The King of the Golden River

"The King of the Golden River," which Ruskin wrote in 1841 (it was not published until 1851) for nineteen-year-old Euphenia Chalmers Gray, whom he married in 1848. The story is set in the ancient country of Stiria, in a beautiful and fertile valley called Treasure Valley, owned by brothers Schwartz, Hans and Gluck. When the cruel Hans and Schwartz turn an important stranger away from their home, the valley turns to desert, leaving them penniless and desolate. It is only through Gluck's honesty and generous spirit that the valley can be revitalized. This early Victorian classic will delight both children and adults as a charming tale of goodness and love triumphing over evil.