John Ruskin 46 min read

The cruel Black Brothers of Stiria drive their gentle young brother Gluck to ruin, until the King of the Golden River offers each a chance to turn the river to gold, if only he is worthy.

John Ruskin's 1841 fairy tale, illustrated by Richard Doyle, is a beloved classic of children's fantasy. Charming, moral, gracefully told. Read it for a perfect little fable of greed and kindness by the great Victorian critic, a good-hearted boy, wicked brothers, and the enchanted river that rewards only the generous.

In its time

Published in 1841, during the 1840s, mystery, mesmerism, and the proto-scientific tale in the age of poe and gautier.

Reading it

46 min read (a novelette, room for a turn or two).

Illustrated by

Richard Doyle