Metzengerstein: A Tale in Imitation of the German was the first of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories published. In the story, the Metzengerstein & Berlifitzing families had a centuries long feud with each other. After a fire causes the death of the last living Berlifitzing, the last living Metzengerstein becomes obsessed with a horse previously belonging to Berlifitzing. Metzengerstein's stables catch fire and the horse rides into the flames causing the death of Metzengerstein.