Who collaborated with Lovecraft on 'The Curse of Yig'?
Answer
Zealia Bishop
Zealia Bishop collaborated with Lovecraft on “The Curse of Yig.”
Bishop supplied the story idea and notes, then paid Lovecraft to develop the material in 1928. The arrangement was typical of Lovecraft’s revision work: the original client provided a premise, while Lovecraft substantially expanded and rewrote it in his own ornate, atmospheric style.
The story centers on a couple in Oklahoma who encounter legends of Yig, the “Father of Serpents.” Yig is said to punish people who kill snakes, either by killing them or transforming them into snake-like beings. The tale blends regional folklore, psychological terror, and supernatural transformation.
“The Curse of Yig” was published in Weird Tales in November 1929 under Bishop’s name and Lovecraft’s involvement. It was the first of three stories they worked on together; the others were “The Mound” and “Medusa’s Coil.” Scholars and the collaborators themselves differed over how much of the finished story belonged to each writer, but Bishop is the canonical collaborator.