Istoria povestită copiilor. Volumul 3: Menumorut şi minele de aur de la Roşia Montană

Twins Ilinca and Călin go back in time. They reach the gold mines of Transylvania. School starts soon, but they still pore over the Manuscript of the Twins. They choose to take one more trip. They use a spell their grandfather Zosim taught them.

They reach a land that invaders have seized for gold. In a low mine tunnel, they meet Isidora and Adrian. The invaders make local people mine gold all day. They force children to work there too. The mine starts to cave in, but the twins escape. They learn of the School of the Solomonari, hidden below ground. More threats await them outside the mine. They seek the names of twins from the past. They must also find a safe way home.

Simona Antonescu’s novel blends time travel, history and folk tales. She writes for children keen to learn about Romania’s past. This is book three of Istoria povestită copiilor. It focuses on Menumorut and the mines at Roşia Montană.

Each book builds its world around a figure from history or legend. The tales show life at rulers’ courts in past ages. They also show how children lived in those times. They span the times of Decebal and Vlad Ţepeș. They also cover Mircea cel Bătrân and Queen Maria. The tales mix mysteries with old customs and well-known sites. They include carols and the clothes people wore by tradition. The series draws on old games and recipes for sweets too. Radu Răileanu’s black-and-white drawings appear in this book.