One of my favorite books from childhood is this fairy tale that features good little Gluck winning out in spite of all obstacles and with the help of Southwest Wind, Esquire. The author is John Ruskin (1819-1900), who is most famous for art criticism. The book was written in 1841 but published in 1851. Have any of you read it before? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King_of_the_Golden_River.
There have been several illustrators starting with Richard Doyle in 1851. The pictures I soaked up as a child (see above) were by Fritz Kredel in the 1946 edition (World Rainbow Classics) and this edition is for me the only real King of the Golden River.
Although reading a story online is less than thrilling--nothing like having the actual book in one's hot little hands--here is the complete text for the next time you need escape reading.
http://www.kellscraft.com/ruskinkingcontents.html
There have been several illustrators starting with Richard Doyle in 1851. The pictures I soaked up as a child (see above) were by Fritz Kredel in the 1946 edition (World Rainbow Classics) and this edition is for me the only real King of the Golden River.
Although reading a story online is less than thrilling--nothing like having the actual book in one's hot little hands--here is the complete text for the next time you need escape reading.
http://www.kellscraft.com/ruskinkingcontents.html
5 comments:
Good Morning!! What a natural-born teacher you are!! Not only have you introduced me to a story that I had never heard of before, but also to both a new word and a new concept (via the Wiki-P article): fabricated aetiological myth or etiology
Doesn't that sound pompous? Not sure what it means myself. Critics can make a simple story complicated.
I just took some photos of the illustrations. Let's see if I can get them on the blog.
I've never read "The King of the Golden River", but I will.
I used to love fairy tales when I was a child...oh how I believed in trolls, goblins, wicked witches & talking animals :)
The funny thing is that the wisdom put forth in fairy tales is still so applicable to modern day life.
No matter how technologically advanced and complicated our society has become, haven't we all experienced a moment of "Hey...the Emperor has no clothes!!"
Right! He sure doesn't in Washington these last four years. In fairy tales when good triumphs over evil it makes us feel better because in real life it is so often otherwise.
As a dog lover you'll appreciate little Gluck's selfless actions.
I can see why you love those pictures - I still have a couple of books from my childhood that I treasure also .....
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