Fumato (The Shadow)

It was the middle of winter, and snow-flakes were falling like feathers from the sky, and the white queen sat at her window working. The queen took delight in the winter, ‘tis sure, but she longed for a child. She said, “May the moon bring snow. Bring it down on the trees, and the climber’s will pass rope through slope, and let it down. The carts that the horses carry will track on the slope, and place it down. Old and young will rejoice, and a new child will shine over the whole land, with bed-rooms and sitting rooms filled with it, mountains and rocks white, and we will dance on the meadows.” The moon shone and she received her wish. The kingdom became white with snow, and everyone rejoiced. And it kept snowing, and the light of the moon decreased, but it still snowed. When the second quarter of the moon remained, the snow continued falling. It grew weaker still as snow increased, and likewise the elves and dwarves brought oil lamps to keep the kingdom out of darkness. And when the fourth quarter of moon was no longer visible, the kingdom danced on the ice of the meadow. Now it happened that after a while in the snow, the queen had a child who had very good faculties, was very prudent and who was named Fumato, after the shadow of the moon. And when he was born the light of the moon shone at last, to look upon Fumato, then vanished behind the snow.

It so happened after many years of snow, the kingdom united, so the king made a great feast in Fumato’s honor and invited thereto all the land, from dwarves to earls, to princes of the kingdom, to barons, and the gentry, and all made their way through the lamp-lit snow to the palace. The shadows from lamps upon the different colors of ranked guests clothes pleased the king so well that he had something to say to every one. To a wife who was large and wore fluffy clothes, he called “a fair lady.” To a man who was extremely tall he said, “he is like a giant.” And to a bearded dwarf he said, “the thicker the better.” To a fourth he complimented a princess’ glass slipper, and to a fiddler he invited to the stove.

Now, the dwarf, who had been drinking from his little cup, and was warmed by kings compliment, he climbed up a lamp, unfastened the little oil jar which lit the wick, and from his little cup which he lived changed the flame’s color to a brilliant shade of violet. He said:

“King with the magic lamp,

Look at them, and say,

Who standing before you has the beauty of the red and blue flame?”

And at that moment the king was greeting the queen.

So answered the king:

“In its infinite gradations, she hath born Fumato.”

And many became yellow with envy, but at last the King said, “I will take thy child so I may set my eyes on him more.” And he led the queen away. And she consented, for she knew Fumato was a prudent King’s son. Now, as Fumato was seven years old, she asked the King:

“Oh, dear king, Fumato, just seven years old, is to bring light to the kingdom. But he is to clean the wick with twelve dwarves for one year more, then to meet the elve to enlighten the wood’s edge.”

And the King replied.

“Queen, thou son art of the kingdom united,

But Fumato living inside the palace,

With a dwarf of his very own,

Is a thousand times more kingly.”

Now she knew Fumato was to live with the king, and she thought of how she could manage, for as long as she lived she thought through, and she painted it all to the King, so he would know Fumato was of a fine queen. And the king held to her a piece that was woven of silk and laced her properly, and said “You need not be afraid of letting Fumato go.”

And the King asked the dwarf to come from his cave in the rocks to live with Fumato in the palace, for he was “a good climber.” And so that night all the guests left the palace except Fumato and the Dwarf, and three young fellows who had each great qualities of their own. The King introduced each new guest so they could be distinguished, and thought Fumato brilliant. When one of the fellows suggested attaching lamps to oak tree’s, the Dwarf said: “the oak is a high one,” to which Fumato suggested using a rope, for cleaning the lamps so that no one might fall.

The fellows thought the light of the oak lamps to be sufficient, but Fumato longed for the light of the moon. He told this to the Dwarf, and to the other fellows, and even to the king, but they had began to forget the old state. And many a long year men told tales of Fumato and the fellows lighting snow-covered castles, wood, and streets, and so a rumor went abroad in the country that Fumato was going to put a lamp in heaven.

And Saint Peter who guards the gate of heaven thought that those dead in the wood were a result of the darkness of the ice, and began to gather the heavenly troops, which are to drive back Evil. However, when he got on his horse on rode through the gate of heaven to the wood to subjectate the dead, he found, down in the world below, a kingdom united. Thus he bade the dead to lie in their graves, but took an Oak Lamp at the wood edge away with him, and hung it up in heaven. And the sky shone brightly, and flowers began to rise from the snow, and soon Fumato could see the light of the moon through the snow, and was very happy.

And the King said, clothed in velvet and silk: “Fumato has taken an oath to bring light to the kingdom, and he has kept it,” then arranged Fumato to his daughter whom had beauty above measure. And at once it was all merry, and the King grew fond of him, and he then said: “Now, Fumato, I wilt be giving thee what thou want est. What dost though wish for?” His wife heard the King’s offer, and wondered, “What will my new husband say to this?”

Fumato answered: “You need not give me anything more than you already have, for with my wife I have eternal happiness in this palace.” So his wife asked him, “Will you only wish to stay where thou art, or will you wish for a new ground from under us? Tell me, what can happen?”

And the King said, “What good would a new ground be when thou canst wish for half my kingdom?”

And Fumato answered: “Indeed, no, I would not whither away in such hast as to contrive escape. Thou art such a magnificent king, that I do not know what to have.” And there stood his wife, who said, “Would that we had a child!” And the King looked very kindly on her. She said “Dear father, I wish for seven beautiful children, three girls exactly like myself in face, figure and size, and if it be possible I wish my husband four wishes.” And the king said, “Thou hast four wishes, hast thou deceived me?” And Fumato replied, “Thou art mistaken, let the three be strewn in thy chamber!” And the King paused and said, “And the fourth?” “Thou art mine as I am thine.”

And the king thought and said:

“For these three,

One Wild,

One Magician,

And one Rebel.”

“Thy wish shall be fulfilled; before a year has gone by, thou shalt bring a king’s son into the world.” And as he foretold, so it happened; and the queen bore three daughters so that the king could not distinguish one from the other, and Fumato could not contain himself for himself for joy. And next his three son’s were all bestowed to the palace, and in three years the wild one led into the forest, the magician to the city, but the rebel stayed in the palace.