Preface

This storynotes collection began with what was supposed to be a simple storynote on the Ace of Spades, originally prompted by a short account that my ‘Tis Tales Sue Bailey gave, if I recall correctly, either in one of our shows, or at an Island Storytellers monthly story circle. Or maybe it was when we were considering tales for a show.

Whatever the trigger, what started out as an initial set of two or three links regarding the last man hanged for forging the Ace of Spades, quite rapidly turned into a slightly more comprehensive collection of resources around that theme once the bit between my teeth.

And then, to provide additional context, I started looking for some tales relating to playing cards in a Devilish context (which I haven’t added to the collection yet…)

I hope this collection is one that continues to grow. I love devil stories, and a set of tales pivoting around a pack of playing cards as a frame tale device really appeals to me…

– Tony “Monty” Hirst

Apse Heath, December, 2023-