The Adventures by John Buchan. Book 10

The Adventures by John Buchan. Book 10: 1. The Magic Walking-Stick; 2. Witch Wood; 3. The Moon Endureth: Tales and Fancies.



1. The Magic Walking-Stick: Published - 1932.

The Magic Walking Stick is a children’s short story by John Buchan. It tells the story of a teenage boy who buys a walking stick from a beggar - a magic walking stick that allows the boy to visit many places at his command…


2. Witch Wood: Published - 1927.

Witch Wood is a 1927 novel written by the Scots author and politician John Buchan. It is set in the 17th century, at the time of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The protagonist, David Semphill, is a newly-ordained minister of the Church of Scotland, who has recently arrived in the parish of Woodilee, in the Scottish Borders.

Set against the religious struggles and civil wars of seventeenth century Scotland, John Buchan's Witch Wood is a gripping atmospheric tale in the spirit of Stevenson and Neil Munro.

As a moderate presbyterian minister, young David Sempill disputes with the extremists of his faith, as all around, the defeated remnants of Montrose's men are being harried and slaughtered.

There are still older conflicts to be faced however, symbolised by the presence of the Melanudrigall Wood, a last remnant of the ancient Caledonian forest. Here there is black magic to be uncovered, but also the more positive pre-Christian intimations of nature worship.

In such setting, and faced with the onset of the plague, David Sempill's struggle and eventual disappearance take on a strange and timeless aspect in what was John Buchan's own favourite among his many novels.


3. The Moon Endureth: Tales and Fancies: Published - 1912.

The Moon Endureth by John Buchan is a collection of tales and fancies, in prose and verse, which were originally published in Blackwood's Magazine 1912. 

It includes From the Pentlands looking North and South, The Company of the Marjolaine, Avignon 1759, Lucid Interval, The Shorter Catechism (revised version), The Lemnian, Atta's song, Space, Stocks and Stones, Streams of Water in the South, The Gipsy's song to the lady Cassilis, The Grove of Ashtaroth, Wood magic, The riding of Ninemileburn, Plain Folk, The Kings of Orion, Babylon, The Green Glen, The Wise Years, and The Rime of True Thomas.