The Trees of Pride

Gilbert K. Chesterton's fictional "The Trees of Pride" story goes around Squire Vane, who has imported three "peacock trees," which, according to the local people, spread illness and eat people. The Squire let go of these comments as simple superstitions, but while the three guests raised the point and angered the squire, he walked out to the trees to spend the night among them, to show the people that they were not risky, but the next morning he was nowhere. His guests and a local doctor went out to find out what exactly happened to him and sort out a completely twisted web. This is a brilliant composition of a human's capacity and desire to believe in supernatural activities, all wrapped up in a tale of honour and arrogance.