The Steadfast Tin Soldier Story- A Hans Christian Andersen Tale

The Steadfast Tin Soldier Story- A Hans Christian Andersen Tale

The Steadfast Tin Soldier story was first published in October of 1838, in Andersen’s Fairy Tales Told to Children: New Collection, First Booklet. It appeared alongside stories ‘The Daisy’ and ‘The Wild Swans’, but went on […]

Tom Tit Tot by Joseph Jacobs – An English Rumpelstiltskin Tale

Tom Tit Tot by Joseph Jacobs – An English Rumpelstiltskin Tale

Tom Tit Tot is the English variant of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale collected by Joseph Jacobs in his English Fairy Tales, published in 1890. Like the German tale, the name-guessing game is crucial to the story. […]

Aschenputtel – The German Cinderella

Aschenputtel – The German Cinderella

Aschenputtel is a German Cinderella tale written by the Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm. It was published in Children’s and Household Tales in 1812; a pioneering collection of German folklore. Although similar in many respects to […]

The Short Story of Little Red Riding Hood – by Charles Perrault

The Short Story of Little Red Riding Hood – by Charles Perrault

The short story Little Red Riding Hood is one of the world’s best-known fairy tales. It is a folktale of European origin and there are many other variants from around the world. The Brothers Grimm collected […]

Jack and the Beanstalk – An Old English Fairy Tale

Jack and the Beanstalk – An Old English Fairy Tale

Jack and the Beanstalk is an old English fairy tale. It has been written many, many time by different folklorists and storytellers throughout history. Early appearances include The Story of Jack Spriggins and the Enchanted Bean […]

The Frog Prince Story – A Tale by the Brothers Grimm

The Frog Prince Story – A Tale by the Brothers Grimm

The Frog Prince story or, Iron Henry is a fairy tale best known through the Brothers Grimm’s written version. Traditionally it is the first story in their collection, Children’s and Household Tales (Kinder und Hausmärchen, 1812). The […]

A Poem for your Pocket

A Poem for your Pocket

World Poetry Day – A Poem for your Pocket This poem is taken from Rainbow Gold, a book of children’s poetry by many of the great poets. We thought it was the perfect poem to share […]

Ballade of the Bookworm – A Poem by Andrew Lang

Ballade of the Bookworm – A Poem by Andrew Lang

Ballade of the Bookworm – A Poem by Andrew Lang Ballade of the Bookworm Far in the Past I peer, and see A Child upon the Nursery floor, A Child with books upon his knee, Who […]

Red Roses of Nectar – How Red Roses First Came

Red Roses of Nectar – How Red Roses First Came

Red Roses of Nectar – How Red Roses First Came “At first Roses were all white. This is how they came red: – Cupid loved the White Roses and played amongst them in the meadows of […]

The Six Sillies – From Andrew Lang’s Red Fairy Book

The Six Sillies – From Andrew Lang’s Red Fairy Book

This hilarious Belgian story, The Six Sillies, is from Andrew Lang’s Red Fairy Book. Andrew Lang was a Scottish folklorist well known for collecting hundreds of folk and fairy tales in his famous Fairy Books. A […]

Zelinda and the Monster – The Italian Beauty and the Beast

Zelinda and the Monster – The Italian Beauty and the Beast

Zelinda and the Monster – The Italian Beauty and the Beast. The Beauty and the Beast tale has gone through many varied and imaginative incarnations, throughout history and across many different cultures. From the oldest literary […]

The Fairy Maiden – A Legendary Tale from Wales

The Fairy Maiden – A Legendary Tale from Wales

This classic Welsh fairy tale, The Fairy Maiden, tells the tale of a Welsh boy named Tom who, while travelling back to his home near Snowdon, happens upon a circle of dancing folk. Overcome with affection […]