The Black Spider: Jeremias Gotthelf

After one of their own people repeatedly fails to live up to a pact with the Devil, a petty and morally bankrupt village community is plagued by a swarm of deadly black spiders. Using a complex narrative structure, Gotthelf`s cautionary novella shrewdly dissects the iniquitous social dynamics of rural life.

First published in 1842, The Black Spider displays its author`s talent for dark satire and realism, as well as the visionary powers of his imagination.