William Morris was a prolific writer who worked in many genres. His literary works that continue to receive considerable attention include his early short Pre-Raphaelite poems, his socialist writings, and his late prose romances. His works of short fiction are relatively few and tend to be overshadowed by his other writings but are important for their originality and for the insights they provide into his writing as a whole. For instance, the medieval setting of most of his short fiction is a significant aspect of Morris's well-known medievalism. Further, because his writings are intrinsically linked to his many other endeavors, political as well as artistic, these works of short fiction may ultimately be seen as essential elements in the mosaic of a varied career.

It is difficult to say whether Morris is now better known for his writings, for his designs, or for his part in the development...