'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad'

the short story the poem by Robert Burns Oh, whistle and I'll come to you, my lad 1904 ghost story by M.R. James Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad 200px "It leapt towards him upon the instant". An illustration by M. R. James' friend James McBryde, from the first edition of Ghost Stories of an Antiquary. M. R. James United Kingdom English Horror Ghost Stories of an Antiquary Anthology Edward Arnold Print (hardback) 1904 Ghost Stories of an Antiquary/'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You My Lad' "Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad" is a ghost story by British writer M. R. James, first published in his short story collection Ghost Stories of an Antiquary (1904). The title comes from a 1793 poem by Robert Burns. Plot Parkins, the protagonist, is a young "Professor of Ontography" at the University of Cambridge, who when the story opens is about to embark on a golfing holiday at the town of Burnstow on the east coast of England.Burnstow is a fictionalised version of Felixstowe, Suffolk. He has secured a room at the Globe Inn for the duration of his stay, though he is somewhat uncomfortable that the room will contain a second bed. At dinner in his College, an archaeological colleague asks him to investigate the grounds of a ruined Knights Templar preceptory near the Globe, with a view to its suitability for a dig. On his first day at Burnstow, after a round of golf with Colonel Wilson, another guest at the Globe, Parkins proceeds to find and examine the site of the preceptory. He happens upon a hole in the masonry, and finds an ancient bronze whistle, which he takes with him. As he returns to the Globe along the desolate beach, he notes that "the shape of a rather indistinct personage" in the distance appears to be making great efforts to catch up with him, but to no avail. thumb|The ominous inscription upon the whistle, from a 1905 edition of the story After an evening meal at the inn, Parkins inspects the whistle while alone in his room. First clearing the hard-packed soil from the item onto a sheet of paper, he then empties the soil out of the window, observing what he believes to be a sole individual "stationed on the shore, facing the inn". Parkins then holds the whistle close to a candle, discovering two inscriptions on the item. On one side appears: FUR FLA FLE BIS of which Parkins, his Latin "rusty", is unable to make anything.This inscription is never explained in the story, but it also seems to be Latin. Read as "Fūr: flābis, flēbis", the inscription roughly translates thus: "Thief: [if] you shall blow, you shall weep". The inscription on the other side reads "QUIS EST ISTE QUI UENIT", a Latin phrase which Parkins translates as "Who is this who is coming?" This may be a Biblical reference to the Latin version of Isaiah 63:1, "Quis est iste qui venit de Edom...". Upon blowing the whistle, which emits a note with "a quality of infinite distance", Parkins notices a sudden surge of wind outside his window, and has a vision of a "wide, dark expanse at night with a fresh wind blowing", in the middle of which he sees a solitary figure. thumb|"Looking up in an attitude of painful anxiety". An illustration of the nightmare sequence of Parkins fleeing an apparition along the beach in the hours after he blew the bronze whistle by M. R. James' friend James McBryde, from the first edition of Ghost Stories of an Antiquary. Unable to sleep that night, Parkins experiences visions of a man desperately running and clambering over high groynes, while anxiously looking back. After the man collapses to the ground in exhaustion, Parkins sees the cause of his flight, "a figure in pale, fluttering draperies, ill-defined", moving in a strange manner and with incredible speed. Realising he is unable to dispel the visions, Parkins decides to read through the night, although when he attempts to light a match, he hears the sound of scurrying on his floor in the direction away from his bed, which he believes may be the sound of rats fleeing. Parkins then reads himself to a sound sleep, with the candle beside his bed still burning when he is awakened the following morning. As he prepares to leave the inn, Parkins is informed by a maid that both beds in his room appeared to have been slept in. The maid had already made both beds, explaining the sheets on the bed he had not slept in were "crumpled and thrown about all ways". Parkins supposes he must have disturbed the sheets while unpacking. He then leaves the inn to play golf, again with Colonel Wilson whom he tells about the whistle. The Colonel, who has "pronouncedly protestant views", says that he would "be careful about using a thing that had belonged to a set of Papists". Returning to the inn, Parkins and Wilson encounter a terrified boy running from it, who explains he has just seen a strange, white figure waving at him from the window of one of the rooms. Parkins realises from the boy's description that the room must be his own. Investigating, they find the room still locked, but find that the sheets on the unused bed are again twisted and contorted. That night, Parkins is awakened from sleep by the collapse of an improvised partition that he had constructed to block the moonlight. He sees a figure sitting on the unused bed, which causes him to jump from his own bed in the direction of the window, to retrieve his cane. As he does so, the "personage in the empty bed" moves into a position in front of the door, with arms outspread. This apparition remains stationary in the shadows for several moments as Parkins's fear escalates. It then gropes blindly about the room in a stooping posture, darting towards Parkins's bed, and feeling about the pillow and sheets for his body. Realising he is no longer in the bed, the apparition moves into the moonlit part of the room; Parkins's impression is of "a horrible, an intensely horrible, face of crumpled linen". Parkins lets out a cry of disgust, revealing his general location by the window. The figure moves rapidly at him, and he is backed half-way through the window, screaming, as its face is "thrust close into his own". Arriving just in time, Colonel Wilson forces the door to his room open; before he reaches the window, the apparition tumbles to the floor, a heap of bed-clothes, while Parkins collapses in a faint. The following day, the linen from the room is burned and the Colonel throws the whistle into the sea.James M.R. Collected Ghost Stories 1993 Wordsworth Ware, Hertfordshire 1-853-26053-3 65–81 Publication Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad was written in 1903. In December 1903, James read the story at the King's College, Cambridge Christmas gathering in 1903. The story was first published in James' book Ghost Stories of an Antiquary in 1904. In 1931, it was collected in James' book The Collected Ghost Stories of M. R. James. It has since been collected many times, including in My Favorite Fantasy Story in 2000. Its title derives from the 1793 poem by Robert Burns, "Oh, whistle and I'll come to you, my lad". S. T. Joshi suggests the ghost in the story was inspired by a dream that James had. In 2010, Robert Lloyd Parry opined that the story was partially inspired by James' visits to his friend Felix Cobbold in Felixstowe, where on one occasion another guest, JK Stephen, suffered a head injury in a riding accident that was reportedly caused by the horse being startled by a whistle or gust of wind. Reception Daniel Frampton offers "Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad" as an example of stories by James that "exhibit a supernaturally-charged reality that was 'terrifyingly alive'.", writing "[James'] ghosts are novel in that they are 'embodied terrors' that can be touched." S. T. Joshi writes that "Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad" "...contains perhaps the most distinctive 'ghost' in [James'] corpus, which may have derived from a dream." Adaptations Whistle and I'll Come to You (1968 film) Whistle and I'll Come to You (2010 film) In 1949, Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad became the second installment of the new Man in Black series, arranged for radio by John Keir Cross. George Owen played Professor Parkins, Charles Lefeaux played Colonel Wilson, and Valentine Dyall starred as the eponymous host. The 30-minute play was transmitted on 7 February on the BBC Light Programme and repeated on the Home Service on 6 April.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/eb9836bfd7b848a19fa50188e31c435b https://web.archive.org/web/20181229124021/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/eb9836bfd7b848a19fa50188e31c435b dead December 29, 2018 Valentine Dyall as The Man in Black 1949-02-04 The Radio Times 2018-12-29 1321 11 en-GB 0033-8060https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9fe12bf013bf41878c423d79ae2cf419 https://web.archive.org/web/20181229124534/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9fe12bf013bf41878c423d79ae2cf419 dead December 29, 2018 Valentine Dyall as The Man in Black 1949-04-01 The Radio Times 2018-12-29 1329 16 en-GB 0033-8060 On 24 December 1963, a radio adaptation of Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad produced by Charles Lefeaux and adapted by Michael and Mollie Hardwick was broadcast on the BBC Home Service. The production is notable for the casting of Michael Hordern as Parkins – a role he would reprise for Jonathan Miller's TV adaptation five years later. The Radio Times teaser read "Easy enough to whistle – but there's no telling what will answer." The 30-minute play was repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra on 1 January 2018.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/3327bbe368e24f6f8cb4c76170aef450 https://web.archive.org/web/20170805092619/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/3327bbe368e24f6f8cb4c76170aef450 dead August 5, 2017 Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come To You 1963-12-19 The Radio Times 2018-12-30 2093 32 en-GB 0033-8060https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06sqq9z BBC Radio 4 Extra: M. R. James: Oh, Whistle and I'll Come To You BBC en-GB 2018-12-30 On 7 May 1968, the BBC produced a film adaptation directed by Jonathan Miller and starring Michael Hordern as Professor Parkin. On 27 December 1977, Michell Raper presented a 30-minute talk entitled The Ghosts of M. R. James, which featured a reading from Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/891587fd5f7249529c3a4dba0a39de1b https://web.archive.org/web/20181230130716/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/891587fd5f7249529c3a4dba0a39de1b dead December 30, 2018 The Ghosts of M. R. James 1977-12-22 The Radio Times 2018-12-30 2824 43 en-GB 0033-8060http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/MediaList.html M. R. James on TV, Radio and Film www.users.globalnet.co.uk 2018-12-30 On 19 December 1980, Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad became Radio 4's Book at Bedtime. It was read in a 15-minute slot by Robert Trotter.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5df1b3d79abb4485a16e90a9c67694b6 https://web.archive.org/web/20181230132215/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5df1b3d79abb4485a16e90a9c67694b6 dead December 30, 2018 A Book at Bedtime 1980-12-11 The Radio Times 2018-12-30 2979 81 en-GB 0033-8060 In December 1986, BBC2 broadcast a partially dramatized reading by the actor Robert Powell of Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad. In 2007, Nunkie Theatre Company toured Oh, Whistle ... round the UK and Ireland. This one-man show was a retelling of two of James's tales, Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad and "The Ash-tree". In December 2007, BBC Radio 4 presented an adaptation of Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad in its Woman's Hour Drama slot starring Jamie Glover as Professor Parkins.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?adv=1&order=asc&q=%22m.r.+james+at+christmas%22&yf=2007#search https://web.archive.org/web/20190103112140/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?adv=1&order=asc&q=%22m.r.+james+at+christmas%22&yf=2007#search dead January 3, 2019 Search Results - BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 2019-01-03 In 2010, the BBC again adapted the story, this time directed by Andy De Emmony and starring John Hurt and Sophie Thompson. In summer 2011, the Crusade Theatre Company toured a new stage adaptation of Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad in England.Crusade Theatre Company http://www.crusadetheatre.co.uk/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110412130430/http://www.crusadetheatre.co.uk/ 12 April 2011 On 31 October 2014, the BBC daytime soap opera Doctors presented an adaptation of Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad with Dr. Al Haskey (played by Ian Midlane) substituted for Professor Parkins. It was written by Jeremy Hylton Davies and directed by Pip Short.Whistle... https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04n5z0n 2021-03-18 www.bbc.co.uk The BBC website also produced a behind-the-scenes video of the production.Special Halloween Behind the scenes video! https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p029q3hm 2021-03-18 www.bbc.co.uk 31 October 2014 In 2019, a professor in the Father Brown episode “The Whistle in the Dark” reads the story to his grandchildren and later mentions it to guests before auctioning a medieval whistle he claims can summon spirits.The Whistle in the Dark 2019-01-09 Father Brown https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9474852/ 2025-12-14 In 2020, a full cast, audio adaptation of Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad was produced under the title "Whistle" by White Heron Theatre of Nantucket, Massachusetts. It was written and directed by Mark Shanahan, with original audio production and music by John Gromada. The audio drama bears a contemporary setting and was set on Nantucket Island. Though it deviates from the source material in many aspects, it retains the original's core traits. The cast includes Steve Pacek Alexandra Kopko and Catherine Shanahan. The audio drama was broadcast on Nantucket's NPR affiliate station, WNCK, on 31 October 2020.Oct 31, 2020 Whistle https://whiteherontheatre.simplecast.com/episodes/whistle-5Jk0NVp3 White Heron Radio Theatre's Ghost Light Serieshttps://www.wickedlocal.com/story/entertainment/arts/2020/10/22/cape-cod-nantucket-radio-dramas-chill-with-ghosts-and-noir-detectives/114463596/ Radio dramas tell chilling tales Notes References https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-54104854 'Jack the Ripper' link to famous ghost story revealed BBC News 3 October 2025 4 October 2020 Nic Rigby https://americanliterature.com/author/mr-james/short-story/oh-whistle-and-ill-come-to-you-my-lad 'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You My Lad' americanliterature.com 15 July 2014 15 March 2021 http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/FAQ.html#anchor169914 What is the Meaning of the "FUR/FLA/FLE/BIS" Inscription in "Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad"? M.R. James Frequently Asked Questions globalnet.co.uk 1 January 2006 24 August 2007 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338325911_The_Haunting_of_M_R_James_An_English_Catholic_Sensibility The Haunting of M. R. James: An "English Catholic Sensibility"? Daniel Frampton Logos - Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture 23 1 2020 University of St. Thomas 31 October 2025 111-131 10.1353/log.2020.0005 https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?94227 'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad' Internet Speculative Fiction Database 3 October 2025 Count Magnus and Other Ghost Stories: The Complete Ghost Stories of M. R. James 1 S. T. Joshi Explanatory Notes Penguin Books 978-0143039396 271-273 2005 https://books.google.com/books?id=H1X2fB1PoYIC S. T. Joshi M. R. James M. R. James http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/MRJStories.html A Chronological Listing of M.R. James's Ghost Stories 2007 22 March 2026 Rosemary Pardoe Pardoe Rosemary M.R. James on TV, radio and film https://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/MediaList.html 13 April 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260221013233/https://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/MediaList.html 21 February 2026 2010 External links 1 M. R. James Ghost Stories of an Antiquary/'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You My Lad' y https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/m-r-james/short-fiction An omnibus collection of James's short fiction true Full text of Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad steve-calvert.co.uk 94227 yes Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad, narrated by Michael Hordern Fifteen-minute drama: Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad as broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Christmas Eve 2007 British Theatre Guide review of stage performances of Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad Oh Whistle and I'll Come to You My Lad Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad M. R. James Category:1904 short stories Category:1904 English-language short stories Category:Golf in fiction Category:Horror short stories Category:Novels set in England Category:Short stories about ghosts Category:Short stories adapted into television films Category:Short stories by M. R. James Category:Articles with quotation marks in the title Category:Short stories set in hotels Category:Suffolk in fiction Category:Works set in the University of Cambridge Category:Short stories adapted into radio programs Category:British short stories adapted into films