Premise: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a legendary reindeer, created by Robert Lewis May, usually depicted as a young fawn who barely has antlers, with a glowing red nose, popularly known as "Santa's ninth reindeer." When depicted, he is the lead reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. The luminosity of his nose is so great that it illuminates the team's path through inclement winter weather.
Hypothesis: Robert Lewis May created a story  featuring a young fawn to guides Santa's sleigh through his glowing red nose.