The Mark of Zorro

By: Johnston McCulley

Narrated by: John Rayburn

This is a story of a valiant man who became a sort of American version of Robin Hood. His efforts were a courageous attempt to restore justice in early 19th-century Mexican California, where a corrupt governor was viciously exploiting the poor and downtrodden. It was a period when there were large haciendas and resident caballeros confronted by the harsh oppression.

This brought forth a fictional effort featuring the persona of a masked laughing outlaw calling himself Zorro. He was a demon swordsman and deadly marksman with dashing gallantry and an exceptional code of ethics. His true identity is a mystery until the denouement in the late stages of the story. The story was written by Johnston McCulley, was titled The Curse of Capistrano, and first began as a five-part serial in a 1919 magazine. It caught the imagination of audiences so strongly that it led to a highly successful silent movie before being republished in book form. A later sound version followed. As you might expect, the heroic tale eventually made its way onto TV in the years to come. The adventure comes to life in the audio version you’re about to hear.

Originally published in 1919.

Public Domain (P)2021 John D. Rayburn