The White Deer facts for kids
The White Deer is a magical children's book written by James Thurber in 1945. It's a fairy tale about three princes who go on exciting quests. They want to win the heart of a beautiful princess who has lost her memories. She was once a graceful white deer! The book has lovely pictures by Don Freeman.
The story teaches us about believing in love, even when things get tough. It's a fun, fast-paced, and sometimes silly adventure. But it also shows how secrets, fears, and even magic can challenge true love.
Contents
What People Say About the Book
Kirkus Reviews liked The White Deer. They said it's a special fairy tale for fans of James Thurber's fantasy stories. It's about a white deer who becomes a princess. Three sons of King Clode try to win her hand. Each son must complete a dangerous task. Jorn, the youngest son, truly loves her. He is the one who succeeds in the end.
The Story of the White Deer
A Magical Forest and a Royal Hunt
The story starts in an enchanted forest. This forest is between Moonstone Mines and Centaurs Mountain. Strange things happen there. For example, toadstools feel heavy but can float away. Rabbits can even take off their heads like hats!
King Clode and his two older sons, Thag and Gallow, love to hunt. But the youngest son, Jorn, prefers to play his lyre and write poems. King Clode once told his sons a story. He, his father, and two brothers were hunting a deer. The deer suddenly turned into a princess! An old woman had put a spell on her. They returned the princess to her family.
To marry the princess, each rescuer had to prove himself. King Clode's brother, Cloon, failed a task. His other brother, Garf, died trying. King Clode succeeded. He married the princess, who became the mother of his three sons. She passed away after Jorn was born.
The White Deer Appears
A minstrel in the castle sang about a white deer. This deer was said to be found near Centaurs Mountain. King Clode decided to hunt this deer. He wanted to see if it was a magical maiden or just a normal deer.
The king and his three sons rode into the enchanted forest. They met a woods wizard who looked familiar to King Clode. The wizard made snowflakes turn into fireflies. In the middle of the fireflies, the white deer appeared! The king and his sons chased it. The deer stopped at Centaurs Mountain. Then, it transformed into a young woman in a white robe.
The Princess Without Memories
Jorn asked the maiden her name, but she didn't know it. The king decided to take her home. The Royal Recorder at the castle tried to help her remember. He read many king's names, but she didn't recognize any.
The Recorder took the princess to Tocko, the royal clockmaker. Tocko was known for his clever guesses. Tocko told a story about a deer who was friends with a woods wizard. This wizard gave the deer the power to turn into a princess when hunters cornered her. The deer once asked how to stay human. The wizard enchanted her to remain a woman until love failed her three times. If love failed three times, she would become a deer forever. Tocko said this white deer never had a name. She only remembered fields and trees.
The king decided that his sons would go on quests. The son who succeeded would marry the princess. The king bet that Thag would win. But Quondo, a dwarf living with the royal family, bet that Jorn would win. The king laughed at this.
The Princes' Quests
The princess gave each prince a task:
- Thag had to kill the Blue Boar of Thedon Grove. He had to use only one lance and bring back its golden tusks.
- Gallow had to kill the Seven-headed Dragon of Dragore. He needed to bring back the Sacred Sword of Loralow.
- Jorn had to destroy the Mok-Mok. This was a scarecrow that kept rocs away from cherries. Jorn then had to bring back a silver chalice with a thousand cherries.
The Royal Recorder told King Clode Tocko's story. He added some of his own ideas. King Clode worried that their princess was the same kind of deer. The Recorder found old records. Some maidens turned into deer but remembered their names. Other records showed deer turning into women after saving a wizard. These deer never remembered their names. The spell would break if they were loved. But if love failed them three times, they would vanish.
Thag's Adventure
Prince Thag rode into the Valley of Euphoria. He met a strange round man in a tree. He then got directions from three masked men. Thag easily completed his mission. He killed the Blue Boar and cut off its tusks.
Gallow's Adventure
Prince Gallow got directions to the Seven-head Dragon. He met a man who gave him seven balls for twelve emeralds. The dragon was not real; it was a mechanical one in a tent. Gallow just had to throw a ball into each of its seven heads. He did this easily and won the Sacred Sword.
Jorn's Adventure
Jorn found the Mok-Mok, but it was already destroyed. He found a tree with rubies instead of cherries. A small man appeared. He told Jorn that to get a ruby, he just had to say "one thousand." Jorn filled his silver chalice with rubies.
Then, a black knight named Duff of the Dolorous Doom appeared. Jorn fought him and won. When Duff's helmet fell off, he looked like an old man. Jorn felt bad and helped him. Duff explained that he had failed a quest for love. His lady put a spell on him. His armor was Strength, but his weakness was Pride. Jorn gathered the rubies and rode back to the castle.
The Princess's True Identity
King Clode, Tocko, the Royal Recorder, and the Royal Physician realized the princess was a deer in human form. The princess decided to tell the princes the truth when they returned.
Thag, Gallow, and Jorn all came back and claimed the princess's hand. The princess told Thag her true story. She asked if he loved her. Thag broke the golden boar tusks in anger. She went to Gallow next. He broke the Sacred Sword. Finally, she went to Jorn. Jorn gave her the chalice of rubies and declared his love for her.
Quondo the dwarf then turned into a prince! He revealed he was Tel, the youngest son of the King of Northland. He said the princess was Princess Rosanore of Northland, his youngest sister.
Tel explained that a woman named Nagrom Yaf was jealous of his father. She used a witch to cast a spell on Princess Rosanore. Rosanore was a deer until a king and his sons could keep her human. She would not remember her name until a prince declared his love. Tel was a dwarf who remembered everything but couldn't tell anyone until the spell broke.
The wizard Ro, whom the king and princes met in the forest, was actually the minstrel who sang about the deer. He also disguised himself to guide the princes on their missions. He might have been the round man Thag saw, the man in blue Gallow saw, and the small man who helped Jorn.
Finally, the King, the princes, Rosanore, and Tel visited Northland. Nagrom Yaf and the witch vanished when Jorn declared his love for Rosanore.
Publishing Details
The White Deer was first published in 1945 by Harcourt, Brace and Co. It had black and white pictures by James Thurber and colored pictures by Don Freeman. A later edition in 1968 was both written and illustrated by James Thurber.
