17. The Tale of the Student and His Son

To comfort Jonas, Severian reads a tale from the Wonders of Urth and Sky. 

The Redoubt of the Magicians: A student magician is instructed to build a man from his dreams.  He draws inspiration from the plight of his city and the annual culling of its maidens.

The Fleshing of the Hero: Toiling over his creation, the student succeeds in fashioning a young man.  The man is visited by a dream of women in anguish.  The student explains that the city’s women are sent away to be tormented by a one-eyed ogre at sea.

The Encounter with the Princess:  The man resolves to slay the ogre and to free the women.  He assembles a crew, builds a warship, and sets sail.  On his journey, he meets the ogre’s daughter.  She instructs the man on the ogre’s whereabouts and how best to defeat him.