Fairy Tales from Gold Lands: Second Series

In Short

May Wentworth’s collection gathers nine morally grounded, atmosphere-rich fables set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century California, old Europe, and mystical frontier lands. The narratives follow orphaned children, stolen infants, transformed youth, and even a pair of historic street dogs as they face severe trials, wicked stepmothers, and enchanting spells. Rooted in mid-nineteenth-century domestic values, the tales emphasize that true wealth belongs not to gold-seekers, but to those who keep pure hearts. The collection endures for its unique blending of classic European fairy-tale motifs with the specific flora, geography, and multicultural heritage of early California.

The Story

The book opens far from the Pacific in the snowy streets of Bruges, where a frozen, starving little lace-maker follows the music of church chimes to a grand mansion. As snow covers her tiny form on Christmas Eve, she sees a vision of her deceased mother in a golden boat carrying her to a heavenly Christmas tree, finding peace beyond earthly suffering. The focus then shifts to the California wilderness in "Golden Snow," where an adopted maiden of exquisite beauty lives in a humble fisherman's hut. When a miner prince seeks a bride, a consul’s proud daughter conspires with a dark cañon witch, signing a blood covenant to secure a magical elixir of beauty. Yet true purity triumphs over malevolent magic, proving that virtue outshines selfish ambition.

Tragedy and redemption intertwine in "Gracia and Catrina." During the feast of Corpus Christi, an infant named Gracia is stolen from her wealthy, devout Spanish parents by a vengeful woman. Raised in a dark cañon alongside Catrina, a misshapen and neglected stepdaughter, Gracia suffers until the tormented kidnapper dies repentant. Catrina, driven by selfless love, undertakes a grueling mountain journey to carry the little girl back to her ancestral home, ensuring Gracia’s safety before vanishing into the shadows. In "The Dancing Sunbeams," an impoverished mother and her golden-haired daughter battle dreary attic isolation through lighthearted optimism, catching literal and figurative rays of light until unexpected help arrives.

Adventure and magic continue in "The Young Gold-Seeker," as a youth named Francisco ventures into the Arizona desert to restore his family’s ruined fortunes. Saved from starvation by a kindly native woman who hides him from armed warriors carrying pure gold bullets, Francisco secures his family's survival. In "The Wishing Cap," orphaned siblings Zoie and her brother flee an abusive stepmother. Guided by faith, family loyalty, and a miraculous nut, they endure years of hardship until they reclaim their birthright, forcing their unrepentant stepmother to surrender the family estate while they establish a loving household of their own.

"Crimson Tuft" details the plight of Paul, a fair German boy abducted in San Francisco by an old sorceress who transforms him into a brown-skinned, red-tufted servant. Kept captive for years within high walls, Paul finds solace in music. After dreaming of his lost identity, he uncovers hidden revolutionary gold, breaks the old woman's hold, marries the noble Donna Leota, and is finally reunited with his long-grieving mother at her humble market stall.

"Snowdrop and Rosebud" lightheartedly follows two sheltered sisters at the San Gabriel Mission who trick their duenna with a mild sleeping potion to attend a lavish consul’s ball with their faithful servant Miguel. Finally, "Lazarus and Bummer" recounts the real historical accounts of two devoted stray dogs in early San Francisco, detailing how Bummer nursed his injured companion Lazarus, shared his food, and ultimately died of a broken heart when his friend passed away, earning both animals an enduring place in local legend.

How It Unfolds

A frozen Christmas vision A cold, hungry orphan girl wanders the snow-covered streets of Bruges on Christmas Eve, drawn by the belfry's musical chimes to a rich house. As the blizzard buries her tiny body on the steps, she experiences a radiant vision of her mother sailing a golden crescent boat to fetch her home.

The covenant in the cañon A prince searches for the elusive Golden Snow, prompting a jealous rival to visit an evil witch residing in a dismal ravine. The ambitious maiden pierces her own arm to sign a parchment contract in blood, promising monthly servitude in exchange for a transformative beauty elixir.

The flight over the mountain Following the death of her bitter stepmother, the misshapen Catrina packs a sparse bag of tortillas and takes the stolen child Gracia onto her back. They trek past dusk across steep, sun-drenched mountain ridges, determined to return the child to her noble lineage.

The gold of the Arizona wilderness A young man seeking to rescue his parents from poverty collapses in the desert and is hidden under leafy boughs by a sympathetic native mother. Peering through the foliage, he discovers a band of warriors carrying pure gold bullets, pointing the way to immense regional riches.

Enchantment in the gated courtyard A young boy named Paul is drugged with sparkling sherbet by an old woman and transformed into the ugly servant Crimson Tuft. Restricted to a closed estate, he secretively master the guitar, maintaining his inner dignity until he unearths buried iron pots filled with revolutionary gold.

A night at the consul's ball Desiring excitement outside their quiet vineyard, two sisters slip a sleep-charm into their duenna's water cup. Guided by an eager old family servant, they ride into town, captivate every young hidalgo at the party, and slip back home before their absence causes alarm.

The legend of the two hounds In early San Francisco, a stray dog named Bummer rescues an injured dog named Lazarus, carrying bones from a local restaurant to feed him daily. Their unbreakable bond wins the affection of the entire city until death finally separates the pair.

The People

• The Little Lace-Maker: A fragile, impoverished orphan girl in Bruges who possesses a white toy lamb and golden-brown hair. She wants warmth, food, and her mother's presence; obstructed by bitter winter cold and absolute poverty, she ultimately finds eternal rest in a heavenly vision.
• Golden Snow: An adopted maiden of the north land possessing silken hair so long it sweeps the ground. She seeks simple contentment and family harmony, remaining unbothered by courtly ambitions despite being the prince's true target.
• Catrina: A poor, misshapen girl living in a secluded mountain cañon. She wants to undo her stepmother's sins; despite her own frail body and lack of speech, she heroically carries little Gracia over mountain trails back toward home.
• Paul (Crimson Tuft): A fair-skinned market boy abducted and magically altered into a brown-skinned, red-haired servant. He wants to escape his physical prison and recover his true identity; through patience, musical mastery, and courage, he uncovers hidden wealth, breaks the spell, and reunites with his family.
• Zoie: An orphaned girl who flees into the woods to escape a cruel stepmother. Guided by quiet faith and a magical nut, she survives wilderness hardships and grows up to reclaim her family's adobe home.
• Bummer and Lazarus: Two historic stray dogs wandering the streets of early San Francisco. Bummer devotes his life to feeding and protecting the injured Lazarus; when Lazarus dies, Bummer loses his will to live, leaving a lasting legend of devotion.

In Its Own Voice

“As I go, I bring the snow, On this holy Christmas Eve. Who can show Hearts like snow, On this holy Christmas Eve?”

A cold wind whistles this haunting verse through the narrow, snowbound streets of old Bruges as an impoverished child wanders alone.

“You are very fair,” answered the old witch, “but I must read the stars.”

In the shadowy depths of a dark cañon, a desperate, jealous maiden consults a wicked sorceress to secure an elixir of unmatched beauty.

“This is a true story, little ones, and no doubt the fathers will tell you, how, in the olden days, he has often seen Bummer and Lazarus.”

The author pauses at the close of her final tale to remind young readers that the famed canine companions were real fixtures of historic California.

What It's Really About

Beneath its enchanted mirrors, magical talismans, and dark ravines, the collection explores the restorative power of quiet moral fortitude over worldly greed. Written specifically for children during California's rapid transformation, the stories contrast the destructive pursuit of sudden gold with the enduring riches of familial devotion, self-sacrifice, and patient labor. Physical deformities and low social standing frequently conceal high moral beauty, while external beauty gained through vanity or dark bargains leads straight to spiritual ruin. The narratives repeatedly argue that divine providence watches over the defenseless, using unexpected wilderness encounters, faithful servants, and selfless guardians to protect innocence from cruelty.

Why Read It Today

Modern readers interested in regional American literature, Victorian children's fiction, and Western lore will find this collection fascinating. It offers a rare glimpse into nineteenth-century Pacific-coast storytelling, blending traditional European folklore structures with early California settings—incorporating Spanish missions, gold mines, coastal cities, and desert cañons.

The reading experience feels warm, theatrical, and unashamedly instructional, balanced by moments of genuine wilderness atmosphere and poignant imagery. Readers should be prepared for period-typical moralizing, dramatic sentimentality, and simplified romantic tropes typical of 1860s juvenile literature. Additionally, the portrayals of native figures and non-European characters reflect mid-nineteenth-century domestic perspectives, framing them through romanticized or paternalistic lenses.

What remains memorable is the book's sincere tenderness toward the vulnerable and its unique cultural fusion. By placing enchanted bells, hidden treasures, and shape-shifting spells alongside San Francisco market stalls and Mission vineyards, the collection captures the imaginative landscape of early California, where old-world legend met frontier reality.