In the light of present knowledge the story here printed for the first time is the earliest extant piece of prose fiction written by Robert Louis Stevenson. Juvenilia such as The Pentland Rising and a few essays and some verses lay behind him, when, in November 1874, he wrote to Mrs. Sitwell, later Lady Colvin: I have finished The Story of King Matthias' Hunting Horn, whereof I spoke to you, and I think it should be good. It excites me like wine, or fire, or death, or love, or something; nothing of my own writing ever excited me so much' it does seem to me so weird and fantastic.