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Dr. Erasmus Craven, a 15th-century English magician, goes into retirement following the apparent death of his wife, Lenore.  He is startled one night by the appearance of a talking raven, who turns out to be Dr. Adolphus Bedlo, a former magician turned into a bird for daring to challenge the power of the master sorcerer, Dr. Scarabus.  After Craven returns him to human form, Bedlo divulges that a woman resembling Lenore is living at the Scarabus castle.

Accompanied by Craven's daughter, Estelle, and Bedlo's son, Rexford, the two magicians visit the castle and learn that Lenore feigned death to become Scarabus' mistress.  The master sorcerer imprisons his guests and threatens to torture Estelle unless Craven reveals the secrets of his magical powers.  Bedlo, who is actually a party to a plot with Scarabus to get Craven to divulge his magic secrets, tries to back out of the agreement, and Scarabus changes him into a raven once more.  The bird, however, cuts Craven's bonds, enabling him to challenge Scarabus to a duel of magic, which results in the death of Scarabus and Lenore in a castle fire.

Later, Craven takes the raven home with him, but he is in no hurry to change Bedlo back into a man.