Family Folktales: Recent Episodes
Jenny Ellis
What is Family Folktales? Think of it as story time on demand. Whether you're running errands, trying to make dinner, or getting little someones ready for bed, you can listen to a story or two. The stories may be new to you or old favorites. They may even be different, possibly gorier, versions of those stories you now share with your children. Listen, wherever you get podcasts.
A town’s champion, the swiftest, strongest man in the area, hears of someone even swifter and stronger – one Andras Baive. Determined to prove his superiority, the champion challenges Baive. Who will prove victorious?
A childless queen has a daughter and son using magical means. After her death and the king’s remarriage, the children are separated – from their father and each other. Will the Princess Dotterine find the life of comfort she was born to, or live a life in service to others?
“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me,” goes the old saying. What will happen when Antoine – or Toueno-Boueno, as people call him – tries repeatedly to fool three brothers?
Ball-Carrier has taken a wife, but when he becomes very ill he gives his wife instructions on how he is to be laid to rest. How will his family manage without his hunting?
A boy is lured to a witch’s home by a magic ball and then fasts for weeks until he has received the gifts of all the good spirits. Finally he is ready for the quest the witch has in mind – but will he succeed?
Who is Schippeitaro? And will he be able to defeat the Spirit of the Mountain, freeing a community from providing a human sacrifice every year?
A prince who has taken work with a magician escapes with the magician’s talking horse. Will the horse give the prince sage advice, or lead him right into trouble?
A dying king entrusts his son to the care of his servant, Trusty John. After helping the new king to secure a bride, how far will John go to serve the King?
A fisherman inadvertently promises his son to a fish! Will the king himself be able to protect the child?
A king’s son is rewarded with a strange bundle by a once-enchanted young man. When he opens it, he finds more than he bargained for – and challenges for years to come!
A princess is taken by a giant, who cuts off her feet; she is then rescued by Kisa, the cat she had as a young child. Kisa outsmarts the giant and his wife, recovers and reattaches the princess’s feet, and returns her to her parents. But that’s not the end of the story!
A poor young man goes off to seek his fortune and is rewarded with a nut. Cracking the nut reveals an explosion of wealth, which the fellow can only contain with the help of a stranger who extracts a promise from him. And when the young man breaks his promise, who knows what dangers may befall him?
A young man, aided by a most unusual horse, saves a princess from troll. But will her father reward the young man as he promised?
A girl who is happiest in frigid temperatures and her brother, who craves nothing more than heat, try to make their way in the world after the deaths of their parents.
Twin brothers both want to go off to see the world, but only one may go at a time. When the brother at home sees a sign that harm has come to his travelling brother, he leaves home to find him. Will he be in time to save his brother?
A princess is destined to cause the deaths of her brothers, so her parents secure her in a tower. After the deaths of their parents, the princes free Princess Rosette, who is charmed when she sees a peacock; she declares she will marry only the King of the Peacocks. Will her brothers manage to arrange the marriage she wants, or will she be the cause of their deaths?
A woman angers an ogre by taking water from his pond. In an attempt to save her own life, she tells the ogre where to find her baby. Can little Motikatika outwit the ogre?
A girl is repeatedly distracted from her herding duties by a lion needing her care. When she discovers that he is actually an enchanted prince, will she be able to break the enchantment?
A man agrees to work for some dragons to provide for his suddenly-large family. Will he manage to keep his life and his large payment, or will the dragons renege on their deal?
Each day after dinner, the king of a certain country has a covered dish brought to him that he will not even uncover until he is completely alone. When a curious servant discovers the secret, will it go well for him or ill?
A queen helps her son escape the deadly wrath of his father. When he hires a servant based on his mother’s advice, what strange circumstances will he encounter?
A lazy young man wants to become rich, but isn’t willing to work. When he follows a stranger’s advice he finds success; what will happen when he thinks he knows better what to do?
Wisdom, strength, long life, riches, health, or beauty – which would you choose? Fortunatus was given such a choice; listen and find out what came of his decision!
A prince falls in love with a maiden who transforms into a pea-hen. When she disappears, how long will he search and how far will he of to find her?
The youngest of twelve sons, no one expects anything of Esben. How many times will he have to save his brothers before they realize how much they need him?
A witch agrees to allow a man to pick all the rampion from her garden that his pregnant wife wants – in exchange for the baby about to be born. How well can the witch control the girl once a handsome prince comes along?
A miller agrees to a bargain with a nixy, promising her the youngest thing in his house in exchange for great riches. When he returns home and discovers his wife has just given birth to a son, will there be a way to save his child?
Following the death of his father, a beloved prince begins paying attention to the bad influences surrounding him. After he is transformed by a fairy into a ferocious beast, will he ever regain his human form and be able to take his rightful place on the throne?
A widowed king (who is also a wizard) leaves his castle in the form of an eagle to explore the world. But things become problematic when he flies off with a lovely young princess in his talons! Will his handsome son be able to save the day?
What would you do if you were hungry and caught a fish that promised you good luck and the means to go adventuring in exchange for his life? This is the story of two brothers who made such a bargain. Was it a wise choice, or were they tricked by the fish?
A prince seeks the hand of the Emperor’s daughter, but she rejects him. What will happen when he disguises himself and takes a position as the Emperor’s swineherd?
A lazy young fellow becomes a woodcutter, but after finding a cache of honey and sharing it with his coworkers, they abandon him and say he was killed by a lion. When Hassebu escapes his trap, what adventures await him?
When a creepy enchanter sets his sights on marrying the lovely Princess Potentilla, it’s up to the handsome Prince Narcissus to save her. Can he do it on his own, or will there be a bit of magic involved in his attempts?
A baboon and a rabbit outsmart each other in this tale from Zimbabwe. But who will prove to be the cleverer of the two?
A prince is sent on a quest by his stepmother, the queen; will he find what he seeks, or even return home?
A young man is determined to marry a princess. Will he be able to accomplish the King’s impossible tasks on his own, or will he need a bit of help from someone who wants him to succeed?
A Clever duckling loans money to the King, who refuses to repay the loan. When Drakestail and his unusual friends seek repayment, how far will the king go to avoid paying what he owes?
A soldier is foiled in his attempt to marry a princess; as a result, he spends years searching for her. Will he find her before she marries another?
Three women challenge each other to see whose husband is the stupidest; the winner will drink free on their weekly outings!
Three sisters are left at home when their father goes on a journey for the king; despite his clear instructions, he finds that two of them disobeyed him while he was away, and the third has incurred the wrath of the king. Will Maria be able to aid her father in the impossible task set by the king and save her own life?
A family’s daughter has disappeared while tending the flocks, and two of her brothers have never returned from their searches for her. Will the youngest son find them, or meet the fate of the others?
A wicked stepmother sends her stepdaughter out into the snow, expecting her to die. But the Frost King is pleased with her answers to his questions and rewards the kind girl generously. When the woman sends her brat of a daughter out to seek the Frost King’s riches, what do you think will happen?
An owl and an eagle, best friends, decide they must find wives to tend their home and care for them. When the pair disappear for days, their wives set out with their children to find them. What challenges will the women face?
A princess is determined to marry the Green Knight, whom she met in her dreams. Will her wicked stepmother find a way to keep the lovers apart forever?
A wicked count requires a young woman to spin her wedding shift and his burial shroud out of nettles from the cemetery before he will allow her to marry her beloved. No one has spun nettles before; is she up for the task?
A couple is thrilled when they have a child the size of a hazel-nut, but they find it difficult to be supportive when he announces his plan to become a messenger. When he goes out to seek his fortune, will his small size be a help or a hindrance?
Two young men fall in love with the same woman, and one conspires to abandon his friend on an island. But what will happen when he draws blood from a lovely young elf maiden?
A poor woman on her way to market is accosted by a head with no body, which then follows her home! Might there be a way for the two to help each other?
A prince’s three sisters have all married wizards who can transform into birds, while the prince marries a warrior princess. Will his sisters’ husbands be able to help him when he inadvertently releases his bride’s arch-enemy?
Two cats fall in love and leave their homes to find happiness together. When one is taken in by a princess, what will become of the other?
A tailor kills seven flies in a single blow! But when his bragging is a bit unclear, who knows what adventures await?
Cinderlad proves to be braver than his older brothers and is generously rewarded, but will he find a way to win the hand of the princess?
A woman is heartbroken when her only son declares that, rather than learn an honest trade, he will become a thief. The lad apprentices with a successful thief, but will he still meet the dire end predicted by his mother?
A man dies, leaving to his son all his property, but gives his daughter a blessing. Later, the brother cuts his sister’s hand off in anger. Will either of them live happily ever after?
A young man does a kindness for an old woman, but the reward he gets is stolen by a witch! Will he be able to outsmart her and regain his treasures?
A kind and clever young man named Jesper sets off to marry the princess. Will the tasks the king sets prove too much for him?
The emperor has ears like a goat’s, but woe to anyone who says so! Might a barber’s apprentice be the one who can hold his tongue?
Three brothers set out on a quest to recover their father’s greatest treasure. Will any of them share their food with a limping fox, or take his help in finding their father’s treasure?
What would you do if an old woman broke into your house, ate your food, broke your furniture, and fell asleep in your bed? There’s no Goldilocks in this version of the classic story!
A young woman is convinced to marry a turtle, but when he goes off to war, she marries someone else. Will she be able to outsmart the turtle and free herself?
Janni and his sister are alone in the world. What will happen when she falls in love with a dragon who wants Janni dead – and then marries the dragon?
A fairy helps a girl with the impossible tasks set by the girl’s stepmother; later she is wooed by a prince! When he forgets all about her, what will she do?
A girl takes plums from a witch’s tree, and the witch takes her prisoner in return. Will the witch’s son help the girl, or stay loyal to his mother?
A lazy lad takes an easy position but is too lazy to even do that properly. While snooping in a room he was not supposed to enter, he finds a book of magic – and everything changes.
Did you know that there is a type of large wooden hammer called a beetle? That may help this Cinderella-like story make a little more sense!
A young king is returning home after his father’s death, accompanied by his wife and their infant son. While everyone on the ship is napping, a witch transfigures the queen and takes her place, sending the queen off in a stone boat. Will the king discover the witch’s deception? Is there any hope of returning the queen to her rightful position? Listen and find out!
This is the story of three sisters – one with just one eye, one with two eyes, and one with three eyes. Do you think they all treat each other with kindness and generosity, as sisters ought? Listen and find out!
After rescuing a dog, a cat, and a serpent, a not-too-clever young fellow is rewarded with a watch that will grant him anything he wants, including the hand of a princess. But when she absconds with his treasure, how will he get it back?
Three traveling companions encounter, and eventually overcome, an odd little man who attacks them. After tracking the man to his lair, what rewards will await the trio?
A tailor witnesses a battle between a magical stag and a bull. When the stag wins, the tailor is carried to a cavern where he finds a beautiful maiden in a crystal coffin. And oh, the tale she has to tell!
A shiftless young fellow falls in love with the daughter of a sultan and is determined to marry her. When the sultan sets an impossible task as proof of the fellow’s devotion, will he find a way to complete the task?
Two brothers, princes, have disappeared while hunting. Can their younger brother find the truth behind their disappearances and somehow bring them home?
A king plans for his daughter to marry one of his councillors. When she flees the country to avoid the marriage, she hides her identity and finds work in a kitchen. Will she find true happiness?
A king has heard of a princess who might be a suitable match for one as magnificent as himself. So he enlists the aid of seven brothers, all named Simon, and all with – shall we say, unusual? – skills.
A king vowed to have someone stand sentry over his daughter’s body every might for a year – but the sentries are always gone in the morning. Is there anyone who will last the whole night?
This abridged version of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic inspired the popular movie, Frozen – but you won’t find Anna and Elsa here!
Three brothers set out on a quest to find three sisters who have vanished. Will any of them live happily ever after?
A prince falls in love with a girl who lives in an eagle’s nest on top of a tree. Will she ever fulfill his heart’s desire and marry him?
The Sultan and Sultana have arranged for Abu Nowas to marry! What will happen when the bride and groom spend all their money?
A fisherman catches a golden crab, who turns out to be an enchanted prince. After his princess bride betrays him, is there any hope of breaking the enchantment?
A young man goes off to seek his fortune and falls in love with a woman who restores him to life three times after he is killed. When he is unable to meet with her as they had planned, his real quest begins.
After she is forgotten by the love of her life, a princess devises a plan to win him back. First, she needs eleven girls who look just like her …
Two brothers, identical twins, have grown tired of being mistaken for each other, so they set off in different directions to seek their fortunes. But there comes a time in their journeys when the brothers find their similar appearance to be helpful. Wondering how? Listen and find out!
A love triangle, broken hearts, magic, transformations – this story has it all, including a most unexpected change of heart!
Hok Lee’s neighbors think he’s just a very industrious young man; in fact, he’s made his fortune by stealing from them at night. When the doctor tells Hok Lee that his swollen face must be a punishment from the spirits for some wrongdoing, Hok Lee sets out to find a cure.
A king’s second wife becomes jealous that the throne will be inherited by the sone of the king’s first wife rather than her own son, and uses magic to turn Prince Alphege into a green monkey. Will he ever regain his human form again?
When a mother sends her three sons off with tasks for their intended brides to perform, the youngest doesn’t know where to turn – until he finds help from an unusual source.
A prince keeps the unusual circumstances of his birth a secret from his bride; when he finally acquiesces, they both regret it. Can anyone make things right again?
When a widowed king remarries, his daughter finds herself abused and starved by her new stepmother. After running away, she offers herself as the lowest kitchen servant in a castle. The prince of the castle wants nothing to do with her; can the two find true love?
A king names his long-awaited child Fairer-than-a-Fairy, never stopping to think this might upset the fairies. One of the fairies abducts her, taking her to a castle where the princess learns there is another captive: a prince imprisoned in a rainbow. When the prince is moved to another prison, Fairer-than-a-Fairy sets out to find him and set him free.
A king receives an envoy from a mighty emperor, but the envoy says not a word; he only traces a circle around the king’s throne. How are the king and his advisers supposed to interpret this message?
An emperor marries a girl who promises him twin boys with stars on their foreheads. When the boys are born, the emperor’s stepmother buries them and replaces them with puppies! Once her own daughter becomes empress, will there ever be justice for the first empress and her sons?
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the fifteenth part of Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
Today we begin The Story of Two Sisters Who Were Jealous of Their Younger Sister. Three sisters jokingly express the desire to marry the Sultan’s baker, cook, and even the Sultan himself! When the Sultan grants their wishes, the older two grow jealous of the young Sultana. What awful revenge will they take on their own sister?
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the fourteenth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
Today’s story is The Enchanted Horse. A king is determined to possess a mechanical horse that can easily travel vast distances when his headstrong son leaps on without learning how to return home. After meeting (and falling in love with) a princess, the prince learns how to return home, and brings her home with him. After she is abducted and feigns mental illness, will the two young lovebirds ever find happiness?
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the thirteenth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
Our story today is The Story of Ali Cogia, Merchant of Bagdad. A man is declared innocent of theft. Will the Caliph overturn a judgement after watching children play?
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the twelfth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
Today we have two stories nested inside a third: The Adventures of Haroun-al-Raschid, Caliph of Bagdad, The Story of the Blind Baba-Abdalla, and The Story of Sidi-Nouman.
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the eleventh of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
This is a story you’ve heard before – Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp. But there’s more to it than you may have heard!
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the tenth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
Today’s story is Noureddin and the Fair Persian. In this story the King of Balsora sends one of his vizirs to buy a beautiful, accomplished slave for him; unfortunately, the vizir’s son and the slave fall in love with each other! Is there any hope for the young couple?
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the ninth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
Today we hear the conclusion of The Adventures of Prince Camaralzaman and the Princess Badoura. After dreaming of his father’s death, Prince Camaralzaman looks for his wife, Princess Badoura, and loses a precious talisman. He immediately sets off to recover it, telling no one. The Princess, meanwhile, assumes his identity for a year and more, and finds herself married – to another princess! Will Prince Camaralzaman and Princess Badoura find each other again?
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the eighth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
Today we begin The Adventures of Prince Camaralzaman and the Princess Badoura. The Sultan wants his son, Prince Camaralzaman, to marry so the Sultan can begin turning some of his responsibilities over to him. But the Prince refuses! Will locking him in a tower help? (Does it ever?) And what will happen when fairies begin meddling?
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the seventh of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
Today’s stories are The Little Hunchback, The Story of the Barber’s Fifth Brother, and The Story of the Barber’s Sixth Brother. The three stories are really two stories wrapped in a third. What do you think you would you do to try and get out of serious trouble?
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the sixth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
What would compel someone to go to sea again after such adventures as Sindbad has had? Find out in the stories of his last four voyages!
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the fifth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
Here we will learn about the first three voyages of Sindbad, as he goes off to make his fortune.
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the fourth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
Today we will hear the rest of the Second Dervish’s Story, including a story he told; we will also hear the Story of the Third Dervish, and the mistakes he made.
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the third of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
Today we will begin to hear about an unusual dinner party in The Story of the Three Dervishes, Sons of Kings, and of Five Ladies of Bagdad. We’ll also hear The Story of the First Dervish, Son of a King, and the beginning of The Story of the Second Dervish, Son of a King; the third dervish’s story will be part of our next episode.
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the second of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
Everyone has a story to tell. In today’s stories we have four different characters telling stories, in addition to our main narrator! Our stories are The Story of the Fisherman, The Story of the Greek King and the Physician Douban, The Story of the Husband and the Parrot, The Story of the Vizir Who Was Punished, and The Story of the Young King of the Black Isles.
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the first of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories.
Our stories today are The Arabian Nights, The Story of the Merchant and the Genie, The Story of the First Old Man and the Hind, and The Story of the Second Old Man, and of the Two Dogs. Here we begin with Scheherazade and stories within a story. You’ll soon discover that genies are not always kind and helpful!
A young prince is left in charge of his step-father’s prize prisoner and decides to release him. Deciding not to wait for his inevitably painful death, the prince runs away. As he travels, he spares the lives of a wood-pigeon, a duck, and a stork, then meets up and travels with two former soldiers. Their ultimate betrayal leaves the prince fearing for his life; will his earlier kindness save his own life?
Three brothers have acquired amazing skills; who will most impress their father, and earn the inheritance?
Three sisters, each lost in the woods, find themselves in the same humble home for the night. Who will know the importance of kindness, and who will receive an unpleasant surprise?
You’re probably familiar with this story, but there’s a lot more to it than you may know!
Three princes are sent on an impossible quest by their stepmother. They join forces with a notorious thief, but can they talk their way out of death when they’re caught?
An exceptionally strong youth named Paul goes out to seek his fortune and is joined by three companions almost as strong. When he is betrayed by those friends, how will Paul find his way?
After his father’s death, a young man squanders his inheritance and is left penniless. When a friend sends him a trunk that can fly, he ends up in Turkey and charms a princess. Will they get their happily ever after?
The movie adaptation you probably know is much gentler than this story by Hans Christian Andersen really is; grown-ups may want to listen alone before listening with little ones!
A happy youth, or a happy old age – which would you choose? Catherine is given that very choice by her Destiny; let’s see if she chooses wisely!
A king asks his two daughters if they are they satisfied to leave their life and fortune in his hands. The elder daughter, Kupti, agrees, but the younger daughter, Imani, would like a chance to make her own future. The displeased king calls for an old fakir, and sends Imani to live with him and try to make a life for herself. Which princess will have a happier ending?
You may already know this story! A woodcutter and his wife have no more food for their family, and so decide to take their 2 children into the forest and abandon them to their fates. They are taken in by an old woman living in a fantastical house, but all is not as it seems.
This Icelandic tale features a clever princess, an evil witch-queen, and a prince taken by a dragon. What will happen when the prince returns to his parents years later?
In this French tale, an impish little rogue who can transform himself into anything but a sewing needle seeks new victims for his tricks.
An aging king wants his son to marry before he dies, so the young man sets off to find the princess he has vowed to wed; the problem is, she’s a prisoner of an evil wizard. As he travels, the prince is joined by 3 companions with unusual skills that may help free the princess.
A man provides costly aid but later receives help from an unlikely source in this Spanish tale.
Unable to find an appropriate master for his son to apprentice with, a man is thrilled to find someone willing to take him on – until the stranger flies off with the lad. Now the father must begin a quest to locate and try to rescue his son.
A weaver needing work takes a job as a shepherd – but wait until you hear how foolish he and some other weavers are!
An old peasant is tricked by a wicked tanuki into doing something terrible. Now the peasant and his friend, a hare, must work together to bring about the tanuki’s demise.
The filmed versions of this story that you’ve seen stay pretty close to this version of this tale. If you enjoyed the versions by Disney or Cocteau, you’ll like this too!
A young man called Dullhead by his family is kind to a stranger and is rewarded with a golden goose. When a young woman finds the goose irresistible, she also finds herself stuck to it, along with a flock of others! Dullhead decides to use these silly people to try and win the hand of a princess – but what will the king say to that?
A poor man with too many mouths to feed agrees to give his youngest daughter to a giant lizard to raise. The girl is raised like a princess, with lovely manners – and a bad attitude. That attitude may lead her into a difficult situation when she marries the king!
After being disowned by his father for marrying without his knowledge, a once-wealthy young man descends into poverty. Although his brother shows him some kindness and he has some small success, his greedy sister-in-law plunges him into legal turmoil. Can he refute the charges against him, or will he lose his life?
A princess has spent her entire life in an underground palace, and now that she is of marriageable age, the king has set a challenge: find the princess, and you shall marry her. Try and fail, and you lose your life. Is this clever young man clever enough to outwit the king?
In this Icelandic tale, a princess must avoid a forced marriage to a giant, and outwit a witch and that giant’s ghost so she can save her beloved foster brother from living half his life as a lion!
A young emperor falls in love with a neighboring princess, only to find that his ambassadors are arranging a marriage to her less-desirable older sister, who is outraged at the emperor’s choice of her younger sister. She convinces her father to exile the younger princess in a tower in the desert with the older sister’s nurse as a companion and guard, but the emperor finds her, though he is seriously injured when he tries to see her. Will the two lovers thwart the older sister’s evil plan and find happiness?
A King is eager to marry, but insists that his bride should be as beautiful as the sun. So how does he end up married to an elderly witch?
When a maiden decides she must have a sprig of rosemary, she ends up finding her true love. But when her actions cause him to vanish, she begins a quest that will take her farther than she ever imagined in order to find him again.
When a man’s dead wife is restored to him, can he obey the one rule that will return her to him forever? Find out in this tale from the Iroquois.
A man dies while trying to keep wild animals from stealing his chickens, and the animals band together to take his body for their dinner. But what will the six hungry beasts do when their food starts to run out?
This is three stories in one! All feature the cunning Jackal and his equally tricky sons – will any of them survive the telling of these tales?
A man discovers that the kettle he’s found is really a tanuki! What will happen when he sells it to a tradesman without telling the secret?
A hard-hearted man learns that an infant in a poor family is fated to claim all his property. To what lengths will he go to ensure this doesn’t happen – and will he succeed?
A stone-cutter is content with his life until he is exposed to the life of a rich man. When his wish for such a life is granted, he wishes to be greater and stronger until the mountain spirit grants one last wish.
A widowed man with a son and a daughter (she is known as Maiden Bright-Eye) marries a cruel woman with a daughter of her own who cannot equal Maiden Bright-Eye in any way. After Maiden Bright-Eye is rewarded for her kindness and her stepsister punished for her cruelty, the king decides to marry Maiden Bright-Eye. Will Maiden Bright-Eye get her happily ever after, or will her cruel stepsister?
Three princes go hunting with their stepsister, agreeing along the way to spare the lives of several animals in exchange for the young of those animals. When the oldest is betrayed by the stepsister – well, dragons, death, and peril ensue.
It’s a battle of wits for the Liar’s Crown in this Serbian tale! Who will tell the tallest tale?
For almost seven years, people have tried to reach the golden castle on top of the Glass Mountain; will anyone ever reach the princess who lives there?
The king has set odd conditions for anyone wanting to marry his daughter. When a young man who has spent his entire fortune trying to meet the conditions, the king changes them! How can a hermit help the young man win the hand of the princess?
A king is forced to give his daughter as wife to a white wolf – but all may not be as it seems!
The suitor of a very silly young woman sets off to find three people sillier than the young woman and her parents.
Brothers in search of wives are turned to stone by an old man whose heart is hidden in a distant bird. Their brother heads off to find the heart, but he may need the help of some unusual friends if he is to succeed.
A witch-maiden, a magician, a broken heart, and magic – all may play a part in helping a young man defeat a dragon with “a body like an ox, and legs like a frog, two short fore-legs, and two long ones behind, and a tail like a serpent, ten fathoms in length.” Yikes!
You know one version (or maybe more!) of Little Red Riding-Hood. Here’s a whole new take!
When a princess inadvertently curses her twelve brothers, she learns the only way to return them to their natural form is to remain utterly silent for 7 years. A single giggle or spoken word will cause their immediate deaths; can she do it, even after catching the eye of the king?
Two step-children of a witch run away, but the witch’s enchantments follow them, turning the boy into a small roe buck. When the girl marries a king and takes her brother to live in the castle, the evil witch hatches a plot to put her ugly daughter in the queen’s place, and get rid of the rightful queen entirely.
An old enchantress turns pretty girls into birds when they stray too close to her castle, and turns their suitors to stone. Once he is freed from his enchantment, how far will he to return his beloved to his arms?
When a cruel widow’s kind daughter returns from serving a fairy, the widow sends her spiteful daughter to perform the same tasks. But will she earn the same reward?
A poor man agrees to do something for his wealthy brother in exchange for meat for his family. A stranger helps him to exchange that meat for something far more valuable – in the right hands, that is.
A princess journeying to her wedding is betrayed by her waiting-maid, who takes her place, while the real princess is given the task of looking after the geese. Will the king be able to help her regain her rightful place?
An orphaned girl with a cruel brother, a pot of flowers, a fairy queen, and an enchanted hen and cabbages: can all these parts work together to earn the girl a “happily ever after” with a prince?
Three princesses are left at home while their father goes to war, and their disobedience shows them who they will marry. When the youngest betrays her pig husband, how far will she go to find him and save their marriage?
A man is determined that he and his family will avoid death forever. What will happen when they reach a country where the people do not even know what death means?
A man has everything but a wife, it seems; but all the eligible young ladies are put off by his odd blue beard. When he finally marries, he tells his wife there is only one room she is not to enter – but sometimes, curiosity is too strong.
This story begins much like the one you already know, but once she’s awakened by the prince, things take a bit of a turn.
A king’s son goes off to see the world; what will he learn to help him win the hand of a lovely (though arrogant) princess?
When a cruel widow’s kind daughter returns from serving a fairy, she sends her spiteful daughter to perform the same tasks. But will she earn the same reward?
When his love is enchanted by a wicked witch, a prince goes to great lengths – even consulting the Wizard of Finland – to restore her to her human form.
A cobbler takes up with fearsome creatures, but what will happen when they tire of him?
A little chick with only half a body goes off to see the world. How will his unwillingness to help others change his journey?
A queen is forced to promise her daughter to an unkind and unworthy man. When the princess learns her fate, she is determined to marry another. Will anyone live happily ever after?
Four old animals have been abandoned by their owners. Is there any way they can live out their days in comfort?
When three brothers set off to find a cure for their father’s illness, it’s the youngest who discovers it. How will his brothers react?
A shark deceives his monkey friend in an attempt to feed his heart to his sultan. Will the monkey be clever enough to save his heart – and the rest of him as well?
Yes, there’s a princess in a tower. But with characters like Mutinosa, Placida, and Graziella, don’t expect a story like Rapunzel’s!
A young man goes adventuring, and saves three princesses. When he forgets their careful advice, how will he win their favor back?
A young man discovers he is actually the king’s son; what consequences will he face when he promises to marry an old crone?
A princess whose life is threatened takes shelter with an enormous sheep. Will she get the “happily ever after” that she hopes for?
To help him choose the heir to his crown, a king sends his three sons on three quests. But how helpful can a toad be?
The son of a good king and an evil queen marries a fairy and becomes a goose-boy. Where will magic and his wiles take him next?
A young woman finds herself about to marry an old peasant she’s never seen before. Is there magic at play in this odd match?
If you think you’re too small to help someone in need, just listen to how a tiny sparrow helps an abused dog.
What will become of a poor lad who uses his last bit of money to buy a strange creature called a cat?
When a king seeks to marry his adopted daughter, she makes her escape cloaked in a donkey skin. What will her future hold?
When a young man is given an enchanted ring, it leads to prosperity. When the same ring is given to his wicked brother, what do you think will happen?
A king’s son becomes servant to a giant, and narrowly escapes with his life. But what will be his fate if he forgets the maid who helped him?
After betraying her true love, a girl goes to great lengths to keep him from marrying a troll princess
The second story from Andrew Lang's The Blue Fairy Book, Prince Hyacinth and the Dear Little Princess is a tale of a prince who loves himself so much that he cannot see his own defects.
From Andrew Lang's The Blue Fairy Book, "The Bronze Ring" is a story of the forbidden love between a princess and the gardener's son.
"The Mermaid and The Boy" is a fairy tale in which a king promises a mermaid that he will give her his firstborn child.
From Andrew Lang's The Crimson Fairy Book, "The Hairy Man" is a story of a prince who escapes from his father and proves himself in battle with the help of three magical apples.
Listen to "The Bunyip." In this Australian tale, a mother beast takes revenge on the hunters who take her child.
A king’s misdeeds force him to ask for his only child’s death. Who can break the spell she is under?
Listen to "The Unlooked-For Prince." A king makes a bad bargain, and loses his son. Will the prince escape the evil that awaits him?
Listen to "The Boy Who Could Keep a Secret." – A boy with a secret aids the King of Hungary – but can he outwit a Sultan?
Listen to "The Ogre." A lad takes a job working for an ogre. How long will it take him to learn to mind his tongue?
The Glass Axe – A prince is taken by an evil fairy. After facing impossible tasks, will he be able to escape?
Listen to "Puss In Boots." When a youth inherits nothing but a cat, how can he use it to make his fortune?
These are not the perky fairies of today! Can a woman taken by fairies help her friend escape them?
When a man’s wife and her parents collapse in tears over what might have been, he sets off to find three people as silly as they; but will he succeed?
Listen to “The Terrible Head.” In this retelling of the myth of Perseus, a young man goes adventuring before fulfilling a prophesy.
The Bear – An overprotected princess finds a way to see the world. But will her true love find a way to see her?
The Language of Beasts – When a shepherd saves a snake, he is rewarded with the ability to understand what animals say. But is this a gift or a curse?
A princess is banished after insulting her father. Who will learn a lesson when next they meet?
Princess Sylvia may choose any gift from the Flower Fairy. But after visiting others so honored, will she choose beauty, eloquence, or something far more rare?
Hans is befriended by a man with vast storerooms of gold and silver; will Hans squander gifts from his friend, or be sensible?
When a man receives special gifts to help his family, but doesn’t follow the rules, something unusual happens.
An old woman curses a young prince, setting off a chain of events. Will the price be able to win the heart of the Silent Princess?
A young man’s father is more than a little disappointed in his son’s education; can the lad make something of himself in spite of this?
A poor but obedient girl prepares to marry a rich man’s son. What wonders will be revealed at the wedding?
When the children of a king decide to take refuge in some hollowed-out trees, will a witch be able to deceive a prince?
The sister of the sun – in a classic tale of a quest, a young man must first steal from the sister of the sun; then, he must win her heart.
A strange-looking young man living in a forest rescues two kings. Will they prove honorable?
An abused stepdaughter finds riches and happiness when she is pushed into a well. What awaits her spoiled stepsister on the same journey?
A young prince on a quest and finds an unusual friend and true love — but will his brothers be happy for him? Read at Andrew Lang’s Fairy Books: The Golden Mermaid.
Snow-white and Rose-red — Not that Snow White! Two sisters and their mother befriend a bear — or is it a bear?
After a king’s new queen changes her six stepsons into swans, their sister must endure arduous trials to restore them to their human forms. But when her own life is at risk due to the workings of her evil mother-in-law, will she be able to complete her quest?
In this classic tale from the Arabian Nights, a poor woodcutter discovers the hidden treasures of a band of robbers, survives great danger, and brings riches to his whole family — with some help from a clever servant.
A man and his extraordinary companions work together to outwit a devious king in How Six Men Traveled Through the Wide World.
The Crow, an old tale from Poland, is quite similar to the French classic, Beauty and the Beast. This heroine, though, faces fear and isolation that her French counterpart never imagined!
Jealousy leads to magical transformations and transportations in The Story of the Queen of the Flowery Isles.
A prince finds his princess by mystical means in The Lovely Ilonka — but how will Ilonka clear up a case of mistaken identity?
A king loves his daughters too much in The Whirlwind, and it is up to three brothers to do what the king’s armies cannot.
The Goblin Pony is a cautionary tale from France. Would a story like this keep you inside on a windy night?
The Sunchild is based on a Greek tale about a woman who longs for a child. The Sun sends her a child, but what will happen when it is time for the girl to return to the Sun?
The Cunning Hare is a Native American story. A young hare surprises his grandmother by catching fish, but how can grandmother cook the fish with no fire?
What Came of Picking Flowers comes to us from Portugal. It’s a story of magic, transformation, deception, and family.
How the Wicked Tanuki was Punished is a Japanese tale about a wicked and selfish animal outsmarted by his own son.
The Husband of the Rat’s Daughter is a Japanese tale; it will be familiar to fans of Stonecutter, though the ending is not so harsh.
The Three Snake Leaves is another tale that comes to us from the Brothers Grimm. Surprising to many, this is a tale of revenge and death.
Spindle, Shuttle, and Needle is much like Cinderella – minus the evil stepmother and stepsisters! In this story collected by the Brothers Grimm, magic helps a girl win the love of a prince.