The Treasure of Abbot Thomas | A Ghost Story by M. R. James | A Bitesized Audiobook

[@BitesizedAudio]

Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:09 The Story begins 00:51:49 Credits, thanks and further listening

[@waningmooncancer9628]

HI SIMON!!! MISS ME?!? 😁😁😁 I'm first and about to listen to another one of your fine performances 😁😁🤪👏👏👏👏👏

[@BitesizedAudio]

Hello Nancy, lovely to hear from you! I hope you enjoyed it

[@waningmooncancer9628]

@@BitesizedAudio Of course I enjoyed it. How could I not? Can't help but wonder why anyone would search for a treasure or relic, whatever, when they are warned of a guardian protecting it. That would be a big clue for me to get real comfortable doing without. Love the way you show the different characters with change of tone/accent. Your portrayals paint the scenes in my mind. Great work 👏👏👏👏🙌👌

[@alansorensen1141]

I would love to see you narrate the P. G. Wodehouse books. You would be the worthy successor to Jonathan Cecil.

[@eleshasmith6064]

Thank you for the consistently professional quality, frequent, reliable postings without a shadow of inferior or rushed results, and keeping these gorgeous tales so very alive!

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you so much Elesha for your very generous support, and your kind comments

[@mjrussell414]

Not gonna lie, but I have played this a few times at bedtime and I fell asleep every time. But hey, I let the ads play for our dear friend Simon (I love the new intro style, by the way, where he shows his handsome face, thereby making it clear once again to KZbin that he is the actual creator of this wonderful content). When I was a teenager in the 80’s, I was kind of sad they didn’t teach Latin in Canadian schools anymore because I wanted to be an English teacher one day and had also studied the classics. I loved researching the etymology of words. I actually bought a Latin/English dictionary in the hopes I could find a class, but sadly never did, so it never got used. But I am sure his Latin pronunciation is accurate because it sounds good to me! Now if I could just stay awake long enough tonight to find out what this story is actually about…

[@patriciajrs46]

​@@mjrussell414 Very nice comments. Thanks. Simon is so good.

[@tomasomaonaigh7659]

🙄

[@R.ion64]

Thanks

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thanks for your support!

[@susangordon1157]

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Simon, you are a one man oral theatre! I loved the way you did the vocal fade out and in at the beginning. So very effective! Another perfect performance! ❤

[@exileinderby51]

You have introduced me to many new authors, but you can't beat a bit of classic MR James.

[@CONNELL19511216]

I'm so glad attention is still being paid to a period that produced such excellent short stories.

[@mjrchapin]

You are the only reader who does MR James justice. So glad to see a post from you and James at that!

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you, much appreciated!

[@alchemicalalek7535]

Christopher Lee did him justice too!

[@bonniebarbee7984]

Thanks!Your stories are such a blessing to unwind by in the evening . You do such a wonderful job of narration.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thanks so much for your support Bonnie, much appreciated

[@eliasblum753]

Bless you, Simon. I'm cold, tired, shivery, and going back to bed feeling rather sorry for myself - and being able to close my eyes and listen to you performing an M R James story makes it better.

[@saran.4001]

Hope you feel better soon.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Glad to help! Get well soon...

[@sams5963]

Hope you're feeling better by now.

[@eliasblum753]

@@sams5963 Oh yes, thank you. Just one of those normal flus. Rest, plenty of tea and paracetamol, and I was fine after 2 days. (Took a couple of covid texts, both -ve.)

[@DreadArkive]

Thanks!

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you so much

[@jamesblahut5008]

Thank you Simon!

[@shannondore]

M.R. James read by you Simon is a lovely gift after a hard days work. Very much enjoyed this one. Thank you!😊

[@mrs.cracker4622]

I'm so grateful for your channel, the wonderful stories, and perfect narration. Many thanks again!

[@richardstrachmesserschmiti4979]

Excellent- voice over Wow Support your local Simon Stanhope Good job

[@ChristopherStump]

Simon, M. R. James's stories are so well suited to your voice. Or is it that your voice is so well suited to M. R. James's stories? Either way, I'm correct. You're an absolute master.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thanks so much Chris, very kind of you!

[@code-52]

All the narrations,are a perfect trip, to the Victorian world.

[@KiKiabout]

Excellent... Thank You!

[@snippycutwell9878]

Treasure hunting is never simple is it. Thank you for the story!

[@michelle15598]

Bravo! 👏👏👏 As always. You are my absolute favorite! Seeing that you've added to your repertoire makes my heart leap and is well worth the wait. Thank you Simon!

[@BitesizedAudio]

What a lovely comment, thank you Michelle!

[@chrismurphy2420]

I’ve been waiting for this one and I was not disappointed.

[@bonniebarbee7984]

So glad to see you again . I’ve been going over my favorite for the second time for bedtime stories. I’ve missed you .

[@susansherlock6934]

Beautiful narration, thank you Simon. M.R. James's stories really crawl under your skin as he presents in great detail, but so calmly, he doesn't appear to use creeping horror as a lot of ghost writers are apt to do, and that's what makes his art all the more terrifying...x

[@barbarafleming8881]

Love everything you do with these splendid productions. You are the best in the whole Internet.

[@lukepenkett3116]

Heard this with my carer at the end of my birthday. It was the icing on the cake. Thank you. A monk.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Belated happy birthday! Thanks for listening

[@FrogScotch19-q4y]

i love how you don't stick ads in the middle that interupt the story telling. Thank you !

[@caroleastwood9386]

Absolutely top notch narration Simon As Ever..

[@krishnasen397]

Love MR JAMES ghost stories..Great selection and marvelous narration . Sincere thanks and regards

[@Paxtonparsnip]

Reading that lot precisely and correctly and maintaining the interest of your listeners - I wouldn’t dream of trying! I think the author wrote it to foil any attempt at trying! You’ve done it! First class!

[@GradKat]

Perfect! Thank you Simon!

[@earthcat]

M.R. James has always scared me to death 💀

[@smythharris2635]

James had all the qualifications, medievalist, academic, antiquarian, no wonder. He was marinated in spookery.

[@earthcat]

@@smythharris2635 Absolutely

[@lyndarowland7507]

Great story Great narration thank you so much

[@irenabevans3411]

Glad to see you back, really enjoyed the creepyness of this tale, superb narration as ever thank you

[@beluch2768]

A fine reading of this especially antiquarian story. You dealt nimbly with the decryption section, and it was a good idea to "fade out" from the first paragraph in Latin. Thanks for the pleasure!

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thanks beluch. Yes, I did consider doing the whole of the introductory section, but thought it might try the patience of listeners! Glad to know you enjoyed it

[@lesleylakos2417]

A Beautifully Constructed Story very well Read ....Thank You Simon

[@sharonwhiteley6510]

Better than most TV today

[@Mrs.Karen_Walker]

We got rid of our TV and radio. its just low quality, shallow smut, filth, propaganda and degeneracy. No TV and no radio is absolute heaven.

[@synesthete23]

A treasure tale with a ghost guardian! I think about the ghost pirates guarding their treasures in the movies... and how greed can lead us to unpleasant places. Thank you dear Simon for your masterful narrations! 🎩

[@maureenhartley1093]

Simon you are a national treasure, I read your stories every day, both ordinary and ghost. Your voice is marvellous for reading these books, please keep on reading these they are wonderful.🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🍷🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@martiwilliams4592]

One of my M.R. James favorites enhanced by your gripping presentation. Thank you so much!!!

[@BitesizedAudio]

Glad to know that, thanks Marti!

[@spews1973]

Always love hearing some Monty. And the way the Latin at the start was cut short was a particularly fine bit of editing.

[@thomasswafford250]

M.R. James wrote a number of stories that are canon in supernatural literature. He put his academic career first and foremost, so that limited his output. Originally, he wrote for friends till a friend convinced him to put out a collection.

[@MsDormy]

He also was a brilliant linguist and expert in ancient churches - he did a fantastic translation of Homs Christian Andersen’s tales, and also visitors guides to abbeys and churches of Great Britain - he was quite a prolific academic. Merry Christmas 🎄❤️

[@adjones3937]

Ooooh, lovely!

[@mickho7910]

I enjoy all your readings, but especially M R James.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thanks Mick

[@Linda-rs5qt]

Thank you!! I love listening to your stories at bedtime while I embroider or crochet and unwind from the long day 😊

[@BitesizedAudio]

Much appreciated, thanks Linda

[@jimmillward3505]

great work Simon

[@thewildbirds6070]

What an absolute delight Simon. Thank you

[@katyvdb5993]

Brrr! Very effective! Thank you, Simon, for your wonderful rendering of these superb stories.

[@deborahmeyers551]

Thank you so much for your beautiful reading 📚 like no other 👌

[@thelastsausage635]

Absolutely loved this story, hadn’t heard it before, brilliantly read as always by Simon ❤️👍🇦🇺

[@m.a.3083]

I’m not sure where I got the idea that I don’t like ghost stories as much as mysteries, but you are quickly disproving it with your latest uploads!

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thanks @M. A. Of course, this particular one is a bit of both!

[@jack8841]

October is the perfect time for all of this love this

[@holymags2495]

Looking forward to this one. Saving til time for bed!

[@katyoconnor5052]

Love MR James stories. Great to find this channel that has a lot of them n is well narrated.

[@peterprice6871]

Love MR James and you do him full justice with your beautifully crafted narration

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you Peter, much appreciated

[@Micky-yo3ng]

I listen to these stories at night while I'm asleep and so I'm not fully conscious of the stories but my dreams surely are! I dreamt of Cthulhu, must have been those tentacles round the protagonist's neck.

[@manasbose8817]

Oh this is great Simon. A tale from the masterful M R James I haven't heard before read by you a masterful narrator. Also very gratified I still understood some of the Latin 50 years after doing it for O Level🤣

[@Mrs.Karen_Walker]

Love all these old stories. ANd what a very good reading voice you've got.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you Gretchen, much appreciated

[@billtomson5791]

Thank you Simon. Looking forward to more.

[@barbaraprest783]

Thank you so much

[@RosesAreForever1871]

Thank you. I’ve got several knitting projects lined up and this will definitely help me finish them💐

[@imlistening1137]

I would love to hear a reading of ghost stories on Christmas Eve! What a spooky tradition!

[@LadyBronwynn1400]

Love it, just love it. Thank you.

[@donnasmall2172]

Yet another fantastic story

[@jojoe4093]

This story left me shakingall over!

[@junewoolerton5210]

Terrific stuff, just as enjoyable as reading the original tale!

[@richardcychowski8380]

Great story.... brilliantly told

[@jayanthisrinivasan9055]

Thank you for the pure pleasure 🙏. I adore your voice and narration. From India with ❤️

[@januzzell8631]

Ahh one of my favourite ghost writers read by one of my favourite readers - gorgeous!

[@Maud87]

As always superb! Thanks Simon

[@petercalderwood2876]

Happy to find this channel. A perfect pairing with my doses of NyQuil. Happy Holidays!

[@SpuktasticAudio]

An M. R. James tale that was unknown to me. You spoil us, cher Simon. You really do. ❤❤

[@BitesizedAudio]

Glad to know I can still surprise you! Thanks Bob

[@rhondaroberts9581]

I really like these Bite Sized audio's!

[@annnovy4537]

Really enjoyed these spooky stories. Well read too Simon

[@Maud87]

As always Simon, superb! 🙏

[@patriciajrs46]

Latin sounds like one of the romance languages. If it is, you make it sound lovely. Thank you, Simon. I too, love languages. A very interesting story.

[@conlaiarla]

Latin is the romance language. All romance languages are derived from it.

[@davidbixby8682]

Splendid reading as always Mr. Stanhope, hope you can get to "Lost Hearts" and "The Ash Tree".

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you David. They're on my list, although I'm hoping to do Count Magnus and Number 13 ... but will certainly do more James in the future

[@greedyfirstalgorithmlast26]

thank you sir for bringing books to an 73 year old who cannot read books due to Cataracts

[@BitesizedAudio]

Glad to help! Thanks for listening and taking the time to comment

[@St.Linguini_of_Pesto]

Just getting to the five minute mark, I read the name "MR James" and knew I must listen. "Oh, Whistle..." is one of my favorite short stories.

[@jackalina91]

Thank you Simon I enjoyed this story very much. ♥️♥️♥️

[@tinawelch3005]

Prior posted comments conveybmy thoughts. Thank you for excellent narrations!

[@mammaminecraft4038]

I started listening to this to go to sleep and here I am, very much awake now .

[@BitesizedAudio]

Oh dear! I hope you managed to get some sleep in the end...

[@barbaratozzano6364]

I have always loved "Victorian" ghost stories, and M.R. James is one of my favorite authors. I must say that your voice is the perfect medium of narration for this genre. Keep up the good work!

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you Barbara, appreciated!

[@MajorDan1138]

Great audio effect at the beginning, fading out the Latin as the English story begins, sort of high-end, eh? Great story, and Thank you!

[@idontknowpreston3673]

Very nice new intro.

[@nshaw1567]

Well done that chap

[@grannykiminalaska]

❤️

[@lizday8140]

I have heard this story before! It reminded me of another story I have viewed on KZbin, where there is a slimy black ooze that comes out of a wall, protecting some treasure or something like that. Does anyone know the one to which I am referring?

[@davidbixby8682]

It's the same one, the BBC adapted it for their "Ghost Stories for Christmas" specials in 1974.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Hello Liz, as David says, I think it sounds like you're referring to the BBC TV adaptation of this story from 1974 - it varied from the original in several aspects, including making Somerton a clergyman, eliminating some characters and adding in others, but the overall story line is the same and the climatic moment in the well is indeed rather dramatic...

[@lizday8140]

@@BitesizedAudio That was it! I thought I remembered the adaptation as being different from another audiobook version of the same story I had heard previously, too. "Artistic license", I suppose. 🙂 Thanks!

[@thehobbyzoo6124]

Your pronunciation of Latin is pretty decent

[@saran.4001]

Yes, he made me nostalgic for my Catholic upbringing. I went on a tour here of the Candler mansion and they had a stained glass window with Latin passages. . The guide asked could anybody translate, I did. Astonished my Baptist friends.

[@spacehound3355]

Revenge is a dish best severed cold a klingon proverb and its indeed cold when it comes from the grave. 👻👍

[@stevenverhaegen8729]

👁️👁️👁️👁️👁️👁️👁️😱

[@sittnknittnwatchn3980]

💙🎙📚💙

[@EleanorPeterson]

SPOILER ALERT! Please note, dear reader, that this comment contains some musings which may constitute a partial 'plot spoiler' connected with this story. By all means, enjoy Simon's splendid reading before continuing...🙂 I've often wondered at the use of darkness and night in ghost stories. Naturally it taps into our earliest fears of the unseen and the unknown, but why should rational adults - who have seen and know - continue to be upset by childhood superstitions? We know now about lots of hitherto unexplained or unseen things. We can amplify, magnify and rationalise almost everything. From ebola to eclipses and from epilepsy to earthquakes, we've gradually robbed the unknown of its power to hold our reason to ransom. (Do you suppose that the traditional ghost stories of the lost Aztecs and Incas, of the Australian Aboriginal people, and of India, China and Africa also rely on our fear of the dark? 🤔) Infra-red sensitive cameras have shown us that darkness is largely meaningless to many creatures - cats can see as well at night as we can by day. This is obviously why moggies don't write ghost stories 🤭. But they're not evil or touched by the claw of Satan - they're just adapted to be nocturnal. And we now know exactly why bats don't crash into things in the dark. So... darkness falls as the planet revolves. And, as Shakespeare said, "Night's dark agents to their preys do rouse...". But then the darkness goes away again. Um. So? I must be missing something. In this story, we are told that the mysterious 'guardian' is a creature of the night, and thus can only do its duty in the Earth's cosier latitudes. Would it be rendered powerless in northern Norway or at the extreme south of the planet? How would it guard its treasure in lands where there isn't any night? I imagine that if people lived their whole lives in sunlight they'd just have to find something else to scare their children with. It's odd that we should still be ruled by instincts from a time when we didn't know much about celestial mechanics. The idea of 'Light is good, dark is bad' is as old as we are, but we've known for a long time that the thing that went bump in the night was actually Tiddles the cat jumping off the fridge to catch a spider at 3 in the morning. No wonder modern 'scares' eschew mere darkness and seek their thrills elsewhere. Mood-altering plagues, genetic engineering gone wrong, and hordes of indestructible brain-eating zombies - all three things being conspicuously diurnal - have taken over from a night full of bats and unseen squidgy monsters conveniently concealed by the gloom. You may be wondering why I make 'spoilsport' comments like this, so perhaps I should say that I'm not just a grumpy so-and-so out to spoil everyone's fun; I get tremendous enjoyment from listening to Simon's wonderful storytelling and find these old tales fascinating for what they reveal about human nature. I'm interested in what makes people 'tick'. When I watch a puppet show, I first of all enjoy the action, but I also like to see the rods and strings moving. In literature as in life, it's intriguing seeing how changes in society affect our hopes and fears; wholesome (fundamentally Christian) ghost stories of good versus evil were very much in vogue in Edwardian and Victorian times. After the Great War people had other things to worry about besides hauntings and spectres, and after WW2 we were scaring ourselves with science, aliens, and alien ideology (which for some people is even scarier!) instead of simple spooks. Yep. Life was easier when we couldn't see what was pulling our strings.😁

[@bluegreenglue6565]

I enjoyed your cogitation on this and its ancillary topics -- the kind of conversations I used to have with my late husband about movies, about books, about events, history, music, etc. It's nearly impossible for me to just "read (or listen to) a story." I have to consider it, muse over what it means in the grand scheme. I don't want to stop feeling that way about everything. It makes life more interesting, and helps shave the sharp edges off of the trials of just existing as a human.

[@er6730]

10:11

[@indigobunting2431]

I did not understand the ending.

[@Crowka274]

🎉

[@christabedwin]

Ah Treasure. Always bad news. !!

[@boxfox2945]

How can the ethnicity of an artist, be told by their art'?

[@annaliese7052]

Huh?

[@BryinWillis-e8g]

25min.

[@wendywardashley]

Love your voice but didn't like this story.

[@rezzer7918]

Don't like the accent

[@Mrs.Karen_Walker]

no one cares