Adelbert von Chamisso's fantastic tale published in 1814, 'Peter Schlemihl's Miraculous Story', is about a gentle, otherworldly young man who sells his shadow to a mysterious man in a grey coat. However, he is unable to enjoy the wealth thus acquired, as he is rejected or mocked by people as soon as they notice he has no shadow. As a form of penance, Peter Schlemihl wanders the world with seven-league boots and explores nature. The epistolary narrative, which incorporates numerous motifs and elements from fairy tales and legends, is structured so that the fictional Peter Schlemihl tells his story to his "friend" Chamisso; he addresses the author repeatedly as the first-person narrator, lending immediacy and authenticity to the accounts.