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- Reading time of the summarized text: 3 minutes

"The Willows" is a horror novella by Algernon Blackwood, published in 1907. The story follows two friends on a canoe trip down the River Danube, where they encounter mysterious and malevolent forces in the surrounding environment. The willows, in particular, are characterized as sinister and threatening. The precise nature of these entities is unclear, but they are contrasted with the natural beauty of the area. The story has been influential on later writers and is considered one of Blackwood's best works. Horror author H.P. Lovecraft considered it to be the finest supernatural tale in English literature. The novella has been praised for its art and restraint in narrative, producing a lasting impression without a single strained book or false note. "The Willows" has been adapted into various forms, including a magazine and a novel.