a beautiful esoteric tale for children
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I read 'The King of the Copper Mountains' in my childhood around the early 1970s and it really is a story, with truly memorable tales nested within it, full of compelling images, that has glowed on in my mind through the years and retained its imaginative lustre. It has that elusive and enchanting quality that the best traditional stories possess, unfolding a narrative which is by turns humorous, magical, eerie, very moving and finally redemptive and wholly satisfying in it's resolution, with a somewhat folkish and alchemical undercurrent - all in all a truly wonderful book which like all the best fiction in this vein conveys deeper spiritual wisdom and values but always remains nonetheless a simply beautiful story, skilfully told. Join the companions, beast, dwarf, bird, beetle and human, in the castle chamber of old King Mansolain and be drawn into their marvellous and heart-touching stories as the Wonder-Doctor seeks over hill and dale for the healing herb, the life-giving Golden Speedwell...wonderful and delicate stuff, this novel. It has that rare quality which marks out the classic and speaks directly to the inner Child within us all...
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a glorious read
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This book is a wonderful story about an ooold king who feels he is dying; only the speedwell plant can help him. While his animal subjects go to get the plant from a far distant land they send him a number of animals whom they meet on the way whose tales interest the king greatly. The tales actually all interconnect and bring you to a very sweet climax. I loved this book as a ten year old and I still enjoy it as a 36 year old! (Of course if you don't like talking animals then this is not for you!)
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Childhood memories
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I remember at seven years of age, our class teacher Miss Nimbz, reading daily a couple of pages of the King Of the Copper Mountains. I was totally absorbed by the tale of the King and the wonderful land where he lived. So much so, that once the book was completed during our class storytime, and time for another book to be read by the teacher, I stole the book from my class, took it home and read it cover to cover for months. I did return the book. No one noticed it had gone and I felt sadness that no one must have enjoyed the story as much as I. For me it led the way to my reading of Tolkien at ten years of age. I would love to obtain a copy of the 1977 version, to be able to explore once again the wonderful land with my beautiful children aged two and five. Both my children can read. Amy, aged five has a reading age of eight/nine. Regards vicki tillson
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A rare and unsung classic that whispers greatness.
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The King of the Copper Mountains, is undeniably a landmark in children's literature that has for some reason gone unnoticed.
The story is that of a King who in order to survive, whilst his Wonder Doctor goes off and adventures for a cure to stifle his ailing heart, listens to stories from the inhabitants of the world that surrounds his 'copper castle'.
The books is separated into neat nine or ten page chapters, whereby each animal will retell a story that they have to share with the king.The structure is full of repetition, and the characters are so varied that children will be waiting in baited breath to see who will next knock on the great castle doors.
The cast is large, from sheep and beetles, to lions and three-headed dragons, each with their own tale to share. The language is simple and the imagary strong, with a range of stories that are all cleverly interwoven by them being shared with the king and the other animals listening.
Some of the tales are sad, happy, humorous, thoughtful and touching.
I have used the book as one to read to my class ( 9-10yr olds ) and they loved it. I can also see it being used as a super bedtime story that your children would almost scutter off to bed without compaint so that they could find out who would tell the king the next story and what manner of creature it would be.
A book that has gone unnoticed and never, ever should have. Unmissable in a gross understatement.
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