Storytelling Week 13: The Metal Forests

There once was a metal worker named Alexander, who was renowned all over the land for his wonderful skill. But there were rumors that the finest gems trusted to Alexander ended up in his pockets instead of the jewelry.

One day the queen of the land traveled to his shop to ask that he make a small figure from lead and decorate the eyes with two small jewels.

Alexander was delighted to receive a commission from the queen and such a simple one at that. The lead would be easy to shape and the two small pieces of amber she provided were perfectly matched. In fact, they were so perfectly matched that Alexander couldn't bear to put them in the simple piece and decided to replace them with some of his own instead.

When the queen returned to pick up the figurine, she seemed pleased with his work and asked that you make another item for her. This time she wanted Alexander to make a ring of tin for one of her ladies -in-waiting and to place within it a beautiful amethyst stone.

Alexander gladly accepted the new task but could not bear to see the beautiful stone decorate the hand of a low-born lady. He wrought the tin with extra care but placed a different stone within the ring, keeping the precious stone for himself.

The queen was so pleased with the delicate work that she asked him to work a piece for herself. She presented him with a faultless ruby of the most gorgeous color and asked that he create an amulet for her.

Alexander's eyes lit up at the sight of the priceless jewel. He told the queen that this project would take many weeks but he would be honored to make the piece for his queen. 

(Ruby, Source: Wikipedia)

Alexander worked for countless hours shaping an intricate amulet of silver. The filigree was so fine that no one could believe it was wrought by human hands. The chain had links were so dainty that they could barely be seen with the naked eye.

When the time came to place the ruby, Alexander faltered. The gem was so gorgeous he could not bear to part with it but he had nothing of similar value to replace it with. Every other stone Alexander had laid eyes on was of inferior value. He wrestled with the issue for days.

Finally, the queen came to collect her necklace. Alexander pulled a ruby from his hoard and placed it within the amulet. He hoped that his superior workmanship would distract the queen from the imposter jewel.

The queen appeared pleased by his work and requested that he come to the palace and become her private jeweler. Alexander was ecstatic and quickly gathered his tools and boarded the queen's coach.

They traveled for a long time before the carriage rolled to a stop. Alexander peeked out the window but could not see a palace. They had stopped in the middle of a vast plain.

The queen exited the coach and urged Alexander out as well. She fixed him with a glare and the hairs on the back of Alexander's neck stood on end.

"Did you take me for a fool, metalworker?"

Alexander twitched and looked down at his feet. He had been found out.

"How dare you steal from me and take my precious jewels. You have swindled with the wrong customer this time." With those words fire erupted around the queen and wreathed her face in flames.

Alexander cowered in fear. "With the power of the devil I will punish you for your crimes! For all of eternity you will labor on these planes, creating forest of lead, tin and silver. Your work will not cease, for whenever a branch snaps you will replace it.”

The magic in the Queen's words forced Alexander's limbs to move. The tools from his pack floated into his hands and everything he touched with them turned to metal.

From that day on, Alexander work ceaselessly, creating first of forest of lead. He crafted each trunk with curling bark and every limb out to the smallest twig. Next he was compelled to create a forest of tin, each delicate branch reaching towards the heavens. Finally, Alexander created a forest of silver. He worked night and day until his fingers bled and muscles screamed in agony.  But his work was never done.  

Every evening the queen came riding through the woods on the back of a giant dragon. The wings would with chip away and shatter all of Alexander's hard work. Each night he toiled to repair the damage before the morning came. And so he continued until the end of time.

(Silver Forest, Source: Flickr)

Author’s Note: When I read “Sleepy John,” I was most impressed by the description of the leaden, tin, and silver forests. I wondered where they came from and who could have created them. I decided to write a story that answered my question. The queen from my story is the same queen from “Sleepy John,” but Alexander is from my own imagination. I wanted his punishment to fit his crime so that is why Alexander had three pieces of metalwork to create for the queen. In the end the queen evoked the power form the devil to punish him for stealing from her. Ultimately, Alexander will be freed from his punishment when Sleepy John exposes the queen.  I limited the dialogue in this story to make it feel more like a classic fairy tale.

Story source: The Key of Gold by Josef Baudis (1922).