James Stephens

James Stephens

The Crock of Gold is a comic novel written by Irish author James Stephens, first published in 1912.

A mixture of philosophy, Irish folklore and the "battle of the sexes", it consists of six books, Book 1 - The Coming of Pan, Book 2 - The Philosophers Journey, Book 3 - The Two Gods, Book 4 - The Philosophers Return, Book 5 - The Policemen, Book 6 - The Thin Woman's Journey, that rotate around a philosopher and his quest to find the most beautiful woman in the world, Cáitilin Ni Murrachu, daughter of a remote mountain farm, and deliver her from the gods Pan and Aengus Óg, while himself going through a catharsis.

The Philosopher is arrested for murder after the neighbouring Leprecauns of Gort na Clocha Mora (whose crock of gold has been taken) lay information with the police that the two friends who shared the Philosopher's house have died, with the implication that they have been killed. "It is in circumstances such as these that dangerous alliances are made," wrote Stephens, "and, for the first time in history, the elemental beings invoked bourgeois assistance."

The Philosopher is then whisked away by his wife the Thin Woman of Inis Magrath (who herself belongs to the most powerful Shee of Ireland). The Philosopher and the Thin Woman of Inis Magrath encounter notable characters on their separate journeys, in his case Angus Óg, and in hers the Three Infinites.