The King of the Golden River

by John Ruskin Narrated by Cathy Dobson

Overview

John Ruskin (1819-1900) was one of the most versatile and accomplished writers of his day, as well as being a prominent art critic, painter, philanthropist and social commentator. His writings included academic essays, travel guides, poetry, manuals, treatises, letters...and one enchanting fairy tale: The King of the Golden River.

The story tells of three brothers, two of them greedy and dishonest, the third and youngest a kind hearted and trustworthy lad. When they are paid a visit by the South West Wind Esquire, the youngest lets the stranger in to warm himself at the fire, and is willing to let him eat his own portion of supper. But the two elder brothers are outraged and evict the stranger. His revenge leaves the family destitute and they are forced to flee to the town.

There another strange visitor appears to the youngest brother, and reveals himself as the King of the Golden River. He tells the lad how he can turn the river into gold. But his elder brothers determine to try the quest first and win the gold for themselves. This is the story of the individual quests of the three brothers.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Ruskin's 1850 fairy tale, a paean to generosity and environmental conservation, gets a pleasing visual treatment from Ghiuselev (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland). Ruskin's story concerns the unscrupulous "Black Brothers," Hans and Schwartz, drunkards who hoard their corn and don't pay workers: "It would have been very odd, if with... such a system of farming, they hadn't got very rich; and very rich they did get." Their gentle 12-year-old sibling, Gluck, suffers from their cruelty. After the angry South West Wind ruins the Brothers' material wealth, Gluck must melt his favorite mug, with its "very fierce little face, of the reddest gold imaginable"; when Gluck pours the liquid metal, it shapes itself into the title's king, who tells Gluck how to transform the Golden River into treasure with holy water. Hypocritical Hans and Schwartz each try their luck, but refuse to share their water with dying individuals; the offended king says, "they poured unholy water into my stream." Gluck, who does share, reaps the rewards. Ghiuselev works with a soft touch in gray pencil, and tints some images with earthy sepia tones that allude to the gold and copper of the story. His steep precipices and rocky glaciers nod to the Romantic sublime; he depicts the characters as 17th-century landowners in breeches and billowing cloaks, posing as dramatically as N.C. Wyeth's swashbuckling figures. Ghiuselev's outdoor images can be too ethereal-the people never seem to stand on solid ground-yet animistic characters like the Wind look satisfyingly mysterious. A sophisticated book design, with a dark-ochre strip down every vertical margin, offsets this ethically-minded classic and appeals to fairy tale admirers. Ages 6-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

The Wall Street Journal

"The kinetic, colorful artwork for this edition comes from the masterful Quentin Blake… The modern reader ages 5-11 will find, in this appealing edition, a story of vice punished and virtue rewarded… Mr. Blake's pictures add enough dash and wit to make the book succeed."

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170846474
Publisher:	Red Door Consulting
Publication date:	05/23/2014
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

Videos