Plot Summary
On the coldest day of the year, the Frost King allows his son Jack Frost to play pranks on humans. Jack Frost comes upon the Prince of Thumbumbia and his cousin Lady Lindeva, who have insisted on being allowed to play outside despite the bitter cold. The children have been so well-bundled-up by the royal servants that Jack is unable to pinch their ears or noses; frustrated, he hits upon the idea of freezing the children's shadows. Solidified into independent entities, the shadows run off to the Forest of Burzee to enjoy their newfound freedom. They prove impervious to an attack by the ferocious tiger Kahtah; but a passing ryl convinces the shadows to return to their humans. Otherwise, the frozen shadows will vanish to nothingness when they thaw in the warm weather to come.
The King of Thumbumbia dies, and courtiers come to his nephew the Prince to elevate the boy to the throne — but they are amazed to see that the boy casts no shadow. Lady Lindeva, next in line for the crown, suffers the same strange infirmity. The Earl Highlough, the "chief man in all the kingdom," comes to investigate — though by this time the runaway shadows have returned to their young master and mistress. The Prince becomes King, with Lady Lindeva as his Queen.
Read more about this topic: The Runaway Shadows
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