King Montcastle and Queen Esmelda ruled over the quiet kingdom of Merryland which was quite aptly named for the distinctive temperament of its people. The citizens of this country loved their monarchs and expressed great joy when after many years Queen Esmelda presented the king with a royal heir, Prince Difflin.
In the days following the child’s birth, festivities broke out all over the kingdom leading up to the grand celebration when the King Montcastle presented the week old child to the people. Invitations went out to common folk as well as those of great importance to gather at the royal palace on the appointed day. His royal highness and his advisors spent hours that drew into days pouring over the list of invitees being careful so that no one of high or low degree was left out.
However, even though one does his best not to overlook anyone, inevitably someone is. In the remote country of Nook, King Iminmy (pronounced: “I’m in me”) received news of the goings on and waited for his invitation. It never came.
Now King Iminmy, not one to overlook his own importance, took great offence at the oversight. “This is an outrage,” he told the members of his court. “Even the king of our neighboring country of Cranny received an invitation. How can any such celebration be complete without me.”
“But Sire,” his most trusted advisor said, “invitations have been circulated that announce that all who desire may attend.”
King Iminmy rose to his feet. “I will not be treated as just anyone and will not go unless invited as a man of my station ought to be.” And so, he stewed for many days before the great event. His mind grew dark as he considered how to exact appropriate revenge on those who had mistreated him so.
On the day before the celebration, Iminmy strolled along the River Nook. There, on the water’s banks dwelt Dimpledum, a fairy, that had been expelled from fairyland for opposing its king. She made no secret as to how unfairly she had been treated. If anyone, thought the disgruntled monarch, can understand my cause it is this fairy. Perhaps she can help me find my revenge.
As Iminmy approached the exiled fairy’s hut, Dimpledum came out to meet him. “And what is so important that you come to see me when you have ignored me until now?” she asked.
The unhappy king bowed from his waist and so became at eyelevel with the disgraced fairy. “That is an oversight I now want to correct. My honor has been impinged and I implore you to set things right for me. I will pay you one hundred gold coins to do so.”
Dimpledum wrinkled her nose. “What need have I of your gold? I am a fairy and can conjure up all the gold I desire. But since I have been snubbed by those in my own land I understand your complaint. All I ask is that you honor me as you ask to be honored.”
Iminmy straightened up. “But I do honor you. I have come to you in my time of need.”
The fairy gazed into the king’s eyes. “Just coming when you want something is not respect. You must prove yourself. I will do as you request if you perform this one thing. Order your finest craftsman to cast an image of me and cover it with your gold. Place this in front of your castle so all who pass by will know the fame of the fairy who is the avenger of the king of Nook.”
Iminmy agreed.
Dimpledum waved her hand. “Now what would you have me do to avenge your honor.”
Iminmy smiled. “Curse the child for whom the celebration that I received no invitation is held for.”
The fairy shook her head. “What you ask is not possible. By now all the fairies of fairyland have pronounced their blessings and the prince is destined for long life, health, wealth, and so much more.”
The king wrinkled his brow. “And you can’t cancel any of this out?”
“As you know from tales of old, I cannot,” the fairy replied. She rubbed her chin. “But there is something I will do. I’ll go to the celebration and see if there is anything left open where I can place a curse.”
And so, King Iminmy made arrangements for the fairy’s image to be made and Dimpledum left for the grand celebration in Merryland.
Upon her arrival all the fairies from fairyland turned away from her but made no attempt to stop her approach of the child’s cradle on the royal dais. After all, the prince had already received their blessings and so could not be harmed. But still, a hush settled over them as Dimpledum waved her wand over the child and turned to those watching from the crowd. “I come on the behalf of King Iminmy of Nook. He was not invited to this affair and so asked me to place a curse on this child. Since this prince has already been blessed with every blessing that fairies far and near can pronounce, I can but put a damper on things. From this day forward this child will never see sunny skies.” Immediately a thunderclap sounded, and a cloud formed over the infant prince.
After Dimpledum left, a sympathetic fairy who had not yet given her blessing, stepped forward and announced, “While I cannot change this curse that has been pronounced, I can do this. No rain from this cloud will ever touch the prince as long as he lives.” And so, whenever the cloud burst it sent rain around the child but never on him.
King Montcastle and Queen Esmelda struggled but managed to regain their composure and put on a pleasant face. Prince Difflin appeared unharmed except for the cloud looming over him. The royal couple purposed to ignore it the best they could. The festivities continued in spite of the presence of the that which overshadowed the events.
In the years that followed it became increasingly difficult to ignore the curse. As the prince grew so did the cloud. Palace servants grew weary of performing mop duty cleaning up after frequent cloudbursts within the castle’s walls. The king and queen seldom took their son anywhere with them for fear his presence would literally dampen the occasion. Farmers, however, welcomed the prince. He brought needed rain to their fields. Subsequently, his father built a cottage (well-drained, of course) in the country for the lad as he approached manhood. From there the royal heir visited the countryside making the best of his curse.
On Difflin’s sixteenth birthday the royal family declared a holiday to celebrate the coming of age of their prince. Despite his limitation, he was still the future monarch of the land. They invited all the fairies of fairyland to attend in hopes that the passage of time would enable the removal of the curse. But, alas, their honored guests hung their heads in admission they could do nothing. Only the one who had pronounced the curse had the power to remove it. Perhaps if the royal heir visited Dimpledum he could plead his case and she would relent.
Accordingly, the next day Difflin left with his servant, Mort, to find the contrary fairy. They traveled for three weeks to the land of Nook. In its royal city they saw the image of Dimpledum. Mort shouted over the rain that had accompanied them, “Young sire, it appears our quest is in vain. The fairy has passed on and the people have erected a monument in her honor.”
A passerby heard the servant’s comment and lifting the blanket shielding his head replied, “Oh, no. The fairy of Nook is not dead. She lives by the river. Go there. But I see by your dress that you are a prince. And I see you have some magic about you for you alone are not touched by this rain. Perhaps you can convince Dimpledum to remove this deluge that has suddenly come upon us.”
Difflin opened his mouth to say, “This rain will leave when I do,” but Mort stood in his face, again shouting. “Sire, don’t say anything. It may prove to our advantage that these people think you have influence over the situation.”
They left for the river, and the deluge lessened only a little for as the prince came closer to the curse’s source, its effects grew stronger. They approached the fairy’s dilapidated hut. The swelling river lapped at its door. Dimpledum ran to greet them waving frantic arms. “Get away from here. You are destroying everything,” she yelled.
Difflin stood his ground. “Why should I leave when it is you that has placed this curse on me? Remove it and we both will be free from our distress.”
The fairy came closer. The tips of her drooping wings touched the muddy ground. She frowned. “I cannot. I made a deal with the king of this land, and he made a statue of me. As long as he remains, and the image stands I am bound to maintain the curse.”
Mort stepped forward. “We’ll see about that,” he said and pulled Difflin toward the city where they had seen the image. He knocked on every door until he found someone willing to loan him a sledge hammer. Returning to the statue he banged on it until he had reduced it to rubble.
Now King Iminmy received word of Mort’s action and with fifty surrounded Mort and the prince. “I demand you desist at once!” he shouted over the downpour.”
But he said no more because the cloud over the prince opened sent a sudden stream of water that swept the unhappy king and his henchmen away never to be seen again in that country.
The prince and his servant sludged through mud back to the disgraced fairy’s hut. “Dimpedum, come out now and remove your curse. King Iminmy is gone and so is the image.”
The fairy poked her head out a window. “I said I could remove the curse, if the king and the image were gone, not that I would. Now give me one good reason why I should when you have destroyed that which was raised in my honor.”
Difflin stared at her through pouring rain.” If you don’t I will stay here until you and the city below are washed away. Then there will be no one left to remember you at all.”
Dimpledum frowned but she raised her wand. The rain ceased and the cloud disappeared from over Difflin’s head.
In the days that followed the people of Nook became busy putting their kingdom back together after the torrential rains. They thanked Dimpledum for stopping the rain not knowing it was she who had caused it. The fairy enjoyed their attention and changed her ways promising to do good for the thankful citizens of Nook.
Mort and Prnce Difflin returned to their homeland under sunny skies. There the people of Merryland welcomed them with open arms. Everyone celebrated the removal of the prince’s curse, that is, everyone except the farmers who now had to dig irrigation ditches to provide water for their crops.