La Vénus d’Ille

"La Vénus d'Ille" ([la venys dij], "The Venus of Ille") is a short story by French writer Prosper Mérimée. It was written in 1835 and published in 1837. It tells the story of a statue of Venus that comes to life and kills the son of its owner, whom it believes to be its husband. This is based on a popular medieval story, of which William of Malmesbury wrote the earliest known version.