
The King of the Golden River
by John Ruskin
- First published
- 1842
- Reading level
- Plain English
- Price
- Free
About the book
"The King of the Golden River" by John Ruskin is a fantasy story written in 1841 and published in 1851. In the fertile Treasure Valley, two cruel brothers mistreat a magical visitor and lose everything, forcing them into poverty. When they melt their younger brother Gluck's golden mug, they release the King of the Golden River, who offers a tantalizing challenge: climb the mountain and transform the river into gold. But this quest demands more than greed—it tests the human heart itself.
- Short stories
- Fairy tales
- Didactic fiction
- Conduct of life
Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #701. The King of the Golden River on Wikipedia.
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The Elements of Drawing, in Three Letters to Beginners
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The Stones of Venice, Volume 2 (of 3)
The Stones of Venice, Volume 1 (of 3)
On the Old Road, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Sesame and Lilies
Modern Painters, Volume 4 (of 5)
Modern Painters, Volume 2 (of 5)
Unto This Last, and Other Essays on Political Economy
Lectures on Architecture and Painting, Delivered at Edinburgh in November 1853











