The story goes:
On the 17th of March, A.D. 871, when good King Alfred ruled this land, he called together all the trades (seven in number) and declared his intention of making that trades-man King over all the trades who could best get on without the help of all the others for the longest period. He proclaimed a banquet to which he invited a representative from each trade, and made it a condition that each should bring a specimen of his work, with the tools he used in working it.
The tailor brought his shears and a new coat, the blacksmith brought his hammer and a horseshoe, the baker his peel and a loaf, the shoemaker his awl and a new pair of shoes, the carpenter his saw and a trunk, the butcher his chopper and a joint, and the mason his chisels and a corner-stone.
Now the tailor's coat was of such surpassing beauty of color, and exquisite fashion, that all the guests, with one consent, declared it a marvel of workmanship, and entirely eclipsing the handicraft of all the others. Upon this, the tailor was unanimously pronounced by the good king, and the general company, the fittest to be king of the trades, and was duly installed. This decision made the blacksmith very jealous and angry, and he declared that he would do no more work while the tailor was King; so he shut up his forge and left.
It came to pass that King Alfred was the first to need the services of a blacksmith, his horse threw a shoe, but he could gain no admittance. Then came one trade, then another, in fact all the six, each having broken his tools, thereby preventing him from carrying on his business until he could get them mended. The last of the six who came to grief was the tailor, who had broken his shears and was compelled to stop working. This all happened on the 23rd November (Saint Clement's day) in the same year.
King Alfred and all the trades determined to break open the forge and do the work themselves. So the King began to shoe his horse. The tailor began to mend his shears, and each trade in succession essayed to repair his tools, but all failed. The horse kicked the king and the tailor bruised his fingers. The fire would not burn and everybody got into everybody's way. The butcher began to shove the baker, he shoved the shoemaker, who in turn shoved the carpenter, and the latter revenged himself by shoving the mason, who passed the compliment on to the tailor, until in the general confusion the anvil was knocked over.
At this moment, in walked Saint Clement, with the blacksmith on his arm, the latter looking very angry at the wreck of his once tidy forge. Saint Clement said nothing, but seemed to enjoy the discomfiture of the King and his company.
The King, making a humble bow to Saint Clement and the blacksmith, said “I have made a great mistake in allowing my judgment in this important matter to be governed by the extravagant color and stylish cut of the tailor's coat. In justice to the blacksmith (a trade which none of us can do), I proclaim him King.'
Immediately all the trades, except the tailor (who had been overthrown), begged the blacksmith to mend their tools. So he shod the King's horse, and willingly mended the tools of all who asked him. He even made and presented to the tailor a new pair of shears! This presentation took place at a feast given by the King to celebrate the event, who, in a well-ordered speech, admitted having been taken in by the tailor's beautiful coat, but now felt the greatest pleasure in announcing that for all time the blacksmith should be regarded as the King of all the trades. 'So let us all drink good health, and long life to the jolly blacksmith.'
At this feast, everyone was in good form, except the tailor, whose nose was a bit out of joint, and while the rest were enjoying themselves and singing a song to the blacksmith, he crawled under the table and snipped away at the bottom of the blacksmith’s apron.
That is why, to this day, the king of all trades--the almighty blacksmith--has a fringe at the bottom of the apron.
Source:
The Folk-Lore Journal, Volume II, January-December 1884. Published for the Folk-Lore Society by Elliot Stock in Paternoster Row, London. Pages: 322-327.
FAQs
This presentation took place at a feast given by the King to celebrate the event, who, in a well-ordered speech, admitted having been taken in by the tailor's beautiful coat, but now felt the greatest pleasure in announcing that for all time the blacksmith should be regarded as the King of all the trades.
What is a blacksmith called today? ›
Blacksmithing techniques are being applied to many industrial jobs today. The skills used and put into practice by industrial professionals, such as welders, construction workers, and metalworkers, are similar to those employed by other occupations that aren't commonly referred to as blacksmiths.
Who was the first blacksmith in the world? ›
The Hittites, who lived in what is modern-day Turkey, were the world's first blacksmiths. Beginning about 3500 years ago, they heated iron to make pins, cups, small statues of animals, swords, and daggers.
How important were the blacksmiths? ›
Blacksmiths, people who worked over a forge and crafted tools and objects out of iron, were essential to the society of the 19th century. Before factories were using mass production methods to quickly make and sell large quantities of metal items, it was the blacksmith who crafted these items.
Who is the greatest traders of all time? ›
- Jesse Livermore.
- William Delbert Gann.
- George Soros.
- Jim Rogers.
- Richard Dennis.
- Paul Tudor Jones.
- John Paulson.
- Steven Cohen.
| Rakesh Jhunjhunwala |
|---|
| Occupations | Investor Stock trader |
| Spouse | Rekha Jhunjhunwala ( m. 1987) |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | Padma Shri (2023; posthumously) |
5 more rowsAmong the prominent figures in modern blacksmithing are Samuel Yellin, Albert Paley, Peter Sevin, and Elizabeth Brim. Their contributions highlight the diversity and innovation in contemporary metalwork.
Is blacksmith still a career? ›
According to the National Careers Service, blacksmithing is a trade that been around for centuries. While factories and casting processes have taken over much of the work of traditional blacksmiths, a career as a blacksmith is still a necessary and rewarding path for people who enjoy working with their hands.
Do blacksmiths make good money? ›
How Much Do Blacksmith Jobs Pay per Year? $36,000 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $47,500 is the 75th percentile.
Who is the god of blacksmithing? ›
Hephaestus is the ancient Greek god of fire, volcanoes, forges, and blacksmithing. His symbols include an anvil, a hammer, tongs, volcanoes, and quail.
| Tubal-cain |
|---|
| Born | Tubal-cain |
| Other names | Tubal-Cain, Tubalcain, Tubal (simplified name) |
| Occupation | Smith |
| Known for | Forefather of smiths |
4 more rowsThe origin of smith is the Old English word smið meaning "blacksmith", originating from the Proto-Germanic *smiþaz meaning "skilled worker."
Which country had the best blacksmiths? ›
The deeper I delve into the world of sharpness the more I realize that Japanese blacksmiths, by employing special production techniques and types of steel, still remain the masters of the enigmatic sharpness which can rival that of katana. So, Japan.
What is an interesting fact about blacksmith? ›
Some facts about blacksmithing: — Traditional blacksmithing uses the four elements: earth (the iron); air (to increase heat of coals); water (to cool the metal); and fire (to forge). — Coal forges in a blacksmith's workshop reach temperatures of roughly 1,600 C.
Was it hard to be a blacksmith? ›
The amateur blacksmiths were hard at work: heating metal rods, then hammering them into shape. Reheating, hammering some more, twisting and bending, and finally, hours later, creating small metal hooks. It was hot, slow, painful work. For some, it was also thrilling.
Which trade is the best trade? ›
9 Highest Paying Trade Jobs
- Land a construction manager job with a professional resume. ...
- Land an elevator mechanic job with a professional resume. ...
- Land a dental hygienist job with a professional resume. ...
- Land an ultrasonographer job with a professional resume. ...
- Land a boilermaker job with a professional resume.
The best trade in history is often considered to be George Soros's shorting of the British Pound in the early 1990s, making over $1 billion. This trade, along with others by notable investors, involved highly leveraged currency exploitation.
What is the biggest trade in the world? ›
Countries In 2022, world biggest exporters were China ($3.73T), United States ($1.95T), Germany ($1.6T), Japan ($728B), and South Korea ($705B) and world biggest importers were United States ($3.12T), China ($2.16T), Germany ($1.49T), Japan ($819B), and France ($799B).
What is the full jack of all trades? ›
The full quote goes like this: “ Jack of all trades master of none, though oftentimes better than master of one.” This phrase was coined way back in the old English days, circa 1390. Imagine a time when people lived in small townships and there was one person for every job that needed to happen in that town.
