A Legend Re-Imagined

"What is the verdict?" I asked the young page who had befriended me in prison.  The boy looked dejected.  "The King has ordered your execution," he replied.  "On what day?" I asked.  "On the evening of May 20, 2012," he rejoined.  "Hmmm," I thought, wasn't there something about that date?"  "YES!"  "Tell the King," I said, "that I am a magician with special powers, and that, if even one hair on my head is damaged, I will blot out the sun from the sky."  The boy looked incredulous.  "Just tell him," I said.

May 20, 2012 dawned clear and bright, perfect for my plans.  I spent the day crafting a filtered visor to allow me to look directly at the sun.  At 6:30 pm, my friend came to visit, carrying a tray with what he expected to be my last meal.  "Don't look so dejected, son, did you tell the King what I said?" I asked.  "I did, sir, but he didn't believe me.  He simply instructed Merlin to come up with a magic stronger than yours."  "Don't worry," I said, "that old fraud has probably never heard of an eclipse."  "A what?" asked the boy.  "An eclipse," said I.  "It has probably started already.  The moon will fully cover the sun at 7:30 this evening bringing a false dusk to the earth."

At seven, they brought me out.  One glance at the sky through my visor confirmed it:  The sun was partially obscured by the moon.  As I confidently mounted the scaffolding, the king looked a little worried.  "Well," he asked, "have you any last words?"  I paused dramatically for a moment, and then uttered loudly and vehemently, "fja;ionriaseulkxvnaroiuha;oifjldkjf."  The king and his entourage recoiled at that word.  As 7:30 approached I glanced again with great confidence at the sun.  The King turned to Merlin.  Merlin, with a smirk, muttered a few useless incantations.  I shrugged.

With my next glance at the sky, my plan came to fruition.  Through the visor, I saw the full eclipse (pictured above).  Beside me, I heard the King laugh.  "Ha!" he said.  "Off with his head, and give Merlin a raise."  I felt the executioner grab my arm.  "Whatha?" I yelled, as I pulled the visor off my head.  Without the filter, I could see what the King saw (pictured below).