Eric Count Stenbock was at the end of 19th century one of those eccentric dandies, who were influenced by Oscar Wilde. As the heir of an aristocratic Swedish family he inherited the largest manor in Estonia – Kolga (Kolk). But most of his short life he spent in England. He published some slim volumes of verse and seven stories in the collection Studies of Death: Romantic Tales. The Sad Story of a Vampire is most popular of these. The little story is illustrated by Mari Kanasaar, who lives in Tallinn, Estonia.