Once upon a time, in a high stone castle overlooking the misty mountains of Switzerland, there lived an old count. The count was a proud man who cared a great deal about power and grand titles. He had only one son, a quiet boy named Swiss. But to the count’s great disappointment, Swiss was not clever with swords or with strategy. Whatever his father tried to teach him, nothing seemed to stay in the boy’s head. ...
Once upon a time, there was a prince who wanted to marry a princess. But she couldn’t be just any princess: she had to be a real princess. The prince travelled all around the world twice to find the right one. He met many princesses, but there was always something that wasn’t quite right. Some were not very kind, others were too proud, and none of them seemed to be exactly what he was looking for. ...
There was once a fisherman who lived with his wife in a pigsty, close by the seaside. The fisherman went out every day to fish, and one day, as he sat on the shore with his rod, watching the sparkling waves, his float was suddenly dragged deep into the water. When he reeled in his line, he pulled out a golden fish. But the fish said, “Please let me live! I’m not a real fish. I’m an enchanted prince. Put me back in the water and let me go!” ...
It happened that a cat met a fox in a forest. Earlier that day, the fox had just tricked and eaten the Gingerbread Man. The fox was feeling particularly pleased with himself, as the Gingerbread Man had boasted about his speed and thought he could outrun anyone. The fox, however, had used his cleverness to outwit the Gingerbread Man, convincing him to climb onto his nose to cross a river, and then snapping him up in one bite. The fox was now full and even more arrogant than usual, strolling proudly through the forest. ...
Long ago, in a quiet valley, a new bridge stretched across a rushing river. It was a fine bridge, arched and strong, but everyone in the valley knew it had been built by a demon. The demon had hoped to trick the people, but thanks to a clever hermit and a stubborn donkey, he had been outsmarted and vanished into the river with a hiss of smoke. For a long time, the bridge stood empty. No one dared to cross it, worried the demon might return. ...
In a lonely valley, between two steep hills, there once lived a demon. He was not a very scary demon, but a troublesome one. His greatest joy was to bother people and try to tempt them into bad habits. “Give up your honesty!” he would whisper. “Forget your kindness!” he would hiss. But the people of the valley were good and strong. They worked hard, helped one another, and prayed each day for courage. No matter how hard the demon tried, nobody listened to him. ...
Catherine was a farm girl who was cheerful, kind, and just a tiny bit silly. She always believed that things would sort themselves out if she just waited long enough. Unfortunately, things usually did not. One bright morning, Catherine was taking a big basket of cheeses to the market. She whistled a happy tune and thought proudly, “Oh, these cheeses will sell so fast today, I’ll be home in time for lunch!” ...
Retold from Oscar Wilde’s “The Remarkable Rocket.” Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, the royal family was preparing for a big celebration. The Prince was getting married, and everyone was excited! There were decorations, dancing, feasts, and a spectacular firework show planned for the end of the night. Among all the fireworks was one very tall and shiny rocket. But this rocket wasn’t like the others. He was very proud and thought he was the most important firework of them all. ...
Once there was a king who had a beautiful garden, and in that garden grew a tree that bore golden apples. The apples were counted every day, and as soon as they began to ripen, the king noticed that every night one of them went missing. The king was very angry indeed, and he ordered the gardener to keep watch all night beneath the tree. The gardener sent his eldest son to do the watching. But at midnight the young man fell asleep, and in the morning another apple was gone. So the second son was sent. He too fell asleep at midnight, and another apple disappeared. ...
Once upon a time, in the deep blue ocean, there lived a small red fish named Finn. He was known for his bright red scales that shimmered in the water, much like the scarlet cloak worn by Red Riding Hood. Finn was a curious little fish who loved to explore the coral reefs and play among the seaweed. One day, Finn’s mother asked him to deliver a basket of kelp to his grandmother, who lived in a cave near the edge of the reef. Before Finn left, his mother warned him, “Be careful of the Shark Gang, Finn. They are tricky and dangerous. Stay close to the reef and don’t stray into the open waters.” ...