Illustration by H. J. Ford
"The Magic Mirror" is a Rhodesian Fairy Tale, included by Andrew Lang in The Orange Fairy Book.
Long ago, a man named Gopani-Kufa stumbles upon an giant snake coiled itself around an antelope, who tries to resist but is unable to break free. Both animals ask the man for help, but Gopani-Kufa decides to stab the antelope and set the snake free. The snake turns out to be a king and he promises to reward Gopani-Kufa for his help, which he does by giving him a magic mirror that grants wishes. Before that however, the antelope warns Gopani-Kufa that said reward will be his undoing...
Tropes included:
- Anything but That!: Insato offers Gopani-Kufa to choose any of his possessions as a reward for previously saving him, but begs him not to ask for the Magic Mirror, for it is his most precious belonging. When Gopani-Kufa returns the next day to ask for the mirror again, Insato reclutantly gives it to him.
- Big Bad: The leader of the white men, Rei. They are at the losing side of war with Zambesi, and Rei sends Butou to find out how is it that his enemy has so much power.
- Downer Ending: In the end the magic mirror is stolen, which results in the white men using it to slay Gopani-Kufa, his family, and his people. Great job Shasasa!.
- The Good King: Gopani-Kufa was a loving and wise king to the people of Zambesi, so much that he never needed to ask the mirror for wishes.
- Magic Mirror: Grants all kinds of wishes, and it is called Sipao.
- Too Dumb to Live: Yeah, go and entrust your extremely powerful and important magic mirror to your little kid, that is totally not going to backfire later.
