<DIV>For many, Walter de la Mare is as great a writer of fiction as of poetry. Sadly, the majority of his short stories have been unavailable for some time. Now this welcome volume, the first of three, brings together more than 40 stories written between 1895 and 1926, including <I>The Riddle and Other Stories, Ding Dong Bell, The Connoisseur and Other Stories, Kismet,</I> and 14 other previously uncollected pieces.</DIV>