In the event the second tale, Old Mortality, expanded to take up the final three volumes, leaving The Black Dwarf as the only story to appear exactly as intended.

[3] For the historical background Scott was particularly indebted to two books: Memoirs Concerning the Affairs of Scotland by George Lockhart of Carnwath (1714), and The History of the Late Rebellion by Robert Patten (1717).

[4] The Black Dwarf appeared as the first volume of Tales of My Landlord, published by Blackwood's in Edinburgh on 2 December 1816 and by John Murray in London three days later.

The title-page indicated that the Tales were 'collected and arranged by Jedediah Cleishbotham', reinforcing the sense of a new venture moving on from the first three novels with 'the Author of Waverley' and his publishers, Archibald Constable in Edinburgh and Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown in London.

In the latter part of 1828 he provided the novel with an introduction and notes, and revised the text, for the Magnum edition in which it appeared in Volume 9 in February 1830.

The introduction to The Black Dwarf attributes the work to Jedediah Cleishbotham, whom Scott had invented as a fictional editor of the Landlord series.

As Hobbie Elliot was returning over a wild moor from a day's sport, thinking of the legends he had heard of its supernatural occupants after nightfall, he was overtaken by Patrick Earnscliff, whose father had been killed in a quarrel with the laird of Ellislaw, Richard Vere.

The moon suddenly revealed the figure of a human dwarf, who, on being spoken to, expressed severe misanthropy, refused their offers of assistance, and bid them begone.

Shortly afterwards, Willie Graeme brought word that he and his companions had fired Hobbie's farm, and carried off his sweetheart, Grace Armstrong, and some cattle.

On hearing this Elshie insisted that Grace should be given up uninjured and wrote out a money order to persuade them to release her and dispatched Willie Graeme to do it.

Hobbie, having dispersed his neighbours in search of Grace and his cattle, went to consult Elshie, who handed him a bag of gold, which he declined, and intimated that he must seek her whom he had lost "in the west."

On approaching it, a female hand, which her lover swore was Grace's, waved a signal to them from a turret, and as they were preparing a bonfire to force the door, Graeme agreed to release his prisoner, who proved to be Isabella Vere.

On reaching home, however, Elliot found that Grace had been brought back, and at dawn he started off to accept the money which the dwarf had offered him to repair his homestead.

Isabel had been seized by ruffians while walking with her father, who appeared overcome with grief, declared that Earnscliff was the offender and led searches in all directions except south.

Mr Vere's suspicion seemed justified by their soon meeting his daughter returning under Earnscliff's care; but she confirmed his version of the circumstances under which he had intervened, to the evident discomfiture of her father and Sir Frederick.

The dwarf's real name and rank were then revealed, as well as the circumstances under which he had acquired the power of thus interfering on Isabella's behalf, while Hobbie and his friends supported Mr Ratcliffe in dispersing the would-be rebels.

Principal characters in bold Halbert "Hobbie" Elliot, of the Heugh-foot farm Mrs Elliott, his grandmother Old Annaple, his former nurse John and Harry, his brothers Lilias, Jean, and Annot, his sisters Grace Armstrong, his cousin and fiancée Patrick Earnscliff, a young squire, laird of Earnscliff Elshender, "Elshie", the Black Dwarf, revealed as Sir Edward Mauley Richard Vere, Laird of Ellieslaw Isabella Vere, his daughter Sir Frederick Langley, her suitor Lucy Ilderton, her cousin and friend, about the same age as Isabella.

Nancy Ilderton, Lucy's younger sister Willie Graeme of Westburnflat, a freebooter Hubert Ratcliffe, conservator of Richard Vere's estate, later revealed to be the agent of Sir Edward Mauley Ralph Mareschal, Vere's kinsman Introduction: Jedidiah Cleishbotham explains that Tales of my Landlord, based on stories told by the innkeeper of the Wallace Inn at Gandercleugh, were collected and arranged for publication by his assistant schoolmaster the late Peter Pattieson.

5: Elshie is moved by a general offer of assistance by Isabella Vere, who encounters him with her two cousins and friends Lucy and Nancy Ilderton while hunting; he gives her a rose which she is to bring to him in time of adversity.

Lucy Ilderton teases Isabella with the possibility of her marrying Earnscliff rather than the detested Sir Frederick Langley favoured by her father.

8: Hobbie declines an offer of money from Elshie but follows up his hint and joins a party headed by Earnscliff to seek Grace at Westburnflat.

Vere tells his conservator Mr. Ratcliffe he believes Earnscliff is the abductor, and instigates an unsuccessful search for her as his Jacobite colleagues assemble at the castle.

Mareschal goes off with Laird Ellieslaw and Sir Frederick, and shares with them a letter telling news that the Old Pretender's fleet had been turned back.

14: Vere persuades Isabella to marry Langley, making it clear that he had arranged for her abduction to avoid, at least for a time, the awkwardness arising from her coldness towards her destined husband.

[7] The Black Dwarf was generally judged much inferior to Old Mortality, its central character a failure, and its story slight and hastily concluded.