akorn - Mighty Old Tales Retold

The Devil With the Three Golden Hairs

There was once a poor woman who gave birth to a little son; and as he came into the world with a caul on, it was predicted that in his fourteenth year he would have the King's daughter for his wife. It happened that soon afterward, the King came into the village...

The Singing Bone

In a certain country there was once a great lamentation over a wild boar that ravaged the farmer's fields, killed the cattle, and ripped up people's bodies with its tusks. The King promised a large reward to anyone who would free the land from this plague...

The Bremen Town Musicians

A certain man had a donkey, which had carried the sacks of corn to the mill tirelessly for many long years; but his strength was going, and he was growing more and more unfit for work. Then his master began to consider doing away with him...

Little Red Cap

Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved by everyone who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have given to the child. Once she gave her a little cap of red velvet, which suited her so well that she would never wear anything else; so she was always called "Little Red Cap."

The Seven Ravens

There was once a man who had seven sons, and still he had no daughter, however much he wished for one. At length his wife again gave him hope of a child, and when it came into the world it was a girl. The joy was great, but the child was sickly and small.

Mother Holle

There was once a widow who had two daughters--one of whom was pretty and industrious, while the other was ugly and idle. But she was much fonder of the ugly and idle one, because she was her own daughter; and the other, who was a stepdaughter, was obliged to do all the work, and be the Cinderella of the house. 

The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage

Once  upon a time a mouse, a bird, and a sausage became companions, kept house together, lived well and happily with each other, and wonderfully increased their possessions. Until...

The Riddle

There was once a King's son who was seized with a desire to travel about the world, and took no one with him but a faithful servant. One day he came to a great forest...

Cinderella

The wife of a rich man fell sick, and as she felt that her end was drawing near, she called her only daughter to her bedside and said, "Dear child, be good and pious, and then the good God will always protect you, and I will look down on you from heaven and be near you." Then she closed her eyes and departed.

The Valiant Little Tailor

One summer's morning a little tailor was sitting on his table by the window; he was in good spirits, and sewed with all his might. Then came a peasant woman down the street crying, "Good jams, cheap! Good jams, cheap!"