Conte (?), n.; pl. Contes (#). [F.]
A short narrative or tale, esp. one dealing with surprising or marvelous events.
The conte (sic) is a tale something more than a sketch, it may be, and something less than a short story. . . . The "Canterbury Tales" are contes, most of them, if not all, and so are some of the "Tales of a Wayside Inn."
Brander Matthews.
© Webster 1913