Kull: Exile of Atlantis

NOTES ON THE ORIGINAL HOWARD TEXTS

The texts for this book were prepared by Patrice Louinet, Rusty Burke, and Dave Gentzel, with assistance from Glenn Lord. The stories have been checked against Howard’s original typescripts, copies of which were furnished by Glenn Lord, or the first published appearance if a typescript was unavailable. Drafts of Howard’s stories, when extant, have also been checked to ensure the greatest accuracy. Every effort has been made to present the work of Robert E. Howard as faithfully as possible. Deviations from the original sources are detailed in these textual notes. In the following, page, line, and word number are given as follows: 77.1.13, indicating page 77, first line, thirteenth word. Story titles, chapter numbers and titles, and breaks before and after chapter headings, titles, and illustrations are not counted. The page/line number will be followed by the reading in the original source, or a statement indicating the type of change made.

This edition of the Kull stories is based on the best sources available to us; unfortunately, the definitive versions of most of the Kull stories not published during Howard’s lifetime are now probably lost. In 1936, Howard’s father sent the bulk of his son’s typescripts to agent Otis Adelbert Kline. Kline kept the stories he thought had sales potential–among them most of the Kull stories–and resent the rest to Howard’s father. The whereabouts of most of the typescripts that stayed with Kline are unknown, and they are presumed lost. Fortunately, several drafts and/or carbons for these tales were among the lot sent back to Dr. Howard and were eventually acquired by Glenn Lord. This collection is thus based on the best–and sadly only–available texts, and will remain the definitive one unless the lost typescripts are miraculously recovered.

Untitled Story (previously published as “Exile of Atlantis”) Text taken from Howard’s typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. 3.3.8: fragance; 3.5.13: no comma after “man”; 3.6.12: conoiseur; 3.7.1: already; 3.8.11: no comma after “tall”; 3.8.12: no hyphen at “slim waisted”; 3.8.12: no comma after “slim-waisted”; 3.9.1: broad shoulder; 3.11.8: “a” not in original; 3.11.13: accept; 3.13.10: that; 3.17.4: period instead of comma after “fighting”; 3.20.11: comma instead of period after “man”; 3.27.5: comma instead of period after “moon”; 3.29.3: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 3.31.9: “a” capitalized; 3.34.1: no period after “moon”; 3.35.2: dont; 3.35.7: comma instead of period after “bluntly”; 4.8.2: long; 4.10.2: dont; 4.10.6: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 4.12.2: som; 4.17.1: comma instead of period after “anger”; 4.23.2: comma instead of period after “shame”; 4.26.3: semicolon instead of comma after “not”; 4.26.6: comma instead of period after “Gor-na”; 4.35.8: “but” capitalized; 4.38.8: “the” before man; 4.39.5: angerly; comma instead of period after “angerly/angrily”; 4.40.1: no period after “creation”; 5.1.7: comma instead of period after “subject”; 5.11.2: comma instead of period after “Gor-na”; 5.13.3: chai chains (“chai” typed to right edge of paper); 5.28.1: comma instead of period after “east”; 5.36.8: “and” capitalized; 5.39.1: “or” capitalized; 6.5.3: no comma after “sacked”; 6.9.6: “that” capitalized; 6.12.10: ruslte; 6.13.7: “since” capitalized; 6.20.7: Sevn; 6.23.1: comma instead of period after “satisfaction”; 6.24.7: preared; 7.12.1: no comma after “boldly”; 7.14.4: “hawk like” (no hyphen); 7.15.2: no comma after “face”; 7.16.1: disspassionate; 7.39.5: comma instead of period after “sharply”; 7.39.8: some-one; 7.40.2: there on; 8.8.5: abouthard eyed; 8.1.4: comma instead of period after “lines”; 8.8.2: “my” capitalized; 8.15.3: couldont; 8.17.5: no comma after “blood”; 8.25.1: What’s; 8.25.2: KUll’s; 8.28.2: girl’s; 8.31.3: KUll’s; 9.1.3: cruse; 9.4.2: boud; 9.5.7: typicaly; 9.7.7: eached; 9.9.5: lanced; 9.11.4: semi-colon instead of comma after “nodded”; 9.17.3: spell bound (no hyphen); 9.18.1: nd; 9.19.4: eople; 9.32.1: Butno; 9.34.2: footit.

The Shadow Kingdom

Text taken from Weird Tales, August 1929. 27.1.4: hall; 50.13.1: wounded.

The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune

Text taken from Weird Tales, September 1929. No changes have been made for this edition.

Untitled Draft

Text taken from Howard’s typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. Howard changed the name of one character from “Fenar” to “Felgar” beginning on page 5 of the typescript and continuously thereafter. We have thus changed the earlier instances for consistency. 67.2.8: Fenar; 67.10.1: step’s; 67.17.1: rhinocerous; 67.18.7: period instead of question mark after “tale”; 67.19.5: period instead of comma after “Kull”; 67.21.7: comma instead of period after “besides”; 67.23.10: consumated; 67.31.3: period instead of comma after “Valka”; 67.31.5: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 67.34.3: thus; 67.34.5: comma instead of period after “soothingly”; 67.36.3: net work; 67.37.12: no period and quotation mark after “blood”; “blood” followed by “in”; a page apparently missing from typescript at this point; 68.1.11: period instead of comma after “girl”; 68.2.1: period instead of comma after “Aye”; 68.2.5: comma instead of period after “spoke”; 68.2.14: Fenar; 68.4.8: Fenar; no quotation mark; 68.8.13: no single quote after “horses”; 68.17.10: Fenar’s; 68.19.6: reek; 68.20.3: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 68.23.10: comma instead of period after “door”; 68.25.4: kings; 68.25.9: preceeding; 69.2.4: Fenar’s; 69.2.5: period instead of comma after “trail”; 69.2.9: comma instead of period after “ferociously”; 69.5.4: comma instead of period after “Tu”; 69.7.9: comma instead of period after “named”; 69.8.10: period instead of comma after “cities”; 69.21.1: Fenar; 69.25.2: no comma after “allies”; 69.29.2: period instead of exclamation point after “attention”; 69.29.6: comma instead of period after “command”; 69.31.2: curiosly; 69.33.11: caparisioned; 70.8.11: restrain; 70.9.5: comma after “world”; 70.19.11: “were” repeated; 70.23.7: many a drifting; 70.25.5: by gone; 70.28.1: brooding; 70.28.3: clinched; 70.38.5: period instead of comma after “sunrise”; 70.39.1: period instead of comma after “response”; 70.40.1: no quotation mark after “sunrise”; 71.15.4: “him” not in typescript; 71.27.4: that; 71.33.11: debauched; 71.37.13: no comma after “men”; 71.40.1: scruf; 72.3.3: period instead of comma after “steal”; 72.6.2: days (no apostrophe); 72.9.5: period instead of comma after “Valusia”; 72.10.2: apruptly; comma instead of period after “apruptly”; 72.17.2: on; 72.17.6: comma instead of colon after “other”; 72.20.1: period instead of comma after “Aye”; 72.20.4: comma instead of period after “replied”; 72.35.9: period instead of comma after “days”; 72.35.12: And; 72.38.5: period instead of comma after “fellows”; 72.39.4: comma instead of period after “lips”; 75.1.3: period instead of comma after “ways”; 75.2.9: comma instead of period after “contempt”; 75.10.4: comma instead of period after “heed”; 75.13.4: period instead of comma after “barbarian”; 75.18.4: period instead of comma after “position”; 75.19.5: comma instead of period after “end”; 75.19.6: no comma after “North”; 76.3.5: period instead of comma after “Kelkor”; 76.3.7: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 76.4.7: comma after “name”; 76.7.3: comma after “eastern-most”; 76.10.6: period instead of comma after “Kull”; 76.11.6: comma instead of period after “saddle”; 76.12.6: period instead of comma after “any”; 76.12.8: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 76.14.13: no comma after “land”; 76.15.7: rider’s; 76.16.13: no comma after “hard”; 76.19.11: else desires; 76.25.4: comma after “north”; 76.31.11: no comma after “safe”; 76.38.10: comma instead of period after “gate-guards”; 76.40.4: period instead of comma after “say”; 76.40.7: comma instead of period after “answered”; 77.2.2: period instead of comma after “then”; 77.3.1: comma instead of period after “arm”; 77.5.7: comma instead of period after “covetously”; 77.18.3: comma instead of period after “soldier”; 77.22.1: comma instead of period after “tactics”; 77.27.5: “is” not in typescript; 77.31.7: but; 77.35.9: concience; 77.39.8: statue; 78.14.2: committing of; 78.20.4: consumating; 78.25.3: no hyphen in “class like”; 78.32.1: Kull; 78.35.5: period instead of comma after “hear”; 78.36.8: comma instead of period after “mirth”; 79.1.5: comma instead of period after “woman”; 79.3.7: period instead of comma after “gold”; 79.8.8: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 79.11.1: has there; 79.13.7: comma instead of period after “hand”; 79.14.1: period instead of comma after “king”; 79.17.4: period instead of comma after “king”; 79.23.10: comma instead of period after “suspiciously”; 79.34.5: You; 79.37.1: comma instead of period after “response”; 80.15.4: unconcious; 81.4.4: The; 81.8.3: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 81.17.7: Farsuns; 82.3.4: comma after “pass”; 82.6.7: enlessly; 82.7.10: on; 82.15.5: period instead of comma after “sunrise”; 82.19.7: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 82.19.10: “the” not in typescript; 82.22.2: no quotation mark after “Zarfhaana”; 82.25.4: trails; 82.25.5: lead; 82.27.8: horses (no apostrophe); 82.39.6: no comma after “marked”; 83.2.4: comma after “included”; 83.2.11: spoked; 83.6.1: horseman; 83.7.7: They; 83.11.6: disobeidient; 83.13.3: comma instead of period after “sneered”; 83.15.8: My; 83.16.8: too; 83.20.9: no comma after “unable”; 83.21.3: comma after “stand”; $$$$$83.21.6: comma after “open”; 83.35.11: lead; 83.40.12: horrizin; 84.9.4: Would; 84.11.11: period instead of comma after “dawn”; 84.12.5: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 84.14.4: period instead of comma after “beyond”; 84.14.8: comma instead of period after “man”; 84.14.10: rivers; 84.14.11: mark; 84.16.3: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 84.15.4: period instead of comma after “aged”; 84.35.3: no comma after “battle”; 84.37.1: no comma after “this”; 84.37.7: return; 86.2.4: period instead of comma after “cease”; 86.2.6: comma instead of period after “he”; 86.7.5: period instead of comma after “king”; 86.7.14: acquiesing; 86.9.9: period instead of comma after “forward”; 86.4.3: period instead of comma after “Kull”; 86.12.14: sentance; 86.13.2: sentance; 86.17.11: unweildy; 86.20.2: comma instead of period after “spake”; 86.25.5: period instead of comma after “river”; 86.24.8: comma instead of period after “ferryman”; 86.26.1: period instead of comma after “Forward”; 86.26.3: comma instead of period after “Kull”

The Cat and the Skull

Text taken from Howard’s typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. Some questionable readings were checked against Howard’s carbon (see below, “Delcardes’ Cat”) and a transcript prepared by Lord. 89.2.7: a may; 89.17.8: no comma after “usually”; 90.1.3: period instead of comma after “speak”; 90.11.6: period instead of comma after “otherwise”; 90.14.7: “if” capitalized; 90.18.2: geniology; 90.18.7: interupted; 90.29.10: period instead of comma after “old”; 90.29.12: comma instead of period after “Delcardes”; 90.32.1: no opening quote before “How”; 90.32.9: Kully; 90.33.7: period instead of comma after “old”; 90.34.2: timbered; 90.36.5: comma instead of period after “swore”; 90.39.10: comma instead of period after “said”; 91.6.1: paragraph does not begin new line in transcript; 91.8.4: neophites; 91.19.6: “where” capitalized; 91.24.3: period instead of comma after “it”; 91.28.5: comma instead of period after “swore”; 91.30.9: dissapproving; 91.32.5: guilessly; 92.1.11: “you” capitalized; 92.4.6: “the” capitalized; 92.5.4: period instead of comma after “trickery”; 92.5.7: comma instead of period after “maintained”; 92.8.9: comma instead of period after “belief”; 92.16.10: period instead of comma after “defense”; 92.16.13: irrevelently; 92.20.5: “a” capitalized; 92.21.2: period instead of comma after “true”; 92.21.5: “and” capitalized; 92.22.8: comma instead of period after “calmly”; 92.23.1: no opening quote before “Lord”; 92.23.2: Chanceller; 92.25.3: comma instead of period after “snarled”; 92.26.9: period instead of comma after “not”; 92.27.7: comma instead of period after “saying”; 92.27.11: no comma after “Tu”; 93.3.6: comma instead of period after “sourly”; 93.5.4: “this” capitalized; 93.6.6: “no” capitalized; 93.9.10: period instead of comma after “palace”; 93.10.5: “the” capitalized; 93.12.8: period instead of comma after “Valusia”; 93.12.14: “and” capitalized; 94.4.9: equallity; 94.15.1: no comma after “For”; 94.22.7: period instead of comma after “told”; 94.23.3: comma instead of period after “doubt”; 94.26.5: “all” capitalized; 94.29.7: comma instead of period after “Saremes”; 94.32.7: deviding; 94.34.7: “why” capitalized; 94.36.12: period instead of comma after “I”; 94.37.2: “lest” capitalized; 94.40.1: cross roads; 95.17.3: phillosophizing; 96.6.13: curtesy; 96.12.4: “the” capitalized; 97.1.5: period instead of comma after “alone”; 97.1.8: “and” capitalized; 97.5.4: grat; 99.7.9: no comma after “spider”; 99.36.8: comma after “horn”; 100.15.7: disembowlled; 100.16.8: comma after “hand”; 100.27.3: concious; 100.29.4: no comma after “horn”; 103.6.10: conciousness; 103.18.7: where-ever; 103.23.11: no comma after “Kull”; 103.27.2: dazzingly; 103.29.2: comma instead of dash after “shore”; 104.3.9: no comma after “which”; 104.3.11: no comma after “also”; 104.28.6: “bloody” capitalized; 104.31.6: comma instead of period after “king”; 104.33.9: period instead of comma after “race”; 104.34.1: comma instead of period after “sombrely”; 106.12.2: period instead of comma after “lie”; 106.12.5: comma instead of period after “answered”; 106.33.1: period instead of comma after “strong”; 106.33.4: comma instead of period after “lake-king”; 107.1.7: period instead of comma after “ghosts”; 107.3.6: period instead of comma after “doom”; 107.3.13: “for” capitalized; 107.5.3: period instead of comma after “now”; 107.5.12: “for” capitalized; 107.16.2: period instead of comma after “consider”; 107.16.4: comma instead of period after “repeated”; 107.24.11: forgetfullness; period instead of comma after “forgetfulness”; 107.37.6: period instead of comma after “devils”; 107.37.9: comma instead of period after “in”; 107.39.3: period instead of comma after “it”; 108.3.5: “give” capitalized; 108.14.3: period instead of comma after “bold”; 108.14.6: comma instead of period after “lake-king”; 108.19.4: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 108.19.5: am (no capital); 108.19.11: comma after “island”; 108.20.1: no comma after “mainland”; 108.21.7: “the” not in original; 108.34.9: waters; 108.37.8: comma after “below”; 108.38.1: no comma after “surface”; 109.11.8: comma after “itself”; 109.13.1: comma after “forethought”; 109.26.5: “you” capitalized; 109.31.2: period instead of comma after “be”; 109.31.4: comma instead of period after “snarled”; 109.37.12: comma instead of period after “emotion”; 109.39.10: period instead of comma after “carcase”; 111.1.10: comma instead of period after “savage”; 111.10.10: comma instead of period after “dangerously”; 111.14.12: comma before, instead of after, “is”; 111.22.3: comma instead of period after “Tu”; 111.27.4: comma instead of period after “grimly”; 111.30.14: prophesies; 111.39.3: dissappeared; 112.5.2: comma instead of period after “feet”; 112.6.3: decieving; 112.27.4: “to” repeated; 113.2.8: “the” not in original; 113.6.7: prophesies; 113.7.9: Thulses; 113.15.2: period instead of comma after “Kuthulos”; 113.21.9: sentances; 113.25.9: conciousness; 113.29.15: no comma after “Kull”; 113.35.7: no comma after “revealed”; 113.36.2: or; 113.37.8: “that” capitalized; 114.3.7: comma instead of period after “Kuthulos”; 114.20.3: comma instead of period after “hollowly”; 114.39.4: Skull-faced; 115.9.14: Skull-faced; 115.11.9: comma instead of period after “taunted”; 115.20.7: “you” capitalized; 115.21.1: Skull-faced; 115.24.9: posseses; 115.26.4: period instead of comma after “not”; 115.26.6: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 115.30.5: “Lord” begins new paragraph; 115.33.9: “as” not in original; 115.37.1: period instead of comma after “eagles”; 115.37.3: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 115.38.6: “you” capitalized; 116.1.8: “mine” capitalized; 116.7.9: comma instead of period after “Spear-slayer”; 116.10.10: “still” capitalized.

The Screaming Skull of Silence

Text taken from Howard’s carbon, provided by Glenn Lord. This version is probably incomplete, lacking its last page. The carbon is seven pages, while the original in the Kline files ran eight. Some questionable readings were checked against a transcript prepared by Lord. 119.21.9: “and Ka-nu”; 119.24.7: “all” capitalized; 119.31.5: period instead of comma after “necromancer”; 119.32.7: “no” capitalized; 119.33.3: snake’s; 119.36.9: excercize; 120.5.14: villian; 120.10.1: comma instead of period after “knowledge”; 120.11.8: comma instead of period after “slave”; 120.19.6: “an” not in original; 120.19.16: “the” not in original; 120.27.5: comma instead of period after “now”; 121.5.5: my; 121.15.4: comma instead of period after “impatiently”; 121.21.3: days; 121.23.6: comma instead of period after “Brule”; 121.25.1: regioned; 122.1.8: period instead of comma after “Kuthulos”; 122.1.10: comma instead of period after “said”; 122.18.1: light; 122.20.4: period instead of comma after “Kuthulos”; 122.23.6: period instead of comma after “again”; 122.23.9: “then” capitalized; 123.36.7: senseate; 123.37.10: no comma after “belly”; 123.38.2: no comma after “hands”; 124.9.2: sahdes; 124.14.1: warthfully; 124.18.2: “the” not in typescript; 124.19.10: Kull; 124.20.4: absymal; 124.26.5: horse shoe; 124.35.8: attonement; 124.36.8: againt; 124.37.2: ceaslessly; 125.5.6: abscence; 125.8.8: a half-erased compound word beginning with “tiger-” (second word erased) appears at this point in the typescript; 125.32.4: no comma after “roaring.”

The Striking of the Gong

Text taken from Howard’s untitled carbon, provided by Glenn Lord. The title comes from Kline’s listing (a 1929 Howard letter gives it as “The Chiming of the Gong”). The carbon runs five pages, while Kline’s listing indicates the original ran only four. Some questionable readings were checked against a transcript prepared by Lord. 129.2.6: no comma after “reality”; 129.13.7: comma instead of period after “murmured”; 129.19.2: “as” repeated; 129.20.5: period instead of comma after “everything”; 129.20.7: comma instead of period after “mused”; 129.28.6: “but” capitalized; 129.29.4: comma after “recognized”; 129.30.4: no comma after “eyes”; 130.7.10: period instead of comma after “him”; 130.8.2: comma instead of period after “cryptically”; 130.9.10: period instead of comma after “chamber”; 130.10.2: “and” capitalized; 130.19.7: period instead of comma after “dead”; 130.19.11: comma instead of period after “figure”; 130.24.2: “are” not in original; 130.25.1: period instead of comma after “universes”; 130.25.2: “said” capitalized; 130.25.4: comma instead of period after “ancient”; 130.33.7: period instead of comma after “actualities”; 130.34.2: comma instead of period after “tranquilly”; 131.12.2: “the” not in original; 131.15.1: no opening quote before “The”; 131.16.5: period instead of comma after “god”; 131.16.10: comma instead of period after “impatiently”; 131.16.11: “Look” preceded by an en-dash; 131.17.3: “to” not in typescript; 131.26.6: star; 131.38.4: no question mark after “this”; 131.38.6: no question mark after “happened”; 131.39.12: period instead of comma after “realms”; 131.40.12: comma instead of period after “sword”; 132.7.5: “that” capitalized; 132.13.6: skurried; 132.15.4: period instead of comma after “right”; 132.18.4: not; 132.20.5: no quotation mark after “gong.”

The Altar and the Scorpion

Text taken from Howard’s untitled carbon, provided by Glenn Lord. The title comes from the Kline listing. The carbon runs four pages, while Kline’s listing indicates the original ran five. Some questionable readings were checked against a transcript prepared by Lord. 135.1.1: no opening quote before “God”; 135.12.1: “invokation” followed by a comma instead of a period; 135.23.7: “the” capitalized; 135.26.14: comma after “I”; 135.30.1: “the” capitalized; 135.38.7: invokation; 136.10.4: “pent house”; 136.22.4: comma instead of period after “him”; 136.23.9: “the” capitalized; 136.26.4: comma instead of period after “jeered”; 136.35.2: comma after “metallic”; 137.7.5: swordsman; 137.21.3: reverance; 137.35.6: no comma after “frozen”; 137.38.10: no hyphen in “claw like”; 137.39.13: “to” not in original; 138.4.5: screames; 138.8.9: comma instead of period after “tremulous; 138.14.2: comma instead of period after “girl.”

The Curse of the Golden Skull

The Black City (Unfinished Fragment)

Text taken from Howard’s typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. 147.9.7: comma instead of period after “fury”; 147.14.4: moutain; 147.15.8: no comma after “tier”; 147.17.13: the; 147.18.10: comma instead of period after “fist”; 147.23.8: comma instead of period after “Pict”; 147.25.4: comma after “stench”; 147.33.5: comma instead of period after “Brule”; 148.4.5: proceded; 148.6.4: keeness; 148.28.11: comma instead of period after “Brule”; 148.31.10: comma after “truth”; 148.35.7: sentious; 148.39.3: comma instead of period after “Brule.”

Untitled Fragment

Text taken from Howard’s typescript, provided by Glenn Lord. 153.8.1: comma instead of period after “figures”; 153.19.12: comma instead of period after “man”; 153.23.8: cimson; 154.1.10: equallity; 154.7.7: remeniscense; 154.7.8: It; 154.11.5: horrizontal; 154.11.6: mark; 154.14.6: vitallity; 154.14.8: straight forwardness; 154.17.10: reserved; 154.20.2: no comma after “Kull”; 154.20.8: We; 154.23.9: interefere; 154.23.10: were; 154.29.2: enroaches; 154.35.9: tribes.

By This Axe I Rule!

Text taken from Howard’s draft, provided by Glenn Lord. The draft runs twenty pages (against twenty-three for the–lost–definitive version), with several penciled-in annotations and corrections in Howard’s hand. Howard didn’t always cross out or erase the words or phrases to be replaced; these are mentioned only in case of doubt. 157.2.7: no comma after “dark”; 157.11.9: “the” capitalized; 157.15.1: comma instead of period after “man”; 157.18.1: comma instead of period after “imperturbably”; 157.21.4: exclamation instead of question mark after “swear”; 157.22.11: comma instead of period after “eyes”; 157.25.9: comma instead of period after “Ascalante”; 157.28.4: comma instead of period after “dagger”; 158.2.1: covenented; 158.3.11: no period after “minstrel”; 158.5.6: “the” capitalized; 158.12.5: unbroken; 158.22.4: Kananu; 158.25.3: body guard; 158.27.1: comma instead of period after “satisfaction”; 158.36.7: comma after “through”; 158.39.12: no period after “of”; 159.6.12: “what” capitalized; 159.12.7: he; 159.12.10: comma instead of period after “Kaanuub”; 159.17.1: inchoerencies; 159.19.11: shoulder; 159.23.2: every; 159.23.4: “the” capitalized; 159.25.8: comma after “skalking”; 159.30.7: no comma after “I”; 159.31.2: down fall; 159.35.11: comma instead of period after “outlaw”; 160.2.12: hare brained; 160.5.15: no comma after “men”; 160.6.3: no period after “me”; 160.9.2: it is unclear whether the phrase “the old dynasty” was to be deleted or not; it seems partly erased on the typescript; 160.10.8: king’s; 160.13.2: regeme; 160.15.14: “to” not in original; 160.22.2: “The Lament for the King” between double, not single, quotes; 160.22.4: For; 160.22.13: villian; 160.23.2: villifies; 160.23.5: “that black hearted savage” between double, not single, quotes; 160.29.8: no comma after “knight”; 161.15.6: Moreoever; 161.18.5: “this” capitalized; 161.18.8: states-craft; 161.20.8: comma instead of period after “Brule”; 161.22.13: comma instead of period after “enviously”; 162.18.13: “the” capitalized; 162.23.2: dash after “barbarian”; 162.23.3: parenthesis before “when”; “when” not capitalized; 162.24.13: parenthesis after “me.”; 162.25.13: inscense; 162.30.4: comma instead of period after “notch”; 162.37.1: no comma after “forgotten”; 164.9.4: repbrobate; 164.11.5: “to” not in original; 164.16.4: comma instead of period after “sincerity”; 164.18.1: mean; 164.34.5: “there’s” capitalized; 164.35.8: no comma after “name”; 165.4.7: altar; 165.14.1: comma instead of period after “him”; 165.17.1: “not” not in original; 165.28.9: “Neither” not in original; 165.28.10: “you” capitalized; 165.29.1: altar; 165.30.6: weakning; 165.33.1: enmies; 165.34.9: admanant; 165.37.10: comma instead of period after “hand”; 166.8.9: betwen; 166.22.1: escpecially; 166.29.2: comma instead of period after “sir”; 166.29.3: she; 166.29.8: comma instead of period after “surprize”; 166.34.4: summonsed; 169.1.10: comma after “her”; 169.4.7: “the” capitalized; 169.16.7: comma instead of period after “heavily”; 169.19.4: comma instead of period after “wrath”; 169.23.1: Dont; 169.24.4: comma instead of period after “shoulder”; 169.27.4: semi-colon instead of period after “smiled”; 169.29.7: no comma after “asked”; 169.32.10: “and” capitalized; 169.34.3: comma instead of period after “laughed”; 169.36.4: inch’s; 170.4.1: comma after “born”; 170.23.4: comma instead of period after “man”; 170.26.1: holliday; 170.35.1: Dont; 170.35.3: comma instead of period after “afraid”; 170.39.1: comma instead of period after “foot”; 171.1.3: comma instead of period after “weakly”; 171.9.5: wrestly; 171.18.7: nitches; 172.4.11: uncertainly; 172.10.3: comma instead of period after “Ascalante”; 172.11.1: no comma after “Haste”; 172.13.4: no period after “Ridondo”; 172.16.3: comma instead of period after “Ascalante”; 172.21.3: comma instead of period after “Ridondo”; 172.26.1: comma after “Kull”; 172.33.14: hurlted; 172.35.5: tableaux; 172.37.2: “terrible eyed” (no hyphen); 172.39.3: semicolon instead of colon after “shouted”; 172.39.12: fourteen; 173.1.7: thime; 173.11.4: piece; 173.20.3: no comma after “speed”; 173.27.3: “back hand” (no hyphen); 173.32.17 (or 33.1): “with” not in ts; 173.34.3: one; 173.34.6: no period after “them”; 173.35.7: semicolon instead of comma after “savagely”; 173.38.8: “back his vizor” is typed here, with “off his slouch hat” handwritten above; 173.39.6: comma instead of period after “glaring”; 173.40.2: exclamation instead of question mark after “live”; 174.1.5: no semicolon after “viciously”; 174.2.8: no comma after “and”; 174.21.7: comma instead of period after “breathlessly”; 174.26.5: comma instead of period after “sharply”; 174.40.3: exclamation instead of question mark after “first”; 177.3.6: “him” not in typescript; 177.5.12: for; 177.8.4: villian; 177.23.6: the typescript reads “particularly including honor”; it is unclear which word was to be deleted; 177.24.2: comma instead of period after “murmured”; 177.25.4: what ever; 178.5.6: a sentence was to be added at this point, but the pencil is now too faded on the typescript to decipher; 178.7.4: unifrom; 178.10.6: comma instead of period after “huskily”; 178.11.4: t’will; 178.11.8: ’Tis; 178.36.1: the phrase: “in the evening only did Ala find a chance” appears above the text, in pencil; clearly Howard was to rewrite this passage and several others on the last pages of the draft; 179.5.4: no comma after “his”; 179.6.1: the words “he was himself” appears above the text, in pencil; 179.14.7: others; 180.2.12: wand like; 180.3.13: comma instead of period after “him”; 180.5.3: comma instead of period after “blood”; 180.9.3: comma instead of period after “blazing”; 180.9.9: knigship; 180.12.4: an unreadable sentence beginning with “While he…” is written on the typescript at this point but is too faint to be deciphered; 180.16.4: hve; 180.18.7: fightened.

Swords of the Purple Kingdom

Text taken from Howard’s draft, provided by Glenn Lord. The draft runs twenty-seven pages (against thirty-one for the–lost–definitive version), with several penciled-in annotations and corrections in Howard’s hand. Howard didn’t always cross out or erase the words or phrases to be replaced; these are mentioned only in case of doubt. Some questionable readings were checked against a transcript prepared by Lord. 183.13.2: no comma after “companion”; 183.13.6: powerfully; 183.19.10: no period after “Atlantean”; 183.29.10: no comma after “foreigners”; 183.31.10: looks; 183.32.5: no quotation mark after “race”; 183.35.4: familes; 184.4.12: no comma after “armies”; 184.13.10: ruthlesness; 184.16.9: “Well” capitalized; 184.25.10: in; 184.33.7: comma instead of period after “Brule”; 184.33.13: opening quote before “To”; 184.40.2: lovliness; 185.1.10: brood; 185.4.12: sword hardened (no hyphen); 185.14.14: comma instead of period after “toy”; 185.17.9: comma instead of period after “patience”; 185.22.4: “and” capitalized; 186.4.1: embarrassment; 187.3.3: Formallity; 187.4.4: no comma after “Brule”; 187.5.1: formallity; 187.9.4: the; 187.27.5: formallity; 187.28.12: he; 187.35.8: comma instead of period after “action”; 188.6.7: Borna’s; 188.7.1: over threw; 188.13.4: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 188.33.4: sparce; 189.3.3: comma after “Dondal”; 189.7.10: comma instead of period after “Tu”; 189.24.5: no comma after “long”; 189.24.6: no comma after “slim”; 189.25.11: comma after “rose”; 189.29.6: Acursed; 189.33.13: ecstacy; 189.34.7: rendevous; 190.22.1: comparitively; 190.29.5: sparce; 190.39.8: parrallel; 191.2.7: flag stones; 191.3.4: its; 191.4.5: comma instead of period after “Farsunian”; 191.11.6: comma instead of period after “Pict”; 191.11.7: Cant; 191.13.6: accidently; 191.16.1: terachery; 191.20.6: cut throat; 191.20.8: comma instead of period after “Dalgar”; 191.22.2: period instead of question mark after “beggar”; 191.32.3: conciousness; 191.37.2: dont; 191.37.8: comma instead of period after “dazed”; 192.27.5: Slayer; 192.36.5: comma instead of period after “Kananu”; 192.40.10: “to him” after “king” (193.1.4) in original; 193.7.2: no comma after “mates”; 193.8.1: reminisces; 193.13.5: procedings; 193.20.1: comma after “least”; 193.26.8: semicolon instead of comma after “palace”; 194.1.7: comma instead of period after “king”; 194.14.3: honey combed; 194.22.6: em-dash after “but”; 194.30.4: comma instead of period after “said”; 194.38.3: proceded; 195.2.8: comma instead of period after “king”; 195.9.3: back; 195.23.1: alllowed; 195.27.3: “the” capitalized; 195.30.10: dissappearance; 196.2.9: minature; 196.3.9: over ran; 197.1.5: comma instead of period after “Verulian”; 197.2.2: havent; 197.3.1: no period after “tongue”; 197.5.10: comma instead of period after “companion”; 197.6.2: wont; 197.10.12: comma after “Dalgar”; 197.17.1: Hadnt; 197.17.6: quiered; 197.19.4: cant; 197.20.1: cant; 197.34.6: comma after “relief”; 197.35.10: her; 198.6.3: comma instead of period after “giant”; 198.22.4: en-dash after, instead of before, the quote; 198.23.1: comma instead of en-dash after “cloth”; 198.23.2: “and” capitalized; 198.29.1: comma instead of period after “swiftly”; 198.30.4: he; 198.30.9: reward; 198.31.7: a; 198.34.2: comma instead of period after blazing; 198.35.13: “how” capitalized; 198.37.10: comma instead of period after “breathlessly”; 199.7.12: comma instead of period after “obeyed”; 199.9.12: comma instead of period after “voice”; 199.11.1: “the” capitalized; 199.12.5: comma instead of period after “Verulian”; 199.14.2: it; 199.14.11: cloesly; 199.23.8: comma instead of period after “Gonda”; 199.34.2: no comma after “Kull”; 199.35.1: rion; 200.1.9: effected; 200.7.10: litteraly; 200.14.2: tiger like; 200.15.11: alos; 200.20.4: colon instead of period after “girl”; 200.21.1: like wise; 200.22.8: reasuringly; 200.30.6: soldier; 200.40.10: black smith; 201.1.5: seem; 201.4.1: hair; 201.15.1: no quotation marks before and after “Well”; 201.15.4: no quotation mark before “here”; 201.15.12: no quotation mark after “too”; 201.17.1: leader ship; 201.17.6: no period after “Valusian”; 201.18.14: unconcious; 201.30.14: hin; 202.4.1: hammer like; 202.9.2: Verulian; 202.11.5: comma instead of period after “one”; 202.13.10: comma instead of period after “shriek”; 202.13.11: Dont; 202.22.6: “must” repeated after “necessarily”; 205.14.3: mw; 205.22.7: grat; 206.2.13: foot steps; 206.5.10: asounted; 206.6.11: no comma after “naked”; 207.1.11: helment; 207.1.11: comma after “helmet”; 207.3.8: comma after “man”; 207.3.13: comma after “same”; 207.15.2: no comma after “cruel”; 207.15.4: imbeded; 208.30.5: comma instead of period after “Kull”; 208.33.3: comma instead of period after “ejaculated”; 208.33.7: comma after “Tu”; 208.40.13: comma instead of period after “moodily”; 209.14.1: comma instead of period after “blood”; 209.20.9: resplendant; 209.33.13: comma instead of period after “him”; 209.36.5: comma instead of period after “head”; 210.4.2: comma instead of period after “arm”; 210.7.2: “have” not in original; 210.16.10: another.

The King and the Oak