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The King of the Golden River
A fairy tale of what happened to two men who tried to get rich in evil ways and of how the fortune they sought came to their younger brother, whose kind and loving heart prompted him to right action. Widely regarded as a masterpiece of 19th century stories for children. Includes four black and white illustrations by Maria L. Kirk. Suitable for ages 8 and up.
60 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1851
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About the author
John Ruskin
3,743 books487 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
John Ruskin was an English writer, philosopher, art historian, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and political economy.
Ruskin was heavily engaged by the work of Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc which he taught to all his pupils including William Morris, notably Viollet-le-Duc's Dictionary, which he considered as "the only book of any value on architecture". Ruskin's writing styles and literary forms were equally varied. He wrote essays and treatises, poetry and lectures, travel guides and manuals, letters and even a fairy tale. He also made detailed sketches and paintings of rocks, plants, birds, landscapes, architectural structures and ornamentation. The elaborate style that characterised his earliest writing on art gave way in time to plainer language designed to communicate his ideas more effectively. In all of his writing, he emphasised the connections between nature, art and society.
Ruskin was hugely influential in the latter half of the 19th century and up to the First World War. After a period of relative decline, his reputation has steadily improved since the 1960s with the publication of numerous academic studies of his work. Today, his ideas and concerns are widely recognised as having anticipated interest in environmentalism, sustainability and craft.
Ruskin first came to widespread attention with the first volume of Modern Painters (1843), an extended essay in defence of the work of J.M.W. Turner in which he argued that the principal role of the artist is "truth to nature". From the 1850s, he championed the Pre-Raphaelites, who were influenced by his ideas. His work increasingly focused on social and political issues. Unto This Last (1860, 1862) marked the shift in emphasis. In 1869, Ruskin became the first Slade Professor of Fine Art at the University of Oxford, where he established the Ruskin School of Drawing. In 1871, he began his monthly "letters to the workmen and labourers of Great Britain", published under the title Fors Clavigera (1871–1884). In the course of this complex and deeply personal work, he developed the principles underlying his ideal society. As a result, he founded the Guild of St George, an organisation that endures today.
John Ruskin was an English writer, philosopher, art historian, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and political economy.
Ruskin was heavily engaged by the work of Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc which he taught to all his pupils including William Morris, notably Viollet-le-Duc's Dictionary, which he considered as "the only book of any value on architecture". Ruskin's writing styles and literary forms were equally varied. He wrote essays and treatises, poetry and lectures, travel guides and manuals, letters and even a fairy tale. He also made detailed sketches and paintings of rocks, plants, birds, landscapes, architectural structures and ornamentation. The elaborate style that characterised his earliest writing on art gave way in time to plainer language designed to communicate his ideas more effectively. In all of his writing, he emphasised the connections between nature, art and society.
Ruskin was hugely influential in the latter half of the 19th century and up to the First World War. After a period of relative decline, his reputation has steadily improved since the 1960s with the publication of numerous academic studies of his work. Today, his ideas and concerns are widely recognised as having anticipated interest in environmentalism, sustainability and craft.
Ruskin first came to widespread attention with the first volume of Modern Painters (1843), an extended essay in defence of the work of J.M.W. Turner in which he argued that the principal role of the artist is "truth to nature". From the 1850s, he championed the Pre-Raphaelites, who were influenced by his ideas. His work increasingly focused on social and political issues. Unto This Last (1860, 1862) marked the shift in emphasis. In 1869, Ruskin became the first Slade Professor of Fine Art at the University of Oxford, where he established the Ruskin School of Drawing. In 1871, he began his monthly "letters to the workmen and labourers of Great Britain", published under the title Fors Clavigera (1871–1884). In the course of this complex and deeply personal work, he developed the principles underlying his ideal society. As a result, he founded the Guild of St George, an organisation that endures today.
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March 29, 2016
There are many starting points within the fantasy genre. J. R. R. Tolkien is often, with good reason, regarded as the father of fantasy, despite the fact that there was a vast expanse of stories before his time. Going further back, one can find the early 20th century classics that inspired the master, and even further back, George MacDonald’s legendary The Princess and the Goblin. Before all of them, all the way back to the year 1841, John Ruskin wrote The King of the Golden River.
I’m choosing this as the point from which to base my fantastical reading ambitions. Even prior to this tale, fantasy in some shape or form had always been a part of any culture, but this is in many ways the breakthrough of modern fantasy, although it never achieved commercial success.
The King of the Golden River tells the tale of three brothers and their quest for riches, aided by mythic and magical factors. It’s much more a classical fairytale than it is a fantasy epic, but it nevertheless was an important stepping stone for later fantasy authors to climb on.
I’m choosing this as the point from which to base my fantastical reading ambitions. Even prior to this tale, fantasy in some shape or form had always been a part of any culture, but this is in many ways the breakthrough of modern fantasy, although it never achieved commercial success.
The King of the Golden River tells the tale of three brothers and their quest for riches, aided by mythic and magical factors. It’s much more a classical fairytale than it is a fantasy epic, but it nevertheless was an important stepping stone for later fantasy authors to climb on.
July 5, 2017
Kindle and Gutenberg freebie, a novelette for those who love old-fashioned fairy tales.
I grew up with this delightful fable, written in 1841 by John Ruskin, and set in the lovely mountainous Styria, part of Austria. In the traditional way, there are three brothers, the oldest two wicked and selfish and the youngest one (Gluck, meaning "luck") goodhearted.
One day Gluck, against his brothers' orders, lets a soaking wet little man into their home to warm himself. When the two older brothers Hans and Schwartz (aka the Black Brothers) find out, they insult the little man and throw him out. Bad move: the man was actually the Southwest Wind, who they've now deeply offended, and this is the beginning of terrible luck for the brothers. The Southwest Wind uses his influence with the other winds to turn the brothers' fertile valley into a dry wasteland.
Since farming is no good any more, the older brothers become goldsmiths. Gluck has a beloved heirloom, a golden mug shaped like a bearded man's head. Hans and Schwartz steal it away to melt it down for their business. But when Gluck, following their orders, goes to pour the melted gold from his mug out of the crucible to shape it into bars, it magically turns into a golden dwarf, the King of the Golden River.
The dwarf king offers Gluck a challenge: whoever climbs the mountain to the source of the Golden River and throw into it three drops of holy water, for him and him only the river will "turn to gold." But if the person throws in unholy water, they'll turn into a black stone. Under pressure from his brothers (where's that gold??), Gluck tells Hans and Schwartz about the dwarf's story and his challenge ... and things get interesting from there.
Free Kindle version: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0082ZEJKM/...
Free Gutenberg version: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/701
I grew up with this delightful fable, written in 1841 by John Ruskin, and set in the lovely mountainous Styria, part of Austria. In the traditional way, there are three brothers, the oldest two wicked and selfish and the youngest one (Gluck, meaning "luck") goodhearted.
One day Gluck, against his brothers' orders, lets a soaking wet little man into their home to warm himself. When the two older brothers Hans and Schwartz (aka the Black Brothers) find out, they insult the little man and throw him out. Bad move: the man was actually the Southwest Wind, who they've now deeply offended, and this is the beginning of terrible luck for the brothers. The Southwest Wind uses his influence with the other winds to turn the brothers' fertile valley into a dry wasteland.
Since farming is no good any more, the older brothers become goldsmiths. Gluck has a beloved heirloom, a golden mug shaped like a bearded man's head. Hans and Schwartz steal it away to melt it down for their business. But when Gluck, following their orders, goes to pour the melted gold from his mug out of the crucible to shape it into bars, it magically turns into a golden dwarf, the King of the Golden River.
The dwarf king offers Gluck a challenge: whoever climbs the mountain to the source of the Golden River and throw into it three drops of holy water, for him and him only the river will "turn to gold." But if the person throws in unholy water, they'll turn into a black stone. Under pressure from his brothers (where's that gold??), Gluck tells Hans and Schwartz about the dwarf's story and his challenge ... and things get interesting from there.
Free Kindle version: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0082ZEJKM/...
Free Gutenberg version: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/701
May 6, 2024
Кратичка класическа приказка, с нужните на децата поуки. Трябва и да се отчете, че е създадена преди почти 200 години.
Харесаха ми илюстрациите към българското издание, дело са на художника Васил Миовски.
Харесаха ми илюстрациите към българското издание, дело са на художника Васил Миовски.
December 13, 2012
Gluck's Ten Life Enriching Lessons for Grownups:
I normally read children's books during Christmastime. Not only to catch up with my Reading Challenge (I am behind by 9 books as of this writing), but also, most of children's books have life lessons that can be good reminders for the coming year. New Year always means new beginning, new hope... As to why I am listing the ten lessons instead of my usual reviews, let me give you the reason. Do you remember when you were still in school and after reading a story in class, the teacher asked you what was the lessons you learned from it? So, in this year's series of children's books, I will try to list the ten lessons I was reminded while reading a certain book. So, this is my test to myself. I try to write down 10 lessons I got from the viewpoint of the main character in the book who is a child.
1) Be kind: give until it hurts. Gluck, now on top of the mountain, has only a bottle of water and he is thirsty. When he is about to drink, he sees a dying man, he allows the man to drink 2/3 of it. Then he sees a child begging for water, he gives him some too. Real thirsty now, what is left with him is just 5 drops of water but he sees a frail dog and is about to die, so he drops all the 5 drops to the dog's tongue.
2) You cannot choose your relatives but you can choose what kind of person you want to be. Gluck has two elder brothers who are mean but he is kindhearted pure soul. He chose to be different and even helped each of them and put their comfort ahead of his own. In the end, he was given the golden river.
3) Respect Mother Nature. Schwartz and Hans challenge Esquire (the Southwest Wind) and the latter destroys everything the Black Brothers have. No matter how wealthy we are, when Nature strikes back, nothing can protect us. This is happening now with all the floods due to typhoon or tornado: it does not matter whether you are in a third world or first world country. If it floods big time, you suffer big time too.
4) Beware of people in disguise. True to most fairy tales, the powerful ones like wizards, fairies, kings, etc come in disguise and they test your response to a make-or-break situations. This can happen to us anytime: you don't know who you can bump into while walking inside the mall or while rushing to your train ride. In the office, you don't know whether your peer now will be your boss later. This world is full of uncertainties and we better be always ready.
5) Invest on doing good deeds. In relation to #4, focus on good deeds. We reap what we sow. During the first encounter, Gluck accidentally releases The King of the Golden River as he is just trying to use the cup that he has inherited. When the King complains about being hot while inside the cup, Gluck takes pity so he gives in. That single act of kindness endears him to the King.
6) Save water. Except Esquire, all the other magical characters in the book pretend to be in need of water to continue living. There is a message underneath that water has always been important in this world. Anyway, 80% of earth is basically water. I think 95% of human body is also water too. We cannot leave without drinking for 3 days but we can last without eating for 45 days.
7) It's the thought that counts. We normally hear this during gift-giving, right? What is more important really is not the gift or the actual thing but it is the feeling behind the gift. In this book, the holiness of the water whose 3 drops the person needs to throw into the waterfall not really means that the water should have been blessed by a priest. But it should be the water that has not been denied to the people desperately asking for it.
8) Money can turn brothers against each other. This is very true. Schwartz and Hans are very close to each other. They run their business together, drink together and maltreat their brother Gluck together. However, the lost their riches and have to try doing another job - that of being blacksmiths. Their trade is a failure so when they heard about the chance of having a river with gold in it, they become greedy and fight in a duel.
9) Prepare for the unexpected. Who would expect that there could be a glacier on top of a mountain when it is not even winter? Who would have thought that a flask of water is not enough for a day trip when what is needed is just 3 drops of it?
10) Do a marketing research before you venture in a certain business. In the book, after the Black Brothers lost their fortunes to the winds, they turn themselves into blacksmiths and they sell their bronze-gold creations. However, the people rejected them because they want pure gold...I know, right? I am pushing this too far just to complete my ten lessons. Hah! But I am trying hard because I am enjoying this. I am reliving those classroom experiences I had when the teacher would read a short fairy tale and would go around the room asking us her students for lessons learned. Excuse me but I am having fun. Anyway, it's Christmas.
I normally read children's books during Christmastime. Not only to catch up with my Reading Challenge (I am behind by 9 books as of this writing), but also, most of children's books have life lessons that can be good reminders for the coming year. New Year always means new beginning, new hope... As to why I am listing the ten lessons instead of my usual reviews, let me give you the reason. Do you remember when you were still in school and after reading a story in class, the teacher asked you what was the lessons you learned from it? So, in this year's series of children's books, I will try to list the ten lessons I was reminded while reading a certain book. So, this is my test to myself. I try to write down 10 lessons I got from the viewpoint of the main character in the book who is a child.
1) Be kind: give until it hurts. Gluck, now on top of the mountain, has only a bottle of water and he is thirsty. When he is about to drink, he sees a dying man, he allows the man to drink 2/3 of it. Then he sees a child begging for water, he gives him some too. Real thirsty now, what is left with him is just 5 drops of water but he sees a frail dog and is about to die, so he drops all the 5 drops to the dog's tongue.
2) You cannot choose your relatives but you can choose what kind of person you want to be. Gluck has two elder brothers who are mean but he is kindhearted pure soul. He chose to be different and even helped each of them and put their comfort ahead of his own. In the end, he was given the golden river.
3) Respect Mother Nature. Schwartz and Hans challenge Esquire (the Southwest Wind) and the latter destroys everything the Black Brothers have. No matter how wealthy we are, when Nature strikes back, nothing can protect us. This is happening now with all the floods due to typhoon or tornado: it does not matter whether you are in a third world or first world country. If it floods big time, you suffer big time too.
4) Beware of people in disguise. True to most fairy tales, the powerful ones like wizards, fairies, kings, etc come in disguise and they test your response to a make-or-break situations. This can happen to us anytime: you don't know who you can bump into while walking inside the mall or while rushing to your train ride. In the office, you don't know whether your peer now will be your boss later. This world is full of uncertainties and we better be always ready.
5) Invest on doing good deeds. In relation to #4, focus on good deeds. We reap what we sow. During the first encounter, Gluck accidentally releases The King of the Golden River as he is just trying to use the cup that he has inherited. When the King complains about being hot while inside the cup, Gluck takes pity so he gives in. That single act of kindness endears him to the King.
6) Save water. Except Esquire, all the other magical characters in the book pretend to be in need of water to continue living. There is a message underneath that water has always been important in this world. Anyway, 80% of earth is basically water. I think 95% of human body is also water too. We cannot leave without drinking for 3 days but we can last without eating for 45 days.
7) It's the thought that counts. We normally hear this during gift-giving, right? What is more important really is not the gift or the actual thing but it is the feeling behind the gift. In this book, the holiness of the water whose 3 drops the person needs to throw into the waterfall not really means that the water should have been blessed by a priest. But it should be the water that has not been denied to the people desperately asking for it.
8) Money can turn brothers against each other. This is very true. Schwartz and Hans are very close to each other. They run their business together, drink together and maltreat their brother Gluck together. However, the lost their riches and have to try doing another job - that of being blacksmiths. Their trade is a failure so when they heard about the chance of having a river with gold in it, they become greedy and fight in a duel.
9) Prepare for the unexpected. Who would expect that there could be a glacier on top of a mountain when it is not even winter? Who would have thought that a flask of water is not enough for a day trip when what is needed is just 3 drops of it?
10) Do a marketing research before you venture in a certain business. In the book, after the Black Brothers lost their fortunes to the winds, they turn themselves into blacksmiths and they sell their bronze-gold creations. However, the people rejected them because they want pure gold...I know, right? I am pushing this too far just to complete my ten lessons. Hah! But I am trying hard because I am enjoying this. I am reliving those classroom experiences I had when the teacher would read a short fairy tale and would go around the room asking us her students for lessons learned. Excuse me but I am having fun. Anyway, it's Christmas.
March 28, 2023
The children’s story, ‘The king of the golden river’, or ‘The black brothers: a legend of Stiria mountains’ was penned by John Ruskin in 1841 for the twelve-year-old Effie Gray . Drawing on a moral, this charming and delightful fairy tale reminds one the triumph of love, kindness and goodness over evil – in essence, these are the usual ingredients in the eternal battle between the good and the bad. A little-sized gem worth of reading.
December 6, 2020
This is a deft little piece which lays out a fairy tale just how I like them: A fully fleshed out narrative (which many traditional fairy tales lack), lots of boldness and surprise, and told with measure and sparkle. It’s quite elemental: fire and earth and water and wind and ice each make important contributions. I was aware of Ruskin’s work as a critic and aesthete, but did not know he created art himself. Probably this lives up to his own standards, though I don’t remember what they were. His moral: cruelty and selfishness beget desolation; love and generosity engender bounty.
April 17, 2015
*JOHN RUSKIN, 'The King of the Golden River'
This is the only work of fiction that the prolific and multi-talented Ruskin wrote. However, it manages to encapsulate a great many of the ideals that we think of today, when we think of Ruskin. It has the emphasis on 'Christian' mercy and charity, generosity over greed, and, to an almost distracting degree, the love of the beauties of nature. Indeed, the main 'message' of the tale is that natural bounty is what should be valued more than gold.
The piece wraps its morals in the tale of a young boy and his two cruel and greedy brothers. When a generous act leads to the youngest brother being granted the secret of 'how to turn a river to gold,' he confides in his siblings - but their lack of charity leads to their demise; leaving the reward for the sorely put-upon but unfailingly upstanding hero.
This is the only work of fiction that the prolific and multi-talented Ruskin wrote. However, it manages to encapsulate a great many of the ideals that we think of today, when we think of Ruskin. It has the emphasis on 'Christian' mercy and charity, generosity over greed, and, to an almost distracting degree, the love of the beauties of nature. Indeed, the main 'message' of the tale is that natural bounty is what should be valued more than gold.
The piece wraps its morals in the tale of a young boy and his two cruel and greedy brothers. When a generous act leads to the youngest brother being granted the secret of 'how to turn a river to gold,' he confides in his siblings - but their lack of charity leads to their demise; leaving the reward for the sorely put-upon but unfailingly upstanding hero.
August 6, 2024
Second time reading this little book. So enjoyable!
A wonderful fairytale written simply and without moralizing - my favorite kind! And my kids enjoyed it too!
A wonderful fairytale written simply and without moralizing - my favorite kind! And my kids enjoyed it too!
July 4, 2024
Excellent fairy tale, unheard of until I read about it in the preface to the second edition of Vigen Guroian's "Tending the heart of virtue".
It reminds me of George McDonald's fairy tales and of a particular Romanian fairy tale, "Fata Babei și Fata Moșului" ("The Old Man's Daughter and the Old Woman's Daughter"). A tale as old as time. Loved it!
It reminds me of George McDonald's fairy tales and of a particular Romanian fairy tale, "Fata Babei și Fata Moșului" ("The Old Man's Daughter and the Old Woman's Daughter"). A tale as old as time. Loved it!
November 27, 2016
Words by John Ruskin + art by Iassen Ghiuselev = treasure. This book is one reason why I collect the printed word and why my shelves strain with the weight of beautiful children's volumes. Ruskin wrote this fairytale/fable for his future wife (she was 12 when he put words to paper) as an example of how nature reacts to the actions taken by humans.
Gluck lives with his greedy older brothers in the Treasure Valley, which is sheltered from storms and drought so the harvests are bountiful, making the brothers wealthy, although Gluck lives poorly due to his siblings' jealousy. One day a strange gentleman appears at the door and life changes as rain and drought destroy the fields.
The lesson that comes through very strongly in this tale is DON'T FOOL WITH MOTHER NATURE. Ignoring environmental warnings will bring catastrophe and poverty which can only be undone via acts of unselfishness. The characters are wonderful, especially the SouthWest Wind...Esquire (as stated on his business card).
"...the water which has been refused to the cry of the weary and dying is unholy, though it had been blessed by every saint in heaven; and the water which is found in the vessel of mercy is holy, though it had been defiled by corpses."
The artwork is meticulous, the type of illustration not often seen these days. Precisely curled moustaches and elaborately carved beer steins are lifelike, muted colours and black and white details. Lovely.
There is no wealth but life.
Book Season = Winter (full of wonder)
Gluck lives with his greedy older brothers in the Treasure Valley, which is sheltered from storms and drought so the harvests are bountiful, making the brothers wealthy, although Gluck lives poorly due to his siblings' jealousy. One day a strange gentleman appears at the door and life changes as rain and drought destroy the fields.
The lesson that comes through very strongly in this tale is DON'T FOOL WITH MOTHER NATURE. Ignoring environmental warnings will bring catastrophe and poverty which can only be undone via acts of unselfishness. The characters are wonderful, especially the SouthWest Wind...Esquire (as stated on his business card).
"...the water which has been refused to the cry of the weary and dying is unholy, though it had been blessed by every saint in heaven; and the water which is found in the vessel of mercy is holy, though it had been defiled by corpses."
The artwork is meticulous, the type of illustration not often seen these days. Precisely curled moustaches and elaborately carved beer steins are lifelike, muted colours and black and white details. Lovely.
There is no wealth but life.
Book Season = Winter (full of wonder)
February 8, 2009
Ruskin is much better known for his art criticism and theories of aesthetics, so it is interesting to see him trying to be lighter. However, this Victorian children's book will probably be too wordy and didactic for most contemporary kids.
November 21, 2016
Três Irmãos vivem e são donos de um Vale fértil com muitas riquezas onde nunca a fome ou a miséria conseguiu entrar, mesmo que as localidades circunvizinhas estivessem passando por apuros, ali sempre abundava a prosperidade. Mas 2 irmãos são maus e um bom , quem prosperará ?
August 15, 2024
A nice fairy tale by Ruskin, where cruelty is justly punished, and love rewarded. This edition has an easy-to-read font and plenty of pictures. Despite that, the vocabulary / quite large words throughout (such as “refractory” “imaginable”) would put the book in an upper elementary level, I think. My kids and I listened to Angelina Stanford’s helpful instruction about the book in her fairy tales class (House of Humane Letters).
September 26, 2013
“The King of the Golden River was written in 1841, at the request of a very young lady, and solely for her amusement, without any idea of publication…” The very young lady was the twelve-year-old Effie Gray and the writer was John Ruskin, ten years her senior. Ruskin was eventually to marry Effie in 1848 but the marriage foundered and was annulled, Effie then marrying the artist John Everett Millais. All that turbulence was in the future, however, and Effie must have been delighted with her present, along with later generations too after the tale was published in 1851.
The Brothers Grimm had issued the first edition of their Children’s and Household Tales back in 1812, initiating a public enthusiasm for what were called fairy tales by English-speakers. Ruskin gave a nod to German-speaking primacy in this genre by setting his story in ‘Stiria’ or Styria, a mountainous region straddling modern Austria and Slovenia. Like many of the Grimms’ tales (which the brothers were continually re-writing and ‘improving’ in successive editions) there is a strong moral dimension to Ruskin’s literary tale which has led commentators to label it a fable or parable. Who knows if the young Euphemia was aware of the overt import of Ruskin’s morality tale or whether she instinctively accepted it as natural corollary of prevailing Victorian values, values shared by many readers today.
In five chapters (no genuinely oral folktale would have chapters!) the tale is told of the three Black Brothers, Hans (that is, Johannes, John in English), Schwartz (in German this simply means ‘black’) and Gluck (‘luck’). Many of the traditional fairytale tropes are in place: the youngest brother is the last but not the least; he who shows compassion without expectation of reward will be rewarded; supernatural helpers are on hand to offer guidance or punishment. The two older brothers, grasping and cruel, are unwelcoming of South-West Wind, Esquire, and thus suffer retribution in the loss of their farm and livelihood. They don’t learn their lesson, however, and when they move to town to become goldsmiths their greed results in near penury. Into this potential disaster there appears to Gluck the King of the Golden River in very singular form, with the promise of riches for the one who succeeds in completing a task to the letter.
“Whoever shall climb to the top of that mountain from which you see the Golden River issue, and shall cast into the stream at its source three drops of holy water, for him, and for him only, the river shall turn to gold. But no one failing in his first, can succeed in a second attempt; and if any one shall cast unholy water into the river, it will overwhelm him, and he will become a black stone.”
This being an improving fairy tale the reader may guess the final outcome.
The King of the Golden River isn’t perfect — the pacing is occasionally uneven, the odd explanation is rushed, and we miss the formulaic repetition of wording which is such a satisfying feature of oral tales. But this is a narrative that is compelling and which lingers in the memory, not least the environmental messages which apply even more urgently today.
My memories are enhanced by the original distinctive line illustrations by Richard Doyle which graced several re-publications over the decades, but the story has proved popular with several other artists such as Arthur Rackham and Charles Stewart providing colour as well as monochrome images. Did Effie rely solely on Ruskin’s words to create the scenes in her mind’s eye or did Ruskin himself provide some illustrations, now lost? The children's author Diana Wynne Jones recounts how as a child evacuated to the Lake District during the Second World War she inadvertently rubbed out some line drawings, mostly of flowers, that she’d discovered in a cottage: they turned out to be by John Ruskin. It’s sheer speculation of course, but it’s tempting to wonder if they included sketches for that fairy tale he wrote for another little girl, almost exactly a century before.
http://wp.me/s2oNj1-river
The Brothers Grimm had issued the first edition of their Children’s and Household Tales back in 1812, initiating a public enthusiasm for what were called fairy tales by English-speakers. Ruskin gave a nod to German-speaking primacy in this genre by setting his story in ‘Stiria’ or Styria, a mountainous region straddling modern Austria and Slovenia. Like many of the Grimms’ tales (which the brothers were continually re-writing and ‘improving’ in successive editions) there is a strong moral dimension to Ruskin’s literary tale which has led commentators to label it a fable or parable. Who knows if the young Euphemia was aware of the overt import of Ruskin’s morality tale or whether she instinctively accepted it as natural corollary of prevailing Victorian values, values shared by many readers today.
In five chapters (no genuinely oral folktale would have chapters!) the tale is told of the three Black Brothers, Hans (that is, Johannes, John in English), Schwartz (in German this simply means ‘black’) and Gluck (‘luck’). Many of the traditional fairytale tropes are in place: the youngest brother is the last but not the least; he who shows compassion without expectation of reward will be rewarded; supernatural helpers are on hand to offer guidance or punishment. The two older brothers, grasping and cruel, are unwelcoming of South-West Wind, Esquire, and thus suffer retribution in the loss of their farm and livelihood. They don’t learn their lesson, however, and when they move to town to become goldsmiths their greed results in near penury. Into this potential disaster there appears to Gluck the King of the Golden River in very singular form, with the promise of riches for the one who succeeds in completing a task to the letter.
“Whoever shall climb to the top of that mountain from which you see the Golden River issue, and shall cast into the stream at its source three drops of holy water, for him, and for him only, the river shall turn to gold. But no one failing in his first, can succeed in a second attempt; and if any one shall cast unholy water into the river, it will overwhelm him, and he will become a black stone.”
This being an improving fairy tale the reader may guess the final outcome.
The King of the Golden River isn’t perfect — the pacing is occasionally uneven, the odd explanation is rushed, and we miss the formulaic repetition of wording which is such a satisfying feature of oral tales. But this is a narrative that is compelling and which lingers in the memory, not least the environmental messages which apply even more urgently today.
My memories are enhanced by the original distinctive line illustrations by Richard Doyle which graced several re-publications over the decades, but the story has proved popular with several other artists such as Arthur Rackham and Charles Stewart providing colour as well as monochrome images. Did Effie rely solely on Ruskin’s words to create the scenes in her mind’s eye or did Ruskin himself provide some illustrations, now lost? The children's author Diana Wynne Jones recounts how as a child evacuated to the Lake District during the Second World War she inadvertently rubbed out some line drawings, mostly of flowers, that she’d discovered in a cottage: they turned out to be by John Ruskin. It’s sheer speculation of course, but it’s tempting to wonder if they included sketches for that fairy tale he wrote for another little girl, almost exactly a century before.
http://wp.me/s2oNj1-river
December 7, 2018
Ο Ruskin εντυπωσιάζει και μένει στην ιστορία δημιουργώντας ένα από τα πιο πρωτοποριακά παραμύθια με πολιτικές και οικολογικές προεκτάσεις. Πρόκειται για το κατεξοχήν παραμύθι της 'Nέας Εποχής, έστω και αν γράφτηκε το.... 1841. Η επίδρασή του είναι διαχρονική, έστω και αν σε κάποια σημεία η ιστορία δίνει την εντύπωση ότι δεν συνδέεται με τα προηγούμενα γεγονότα.
Βαθμολογία: 4,2/5 ή 8,4/10.
Βαθμολογία: 4,2/5 ή 8,4/10.
November 1, 2020
Please note this is a 3.5.
A cute little faerie tale in the tradition of Grimm and others, it was a lovely little diversion that was rather quick. I could have done with a lot more of these stories, but this was standard fantasy fare and I really enjoyed it as a short faerie story.
A cute little faerie tale in the tradition of Grimm and others, it was a lovely little diversion that was rather quick. I could have done with a lot more of these stories, but this was standard fantasy fare and I really enjoyed it as a short faerie story.
February 25, 2020
First written in 1842, and published in 1851, this original fairytale by the nineteenth-century art critic John Ruskin takes as its inspiration the classic folkloric trope of three brothers who all embark upon the same quest. Not surprisingly, the three meet very different fates when they attempt to take advantage of a proposition made by the magical King of the Golden River.
Although similar in structure to many traditional folktales I have read, Ruskin's tale has the unmistakable flavor of the nineteenth-century morality tale, perhaps explaining why I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would... My edition of this classic original fairy tale is illustrated with color plates by Arthur Rackham, and was published in 1932.
Although similar in structure to many traditional folktales I have read, Ruskin's tale has the unmistakable flavor of the nineteenth-century morality tale, perhaps explaining why I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would... My edition of this classic original fairy tale is illustrated with color plates by Arthur Rackham, and was published in 1932.
January 29, 2022
Without planning it I've read three books of fairy tales in the last month. Those were A Wild Swan: And Other Tales, The Happy Prince and Other Tales and this one. Both the Happy Prince and this were freebies from Amazon. I don't know what that means but there it is.
Moral of the story--stay away from those big brothers! And water your dogs.
Moral of the story--stay away from those big brothers! And water your dogs.
September 7, 2021
Finished reading this loud with the boys and I really enjoyed it. The boys gave it two thumbs up and five out of five stars. It was a fun read!
March 8, 2025
A fairy tale written in the mid 1800s by the famous Ruskin. About three brothers who possess a lot of land. The older two are greedy, selfish, cruel with the land, caring only about making money; however, the younger one has a tender heart and desires to help others even at his own cost. A magical dwarf appears who offers more wealth to the brothers, only if they can endure various trials on the Mountain. Here, the older brothers fail miserably, because they care about nobody but themselves, and yet the younger brother is successful, and it is he who can bring harmony and peace to their land once again.
In fairy tales, it is typical to see the younger brothers supplant the older brothers, for they point to Christ--he is the second Adam, the younger one who must save the day. We also see the trials take place on a mount, where they must deny themselves, which makes the younger one a Christ figure.
I enjoyed seeing the trope of how nature is affected by mankind's cruel/unnatural ways, and it is not until wrongs are made right among humanity that nature can return to normalcy.
In fairy tales, it is typical to see the younger brothers supplant the older brothers, for they point to Christ--he is the second Adam, the younger one who must save the day. We also see the trials take place on a mount, where they must deny themselves, which makes the younger one a Christ figure.
I enjoyed seeing the trope of how nature is affected by mankind's cruel/unnatural ways, and it is not until wrongs are made right among humanity that nature can return to normalcy.
January 15, 2022
I read the urdu translation of this book. This book is translated by Muhammad saleem ur Rehman, a really famous writer. The graphics and illustrations of this book are really good. The illustrations are by Amna Mehmood. This book is divided into five parts. this story is about a very beautiful river which falls from such a high mountain that when night comes the light of the sun still reflects in that waterfall. The name of this river is "The Golden River". There are three brothers who are the lords of this place. Two of the bigger brothers are very ugly and bad. The third smaller brother is very beautiful and kindhearted. These three brothers go to the golden river in search of gold. This book has a very good moral that is that "Greed is an evil thing". This is the best book to read in one night.
August 15, 2022
ENGLISH: A typical fairy story with three brothers who must do something to get rich, and as usual, only the cadet succeeds.
Ruskin wrote this story for a girl of twelve, whom he married seven years later, and who had to get an annulment because he refused to consummate their marriage. Her second husband, the painter John Millais, gave her eight children instead.
ESPAÑOL: Típico cuento de hadas con tres hermanos que deben hacer algo para ser ricos, y como siempre, solo el menor lo consigue.
Ruskin escribió este cuento para una niña de doce años, con la que se casó siete años después, y que tuvo que pedir la anulación porque se negó a consumar el matrimonio. Su segundo marido, el pintor John Millais, le dio en cambio ocho hijos.
Ruskin wrote this story for a girl of twelve, whom he married seven years later, and who had to get an annulment because he refused to consummate their marriage. Her second husband, the painter John Millais, gave her eight children instead.
ESPAÑOL: Típico cuento de hadas con tres hermanos que deben hacer algo para ser ricos, y como siempre, solo el menor lo consigue.
Ruskin escribió este cuento para una niña de doce años, con la que se casó siete años después, y que tuvo que pedir la anulación porque se negó a consumar el matrimonio. Su segundo marido, el pintor John Millais, le dio en cambio ocho hijos.
February 4, 2023
Our family has taken on the reading challenge for the year. One of my grandsons recommended this book for the category of ‘children’s classic you’ve yet to read’. And a classic it is! The story telling makes it come alive with the vivid descriptions of the King and of the landscaping. A story that will touch your heart and remind you of the love that the Lord has for us.
March 24, 2024
a charming little fairy tale!
January 28, 2025
3.75 🌟 's, rounded up
I hadn't been sure what to expect of this one! It ended up to be an enjoyable read for my daughter and I. Focused on values of mercy, kindness and generosity, which were shown in contrast between Gluck and his older brothers.
I hadn't been sure what to expect of this one! It ended up to be an enjoyable read for my daughter and I. Focused on values of mercy, kindness and generosity, which were shown in contrast between Gluck and his older brothers.
March 21, 2022
My 8 year old read this one and gave it 5 stars. She really enjoys fantasy books and this was a short little fantasy for children on the importance of loving others and being kind.
September 20, 2023
This short story was pretty crazy. And fantastical. And felt very much like reading a legend passed down (and maybe a bit tweaked) through the ages.
August 31, 2020
This was my third and last (scheduled) time through this book. Read to all my children this time, but specifically for my youngest who hadn’t heard it yet. They were very frustrated at first that I wasn’t reading the next book in the Half-Magic series, but despite this they quickly warmed up to the story and insisted I finish the last half in one sitting! They even set down the legos to listen! 😱 The language was beautiful, and they may have missed some of the meaning but they easily kept up with the story line. Maybe I should schedule it again a few years from now, so they can catch those details they missed the first time.
Content considerations: the main character lives with his two older brothers who are drunks, cheats, and abusive. It’s not gory but the younger brother is clearly afraid of being beat. He also suffers hunger a few times. Of course, being a fairy tale, there are dwarf/fairy characters, even the West Wind makes an appearance! When the older brothers are being tested, they come across a dog, a child, and an old man who are on the brink of death from thirst. The wicked brothers don’t share the water, so we are lead to believe they do die of thirst, but later we find out it was an illusion.
Content considerations: the main character lives with his two older brothers who are drunks, cheats, and abusive. It’s not gory but the younger brother is clearly afraid of being beat. He also suffers hunger a few times. Of course, being a fairy tale, there are dwarf/fairy characters, even the West Wind makes an appearance! When the older brothers are being tested, they come across a dog, a child, and an old man who are on the brink of death from thirst. The wicked brothers don’t share the water, so we are lead to believe they do die of thirst, but later we find out it was an illusion.
February 25, 2012
This book was a delightful treat, being a children's fable that I had never heard before. While longer than the typical fairy tale standard, it is an easy story to follow and enjoy. It is a wonderful adventure, with strong characterizations, a clear hero, a foreshadowed outcome and a strong morality play. I found it a delightful reflection of great children's writing.
October 15, 2024
This is a nice little story of three brothers – the youngest has a kinder, gentler temperament and is bossed and bullied around by the other two. As it follows the structure of a fairy tale you may already guess who comes out the better for it.
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