In a "faraway country beyond the mountains" there lived a kind-hearted king who worried about the welfare of his people. Though his kingdom was a happy and peaceful one, it was not prosperous, and the king longed for the gold necessary to meet the needs of his subjects. Then one day a traveling merchant gave the king a bag of golden seeds, promising that they would bring him all he desired...

This charming Polish folktale, in which a kind king learns wisdom, explains how people first came to cultivate flax, and how they learned to make linen cloth. The delicate line drawings by Janina Domanska, the author/illustrator of King Krakus and the Dragon, are presented in four colors, and are the perfect complement to the narrative. Well worth the time of any folklore enthusiast! ( )