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"As the sun fell below the horizon, Sir Luckless emerged from the waters with glory of his triumph upon him..."
— Sir Luckless[src]

Sir Luckless was the male protagonist in the Beedle the Bard story The Fountain of Fair Fortune. He was an inept Muggle knight who found courage and won the heart of a witch named Amata.[1]

In 1998, Ron Weasley mentioned being told the story of The Fountain of Fair Fortune by his mother when he was a child.[2]

Biography[]

Early Life[]

"...and the knight was dragged off his steed after him"
— Sir Luckless[src]

Being inept and incompetent, Sir Luckless decided to travel to the Fountain of Fair Fortune alongside millions of others. As the chink in the wall of the garden opened, Amata got tangled in the armour of the knight and, as the vines pulled Asha in, all three witches along with the knight got pulled through the wall and into the garden.

Since only one of them would be permitted to bathe in the Fountain, the first two witches were upset that Amata inadvertently invited another competitor. Because he had no magical power, he recognised the women as witches and, well-suited to his name, "Sir Luckless," the knight announced his intention to abandon the quest. Amata promptly chided him for giving up and asked him to join their group.[1]

The Tasks[]

First Challenge[]

"Sir Luckless drew his sword and attempted to kill the beast, but his blade snapped"
— Sir Luckless's attempt to kill the Worm[src]

First, they faced a "monstrous white worm, bloated and blind" who demanded "proof of your pain." Sir Luckless tried to kill the beast with his sword, but it just snapped in half. Soon, Asha's tears of frustration finally satisfied the worm, and the four were allowed to pass.[1]

Luckless leading witches

Sir Luckless, Amata, Asha and Altheda climbing the hill

Second Challenge[]

"Sir Luckless took out his only coin, and placed it upon the grassy hillside, but it rolled away and was lost"
— Sir Luckless's attempt in the second challenge[src]

Next, they faced a steep slope and were asked to pay the "fruit of their labours". Sir Luckless placed his only coin on the grassy hill, but it rolled away. They were not able to proceed until Altheda climbed faster than the rest and threw the sweat from her brow upon the hillside.[1]

Third Challenge[]

"Sir Luckless attempted to float across the stream on his shield, but it sank"
— Sir Luckless's attempt to get across the stream[src]

They faced a stream in their path and were asked to pay "the treasure of your past." Sir Luckless tried to float across the stream on his shield, but it just sank. Amata thought to use her wand to withdraw the happy memories of the lover who abandoned her and dropped them into the water. Stepping stones appeared in the water and the four were able to cross to the Fountain, where they had to decide who got to bathe.[1]

True Love[]

"So the knight clanked forth in the last rays of the setting sun, and bathed in the Fountain of Fair Fortune..."
— Sir Luckless bathing in the Fountain of Fair Fortune[src]

Asha collapsed from exhaustion and was near death. She was in such pain that she couldn't make it to the Fountain, and she begged her three friends not to move her. Altheda quickly mixed a powerful potion in an attempt to revive her, and the concoction actually cureed her malady, so she no longer needed the Fountain's waters. Neither did Altheda, as she could now make gold out of the cure. The third witch, Amata realised that once she washed away her regret for her lover, she was able to see him for what he really was ("cruel and faithless"), and she no longer needed the Fountain either. She turned to Sir Luckless and offered him his turn at the Fountain as a reward for his bravery. The knight, amazed at his luck, bathed in the Fountain and flung himself "in his rusted armour" at the feet of Amata and begged for her "hand and her heart." Each witch achieved their dreams for a cure, a hapless knight won knowledge of his bravery, and Amata, the one witch who had faith in him, realised that she had found a "man worthy of her."[1]

Relationships[]

Amata[]

"Flushed with success, he begged for her hand and heart..."
— Sir Luckless[src]

Amata got tangled in the armour of a knight and, as the vines pulled Asha in, all three witches along with the knight got pulled through the wall and into the garden.

Since only one of them would be permitted to bathe in the Fountain, the first two witches were upset that Amata inadvertently invited another competitor. Because the knight possessed no magical power, he recognised the women as witches and, well-suited to his name, "Sir Luckless," the knight announced his intention to abandon the quest. Amata promptly chided him for giving up and asked him to join their group.

"Good sir, you must bathe, as a reward for all your chivalry"
Amata[src]

The task that Sir Luckless succeeded in on the second, which helped the witches to journey forth. The challenge was that there were asked to pay the "fruit of their labours". Sir Luckless dropped a single coin on the grassy hill, which was not accepted.

When they reached the fountain, Amata let him bathe in the waters. The knight, amazed at his luck, bathed in the Fountain and flung himself "in his rusted armour" at the feet of Amata and begged for her "hand and her heart." Each witch achieved their dreams for a cure, a hapless knight won knowledge of his bravery, and Amata, the one witch who had faith in him, realised that she has found a "man worthy of her."[1]

Asha and Altheda[]

"Asha and Altheda were angry with Amata, who had accidentally brought along the knight"
Asha and Altheda[src]

When Amata accidentally brought Sir Luckless with them, they were at first upset that Amata inadvertently invited another competitor.

Though he attempted to succeed in all three tasks, his efforts accomplished nothing until he assisted Altheda in creating a powerful potion for Asha by giving her his water flask.

The witches allowed him to bathe in the fountain because they no longer needed it. The four friends set off "arm-in-arm" and lived long, never realising that the Fountain's waters "carried no enchantment at all."[1]

Physical Appearance[]

"... a dismal-looking knight who was seated on a bone-thin horse"
— Sir Luckless's description[src]

He was described as a dismal-looking knight who had a bone-thin horse. He also was known to have rusted armour.[1]

Personality and traits[]

"...astonished that he was chosen one of hundreds and was giddy with his incredible luck"
— Sir Luckless[src]

At first, he was a man who was not brave or skilful, and he tried to withdraw himself from the journey to the fountain. He proved to be brave and determined later during the story, however, as he tried to fight a worm, give up his only coin, and tried to float across dangerous waters to get himself and the three witches to the fountain. In the end, he was quite helpful, as he helped make a potion to revive Asha and let the witches decide among themselves who should bathe in the fountain. He became giddy and astonished as he was the one out of a hundred who got to bathe in the fountain. He also begged for Amata's hand and heart, as he had fallen in love with her.[1]

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 The Tales of Beedle the Bard, "The Fountain of Fair Fortune"
  2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 21 (The Tale of the Three Brothers)
The Tales of Beedle the Bard
By Beedle the Bard
Tales of Beedle the Bard
Stories

Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump · The Fountain of Fair Fortune · The Warlock's Hairy Heart · The Tale of the Three Brothers · The Wizard and the Hopping Pot

Characters

Altheda · Amata · Amata's lover · Antioch Peverell · Antioch Peverell's enemy · Antioch Peverell's killer · Asha · Babbitty · Brigade of Witch-Hunters · Cadmus Peverell · Cadmus Peverell's fiancée · Captain of the Brigade of Witch-Hunters · Charlatan · Death · Evil sorcerer · Gigantic white worm · Ignotus Peverell · Ignotus Peverell's son · King · Maiden · Maiden's kinsfolk · Old man · Old man's donkey · Old man's family · Peasant woman · Peasant woman's granddaughter · Sabre · Sir Luckless · Warlock · Warlock's family · Warlock's friends · Wizard · Wizard's father · Young woman · Young woman's child

Objects

Altheda's potion · Altheda's wand · Cloak of Invisibility · Creepers · Crystal casket · Elder Wand · Fountain · Gold statue of Babbitty · Hairy Heart · The Hopping Pot · Poisonous toadstool · Poultice for warts · Resurrection Stone · Silver chalice

Locations

Altheda's home · Cadmus Peverell's house · Enchanted garden · Lonely, winding road · Never-ending hill · River

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