(Found) Traveller finds a surprise on a Greek island

[Cugel]

I read this a while back in an old anthology of short stories published probably in the mid sixties or maybe earlier.

In the story, a traveler notices an island while staying at a Greek fishing village. Asking some of the locals about it, he finds no one willing to talk about it, or to give him a ride there. Finally, a young man (who obviously needs the money) offers to take him there. The traveller gets there, the young man (who is very tense about all this) promises to wait, and the traveller struggles through the wild growth of this apparently unihabited island. The traveller soon finds startlingly realistic sculptures hidden in the growth, usually in very naturalistic poses. Some are weatherworn, others not. Still puzzling over this, he makes his way back to the boat. He sees a sculpture near the boat that he did not notice before. Just as he is looking at this sculpture he realises who lives on this island, and also hears someone walking up behind him. He turns to look.

Anyone remember this? The anthology might have been one of strange stories, rather than straight SF. Thanks!

 

[CassFrank]

I suspect this is Terror on Tobit by Charles Birkin. It can be found in many horror/weird story anthologies. “The Scilly Isles, 1920's. Despite all warnings to the contrary, Daphne and Aline bully a young man to row them out to a shunned island, where a creature reputedly appears after dark, hungry for human flesh.”

ISFDB

 

[Extollager]

The story very well described in the original post is certainly "Island of Fear" by William Sambrot.

I have the issue of the Saturday Evening Post in which it first appeared. Look here

Title: Island of Fear

www.isfdb.org

for other printings too.

I first read a version of Sambrot's story in an issue of Read magazine, a publication for middle school students that was distributed free. I have saved it all these years. I loved it when Read published sf, creepy fantasy, etc. which it occasionally did.

The next two postings will show the opening spread of the story in the SEP and the final two words of the story as published in Read, followed by discussion/writing questions about it.

 

[Extollager]

 

[Extollager]

 

[Ravensquawk]

Thank you for this story! I'd never heard of it or of William Sambrot. Found an old Saturday Evening Post and read it.
It may not match the going requirements for science fiction, but it is great for someone who has liked Greek mythology since grade school.

Not "The Gordons"!

Figuring he wouldn't have the sword skills of Perseus, I keep wishing he had a mirror and a pistol.

It is much like the near-Science Fiction/ Strange Stories in the anthology "Haunted New England".

 

[Pyan]

Marked as "Found" - I don't think there can be any doubt that Island of Fear was the story the OP had in mind.

 

[Extollager]

Too bad that "Cugel" seems to have been gone from these shores since 2014.

 

[Extollager]

Douglas A. Anderson tells us about a story similar to Sambrot's that appeared before his.

Lesser-Known Writers

Entries on Interesting Obscure and Lesser-Known Writers, Artists, Literary Folk, etc., I've Happened to Encounter

desturmobed.blogspot.com

 

[Pyan]

Too bad that "Cugel" seems to have been gone from these shores since 2014.

But as @Ravensquawk reminded me (Me!) the other day, the longest gap between posting and discovery (acknowledged by the OP) is 15 years...

(Found! 15 years on!) Mystery Book