Kong Posh: The Metal King

(A German Folk Tale) (Adapted)

Sham S. Misri

Long ago there was a mountain whose rocks were lined with gold and silver and joined with iron. Sometimes clouds of black smoke and red flames would be seen from the mountain side. Often a roaring sound was also heard.

When the villagers would see this, they would say: `` The Metal King is in his form. They knew that the feelings of the Metal King were towards the gold and iron which was in the heart of the mountain.

One day when the storm raged over the valley, the Metal King left his cave. He rode on the wings of the wind, with thundering shouts. He hurled his red-hot balls into the valley. Many peasants, their cattle, houses and crops were burnt.

But when the weather was soft and mild, and the breezes blew gently near his cave, the Metal King returned to his mountain. There were ploughshares and many other implements of iron. These he placed outside his cave door, as gifts to the poor peasants.

That time, there lived in that valley a lazy boy, who would neither till his fields nor do any work. He was very greedy. He wanted to have gold without mining, and wealth and fame without labor. So, one day he set out to find the mountain treasure of the Metal King.

He took a lighted lantern in one hand, a hatchet in the other, and a bundle of twigs under his arm, and he entered the dark cave. The moment he entered the bats flapped their wings in his face. Shivering with fear and cold, he pressed on through a long passage under an arched and blackened roof. As he passed along he dropped his twigs, one after another, so that they might guide him right when he returned.

He reached a place where the passage branched off in two directions,--to the right and to the left. Choosing the right-hand path, he walked on and at length came to an iron door. He struck it twice with his hammer. It flew open, and a strong current of air put out his light.

``Come in! Come in!'' shouted a voice like the rolling of thunder, and the cave echoes gave back the sounds.

Almost overcome by terror and shivering, the boy entered. As he stepped forward a dazzling light shone from the vaulted roof. The roof was upheld by massive columns, and there were shiny walls, and strange, figures.

The Metal King, huge and fierce-eyed, surrounded by other ministers of the Mines, sat upon a block of pure silver, with a pile of shining gold lying before him.

``Come in, my friend!'' he shouted again, and again. ``Come near, and sit beside me.''

The boy, pale and trembling moved ahead. He took his seat upon the silver block.

``Bring out the treasure,'' cried the Metal King. At his command the bars of gold, mounds of silver coin, and stacks of precious jewels were kept before the boy.

And when the boy saw all that wealth he felt to grasp it. When he tried to put out his hand, he found that he could not move his arm, nor could he lift his feet, nor turn his head.

``You see these riches,'' said the Metal King; ``they are but a handful compared with those you may gain if you work with us in the mines. Hard is the service but rich the reward! Only say the word, and for a year and a day you may have lot of money.''

``No,'' stammered the boy, in great terror, ``no, I came not to work. All I beg of you is one bar of gold and a handful of the jewels that lie here. If they are mine I can dress better than the village boys!''

``Lazy, ungrateful wretch!'' cried the Metal King. ``You want to seize the treasures gained through the hard labor of my without paying! Go to your place! Don’t be lazy. Learn to work. Cast away thy unhappy nature and you shall turn stones into gold. Dig well your garden and your fields, sow them and tend them diligently, search the mountain-sides; and you shall gain through your mines of gold and silver!''

Just when the Metal King had spoken this, there was heard a crying as of night owls. A strong storm blew; it drove the boy along the dark passage, and down the mountain-side. In a minute he found himself on the steps of his own house.

From that time on a strange change came over the boy. He labored hard. He dug his fields, cultivated his garden, and did mining on the mountain-side. He grew to be the richest man in that country; but never again did he see the Metal King.