The Ride On The Gravestone
by W. R. S. Ralston
The Ride On The Gravestone THE RIDE ON THE GRAVESTONE.[401] Late one evening a certain artisan happened to be returning home from a jovial feast in a distant village. There met him on the way an old friend, one who had been dead some ten years. "Good health to you!" said the dead man. "I wish you good health!" replied the reveller, and straight way forgot that his acquaintance had ever so long ago bidden the world farewell. "Let's go to my house. We'll quaff a cup or two once more." "Come along. On such a happy occasion as this meeting of ours, we may as well have a drink." They arrived at a dwelling and there they drank and revelled. "Now then, good-bye! It's time for me to go home," said the artisan. "Stay a bit. Where do you want to go now? Spend the night here with me." "No, brother! don't ask me; it cannot be. I've business to do to-morrow, so I must get home as early as possible." "Well, good-bye! but why should you walk? Better get on my horse; it will carry you home quickly." "Thanks! let's have it." He got on its back, and was carried off--just as a whirlwind flies! All of a sudden a cock crew. It was awful! All around were graves, and the rider found he had a gravestone under him! Of a somewhat similar nature is the story of--
Moral of the Story
Beware of excessive revelry, for it can lead to dangerous encounters and a distorted perception of reality.
Characters
The Artisan ★ protagonist
None explicitly mentioned, likely of average build for a working man.
Attire: Period-appropriate commoner's clothing, perhaps slightly disheveled from feasting.
Jovial, forgetful, responsible (regarding his business).
The Dead Man ⚔ antagonist
None explicitly mentioned, appears as a living man to the artisan.
Attire: Period-appropriate commoner's clothing, as he appears to be a living friend.
Deceptive, hospitable (in a sinister way), persistent.
Locations
Road to the distant village
A road leading away from a distant village, where the artisan is returning home from a feast.
Mood: jovial, friendly, unsuspecting
The artisan encounters his long-dead friend.
The Dead Man's Dwelling
A house where the artisan and the dead man drink and revel.
Mood: festive, convivial, deceptive
The artisan is lured into the dead man's home for drinks.
Graveyard
A place filled with graves, where the artisan finds himself riding a gravestone.
Mood: eerie, terrifying, shocking
The artisan realizes he has been tricked and is in a graveyard, riding a gravestone.
Story DNA
Moral
Beware of excessive revelry, for it can lead to dangerous encounters and a distorted perception of reality.
Plot Summary
A jovial artisan, returning from a feast, encounters a long-dead friend and, forgetting his demise, joins him for more drinks. After reveling, the 'friend' offers the artisan a 'horse' for a quick ride home. The artisan mounts it and is carried at a terrifying speed until a cock crows, revealing he is in a graveyard, riding a gravestone.
Themes
Emotional Arc
joviality to terror
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Ralston collected Russian folk tales, and this story reflects common Slavic folklore motifs of encounters with the supernatural, often tied to liminal spaces or states (like night, graveyards, or drunkenness).
Plot Beats (11)
- A jovial artisan is returning home late from a feast.
- He meets an old friend who has been dead for ten years.
- The artisan, in his state, forgets his friend's death and greets him warmly.
- The dead man invites the artisan to his house for more drinks.
- They go to the dwelling and drink and revel together.
- The artisan decides it's time to go home, citing business for the next day.
- The dead man offers him a 'horse' to ride home quickly.
- The artisan accepts and mounts the 'horse'.
- He is carried off at an incredibly fast speed.
- A cock crows, breaking the spell.
- The artisan realizes he is in a graveyard and is riding a gravestone.
