The Mummy's Foot by Theophile Gautier

In a quiet curiosity shop in Paris, a shelf holds a collection of objects from another time. Our protagonist notices a small object that at first appears to be the broken foot of a Greek statue. The antiques dealer, however, explains that it is the mummified foot of a pharaoh’s daughter. The absurdity of a once royal foot now serving as a paperweight strikes them both. The dealer warns that the old pharaoh will not be pleased.

First published in 1840 as "Le Pied de momie" in Le Chroniqueur de Paris, The Mummy’s Foot is one of the earliest examples of French fantastic fiction.

Théophile Gautier (1811–1872), a poet, novelist, and critic, was a leading figure of French Romanticism. Known for his belief in “art for art’s sake,” he helped define the fantastic and Gothic tale as a lasting literary form.

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