Karnyfel – Boček Petr (2025)

As part of efforts to map the fantastical works of forgotten Czech authors from the first half of the 20th century, we present to fans of darkly themed literary curiosities a selection of short stories by Amálie Vrbová (1863-1936), who wrote under the pseudonym Jiří Sumín.
The author wrote predominantly in a realistic, even naturalistic spirit about life in the Moravian countryside, about the disintegration of traditional relationships, about people suffering from poverty, loneliness, or under the pressure of contemporary conventions. These are balladic tales full of gloomy moods and subtle irony. Her stories often take place at night, in fields, in forests, and in lonely places, populated by superstitious, picturesque characters who sometimes still believe deep down in witches and demons and know about the power of 'herbs' that can cure all ailments.

Amálie Vrbová is associated with Hana and Přerov, where she spent almost her entire life, and although she does not explicitly mention them in her work, she evocatively describes their ghostly atmosphere of the time.
The book was compiled and provided with an insightful afterword by Petr Boček.