The Charwoman's Shadow

An old woman who spends her days scrubbing the floors might be an unlikely damsel in distress, but Lord Dunsany proves once again his mastery of the fantastical. The Charwoman's Shadow is a beautiful tale of a sorcerer's apprentice who discovers his master's nefarious usage of stolen shadows, and vows to save the charwoman from her slavery.

Before Middle-earth was a glimmer in Tolkien's eye, Lord Dunsany was weaving spellbinding tales of wonder, wizardry, and adventure in brilliantly imagined mythical worlds. His work would ultimately inspire generations of fantasy authors -- including Tolkien, H. P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, Peter Beagle, and Fritz Leiber.

The Dunsany magic is in full flower in "The Charwoman's Shadow," the tale of an impoverished nobleman's son apprenticed to a magician. But this sorcerer has sinister motives: In exchange for an education in the mystical arts, the young man is required to surrender his shadow. Dire consequences ensue -- and when the hero learns an old cleaning woman has also had her shadow claimed by the evil magician, he sets out to recover it ... at any cost.