John is the best hero in fantasy. His enemies are men of the "low-down, sorry nature that wants money and power." He always finds the treasure, and he always gives it to the poor and the ailing. He could win the girl every time, but he waits for his one true love, Evadare. Wielding songs, prayers, and sometimes fists, he wins every battle, but he never makes a boast. He's a good Christian, and he knows that his own heart is wicked.

Manly Wade Wellman drew on American folklore, medieval romance, modern weird fiction, and Christian parable to create a new kind of literature, and it's purely enchanting. Here are the complete short stories about John's wanderings through the magical mountains of the Upland South. Read it and find out the truth about the Ugly Bird.