akorn - Mighty Old Tales Retold

The Elves

A shoemaker, by no fault of his own, had become so poor that at last he had nothing left but leather for one pair of shoes. 

The Wedding of Mrs Fox

There was once an old fox with nine tails, who believed that his wife was not faithful to him, and wished to test her.

Thumbling

There was once a poor peasant who sat in the evening by the hearth and poked the fire, and his wife sat spinning. Then he said, "How sad it is that we have no children..."

The Wishing Table, the Gold Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack

There was once upon a time a tailor who had three sons, and only one goat. But as the goat supported all of them with her milk, she was obliged to have good food, and to be taken every day to pasture. 

The Tailor in Heaven

One very fine day it came to pass that the good God wished to enjoy himself in the heavenly garden, and took all the apostles and saints with him, so that no one stayed in heaven but Saint Peter. The Lord had commanded him to let no one in during his absence...

Clever Elsie

There was once a man who had a daughter who was called Clever Elsie. And when she had grown up her father said, "We will get her married."

The Three Languages

An aged count once lived in Switzerland, who had an only son, but he was stupid, and could learn nothing. 

Clever Hans

The mother of Hans said, "Where away, Hans?" 
Hans answered, "To Gretel."
"Behave well, Hans."
"Oh, I'll behave well. Goodbye, mother."
"Goodbye, Hans."
Hans comes to Gretel...

The Girl Without Hands

A certain miller had little by little fallen into poverty, and had nothing left but his mill and a large apple tree behind it. Once when he had gone into the forest to fetch wood, an old man stepped up to him whom he had never seen before...

The Louse and the Flea

A louse and a flea kept house together and were brewing beer in an eggshell. Then the little louse fell in and burnt herself. At this the little flea began to scream loudly.