Drawings of the pieces of this collection.
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‘’The star of the Alps’’ CollectionThe title refers to the star of the Apine world, the Edelweiss. Edelweiss (EdelweiB) comes from the German language in which “edel” stands for noble, and “weiss” means white, which is the color of the flower’s petals. The scientific name though is ‘Leontopodium Alpinum’, from the Greek word meaning “lion’s paw”. Its ancient Persian name was ''gol-e-yax'', translating to ''flower of the ice''. Now you may be asking yourself, why name the collection star of the alps? Well, in Italian Alps, this flower is called ‘’Stella Alpina’’. While in the French Alps as "Étoile des Alpes", both translate to "Star of the Alps", which is exactly what it is. It’s such a unique and strong flower, it’s meant to be the star. It in fact grows in the harsh climates of the Alps. It prefers rock soil instead of muddy or sandy. This plant grows at high altitudes and is adapted to survive cold, dry climates. Due to the legends and myths surrounding this flower (which I’ll get more into it in the next days/weeks), it was almost extinct in its natural habitat, that’s why in most countries it is now a highly protected flower and it’s forbidden to take. Edelweiss is so fluffy, covered with fine white hair and looks like its covered with wool or snow (it protects the petals from sun rays, and cold and arid winds).
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Edelweiss Flowers Deer with Dendritic Opal NecklaceAnd here is another version of my signature deer necklace, straight out of winter wonderland. A necklace which features Dendritic Opal and is adorned with Edelweiss flowers. The Dendritic Opal, or “Moss Opal”, falls under the 'common opal' category. A 'common opal' is defined as “dendritic” when it contains fern, moss, or tree-like patterned inclusions of metallic oxides like manganese and iron. These opal aggregates often form in relatively low temperatures and have a resinous luster. The coloring of the Dendritic Opal is whitish or yellow/brown in color and the collection of dendrites it contains often look dark green or deep brown, just like a plant (hence the nickname “Moss Opal".
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Rutilated Quartz and Edelweiss Flowers NecklaceThis necklace features a beautiful cabochon of rutilated quartz, with black inclusions. The stone is adorned with hand fabricated Edelweiss, making this piece with more than a hundred different components all soldered together. Rutilated quartz is a quartz that has needle-like inclusions. Rutile is a titanium dioxide mineral, and could contain large quantities of iron oxide. If the iron is high, the rutile will have a gold and red color, while if the iron content is low, it may have a darker, black color.
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Dendritic Opal Edelweiss Flower & Mountain Landscape - Open Back NecklaceThis necklace features Dendritic Opal and is surronded by the Alps and a little hand sawn Edelweiss flower. It is open in the back, to showcase the beautiful natural patterns of the stone, and also has little hand sawn pine trees. The Dendritic Opal, or “Moss Opal”, falls under the 'common opal' category. A 'common opal' is defined as “dendritic” when it contains fern, moss, or tree-like patterned inclusions of metallic oxides like manganese and iron. These opal aggregates often form in relatively low temperatures and have a resinous luster. The coloring of the Dendritic Opal is whitish or yellow/brown in color and the collection of dendrites it contains often look dark green or deep brown, just like a plant (hence the nickname “Moss Opal".
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Herkimer Diamond with Raindow and Black Inclusions NecklaceThis necklace features a rough Herkimer Diamond, with beautiful inclusions and a small rainbow inside. Herkimer diamonds are not actually diamonds, but double-terminated quartz crystals discovered within exposed outcrops of dolomite in and around Herkimer County, New York. The "diamond" in their name is due to both their clarity and natural faceting - crystals possess double termination points and 18 total faces (six on each point, six around the center). Found within the inclusions are solids, liquids (salt water or petroleum), gases (most often carbon dioxide), two- and three-phase inclusions, and negative (uniaxial) crystals. A black hydrocarbon is the most common solid inclusion and is a 'anthraxolite' (decayed plant matter from 500 million years ago) There is also a beautiful rainbow inside the crystal, and is due to small fractures inside the crystal, that cause the light to reflect in different ways, resulting in beautiful prisms.
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Australian opal Key Necklace - Drei Zinnen Lavaredo Mountains & Edelweiss FlowerThe 4th 'Key to the gate of the Forest' with a new design, as they are all one of a kind. This one pays homage to the myth of the Edelweiss flower and how it was born. It takes place in the Italian Mountain of the ‘Three peaks of Lavaredo’’ (Drei Zinnen), which are represented in the key prk of the necklce. It is said that the mountains felt very lonely. They’re rocky surfaces and harsh terrain, made it impossible to be inhabited by animals and plants like all the other mountains around them. So they were extremely sad, and cried day and night for many weeks. One day though, their cries were heard by a fairy called ‘’Samblana’’, which had been living for many millenniums in the Dolomites. So she went up the sky and took a star, and gave it to the highest of the three peaks and transformed it into a star-shaped flower. With velvet petals and white as the snow, so fragile yet so strong at the same time. And she called it Stella Alpina (Alpine star). A name still used today in the Italian Alps and French as well (Etoile des Alpes). The stone used is an Australian solid opal, that resembles a glacial stream from the highest of mountains. It has a light blue colorn, with small green sparks. The sedimentary opal deposits of central Australia occur along generally flat-lying horizontal layers within 30 metres of the earth’s surface. They are a product of a unique set of geological events which occurred over a 100 million year period.
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Prehnite Stalactites Cluster & Forest NecklacePrehnite often forms as stalactitic or botryoidal aggregates, with only just the crests of small crystals showing any faces. Prehnite has a vitreous to pearly luster and is mostly translucent, and rarely transparent. It was named in honor of the Dutch Colonel, Hendrik von Prehn, who is credited with discovering the mineral in 1774 at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.
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Dendritic Opal Edelweiss Flower & Schlern Mountain Landscape - Open Back NecklaceThis necklace features Dendritic Opal and is surronded by the Schlern Alp (Scilliar), part of the Dolomites, and a little hand sawn Edelweiss flower. It is open in the back, to showcase the beautiful natural patterns of the stone. The Dendritic Opal, or “Moss Opal”, falls under the 'common opal' category. A 'common opal' is defined as “dendritic” when it contains fern, moss, or tree-like patterned inclusions of metallic oxides like manganese and iron. These opal aggregates often form in relatively low temperatures and have a resinous luster. The coloring of the Dendritic Opal is whitish or yellow/brown in color and the collection of dendrites it contains often look dark green or deep brown, just like a plant (hence the nickname “Moss Opal".
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Calcite Geode & Edelweiss Flower NecklaceGeodes are a rock that contains a cavity full of crystals. Rocks which are completely filled with small compact crystal formations such as agate, jasper or chalcedony are called nodules. The only difference between a geode and a nodule is that a geode has a hollow cavity, and a nodule is solid. Each geode is different and can have different colors depending on the minerals in the water that created it millions of years ago. They first start out as a hollow bubble inside of a layer of rock and can come from volcanic rocks or chemical precipitation.
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Dendritic Agate Mountain Landscape & Cutout Pines NecklaceThis necklace features a very beautiful and particular dendritic agate, it has a beautiful 'algae like'inclusions. It has textured moutains in the back, with small hand-sawn pines. Agate is the name given to numerous varieties of banded Chalcedony, a mineral of the Quartz family. Dendritic Agate, sometimes called Tree Agate, is not banded, and therefore not strictly an Agate in scientific terms but is included in the Agate family. It gets its name from a Greek word meaning tree-like. These Agates are usually colorless, white, or gray, and have tree- or fern-like inclusions of iron or manganese, called dendrites. Less common are green Tree Agates with white dendrites.
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Prehnite Stalactite & Edelweiss Flower NecklacePrehnite often forms as stalactitic or botryoidal aggregates, with only just the crests of small crystals showing any faces. Prehnite has a vitreous to pearly luster and is mostly translucent, and rarely transparent. It was named in honor of the Dutch Colonel, Hendrik von Prehn, who is credited with discovering the mineral in 1774 at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.
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Natural 'Chalcedony Flower' with Edelweiss & Forest NecklaceThe stone featured in this piece is a double flower of chalcedony. It has also a small hand fabricated Edelweiss flowers and hand sawn pine trees. Chalcedony flowers, also simply known as Chalcedony Druzy, are formed slowly in long fissures of basalt formations, that's why they have a flattened appearance. They have a nodule, of spherical shape that can vary in color between white, yellow or gray. These rough, flat or concave surfaces create the so called ‘flowers’.
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Scolecite Necklace with Cutout Mountain Lanscape in the back & Edelweiss NecklaceThis Necklace holds a polished cabochon of Scolecite. In the front in holds a hand fabricated Edelweiss flower. While in the back there is a mountain landscape cut out. Scolecite was named from the Greek word, σκώληξ (sko-lecks), meaning “worm" because of its reaction to the blowpipe flame. Scolecite commonly occurs as sprays of thin, prismatic needles, frequently flattened on one side, with slanted terminations and striated parallel to the length of the needles. It also occurs as radiating groups and fibrous masses. Scolecite is usually colorless or white, but can also be pink, salmon, red or green. It is transparent to translucent, with a white streak and a luster which is vitreous, or silky for fibrous specimens. It is soluble in common acids.
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Mountain Scape Ring - 2 Sizes ReadyThis design was made in two different sizes, 4 US and 7 1/2 US. But you can also order it in your size, ad it will be made on order just for you! Each one is a one of a kind piece, as they were all handmade and handsawn from 24gauge sheet metal (with double layer on the mountain top and bottom). The rings have been oxydized for extra contrast and to enhance the details of the mountains. Size 4 US - 7 IT & Size 7 1/2 US - 15,5 IT
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Horizontal Herkimer Diamond Ring - Size 5 1/2 USThis ring is a simple and stylish stacker ring. It has a 1.2mm ring band. Herkimer diamonds are not actually diamonds, but double-terminated quartz crystals discovered within exposed outcrops of dolomite in and around Herkimer County, New York. The "diamond" in their name is due to both their clarity and natural faceting - crystals possess double termination points and 18 total faces (six on each point, six around the center). Found within the inclusions are solids, liquids (salt water or petroleum), gases (most often carbon dioxide), two- and three-phase inclusions, and negative (uniaxial) crystals. A black hydrocarbon is the most common solid inclusion. Size 5 1/2 US - 10,5 IT
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Herkimer Diamond Ring - Size 6 3/4 USThis ring is a simple and stylish stacker ring. It has a twisted ring band with a simple setting, enhancing the natural shape of the stone. Herkimer diamonds are not actually diamonds, but double-terminated quartz crystals discovered within exposed outcrops of dolomite in and around Herkimer County, New York. The "diamond" in their name is due to both their clarity and natural faceting - crystals possess double termination points and 18 total faces (six on each point, six around the center). Found within the inclusions are solids, liquids (salt water or petroleum), gases (most often carbon dioxide), two- and three-phase inclusions, and negative (uniaxial) crystals. A black hydrocarbon is the most common solid inclusion. Size 6 3/4 US - 13,5 IT
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Horizontal Herkimer Diamond Tree Branch Ring - Size 6 USThis ring holds a beautiful herkimer diamond, in it's natural shape. The ring band is hand forged in the form of a rough tree branch, with creases, cracks and veins. Herkimer diamonds are not actually diamonds, but double-terminated quartz crystals discovered within exposed outcrops of dolomite in and around Herkimer County, New York. The "diamond" in their name is due to both their clarity and natural faceting - crystals possess double termination points and 18 total faces (six on each point, six around the center). Found within the inclusions are solids, liquids (salt water or petroleum), gases (most often carbon dioxide), two- and three-phase inclusions, and negative (uniaxial) crystals. A black hydrocarbon is the most common solid inclusion. Size 6 US - 12 IT
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Edelweiss Flower and Herkimer Diamond Tree Branch Ring - Size 7 USThis ring holds a beautiful herkimer diamond, in it's natural shape. The ring band is hand forged in the form of a rough tree branch, with creases, cracks and veins and it holds a hand sawn and hand formed edelweiss flowers. Herkimer diamonds are not actually diamonds, but double-terminated quartz crystals discovered within exposed outcrops of dolomite in and around Herkimer County, New York. The "diamond" in their name is due to both their clarity and natural faceting - crystals possess double termination points and 18 total faces (six on each point, six around the center). Found within the inclusions are solids, liquids (salt water or petroleum), gases (most often carbon dioxide), two- and three-phase inclusions, and negative (uniaxial) crystals. A black hydrocarbon is the most common solid inclusion. Size 7 US - 15 IT
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Dendritic Agate Tree Branch Ring - Size 6 3/4 USThis ring features a very beautiful and particular dendritic agate, it has a beautiful inclusion in its center. The ring band is hand forged in the form of a rough tree branch, with creases, cracks and veins. Agate is the name given to numerous varieties of banded Chalcedony, a mineral of the Quartz family. Dendritic Agate, sometimes called Tree Agate, is not banded, and therefore not strictly an Agate in scientific terms but is included in the Agate family. It gets its name from a Greek word meaning tree-like. These Agates are usually colorless, white, or gray, and have tree- or fern-like inclusions of iron or manganese, called dendrites. Less common are green Tree Agates with white dendrites.
Size 6 3/4 US - 13,5 IT |
Edelweiss Flower and Australian Solid Opal Ring - Finished in Buyer's SizeThis ring features solid Australian Opal, from the Lightning Ridge mine. It's white, with small light blue, yellow, green and orange sparks, depending on the litght, if natural or artificial (they truly come out it the sunlight). The sedimentary opal deposits of central Australia occur along generally flat-lying horizontal layers within 30 metres of the earth’s surface. Opals are a product of a unique set of geological events which occurred over a 100 million year period, giving australian opal more durability and water resistance than other types of opal. Finished in Buyer's Size.
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Australian Solid Opal Tree Branch Ring - Size 8 1/2 USThis ring features solid Australian Opal, from the Lightning Ridge mine. It's white, with small light blue, yellow and green sparks, depending on the litght, if natural or artificial (they truly come out it the sunlight). The ringband is hand forged in the form of a rough tree branch, with creases, cracks and veins. The sedimentary opal deposits of central Australia occur along generally flat-lying horizontal layers within 30 metres of the earth’s surface. Opals are a product of a unique set of geological events which occurred over a 100 million year period, giving australian opal more durability and water resistance than other types of opal. Size 8 1/2 US - 18 IT
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Edelweiss Flower and Ethiopian Opal Ring - Size 7 1/2 USThis ring features a high dome solid Ethiopian white opal, with amazing small spark of different colors, which truly shine in the sunlight. Precious opal mined in Ethiopia began entering the gem and jewelry market in 1994. But the most important opal discovery in Ethiopia to date was made in 2008. This opal can have vivid play-of-color flashing from a body color of clear, white, yellow, orange, or brown. Opals mined in Ethiopia, are hydrophane opals. "Hydrophane" is a name used for a porous opal that has the ability to absorb water. A change in color or transparency often accompanies the water absorption, so beware of the stone getting in contact with water. The ring is adorned with two small and fabricated Edelweiss flowers. Size 7 1/2 US - 15,5 IT
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Cutout Pine Tree Shield Ring - Size 7 1/2 US Ready & also Available as Made on OrderThis ring is made out of 24 gauge sheet metal. It is extremely lightweight and does not weight down your finger (you almost don't notice it being there). It is adorned by a twisted wire, almonst looking like a rope, and had a hand sawn cut out pine. The ring has been oxydized for extra contrast and to enhance the details of the intricate twisted wire. Size 7 1/2 US - 16 IT & also available on made to order in your preferred size.
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Moonstone Edelweiss Ring - Size 6 1/2This ring has a half round, double band and features two hand-fabricated flowers. Moonstone displays a pearly and opalescent schiller. Its name is derived from a visual effect, sheen or schiller (play of color), caused by light diffraction. Size 6 1/2 US - 13 IT
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Aquamarine with Black Tourmaline Inclusions Edelweiss Ring - Size 9 1/4 USAquamarine, named for the Latin phrase "water of the sea", is the blue to blue-green variety Beryl. Beryl also contains other gem varieties, including Emerald, and some lesser known varieties such as Morganite and Heliodor. Aquamarine ranges in color from a faint light blue to blue and bluish-green, with lighter colored stones being the more common type. This aquamarine has black tourmaline inclusions. Size 9 1/4 US - 20 IT
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Herkimer Diamond Mountain Landscape Ring - Size 8 1/4 USThis ring holds a beautiful herkimer diamond, in it's natural shape. The ring band has a hand forged and textured mountain landscape. Herkimer diamonds are not actually diamonds, but double-terminated quartz crystals discovered within exposed outcrops of dolomite in and around Herkimer County, New York. The "diamond" in their name is due to both their clarity and natural faceting - crystals possess double termination points and 18 total faces (six on each point, six around the center). Found within the inclusions are solids, liquids (salt water or petroleum), gases (most often carbon dioxide), two- and three-phase inclusions, and negative (uniaxial) crystals. A black hydrocarbon is the most common solid inclusion. Size 8 1/4 US - 18 IT
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Moonstone Forest Lanscape Ring - Finished in Buyer's SizeThis ring has sturdy double layer band, with a forest and stars cutout and hand-sawn. Moonstone displays a pearly and opalescent schiller. Its name is derived from a visual effect, sheen or schiller (play of color), caused by light diffraction. Finished in Buyer's Size.
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Rutilated Quartz Pine Landscape Ring - Size 6 1/2 USThis statement ring features a beautiful cabochon of rutilated quartz, with black inclusions. The ring has a sturdy handthat is adorned with hand sawn pines. Rutilated quartz is a quartz that has needle-like inclusions. Rutile is a titanium dioxide mineral, and could contain large quantities of iron oxide. If the iron is high, the rutile will have a gold and red color, while if the iron content is low, it may have a darker, black color. Size 6 1/2 US - 13 IT
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Herkimer Diamonds Ombrè Ear Jacket Errings & Edelweiss FlowerThese earrings are a ''two parts'' earring. You have the Edelweiss flower stud earring and the dangly Herkimer Diamons part. You can wear them together or separately or with other earrings, creating infinite possibilities. Herkimer diamonds are not actually diamonds, but double-terminated quartz crystals discovered within exposed outcrops of dolomite in and around Herkimer County, New York. The "diamond" in their name is due to both their clarity and natural faceting - crystals possess double termination points and 18 total faces (six on each point, six around the center). Found within the inclusions are solids, liquids (salt water or petroleum), gases (most often carbon dioxide), two- and three-phase inclusions, and negative (uniaxial) crystals. A black hydrocarbon is the most common solid inclusion.
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Herkimer Diamonds Dangly Stud Earrings with Deer Antlers & Edelweiss FlowersHerkimer diamonds are not actually diamonds, but double-terminated quartz crystals discovered within exposed outcrops of dolomite in and around Herkimer County, New York. The "diamond" in their name is due to both their clarity and natural faceting - crystals possess double termination points and 18 total faces (six on each point, six around the center). Found within the inclusions are solids, liquids (salt water or petroleum), gases (most often carbon dioxide), two- and three-phase inclusions, and negative (uniaxial) crystals. A black hydrocarbon is the most common solid inclusion.
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Quartz Points and Edelweiss Flowers Dangly Stud EarringsThese stud earrings feature hand fabricated and hand sawn Edelweiss flowers from sheet metal. They also have dangly quartz points attached. Quartz crystals are known as “master healing crystals" because of their unique power to take on the energy of any situation (much like their colour, which contains the entire color spectrum). It's the most versatile stone in the mineral kingdom for healing, meditation, expansion of consciousness, past-life recall, attracting love or prosperity... and much more.
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I’ve also found another interesting story on how the Edelweiss was born. The myth says that the first Edelweiss was born due to a fairy being transformed by the Fairy Queen into a flower, in order to fight the Frost King. Though it does not specify how or why choose a flower, I found more background on the Frost King, which turns out was the ruler of the frost giants, whom lived in the highest of the Alps peaks. It’s said that their children were the avalanches and that they were very proud when they brought destruction. It’s also said that they sported long beards made of icicles (that’s so coooool!!!). Their only weakness, was that they could melt and turn into puddles of water if the weather was too warm or if they got charmed by their enemies, the fairies. That’s why the only populate that highest of the mountains and are difficult to spot, it’s said that they have to keep hidden in the most remote places to keep away from the warm.
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According to folk tradition, giving this flower to a loved one is a promise of love and dedication. it is also a form of proving loved ones you are ready to risk your life to protect and cherish the. One of the most known legends surrounding the Edelweiss is the one of Berta and Hans. They were two young people living in a small Ladin village, high in the Alps, just at the edge of a big mountain. Berta was a very beautiful girl, whom attracted many looks, but always refused every type of appreciation and proposal, and for that, she started to be called ‘’mean’’ by the village. But Hans never believed such rumors, and fell in love with her. Though Berta never looked at him and acted un-interested, she revealed to Hans’s cat, named Peter, that she actually knew who he was and jokingly said ‘’Tell Hans I say Hi’’. Berta, though didn’t know that Peter was a taking cat. So, when Peter revealed everything to its owner, Hans was so happy, that he went to declare his love to Berta. But she refused him, saying that he had nothing more that all the guys she previously turned down, and if he wanted to conquer her love, he had to go to the Dwarf’s magic water spring, and bring her a bottle of ‘’the water of life’’. Hans was scared, because he knew it was very high in the mountains, a very remote and difficult to reach place, especially in the mean dwarf’s land. Also, he was very scared because he knew that the King of the Dwarfs had the power to destroy their village, as he had the magic power of creating avalanches and freezing all the water, including the village supply (he also had the power of turning everything he wanted in precious gems). When he reached the spring’s supposed point, he instead found a frozen lake made of clear crystal. Angry that he hadn’t found hat he was looking for he took a stone and threw it at the lake surface, breaking it and revealing behind a small gathering of Edelweiss (an unknown and never before seen flower the Dwarfs protected). Hans, amazed by the discovery, took a handful of them, but just as he was getting away, he was stopped but the Dwarf’s King himself. Angry that Hans had the courage to steal their treasure, they threw him in a ravine, hoping to kill him. But the magic of the flowers, which he was still holding onto, helped him survive the fall. After this traumatizing event, Hans never wanted to see Berta again, and married another girl. The legend goes that then Berta became the girl that makes you start your journey of discovery of life and all that is precious. This story can also come from the ancient myth of the Goddess Bertha, which is said to be the defender of springs, rivers and lakes, that conducts you to her secret land full of apple trees and divine gold’s light. The true meaning of the story though is that the Edelweiss is a metaphor for something hard to get but is worth risking for, that values the love and bravery of all the people that take up the challenge and begin the journey to find it.
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