and dread: Singleton, typically reticent about his time in Africa, describes the plight of Stone, an extraordinary explorer afflicted by a grotesque and inexplicable malady that bewilders and terrifies his companions. As Singleton and his party seek to aid the suffering man, they encounter eerie manifestations—including strange voices, sinister swellings, and unnatural growths that blur the boundaries between folklore, sorcery, and disease—culminating in a climactic confrontation with the unknown. The subsequent opening of "Floki’s Blade" shifts to saga-like adventure, following Thorkell Vilgerdson as he is betrayed and cast adrift, only to begin a new chapter of trials and alliances in Iceland. Through these beginnings, the collection establishes its tone of suspenseful, character-driven tales steeped in the supernatural and the extraordinary.