Before he wrote the Oz books, L. Frank Baum wrote this book which was the best selling book of 1897. Taking 22 beloved nursery rhymes, he explains their meaning and fascinating history. What is the true story of Little Boy Blue? Why was Mary contrary?
As he says in the introduction, "Many of these nursery rhymes are complete tales in themselves, telling their story tersely but completely; there are others which are but bare suggestions, leaving the imagination to weave in the details of the story. Perhaps therein may lie part of their charm, but however that may be I have thought the children might like the stories told at greater length, that they may dwell the longer upon their favorite heroes and heroines. For that reason I have written this book." L. Frank Baum
Also known as "A Double Story" or "The Wise Woman."
The story of two very spoiled girls, a princess and a peasant, who are kidnapped by a strange woman for a lesson in life. They may not emerge the same... but will their parents be changed for the better too?
A selection of famous and timeless myths, adapted for a junior audience.
When four children (and their baby brother makes five) manage to uncover the long-dormant Psammead (in plain English, then, Sand-Fairy) in a gravel pit, they have the chance of one wish a day that lasts until sunset. But you should be careful what you wish for - as Cyril, Anthea, Robert and Jane find out!
These delightful stories about how natural things began are drawn from the early folk-lore of many races. The wonderful explanations of the phenomena of nature given by the native races appeal to the child's wonder about the same phenomena, and he and we are pleased with the imagination involved. These stories gratify our inner child's desire for a fantastic explanation of things we see every day.
The second of four volumes of Pyles' retelling of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, which tells the stories of Percival, Tristram, and Launcelot of the Lake.
This is the first collection by this author of charming folk tales from India. Parents or those in loco parentis should be aware that as in all folk literature, in addition to humor and wisdom, here is some degree of suffering and death. These tales may not be suitable for the very young.
Collection of tales from the Norse legends, from the beginning of the golden kingdom of the Aesir, to it's end within the flames of Ragnarok.
This books is a select collection of Christmas Stories in one volume. It is just that and nothing more.Each of the stories has already won the approval of thousands of children, and each is fraught with the true Christmas spirit.It is hoped that the collection will prove equally acceptable to parents, teachers, and librarians.
A sweet fairy-tale, Honey-Bee tells the story of two children raised as brother and sister, but who are not. One day they venture out to find the lake where the nixies dwell, though they are forbidden to do so. On this ill-fated journey, young George is kidnapped by the nixies and little Honey-Bee is captured by the dwarves. The tale tells of their seven years in captivity, and has some lessons on morality and love.
In "Tales of Folk and Fairies" Ms. Pyle tells 15 different children's stories from around the world; each more delightful than the last. Each story stands completely on it's own and although they were probably meant for children, adults will certainly enjoy them as well.
Lots of stories and poems about elves, faeries and other wonderful wee folk. All read for you by LibriVox people who love them so what more could you ask for? If you want a break from the harsh 'real' world, come relax for awhile in fairyland where troubles are solved by magic and perhaps a kiss or two. (phil c)
The Rainbow Book: Tales of Fun & Fancy is a book of children's stories from British author Mabel Henrietta Spielmann. Some are well known like "The Sleeping Beauty", and some were invented for the book and are a product of their time. Some tell about magic, some about little children who did great things, and some about far away lands.
One pleasant summer day, as the fairy-tale lover sat reading a book beneath the low spreading branches of an oak tree, he heard a hum of wings, and looking up startled from his book, he discovered the Fairy Goldenwand standing close by. "Are you still seeking new fairy tales?" said the Fairy Goldenwand. "Yes," said the reader. "Will you write them down if I tell you some really new ones?" said the Fairy. "Oh yes, indeed," said the reader. "And I'll put them into a book;..." "Oh, that will be fine!" said the Fairy Goldenwand. "I knew you wouldn't mind my appearing so suddenly. Ever so many things have happened in Fairyland since the last books were written, and we all think it's a dreadful shame that children have n't heard about them. Just imagine boys and girls not knowing about the adventures of the Prince in Lantern Land! Shall I tell you the story?" And that's the way the author heard about the Shepherd of Clouds, Florian, Marianna, Giles, Bobo, and all the other new friends. That you may long enjoy their adventures is the wish of the author. And so we have it on good authority that these new fairy tales come directly from the ever truthful lips of the Fairy Goldenwand. What more could anyone want?
These are beautiful little stories about Christmas from the Swedish storyteller Selma Lagerlöf. As she explains in the first story, they were told her by her grandmother "I remember that grandmother told story after story from morning till night, and that we children sat beside her, quite still, and listened. It was a glorious life! No other children had such happy times as we did. It isn’t much that I recollect about my grandmother. I remember that she had very beautiful snow-white hair, and stooped when she walked, and that she always sat and knitted a stocking. And I even remember that when she had finished a story, she used to lay her hand on my head and say: “All this is as true, as true as that I see you and you see me.”
In this really exciting and well written story of Oz, the Shaggy Man is on a quest to find his long lost brother. But all does not go smoothly. Oh no. Because his brother is being held prisoner deep underground by the evil, grumpy and not very nice King of the Gnomes, Along the way to find him, he is joined by Polychrome, a Daughter of the Rainbow (a fairy), Betsy Bobbin (a human girl), Hank (a small mule and Betsy's faithful protector), Tik-Tok (the famous wind up mechanical man), the Rose Princess (an ex fairy who is now a mortal), Ann (the Queen of the Oogaboos on her way to conquer the world), her army (17 officers and one private, File), a tunnel through the earth, the famous and all powerful Jin-Jin and last but definitely not least, Quox (a young dragon who talks funny and was great fun to read). The scrapes and adventures this motley crew get into are enough to fill a book. And this is the book. Listen and enjoy!!
Despite the title's bland sounding name, this book is a charming collection of 16 plays for children. These little plays—well-known stories done into dialogue—were written for children who like to imagine themselves living with their favorite characters in forest, in palace, or in fairyland. Included are Cinderella, Robin Hood, William Tell, Hansel and Gretel and many more.
Listen, children, for you will wish to hear where I found the tales which I have told you in this little book.It is long, oh! so long ago, that they were sung up hill and down dale by wandering singers who soon became known all over the country as minstrels, or ofttimes, because they would carry with them a harp, as harpers.In court, in cottage, by princes and by humble folk, everywhere, by every one the minstrels were greeted with delight.To such sweet music did they sing the songs or ballads which they made or perchance had heard, to such sweet music, that those who listened could forget nor tale nor tune.In those far-off days of minstrelsy the country was alive with fairies. Over the mountains, through the glens, by babbling streams and across silent moors, the patter of tiny feet might be heard, feet which had strayed from Elfinland.It was of these little folk and of their visits to the homes of mortals that the minstrels sang. Sterner songs too were theirs, songs of war and bloodshed, when clan fought with clan and lives were lost and brave deeds were done. Of all indeed that made life glad or sad, of these the minstrels sang.From town to village, from court to inn they wandered, singing the old songs, adding verses to them here, dropping lines from them there, singing betimes a strain unheard before, until at length the day came when the songs were written down.It was in the old books that thus came to be written that I first found these tales, and when you have read them perhaps you will wish to go yourself to the same old books, to find many another song of love and hate, of joy and sorrow.
A fairy has become bored with her life, and convinces some young girls to transform her into a human boy so she can go on adventures. The adventures come fast and furious, as the newly-named Prince Marvel explores the surrounding kingdoms. A masochistic squire accompanies Marvel, helping him with assorted kings, knights, dragons, and other medieval menaces along the way.
The Governess, or The Little Female Academy (published 1749) by Sarah Fielding is the first full-length novel written for children, and a significant work of 18th-century children's literature. (Wikipedia) It's about a boarding school for girls and its students. On each day, a story or part of a story is read aloud to the girls. Then Mrs. Teachum, who runs the school, explains the lesson to be taken from each reading.
This book contains many of Shakespeare's most famous plays, retold for children.
This is the last book in the The Andrew Lang "Color" Fairy Books series published after his death by his wife. She wrote the stories and he had edited them before his demise. It is a collection of stories that are a bit different than the Fairy Books: still colorful and well written but telling tales about decidedly odd topics. A word of Caution: please read the stories before your children do, some of them contain some violent imagery.
A collection of stories compiled by the widow of the renowned children's short-story collector, Andrew Lang. She describes this as the final installment of his series of fairy stories and includes some of those stories he had not included in other collections. In the preface, she pays tribute to her husband, saying he liked old things more than new, he loved all beasts' because they were beasts', fairies, cricket and dancing. He longed to visit far away places, but hated to travel. But most of all he befriended children wherever he went and they shared stories with him. Only his own children mocked him.
A book about children who find magic in every day life .. and discover that mermen and mermaids actually have a whole underwater kingdom with Kings and Queens and of course Princesses. Of course you probably know these delightful children from their earlier adventures with magic, Bernard, Mavis, Kathleen, and Francis. Just normal children who believe in the fun of imagining and of magic. In this story Francis, who has always loved the idea of the sea but has never actually seen it, is very excited about going to the seashore for holiday. He finds an old aquarium and the others help him lug it home only to have their hopes dashed by Aunt Enid who was in charge temporarily. But then the magic starts when he unwittingly recites a magic charm. At the seashore the children execute a daring rescue of a supposed mermaid who 'die in captivity' and oh, lots and lots more. Enjoy these adventurous children and their wet magic in the sea.
Are mermaids real? Well of course they are! Just ask the four very English children who, when on vacation by the sea, find out about one being held in a circus and, since 'they die in captivity' decide on a daring midnight rescue. Is she a real mermaid? Well, help read this book and find out. Oh, and they fight sea monsters, engage in underwater battle and lots of other exciting and magical stuff. They are all mostly brave and helpful. If you like magic and water and peril and heroism, and the writing of E. Nesbit, this is the book for you.
Forty European folk tales. Caveats: 1. Some of these stories are not suitable for young children. 2. In two stories (10 and 25) appear the nineteenth century’s almost-reflexive Jew-stereotype and anti-Semitism.
This is a volume of original fairy tales by Loretta Ellen Brady.
This is a short book which collects together 18 charming fables, written in rhyme and intended to be enjoyed by children. Based on stories which were originally written in French by Jean de la Fontaine, these quirky fables are sure to entertain people of all ages.
The title may lead you to think that these are retellings of old familiar fairy tales. Not so at all. These are completely new stories but written in conformity with the way fairy tales are traditionally written and told. You will find ghosts and goblins; knaves and knights; widows and witches in them. But they all give the sense of wonder at the world that fairy tales have given us for ages past.
The sleeping beauty in the wood -- Hop-O'-My-Thumb -- Cinderella; or, the little glass slipper -- Adventures of John Dietrich -- Beauty and the Beast -- Little One Eye, Little Two Eyes, and Little Three Eyes -- Jack the giant-killer -- Tom Thumb -- Rumpelstilzchen -- Fortunatus -- The Bremen Town Musicians -- Riquet with the tuft -- House Island -- Snow-White and Rose-Red -- Jack and the bean-stalk -- Graciosa and Percinet -- The iron stove -- The invisible prince -- The woodcutter's daughter -- Brother and sister -- Little Red-Riding-Hood -- Puss in Boots -- The wolf and the seven young goslings -- The fair one with golden looks -- The butterfly -- The frog-prince -- The white cat -- Prince Cherry -- Little Snowdrop -- The blue bird -- The yellow dwarf -- The six swans -- The prince with the nose -- The hind of the forest -- The juniper tree -- Clever Alice. All classic stories for children.
This is the second book in a twelve volume series, and highlights myths and legendary heroes from around the world, from Ancient Greece to Scandinavia and the Far East. They are aimed at the junior audience.
The group of stories brought together in this volume differ from legends because they have, with one exception,no core fact at the centre, from myths because they make no attempt to personify or explain the forces or processes of nature, from fairy stories because they do not often bring to the stage actors from a different nature from ours.... The stories which make up this volume are closer to experience and come, from the most part, nearer to the every-day happenings of life.
Jane Pentzer Myers's only book was dedicated to Kate Winifred: 'Just between the 'Land o' dreams' and broad daylight is a beautiful world, where good wishes come true: where the poor and lonely are rich in castles and friends: and where sorrowful folk are happy.' These twelve charming tales transport us to that wonderful land of dreams and delight and enchant children of all ages. ( Lynne Thompson)
From the Introduction: "Nature stories, legends, and poems appeal to the young reader’s interest in various ways. Some of them suggest or reveal certain facts which stimulate a spirit of investigation and attract the child’s attention to the beauty and mystery of the world. Others serve an excellent purpose by quickening his sense of humour."
This is a charming collection of stories, legends, and poems about autumn harvest, Halloween, and Thanksgiving translated from the Danish, French, German, and others. There are animal stories and poems by some very famous authors and poets. All in all, this is a wonderful book for young people, and older people as well. "When the Frost is on the Pumpkin ..."
L.Frank Baum, or the Wizard of Oz fame, wrote this delightful book and considered it his best of all that he wrote. it tells the story of faries who weave a magic cloak one day that has the ability to grant it's owner one wish. That's all, just one. After this they must then give it away to another person who will then have a wish of their own. The travels of this magic cloak through it's owners and their adventures and misadventures makes this book truly magical and fun to read.
"In the House of Many Windows which stands in a large city and is sometimes called a "flat" by people who, because they are grown up, do not know any better, live the Little Lady and the Story Teller.The Little Lady is four years old, going on five, and is fond of stories. This makes her and the Story Teller good friends. They mostly sit in the firelight after supper, and while the Little Lady is being undressed they tell each other all that has happened since morning. Then the Little Lady looks into the fire and says:—"Now, tell me a story."Sometimes she wants a new story. Sometimes one of the old ones, which must be told always the same, because the Little Lady, like a good many grown up people, does not care for new and revised editions, but wants the old stories in the old words, that sound real and true. Sometimes the Story Teller forgets or improves on his plots, but the Little Lady never forgets and never fails to set the Story Teller right."
The origins of these fables are perhaps lost in obscurity, but they are so closely identified with the Greek writer Aesop, that we may regard them as such. Most of these tales involve interactions among animals, and to each is appended a moral. This edition was edited and illustrated by Thomas Bewick a well-known British engraver and illustrator. The book begins with an excellent introduction - Larry Wilson
A charming collection of short stories for young girls, including The King's Daughter, The Old Brown House, A Story for School Girls, What One Lie Did, Two Ways of Reading the Bible, Courtesy to Strangers, Live for Something, and Jennie Browning. Each story subtly teaches an important lesson.
This is a collection of Norse folktales selected as being appropriate for children. They range from short pieces such as, "How One Went Out to Woo" to the longer stories such as, "The Blue Belt" and "Shortshanks," and include such favorites as, "The Three Billy-Goats Gruff" and "The Lad Who Went to the North Wind."
Twinkle is a little girl who often finds herself caught up in fantastic adventures. Whether it be being put on trial by angry woodchucks, raising a hateful baby crow, visiting a town full of talking prairie dogs, finding magical turtles, meeting strange creatures, or stumbling upon a country of sugar people, she never knows what she'll encounter next!
First published as a series of six short chapter books in 1905 under the pen name Laura Bancroft, Frank L. Baum's The Twinkle Tales were collected into one collection titled Twinkle and Chubbins; Their Astonishing Adventures in Nature-Fairyland in 1911. The title is a misnomer, as Chubbins (Twinkle's friend) appears in only two stories and few are set in "Nature-Fairyland." Policeman Bluejay, the sequel to these stories, was published in 1907.
If you have read any accounts of adventure in Africa, you will know that travelers never mention animals of any kind that are gifted with the faculty of speech, or gazelles that are overseers for native princes, or hares that eat flesh. No, indeed; only the native-born know of these; and, judging by the immense and rapid strides civilization is making in those parts, it will not be long before such wonderful specimens of zoölogy will be as extinct as the ichthyosaurus, dinornis, and other poor creatures who never dreamed of the awful names that would be applied to them when they were too long dead to show their resentment. As to the truth of these tales, I can only say that they were told to me, in Zanzibar, by negroes whose ancestors told them to them, who had received them from their ancestors, and so back; so that the praise for their accuracy, or the blame for their falsity, lies with the first ancestor who set them going. You may think uncivilized negroes are pretty ignorant people, but the white man who is supposed to have first told the story of “The House that Jack Built” was a mighty poor genius compared with the unknown originator of “Goso, the Teacher,” who found even inanimate things that were endowed with speech, which the pupils readily understood and were not astonished to hear; while “Puss in Boots” was not one-half so clever as the gazelle that ran things for Haamdaanee. It would be a severe task to rattle off “Goso” as you do “The House that Jack Built.”
My aim in this book on Mythology for young readers has been to give them solid knowledge on the subject, as far as it is advisable to go with immature minds, based upon the most recent investigations of scholars, and to select the myths used in illustration of the plan, with a view to giving them interesting stories to read, which will, almost unconsciously to themselves, lay a firm foundation for the fascinating study of Comparative Mythology, should they wish to go more deeply into it in the future.
There is much talk nowadays as to the authenticity of the records of savage myths. Much of this talk seems to me futile, for a myth is not a fixed entity. Each successive narrator is almost sure to vary and embellish somewhat the material that comes to him, according to his own inventive fancy. If, therefore, a savage myth recorded by a white man retains the chief characteristics of the savage myth, in spite of some fanciful turns given it by him, to the degree, say, that a story of Ovid’s retains those of a Greek myth, it is to all intents and purposes a savage myth, and the embellishments may be disregarded, as Ovid’s are when we are considering Greek Mythology. I have, therefore, included in this volume those versions of the myths that seemed most readable and attractive, provided the primitive attitude of mind and customs were fully emphasized.
This group project is a collection of 43 fairy tales (both old and new), folk lore, myths and real life stories by a variety of authors, brought together by writer Fanny E Coe. They are mostly short and are fun to read and tell to children and most teach valuable lessons about life.
These Indian fairy tales are chosen from the many stories collected by Mr. Henry R. Schoolcraft, the first man to study how the Indians lived and to discover their legends. He lived among the Indians in the West and around the Great Lakes for thirty years in the first part of the Nineteenth Century and wrote many books about them.
When the story-tellers sat at the lodge fires in the long evenings to tell of the manitoes and their magic, of how the little boy snared the sun, of the old Toad Woman who stole the baby, and the other tales that had been retold to generation after generation of red children, time out of mind, Mr. Schoolcraft listened and wrote the stories down, just as he heard them.
In 1856 this collection of his stories was published by Mason Brothers in New York City. A small brown book with quaint engravings for pictures, it is now only to be found here and there in families that have always treasured its delightful contents. It is republished, with revisions and with new illustrations in color, so that these stories may be passed on as they deserve.
The old English Folklore Tales are fast dying out. The simplicity of character necessary for the retaining of old memories and beliefs is being lost, more rapidly in England, perhaps, than in any other part of the world. Our folk are giving up the old myths for new ones. Before remorseless “progress,” and the struggle for existence, the poetry of life is being quickly blotted out. In editing this volume I have endeavoured to select some of the best specimens of our Folklore. With regard to the nursery tales, I have taken pains to give them as they are in the earliest editions I could find. I must say, however, that, while I have taken every care to alter only as much as was absolutely necessary in these tales, some excision and slight alteration has at times been required.
In this delightful tale, the naive and sheltered Queen Eldrida learns the secret of flight from her friend the bat and sets off by air for a series of unusual adventures. In her travels she meets new friends - and foes - and discovers the joy of being of use to her fellows.
Dot and Tot of Merryland is a 1901 novel by L. Frank Baum. After Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, he wrote this story about the adventures of a little girl named Dot and a little boy named Tot in a land reached by floating on a river that flowed through a tunnel. The land was called Merryland and was split into seven valleys.
The room was all full of twilight; but there they sat, every one of them. I did not count them, but there were ever so many: Aladdin, and Ali Baba, and Fortunatis, and Jack-the-Giant-Killer, and Doctor Faustus, and Bidpai, and Cinderella, and Patient Grizzle, and the Soldier who cheated the Devil, and St. George, and Hans in Luck, who traded and traded his lump of gold until he had only an empty churn to show for it; and there was Sindbad the Sailor, and the Tailor who killed seven flies at a blow, and the Fisherman who fished up the Genie, and the Lad who fiddled for the Jew in the bramble-bush, and the Blacksmith who made Death sit in his apple-tree, and Boots, who always marries the Princess, whether he wants to or not-- a rag-tag lot as ever you saw in your life, gathered from every place, and brought together in Twilight Land.
(Extracted from the first chapter of the book)
This book describes the adventures of ten Kumaras, i.e., young men, (all of whom are either princes or sons of royal ministers), as narrated by the men themselves. These narratives are replete with accounts of demigods, ghosts, gamblers, intrigues with voluptious women, astonishing coincidences, cockfights, anthropophagy, sorcery, robberies, murders and wars.
Short-stories/fairy tales by H. C. Anderson, includes The Ice-maiden -- The Butterfly -- The Psyche -- The Snail and the Rose-tree
The Ice-Maiden: Written toward the end of Hans Christian Andersen's career, "The Ice-Maiden" is the story of Rudy, a boy who's mother died in the ice of the mountains while he survives, saved by the kiss of the Ice-Maiden. The Ice-Maiden, jealous that the boy she claimed has escaped her embrace, pursues him through the rest of his life.
The Butterfly: A butterfly searches for the perfect flower to be his bride.
The Psyche: An artist creates a sculpture of a beautiful woman, to whom he confesses his love and is scorned.
The Snail and the Rose-Tree: A Snail and a Rose-Tree have a discussion about the meaning of their lives, and play them out.