The Thirteen Clocks

The Thirteen Clocks is James Thurber's enduring story of life in a castle where times stands still on every clock at ten minutes to five. The Duke of the castle ignores time and pays no attention to temperature either. He is a wicked Duke who has hands cold enough to choke a bull. The only warmth he understands is the warm hands of Princess Saralinda, his fair niece, whom he cherishes and protects from suitors. In a comic and poetic way, this story makes us all want to love a Princess and to be a Prince. What's more, we want the thirteen castle clocks to whir and tick and tell us that the time is NOW.