The tale of Pardoes, the guardian of imagination, follows Joseph Campbell's (2008) Hero's Journey from an orphaned child apprentice to a protector of fantasy realms. Pardoes was born in the Misty Woods of Symbolica. His parents passed away when he was still young. The great wizard Syntaxis, his grandfather, left him to Aliciana, aware that he possessed light and darkness within himself. Aliciana was surprised to see him come suddenly, and so she named him Pardoes, the Dutch word for "suddenly". (“An Englishmen's Guide To The Efteling,” n.d.).
Grootmagister Almar and Aliciana (Efteling)
Under the guidance of Grootmagister Almar and Aliciana, Pardoes was taught his magical abilities. Almar, the best magister of Symbolica, taught him star sciences and the cosmic arcane arts. Aliciana instructed him in ancient spells and healing methods, so he was familiar with creation as much as destruction. Pardoes was good at theoretical magic but poor in its practical application, which was reason enough for the conventional hero's need for improvement (Campbell, 2008). His Twinkeltoorts, his magic staff, was his light, and his crystal ball gave him visions of the past and future events (“Profielen”, n.d.).
King Pardulfus and O.J. Punctuel (Efteling)
Pardoes at Paleis Hartenhof was a court jester to King Pardulfus, keeping his ulterior intention a secret. There, he frequently bumped into O.J. Punctuel, the punctual and organized head of the royal staff in Symbolica's Paleis der Fantasie at the Efteling, where he ensures that everybody adheres to the palace procedure and timetable. In the Palace he also met Princess Pardijn, who was a free-willed rebel with an adventurous nature and a mirror reflection of his own self. He became friends with Polle, the hot-headed cook, who was a devoted friend (“Profielen”, n.d.).
Pardijn and Polle (Efteling)
Symbolica was threatened by Pantagor, a master of dark magic who had been exiled in the past for his dangerous goals. He was aided by Rattar, a cunning thief and spy who manipulated events in the background. Their growing dominance pushed Pardoes into confrontation, symbolizing the hero's call to action ("An Englishmen's Guide to the Efteling," n.d.).
Pantagor and Rattar (Efteling)
Pardoes' destiny did not end in Symbolica. Upon completing his training, Almar bestowed upon him the Golden Key of Fantasy, this allowed him to unlock hidden worlds and safeguard the power of imagination. His journey led him to the Efteling, where he was the guardian of dreams and stories (“Profielen”, n.d.). His story followed Campbell's (2008) monomyth model, charting his development from an excited but inexperienced student to a facilitator of creativity.
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