The Four Diamonds
The Four Diamonds is a fantasy short story written by Chris Millard in 1972 shortly before succumbing to cancer at the age of 14.
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[edit] Story
After returning from summer vacation, his teacher told Chris' class to write a story about what they did during their vacation. Chris had spent the summer being treated for his illness, and asked his teacher if he could write something else, to which she agreed.[1]
The story relates the details of the quest of teenage squire Millard to prove his knighthood for King Arthur preliminary to questing for the Holy Grail. Millard decides to do this by ridding the land of an evil sorceress Queen Raptenahad (named after his disease, rhabdomyosarcoma) and liberate it of her many wicked curses. Once captured by the treacherous witch, the young hero attempts repeatedly to regain his freedom and kill her. Raptenahad begins to admire her captive for his courage, and offers Millard to try and collect the Diamonus Quadrus (the Four Diamonds) of Courage, Wisdom, Honesty, and Strength in order to defeat her (these were virtues Chris believed were necessary in the battle against cancer). If Millard accomplished every difficult task she assigned him, he would be freed and her reign of evil would end forever. Eventually, his continued success enrages the sorceress and, fearing for her life, Raptenahad determines to destroy him on his final challenge, however he manages to overcome all obstacles and completes it too. Once the sinister queen of darkness is gone and her curses lifted, the knight takes over her former castle as his own palace and the story of Sir Millard begins.[2][3]
[edit] Foundation
The story gave name to Four Diamonds Fund, a childhood cancer-centered charitable organization established in 1972 by Chris' parents Charles and Irma.[1]
[edit] Movie
A Disney TV movie based on The Four Diamonds story was broadcast in 1995, starring Tom Guiry as Chris Millard and Squire Millard, Christine Lahti co-starred as Chris' doctor and the sorceress Raptenahad, Kevin Dunn as Charles Millard and the wizard Charles the Mysterious, and Jayne Brook as Irma Millard. The film weaves the stages of Millard's real life with Arthurian parallels in the story.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ a b The Four Diamonds Fund: The Legacy of Sir Millard
- ^ Penn State Hershey Four Diamonds Fund - Chris' Story
- ^ Debra N. Mancoff , King Arthur's Modern Return
- ^ Elizabeth Sherr Sklar, Donald L. Hoffman, King Arthur in Popular Culture
[edit] External links
[edit] Film reviews
- Brave Heart: A Young Boy Battling Cancer Writes A Story Inspiring Others To Face Life's Obstacles, Los Angeles Times, August 6, 1995
- Diamonds' Sparkle In Tribute To A Boy's Legacy, Chicago Tribune, August 6, 1995
- FOUR STARS FOR 'FOUR DIAMONDS', Daily News, August 10, 1995
- Boy's Short Life Blends With a Fantasy He Wrote, The New York Times, August 11, 1995
- Mush And Medicine Collide, Orlando Sentinel, August 12, 1995
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