The Pawn of Glamston

Once upon a time there was a pawn. He was born Pawndarter, son of the great king Fumato, the very same king who saved the whole kingdom during the great eclipse of the moon. Pawndarter grew up in the royal palace with two powerful princes whom he called his brothers, one being the infamous Rebel Son of Lu whose knight deserves just as much respect as he, and the other being the King of the Wild, whose queen we must not forget is forever wed to her husband in a place called heaven. But this is not their tale, it is the pawn’s.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Pawndarter has, in his pocket, every trick in the book. The day before the king Fumato was to bestow young Pawndarter to a populous city, within mere walking distance from his royal home, Pawndarter was granted a wish by a royal Genie. Pawndarter had the jovial idea that he would wish for unlimited wishes, and be the Magician of the Kingdom.

The king, knowing Pawndarter’s deep desire to be a magician, sprang from his throne, with his royal red robe draped to the floor, and, the moment before Pawndarter could utter his wish to the Genie, threw a gold-tipped arrow across the room in the direction of Pawndarter. It zipped in front of the young prince’s white face, and landed on the far side of the painted map that hang on the palace walls, upon the desolate and dangerous land called Heato, whereso a dragon was known to dwell.

And now the king looked furiously at Pawndarter, and told him to choose his next words carefully, surely planning to banish Pawndarter to whatsoever city the golden arrow had landed, just as his prophecy had foretold.

And so, in Pawndarter’s confusion and fear of banishment, he wished that he had never wished to be a magician, which caused the arrow to suddenly change locations on the map before the great King’s great eyes, who stepped back in astonishment. And next the Genie disappeared, and on the floor laid a book titled:

Not Magic, Slight of Hand, and Trickery, for the Illusionist of the Royal Palace.

And so Pawndarter picked up his book, and the King Fumato banished his son to the great city of Glamston, where the golden arrow had magically landed on that faithful day.

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.

And on his very long journey, he opened his book, which contained curious notes in his own handwriting

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.

Rule 1: Never let the audience see the what makes the illusion.

Scribbled beside: You must let them see only a glimpse of the what creates the illusion.

Rule 2: If there is an unwritten rule, then it is not a rule, and you should break it.

Rule 3: Take advantage of confusion, especially if it is mutual confusion.

Rule 4: Keep illusions alive. Give them water, sunlight, and feed them often.

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.

And on his journey, Pawndarter was almost taken by a bear, and the pawn at first was terrified, but also excited to try an illusion on the beast. Pawndarter wiggled his face, let out a rhyme, and turned himself into a glowing bear that was larger than his audience, just as his book had taught him, and roared louder than any bear in all the land, and the bear ran off in great astonishment.

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.

And now he passed through the city of Glammerville, where all the women wore heavy makeup and ruled upon the land, and Pawndarter remembered the second rule, and so, because there was no rule against the men of Glammerville wearing heavy makeup, he slipped to a mirror and made himself look like the elite of city, and tried a few illusions on the common folk.

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.

Rule 19: Keep smiling.

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk

Rule 24: Tis’ the season to be jolly.

Walk, walk, walk, walk

And soon he learned to see the other side of things. To be a master illusionist.

“A magician holds the power of magic in hands, through trickery, slight of hand, rules, lessons, and guides.”

— The Wonderful Illusionist of Garnett Mountain

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.

And so he had arrived at the entrance of Glamston, the royal pawn of the kingdom who could fool anyone.

Waiting at the entrance was a very young drummer-boy. Pawndarter knew the young man was for him, but waited for him to make the first move, standing before him, gazing into the young man’s eyes in his thick white makeup.

The drummer boy did not make a move, and the two looked at each other for a long moment.

Finally the drummer boy tapped his drum with his stick

Dong.

So Pawndarter began to walk, feeling accomplished, into the city.

The young drummer-boy followed closely behind, singing into the air,

♫ It’s not here ♫

And Pawndarter made strides confidently through the unknown

♫ It’s not there ♫

They passed by a slim man asleep on floor, who looked for a moment like a beggar

♫ It’s not fair ♫

Now the same man stood up and slung a bag of gold coins on a merchant’s table

Dong!

♫ It’s not true ♫

They glided into the marketplace

♫ It’s not sold ♫

A looking mirror sat on a table

♫ It’s not you ♫

Pawndarter flipped the mirror into the air, where it vanished

(an octave higher)

♫ It’s not there ♫

And the clergyman noticed the money floating down upon from the air,

♫ It’s not due ♫

Sliding forward, Pawndarter gestured toward a tall building in the city, and the drummer boy followed his lead, squeezing a longer line into his cantor.

♫ The building of the crew ♫

Pawndarter spun around on his feet

♫ It’s just true ♫

And the drummer boy’s voice carried Pawndarter through the city of Glamston, until they reached a theatre, wherein an audience was waiting.

He glanced at the overflowing crowd for a moment, then entered, stepped through rustling audience, to the front, and lifted himself onto the stage.

“Greetings Glamston! I am your humble pawn!” Commanded Pawndarter.

And they began to cheer.

Pawndarter gathered some of the stage props into his hands, and began throwing them high into the air, one by one.

And the above the ceiling, the props seemed to disappear, and at the audience’s gasp, between throws, and a mirror just below the ceiling let out smoke that filled the air, and a hand reached from the mirror, and mimicked Pawndarter’s, tossing the props back into the pawn’s hand.

And as they watched in amazement, someone in the audience threw one of their belongings into the air also, which physically threw Pawndarter off his footing, but he twisted his feet locked his eye at the object, and, in a puff of smoke, it too vanished into the air.

Now the audience began joyfully throwing their possessions into the air, and Pawndarter sent each one beyond the ceiling, and caught the most interesting in his hand, and began to shuffle them back and forth, showing them to the crowd, then tossing them to the ceiling, into the smoke above, and letting them fall again masterfully into his hands.

And now he noticed a theatre attendant preparing for the scheduled show, so he swirled to the center of the stage, opened his hands wide, and three bangs sparked into the air, and he bowed down, then sprang up again.

“Please welcome… your main act!”

And a unicycler zipped by the theatre attendant and began his show, tilting back and forth before the crowd as they watched in wonder.

Pawndarter slipped out the back of the theatre, where another pawn was waiting, and there he was offered a full-time role as the Magical Pawn of Glamston, where he could thrill his audience however so he may choose. And he lived very happily ever after in the City of Glamston, and thrilled all who visited his theatre.