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.

After being conned by three rogues, how far will a man go to get his revenge? 

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.  

Kindness to a crane leads to a wonderful gift – but watch out for greedy relatives!  

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 Lizina is rejected by her mother (who much prefers Lizina’s older sister, Peppina), she goes to work in a house filled with cats. She finds great success there, so much so that her greedy sister decides to try her own luck with the cats. But which sister will live happily ever after?  

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?

You likely think you know this tale, but I’ll wager you don’t know it all!

A childless couple decides to pay a deceitful clerk to teach their bull calf to speak.

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?

Who can help the miller’s daughter spin straw into gold – and at what cost?

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.

It’s the classic cautionary tale – short but not so sweet.

Reading The Twelve Dancing Princesses. 

The classic story in what may be its most family-friendly form.

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?

Who will get what he wants: the stubborn shepherd, or the demanding king?

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 Ogre." A lad takes a job working for an ogre. How long will it take him to learn to mind his tongue?

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?

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 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?

Trolls and true love take center stage in this Norwegian story.

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 folk tale collected by the Brothers Grimm.

A strange-looking young man living in a forest rescues two kings. Will they prove honorable?

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.

Snowflake — A precursor to Frosty, this Slavic story is short and sweet.

Princes, ogres, and adventure — with just a touch of Rumpelstiltzkin!

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 Finnish Tale from Andrew Lang’s Crimson Fairy Book.

A German tale from Andrew Lang's Green Fairy Book.

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.