akorn - Mighty Old Tales Retold

Lean Lisa

Lean Lisa was of a very different way of thinking from Lazy Harry and Fat Trina, who never let anything disturb their peace. 

The Peasant in Heaven

Once upon a time a poor pious peasant died, and arrived before the gate of heaven. At the same time a very rich, rich lord came there who also wanted to get into heaven. 

Strong Hans

There was once a man and a woman who had an only child, and lived quite alone in a solitary valley. It came to pass that the mother once went into the woods to gather branches of fir, and took with her little Hans, who was just two years old. 

The Griffin

There was once upon a time a King, but where he reigned and what he was called, I do not know. He had no son, but an only daughter who had always been ill, and no doctor had been able to cure her. Then it was foretold to the King that his daughter should eat herself well with an apple. 

Lazy Harry

Harry was lazy, and although he had nothing else to do but drive his goat daily to pasture, he nevertheless groaned when he went home after his day's work was done. "It is indeed a heavy burden," he said.

The Glass Coffin

Let no one ever say that a poor tailor cannot do great things and win high honors; all that is needed is that he should go to the right blacksmith, and what is of most consequence, that he should have good luck.

Snow White and Rose Red

There was once a poor widow who lived in a lonely cottage. In front of the cottage was a garden where stood two rose trees, one of which bore white and the other red roses. She had two children who were like the two rose trees, and one was called Snow White, and the other Rose Red.

The Wise Servant

How fortunate is the master, and how well all goes in his house, when he has a wise servant who listens to his orders and does not obey them, but prefers following his own wisdom.

A Riddling Tale

Three women were changed into flowers which grew in the field, but one of them was allowed to be in her own home at night. Then once when day was drawing near...

The Ditmarsch Tale of Lies

I will tell you something. I saw two roasted fowls flying; they flew quickly and had their breasts turned to heaven and their backs to hell, and an anvil and a millstone swam across the Rhine...