Family Folktales
258 episodes
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https://library.nashville.org/podcasts/family-folktales
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https://library.nashville.org/podcasts/family-folktales
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https://library.nashville.org/podcasts/113/feed.xml
Creator: Kyle Cook
Synopsis:
What is Family Folktales? Think of it as story time on demand. Whether you're running errands, trying to make dinner, or getting little someones ready for bed, you can listen to a story or two. The stories may be new to you or old favorites. They may even be different, possibly gorier, versions of those stories you now share with your children. Listen, wherever you get podcasts.
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Episodes:
Wed, 02 Apr 2025 00:05:00 -0500
A king asks his three sons in turn to defeat a creature who persists in destroying the animals in the forest. Will any of them succeed?
Wed, 26 Mar 2025 00:05:00 -0500
A poor woodcutter and his wife are unable to feed their children and decide to abandon them deep in the forest. Little do they know how clever their youngest child will prove to be!
Wed, 19 Mar 2025 00:05:00 -0500
An old woman adopts a boy whose parents have died, but he is rude and lazy rather than industrious and helpful. Unable to get him to change his ways, she turns him into an ass. Will he finally become the good worker she hoped him to be?
Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:05:00 -0500
Two quarrelling rulers with a shared border agree that anyone crossing from one country to the other should be subject to punishment. After one of these rulers imprisons his own wazir for a perceived slight, he rides off alone and accidentally crosses the border into the neighboring country, where he is taken into custody and sentenced to die. Will he or the wazir ever walk free again?
Prince Vivien and the Princess Placida
Wed, 05 Mar 2025 00:05:00 -0600
Two young royals are raised without any attempt to stretch them beyond their natural inclinations, so that neither one would be a suitable ruler. With the help of a little magic, might one – or both! – of them develop into a suitable ruler?
Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:05:00 -0600
A vain and boastful shirt collar tells tales of his romances.
Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:05:00 -0600
An emperor with three sons has one laughing eye and one weeping eye. After telling one of his three sons that only water from the well of the Fairy of the Dawn will heal his eyes, the sons set off, one at a time, on their quest. Will any of them return home?
The Jackal, the Dove, and the Panther
Wed, 12 Feb 2025 00:05:00 -0600
After a jackal outsmarts a dove and eats one of her fledglings, the jackal attacks the heron who helped the dove. Hoping to save his own life, the heron shows the jackal where to find the panther’s lair. Will the jackal outsmart the panther too, or be punished for his evil ways?
Wed, 05 Feb 2025 00:05:00 -0600
A prince is taken by a witch to settle a debt and given impossible tasks to complete; only with the assistance of a white dove (actually an enchanted princess) can he complete them. Will the pair find a way to escape the witch?
Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:05:00 -0600
While serving a troll for tree years a young man meets and falls in love with the troll’s daughter, who lives in a glass palace under the sea. Can the two devise a successful plan to outwit the troll and live happily ever after?
Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:05:00 -0600
Shipwrecked sailors are forced to promise yearly human sacrifices to appease a terrible serpent with seven heads. How will the childless king and queen bring an end to the deaths?
How Brave Walter Hunted Wolves
Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:05:00 -0600
A boy boasts of how he will kill a wolf; how will he react when he thinks a wolf is near?
Wed, 08 Jan 2025 00:05:00 -0600
When an emperor learns of a nightingale who sings beautifully in his garden, he makes the bird a guest of his court. When the emperor receives a mechanical nightingale as a gift he forgets about the real one, who takes the opportunity to escape the palace. But when the emperor is taken ill, can his mechanical bird comfort him?
Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:05:00 -0600
A town’s champion, the swiftest, strongest man in the area, hears of someone even swifter and stronger – one Andras Baive. Determined to prove his superiority, the champion challenges Baive. Who will prove victorious?
The Child Who Came From an Egg
Wed, 25 Dec 2024 00:05:00 -0600
A childless queen has a daughter and son using magical means. After her death and the king’s remarriage, the children are separated – from their father and each other. Will the Princess Dotterine find the life of comfort she was born to, or live a life in service to others?
Wed, 18 Dec 2024 00:05:00 -0600
“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me,” goes the old saying. What will happen when Antoine – or Toueno-Boueno, as people call him – tries repeatedly to fool three brothers?
How Ball-Carrier Finished His Task
Wed, 11 Dec 2024 00:05:00 -0600
Ball-Carrier has taken a wife, but when he becomes very ill he gives his wife instructions on how he is to be laid to rest. How will his family manage without his hunting?
Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:05:00 -0600
A boy is lured to a witch’s home by a magic ball and then fasts for weeks until he has received the gifts of all the good spirits. Finally he is ready for the quest the witch has in mind – but will he succeed?
Wed, 27 Nov 2024 00:05:00 -0600
Who is Schippeitaro? And will he be able to defeat the Spirit of the Mountain, freeing a community from providing a human sacrifice every year?
Wed, 20 Nov 2024 00:00:05 -0600
A prince who has taken work with a magician escapes with the magician’s talking horse. Will the horse give the prince sage advice, or lead him right into trouble?
Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:05:00 -0600
A dying king entrusts his son to the care of his servant, Trusty John. After helping the new king to secure a bride, how far will John go to serve the King?
The Three Princesses of Whiteland
Wed, 06 Nov 2024 00:05:00 -0600
A fisherman inadvertently promises his son to a fish! Will the king himself be able to protect the child?
Wed, 30 Oct 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A king’s son is rewarded with a strange bundle by a once-enchanted young man. When he opens it, he finds more than he bargained for – and challenges for years to come!
Wed, 23 Oct 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A princess is taken by a giant, who cuts off her feet; she is then rescued by Kisa, the cat she had as a young child. Kisa outsmarts the giant and his wife, recovers and reattaches the princess’s feet, and returns her to her parents. But that’s not the end of the story!
Wed, 16 Oct 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A poor young man goes off to seek his fortune and is rewarded with a nut. Cracking the nut reveals an explosion of wealth, which the fellow can only contain with the help of a stranger who extracts a promise from him. And when the young man breaks his promise, who knows what dangers may befall him?
Wed, 09 Oct 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A young man, aided by a most unusual horse, saves a princess from troll. But will her father reward the young man as he promised?
The Snow-Daughter and the Fire-Son
Wed, 02 Oct 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A girl who is happiest in frigid temperatures and her brother, who craves nothing more than heat, try to make their way in the world after the deaths of their parents.
Wed, 25 Sep 2024 00:05:00 -0500
Twin brothers both want to go off to see the world, but only one may go at a time. When the brother at home sees a sign that harm has come to his travelling brother, he leaves home to find him. Will he be in time to save his brother?
Wed, 18 Sep 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A princess is destined to cause the deaths of her brothers, so her parents secure her in a tower. After the deaths of their parents, the princes free Princess Rosette, who is charmed when she sees a peacock; she declares she will marry only the King of the Peacocks. Will her brothers manage to arrange the marriage she wants, or will she be the cause of their deaths?
Wed, 11 Sep 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A woman angers an ogre by taking water from his pond. In an attempt to save her own life, she tells the ogre where to find her baby. Can little Motikatika outwit the ogre?
Wed, 04 Sep 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A girl is repeatedly distracted from her herding duties by a lion needing her care. When she discovers that he is actually an enchanted prince, will she be able to break the enchantment?
Wed, 28 Aug 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A man agrees to work for some dragons to provide for his suddenly-large family. Will he manage to keep his life and his large payment, or will the dragons renege on their deal?
Wed, 21 Aug 2024 00:05:00 -0500
Each day after dinner, the king of a certain country has a covered dish brought to him that he will not even uncover until he is completely alone. When a curious servant discovers the secret, will it go well for him or ill?
Wed, 14 Aug 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A queen helps her son escape the deadly wrath of his father. When he hires a servant based on his mother’s advice, what strange circumstances will he encounter?
Wed, 07 Aug 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A lazy young man wants to become rich, but isn’t willing to work. When he follows a stranger’s advice he finds success; what will happen when he thinks he knows better what to do?
Wed, 31 Jul 2024 00:05:00 -0500
Wisdom, strength, long life, riches, health, or beauty – which would you choose? Fortunatus was given such a choice; listen and find out what came of his decision!
The Nine Pea-Hens and the Golden Apples
Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A prince falls in love with a maiden who transforms into a pea-hen. When she disappears, how long will he search and how far will he go to find her?
Wed, 17 Jul 2024 00:05:00 -0500
The youngest of twelve sons, no one expects anything of Esben. How many times will he have to save his brothers before they realize how much they need him?
Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A witch agrees to allow a man to pick all the rampion from her garden that his pregnant wife wants – in exchange for the baby about to be born. How well can the witch control the girl once a handsome prince comes along?
Wed, 03 Jul 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A miller agrees to a bargain with a nixy, promising her the youngest thing in his house in exchange for great riches. When he returns home and discovers his wife has just given birth to a son, will there be a way to save his child?
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 00:05:00 -0500
Following the death of his father, a beloved prince begins paying attention to the bad influences surrounding him. After he is transformed by a fairy into a ferocious beast, will he ever regain his human form and be able to take his rightful place on the throne?
Wed, 19 Jun 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A widowed king (who is also a wizard) leaves his castle in the form of an eagle to explore the world. But things become problematic when he flies off with a lovely young princess in his talons! Will his handsome son be able to save the day?
Wed, 12 Jun 2024 00:05:00 -0500
What would you do if you were hungry and caught a fish that promised you good luck and the means to go adventuring in exchange for his life? This is the story of two brothers who made such a bargain. Was it a wise choice, or were they tricked by the fish?
Wed, 05 Jun 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A prince seeks the hand of the Emperor’s daughter, but she rejects him. What will happen when he disguises himself and takes a position as the Emperor’s swineherd?
Wed, 29 May 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A lazy young fellow becomes a woodcutter, but after finding a cache of honey and sharing it with his coworkers, they abandon him and say he was killed by a lion. When Hassebu escapes his trap, what adventures await him?
Prince Narcissus and the Princess Potentilla
Wed, 22 May 2024 00:05:00 -0500
When a creepy enchanter sets his sights on marrying the lovely Princess Potentilla, it’s up to the handsome Prince Narcissus to save her. Can he do it on his own, or will there be a bit of magic involved in his attempts?
How the Little Brother Set Free his Big Brothers
Wed, 08 May 2024 00:05:00 -0500
Bears, magic, murder, and revenge all play a part in this Native American tale!
How Isuro the Rabbit Tricked Gudu
Wed, 24 Apr 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A baboon and a rabbit outsmart each other in this tale from Zimbabwe. But who will prove to be the cleverer of the two?
The Horse Gullfaxi and the Sword Gunnfoder
Wed, 10 Apr 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A prince is sent on a quest by his stepmother, the queen; will he find what he seeks, or even return home?
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A young man is determined to marry a princess. Will he be able to accomplish the King’s impossible tasks on his own, or will he need a bit of help from someone who wants him to succeed?
Wed, 13 Mar 2024 00:05:00 -0500
A Clever duckling loans money to the King, who refuses to repay the loan. When Drakestail and his unusual friends seek repayment, how far will the king go to avoid paying what he owes?
Wed, 28 Feb 2024 00:05:00 -0600
A soldier is foiled in his attempt to marry a princess; as a result, he spends years searching for her. Will he find her before she marries another?
Wed, 14 Feb 2024 00:05:00 -0600
Three women challenge each other to see whose husband is the stupidest; the winner will drink free on their weekly outings!
Wed, 31 Jan 2024 00:05:00 -0600
Three sisters are left at home when their father goes on a journey for the king; despite his clear instructions, he finds that two of them disobeyed him while he was away, and the third has incurred the wrath of the king. Will Maria be able to aid her father in the impossible task set by the king and save her own life?
The Adventures of Covan the Brown-Haired
Wed, 17 Jan 2024 00:05:00 -0600
A family’s daughter has disappeared while tending the flocks, and two of her brothers have never returned from their searches for her. Will the youngest son find them, or meet the fate of the others?
Wed, 03 Jan 2024 00:05:00 -0600
A wicked stepmother sends her stepdaughter out into the snow, expecting her to die. But the Frost King is pleased with her answers to his questions and rewards the kind girl generously. When the woman sends her brat of a daughter out to seek the Frost King’s riches, what do you think will happen?
Wed, 20 Dec 2023 00:05:00 -0600
An owl and an eagle, best friends, decide they must find wives to tend their home and care for them. When the pair disappear for days, their wives set out with their children to find them. What challenges will the women face?
Wed, 06 Dec 2023 00:05:00 -0600
A princess is determined to marry the Green Knight, whom she met in her dreams. Will her wicked stepmother find a way to keep the lovers apart forever?
Wed, 22 Nov 2023 00:05:00 -0600
A wicked count requires a young woman to spin her wedding shift and his burial shroud out of nettles from the cemetery before he will allow her to marry her beloved. No one has spun nettles before; is she up for the task?
Wed, 08 Nov 2023 00:05:00 -0600
A couple is thrilled when they have a child the size of a hazel-nut, but they find it difficult to be supportive when he announces his plan to become a messenger. When he goes out to seek his fortune, will his small size be a help or a hindrance?
Wed, 25 Oct 2023 00:05:00 -0500
Two young men fall in love with the same woman, and one conspires to abandon his friend on an island. But what will happen when he draws blood from a lovely young elf maiden?
Wed, 11 Oct 2023 00:05:00 -0500
A poor woman on her way to market is accosted by a head with no body, which then follows her home! Might there be a way for the two to help each other?
The Death of Koschei the Deathless
Wed, 27 Sep 2023 00:05:00 -0500
A prince’s three sisters have all married wizards who can transform into birds, while the prince marries a warrior princess. Will his sisters’ husbands be able to help him when he inadvertently releases his bride’s arch-enemy?
Wed, 13 Sep 2023 00:05:00 -0500
Two cats fall in love and leave their homes to find happiness together. When one is taken in by a princess, what will become of the other?
Wed, 30 Aug 2023 00:05:00 -0500
A tailor kills seven flies in a single blow! But when his bragging is a bit unclear, who knows what adventures await?
The Princess on the Glass Hill
Wed, 16 Aug 2023 00:05:00 -0500
Cinderlad proves to be braver than his older brothers and is generously rewarded, but will he find a way to win the hand of the princess?
Wed, 09 Aug 2023 00:05:00 -0500
A woman is heartbroken when her only son declares that, rather than learn an honest trade, he will become a thief. The lad apprentices with a successful thief, but will he still meet the dire end predicted by his mother?
Wed, 02 Aug 2023 00:05:00 -0500
A man dies, leaving to his son all his property, but gives his daughter a blessing. Later, the brother cuts his sister’s hand off in anger. Will either of them live happily ever after?
Wed, 26 Jul 2023 00:05:00 -0500
A young man does a kindness for an old woman, but the reward he gets is stolen by a witch! Will he be able to outsmart her and regain his treasures?
Sat, 22 Jul 2023 00:05:00 -0500
A kind and clever young man named Jesper sets off to marry the princess. Will the tasks the king sets prove too much for him?
The Goat’s Ears of the Emperor Trojan
Wed, 19 Jul 2023 00:05:00 -0500
The emperor has ears like a goat’s, but woe to anyone who says so! Might a barber’s apprentice be the one who can hold his tongue?
Laughing Eye and Weeping Eye, or, The Limping Fox
Wed, 12 Jul 2023 00:05:00 -0500
Three brothers set out on a quest to recover their father’s greatest treasure. Will any of them share their food with a limping fox, or take his help in finding their father’s treasure?
Wed, 05 Jul 2023 00:05:00 -0500
What would you do if an old woman broke into your house, ate your food, broke your furniture, and fell asleep in your bed? There’s no Goldilocks in this version of the classic story!
Wed, 28 Jun 2023 00:05:00 -0500
A young woman is convinced to marry a turtle, but when he goes off to war, she marries someone else. Will she be able to outsmart the turtle and free herself?
Wed, 21 Jun 2023 00:05:00 -0500
Janni and his sister are alone in the world. What will happen when she falls in love with a dragon who wants Janni dead – and then marries the dragon?
Prince Fickle and the Fair Helena
Wed, 14 Jun 2023 00:05:00 -0500
A fairy helps a girl with the impossible tasks set by the girl’s stepmother; later she is wooed by a prince! When he forgets all about her, what will she do?
Wed, 07 Jun 2023 00:05:00 -0500
A girl takes plums from a witch’s tree, and the witch takes her prisoner in return. Will the witch’s son help the girl, or stay loyal to his mother?
Wed, 31 May 2023 00:05:00 -0500
A lazy lad takes an easy position but is too lazy to even do that properly. While snooping in a room he was not supposed to enter, he finds a book of magic – and everything changes.
Wed, 24 May 2023 00:05:00 -0500
Did you know that there is a type of large wooden hammer called a beetle? That may help this Cinderella-like story make a little more sense!
Wed, 10 May 2023 00:05:00 -0500
A young king is returning home after his father’s death, accompanied by his wife and their infant son. While everyone on the ship is napping, a witch transfigures the queen and takes her place, sending the queen off in a stone boat. Will the king discover the witch’s deception? Is there any hope of returning the queen to her rightful position? Listen and find out!
Little One-eye, Little Two-eyes, and Little Three-eyes
Wed, 26 Apr 2023 00:05:00 -0500
This is the story of three sisters – one with just one eye, one with two eyes, and one with three eyes. Do you think they all treat each other with kindness and generosity, as sisters ought? Listen and find out!
Wed, 12 Apr 2023 00:05:00 -0500
After rescuing a dog, a cat, and a serpent, a not-too-clever young fellow is rewarded with a watch that will grant him anything he wants, including the hand of a princess. But when she absconds with his treasure, how will he get it back?
Wed, 29 Mar 2023 00:05:00 -0500
Three traveling companions encounter, and eventually overcome, an odd little man who attacks them. After tracking the man to his lair, what rewards will await the trio?
Wed, 15 Mar 2023 00:05:00 -0500
A tailor witnesses a battle between a magical stag and a bull. When the stag wins, the tailor is carried to a cavern where he finds a beautiful maiden in a crystal coffin. And oh, the tale she has to tell!
Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:05:00 -0600
A shiftless young fellow falls in love with the daughter of a sultan and is determined to marry her. When the sultan sets an impossible task as proof of the fellow’s devotion, will he find a way to complete the task?
Wed, 15 Feb 2023 00:05:00 -0600
Two brothers, princes, have disappeared while hunting. Can their younger brother find the truth behind their disappearances and somehow bring them home?
Wed, 01 Feb 2023 00:05:00 -0600
A king plans for his daughter to marry one of his councillors. When she flees the country to avoid the marriage, she hides her identity and finds work in a kitchen. Will she find true happiness?
Wed, 18 Jan 2023 00:05:00 -0600
A king has heard of a princess who might be a suitable match for one as magnificent as himself. So he enlists the aid of seven brothers, all named Simon, and all with – shall we say, unusual? – skills.
Wed, 04 Jan 2023 00:05:00 -0600
A king vowed to have someone stand sentry over his daughter’s body every might for a year – but the sentries are always gone in the morning. Is there anyone who will last the whole night?
Wed, 21 Dec 2022 00:05:00 -0600
This abridged version of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic inspired the popular movie, Frozen – but you won’t find Anna and Elsa here!
Wed, 07 Dec 2022 00:05:00 -0600
Three brothers set out on a quest to find three sisters who have vanished. Will any of them live happily ever after?
Wed, 23 Nov 2022 00:05:00 -0600
A prince falls in love with a girl who lives in an eagle’s nest on top of a tree. Will she ever fulfill his heart’s desire and marry him?
Wed, 09 Nov 2022 00:05:00 -0600
The Sultan and Sultana have arranged for Abu Nowas to marry! What will happen when the bride and groom spend all their money?
Wed, 26 Oct 2022 00:05:00 -0500
A fisherman catches a golden crab, who turns out to be an enchanted prince. After his princess bride betrays him, is there any hope of breaking the enchantment?
Wed, 12 Oct 2022 00:05:00 -0500
A young man goes off to seek his fortune and falls in love with a woman who restores him to life three times after he is killed. When he is unable to meet with her as they had planned, his real quest begins.
Wed, 28 Sep 2022 00:05:00 -0500
After she is forgotten by the love of her life, a princess devises a plan to win him back. First, she needs eleven girls who look just like her.
Wed, 14 Sep 2022 00:05:00 -0500
Two brothers, identical twins, have grown tired of being mistaken for each other, so they set off in different directions to seek their fortunes. But there comes a time in their journeys when the brothers find their similar appearance to be helpful. Wondering how? Listen and find out!
Wed, 31 Aug 2022 00:05:00 -0500
A love triangle, broken hearts, magic, transformations – this story has it all, including a most unexpected change of heart!
The Story of Hok Lee and the Dwarfs
Wed, 17 Aug 2022 00:05:00 -0500
Hok Lee’s neighbors think he’s just a very industrious young man; in fact, he’s made his fortune by stealing from them at night. When the doctor tells Hok Lee that his swollen face must be a punishment from the spirits for some wrongdoing, Hok Lee sets out to find a cure.
Wed, 03 Aug 2022 00:05:00 -0500
A king’s second wife becomes jealous that the throne will be inherited by the sone of the king’s first wife rather than her own son, and uses magic to turn Prince Alphege into a green monkey. Will he ever regain his human form again?
Wed, 20 Jul 2022 00:05:00 -0500
When a mother sends her three sons off with tasks for their intended brides to perform, the youngest doesn’t know where to turn – until he finds help from an unusual source.
Wed, 06 Jul 2022 00:05:00 -0500
A prince keeps the unusual circumstances of his birth a secret from his bride; when he finally acquiesces, they both regret it. Can anyone make things right again?
Wed, 22 Jun 2022 00:05:00 -0500
When a widowed king remarries, his daughter finds herself abused and starved by her new stepmother. After running away, she offers herself as the lowest kitchen servant in a castle. The prince of the castle wants nothing to do with her; can the two find true love?
Wed, 08 Jun 2022 00:05:00 -0500
A king names his long-awaited child Fairer-than-a-Fairy, never stopping to think this might upset the fairies. One of the fairies abducts her, taking her to a castle where the princess learns there is another captive: a prince imprisoned in a rainbow. When the prince is moved to another prison, Fairer-than-a-Fairy sets out to find him and set him free.
Wed, 25 May 2022 00:05:00 -0500
A king receives an envoy from a mighty emperor, but the envoy says not a word; he only traces a circle around the king’s throne. How are the king and his advisers supposed to interpret this message?
The Boys with the Golden Stars
Wed, 11 May 2022 00:05:00 -0500
An emperor marries a girl who promises him twin boys with stars on their foreheads. When the boys are born, the emperor’s stepmother buries them and replaces them with puppies! Once her own daughter becomes empress, will there ever be justice for the first empress and her sons?
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 16
Wed, 27 Apr 2022 00:00:05 -0500
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the sixteenth and final part of Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. This is the final installment of The Arabian Nights Entertainments! We close out by finishing The Story of Two Sisters Who Were Jealous of Their Younger Sister. Three siblings, all young adults, have been orphaned without learning anything of their unusual origins. As a strange quest continues, their lives move closer to that of the Sultan; whose secrets will be revealed by the end of the story?
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 15
Wed, 13 Apr 2022 00:05:00 -0500
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the fifteenth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. Today we begin The Story of Two Sisters Who Were Jealous of Their Younger Sister. Three sisters jokingly express the desire to marry the Sultan’s baker, cook, and even the Sultan himself! When the Sultan grants their wishes, the older two grow jealous of the young Sultana. What awful revenge will they take on their own sister?
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 14
Wed, 30 Mar 2022 00:05:00 -0500
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the fourteenth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. Today’s story is The Enchanted Horse. A king is determined to possess a mechanical horse that can easily travel vast distances when his headstrong son leaps on without learning how to return home. After meeting (and falling in love with) a princess, the prince learns how to return home, and brings her home with him. When she is abducted and feigns mental illness, will the two young lovebirds ever find happiness?
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 13
Wed, 16 Mar 2022 00:05:00 -0500
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the thirteenth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. Our story today is The Story of Ali Cogia, Merchant of Bagdad. A man is declared innocent of theft. Will the Caliph overturn a judgement after watching children play?
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 12
Wed, 02 Mar 2022 00:05:00 -0600
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the twelfth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. Today we have two stories nested inside a third: The Adventures of Haroun-al-Raschid, Caliph of Bagdad, The Story of the Blind Baba-Abdalla, and The Story of Sidi-Nouman.
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 11
Wed, 16 Feb 2022 00:05:00 -0600
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the eleventh of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. This is a story you’ve heard before – Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp. But there’s more to it than you may have heard!
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 10
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 00:05:00 -0600
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the tenth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. Today’s story is Noureddin and the Fair Persian. In this story the King of Balsora sends one of his vizirs to buy a beautiful, accomplished slave for him; unfortunately, the vizir’s son and the slave fall in love with each other! Is there any hope for the young couple?
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 9
Wed, 19 Jan 2022 00:05:00 -0600
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the ninth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. Today we hear the conclusion of The Adventures of Prince Camaralzaman and the Princess Badoura. After dreaming of his father’s death, Prince Camaralzaman looks for his wife, Princess Badoura, and loses a precious talisman. He immediately sets off to recover it, telling no one. The Princess, meanwhile, assumes his identity for a year and more, and finds herself married – to another princess! Will Prince Camaralzaman and Princess Badoura find each other again?
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 8
Wed, 05 Jan 2022 00:05:00 -0600
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the eighth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. Today we begin The Adventures of Prince Camaralzaman and the Princess Badoura. The Sultan wants his son, Prince Camaralzaman, to marry so the Sultan can begin turning some of his responsibilities over to him. But the Prince refuses! Will locking him in a tower help? (Does it ever?) And what will happen when fairies begin meddling?
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 7
Wed, 22 Dec 2021 00:05:00 -0600
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the seventh of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. Today’s stories are The Little Hunchback, The Story of the Barber’s Fifth Brother, and The Story of the Barber’s Sixth Brother. The three stories are really two stories wrapped in a third. What do you think you would you do to try and get out of serious trouble?
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 6
Wed, 08 Dec 2021 00:05:00 -0600
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the sixth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. What would compel someone to go to sea again after such adventures as Sindbad has had? Find out in the stories of his last four voyages!
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 5
Wed, 24 Nov 2021 00:05:00 -0600
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the fifth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. Here we will learn about the first three voyages of Sindbad, as he goes off to make his fortune.
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 4
Wed, 10 Nov 2021 00:05:00 -0600
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the fourth of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. Today we will hear the rest of the Second Dervish’s Story, including a story he told; we will also hear the Story of the Third Dervish, and the mistakes he made.
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 3
Wed, 27 Oct 2021 00:05:00 -0500
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the third of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. Today we will begin to hear about an unusual dinner party in The Story of the Three Dervishes, Sons of Kings, and of Five Ladies of Bagdad. We’ll also hear The Story of the First Dervish, Son of a King, and the beginning of The Story of the Second Dervish, Son of a King; the third dervish’s story will be part of our next episode.
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 2
Wed, 13 Oct 2021 00:05:00 -0500
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the second of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. Everyone has a story to tell. In today’s stories we have four different characters telling stories, in addition to our main narrator! Our stories are The Story of the Fisherman, The Story of the Greek King and the Physician Douban, The Story of the Husband and the Parrot, The Story of the Vizir Who Was Punished, and The Story of the Young King of the Black Isles.
The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Part 1
Wed, 29 Sep 2021 00:05:00 -0500
Welcome to The Arabian Nights Entertainments! This is the first of 16 parts that make up Andrew Lang’s The Arabian Nights Entertainments. In this series, you’ll hear some familiar stories, some new stories, and even stories within stories. Our stories today are The Arabian Nights, The Story of the Merchant and the Genie, The Story of the First Old Man and the Hind, and The Story of the Second Old Man, and of the Two Dogs. Here we begin with Scheherazade and stories within a story. You’ll soon discover that genies are not always kind and helpful!
Wed, 15 Sep 2021 00:05:00 -0500
A young prince is left in charge of his step-father’s prize prisoner and decides to release him. Deciding not to wait for his inevitably painful death, the prince runs away. As he travels, he spares the lives of a wood-pigeon, a duck, and a stork, then meets up and travels with two former soldiers. Their ultimate betrayal leaves the prince fearing for his life; will his earlier kindness save his own life?
Wed, 01 Sep 2021 00:05:00 -0500
Three brothers have acquired amazing skills; who will most impress their father, and earn the inheritance?
Wed, 18 Aug 2021 00:05:00 -0500
Three sisters, each lost in the woods, find themselves in the same humble home for the night. Who will know the importance of kindness, and who will receive an unpleasant surprise?
Wed, 04 Aug 2021 00:05:00 -0500
You’re probably familiar with this story, but there’s a lot more to it than you may know!
The Black Thief and the Knight of the Glen
Wed, 21 Jul 2021 00:05:00 -0500
Three princes are sent on an impossible quest by their stepmother. They join forces with a notorious thief, but can they talk their way out of death when they’re caught?
Wed, 07 Jul 2021 00:05:00 -0500
An exceptionally strong youth named Paul goes out to seek his fortune and is joined by three companions almost as strong. When he is betrayed by those friends, how will Paul find his way?
Wed, 30 Jun 2021 00:05:00 -0500
After his father’s death, a young man squanders his inheritance and is left penniless. When a friend sends him a trunk that can fly, he ends up in Turkey and charms a princess. Will they get their happily ever after?
Wed, 16 Jun 2021 00:05:00 -0500
The movie adaptation you probably know is much gentler than this story by Hans Christian Andersen really is; grown-ups may want to listen alone before listening with little ones!
Wed, 02 Jun 2021 00:05:00 -0500
A happy youth, or a happy old age – which would you choose? Catherine is given that very choice by her Destiny; let’s see if she chooses wisely!
Wed, 19 May 2021 00:05:00 -0500
A king asks his two daughters if they are they satisfied to leave their life and fortune in his hands. The elder daughter, Kupti, agrees, but the younger daughter, Imani, would like a chance to make her own future. The displeased king calls for an old fakir, and sends Imani to live with him and try to make a life for herself. Which princess will have a happier ending?
Wed, 05 May 2021 00:05:00 -0500
You may already know this story! A woodcutter and his wife have no more food for their family, and so decide to take their 2 children into the forest and abandon them to their fates. They are taken in by an old woman living in a fantastical house, but all is not as it seems.
Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:05:00 -0500
This Icelandic tale features a clever princess, an evil witch-queen, and a prince taken by a dragon. What will happen when the prince returns to his parents years later?
Wed, 07 Apr 2021 00:05:00 -0500
In this French tale, an impish little rogue who can transform himself into anything but a sewing needle seeks new victims for his tricks.
Wed, 24 Mar 2021 00:05:00 -0500
After being conned by three rogues, how far will a man go to get his revenge?
Wed, 10 Mar 2021 00:05:00 -0600
An aging king wants his son to marry before he dies, so the young man sets off to find the princess he has vowed to wed; the problem is, she’s a prisoner of an evil wizard. As he travels, the prince is joined by 3 companions with unusual skills that may help free the princess.
Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:05:00 -0600
A man provides costly aid but later receives help from an unlikely source in this Spanish tale.
Wed, 10 Feb 2021 00:05:00 -0600
Kindness to a crane leads to a wonderful gift – but watch out for greedy relatives!
Wed, 27 Jan 2021 00:05:00 -0600
Unable to find an appropriate master for his son to apprentice with, a man is thrilled to find someone willing to take him on – until the stranger flies off with the lad. Now the father must begin a quest to locate and try to rescue his son.
Wed, 13 Jan 2021 00:05:00 -0600
A weaver needing work takes a job as a shepherd – but wait until you hear how foolish he and some other weavers are!
Wed, 30 Dec 2020 00:05:00 -0600
An old peasant is tricked by a wicked tanuki into doing something terrible. Now the peasant and his friend, a hare, must work together to bring about the tanuki’s demise.
Wed, 16 Dec 2020 00:05:00 -0600
The filmed versions of this story that you’ve seen stay pretty close to this version of this tale. If you enjoyed the versions by Disney or Cocteau, you’ll like this too!
Wed, 02 Dec 2020 00:05:00 -0600
A young man called Dullhead by his family is kind to a stranger and is rewarded with a golden goose. When a young woman finds the goose irresistible, she also finds herself stuck to it, along with a flock of others! Dullhead decides to use these silly people to try and win the hand of a princess – but what will the king say to that?
Wed, 18 Nov 2020 00:05:00 -0600
A poor man with too many mouths to feed agrees to give his youngest daughter to a giant lizard to raise. The girl is raised like a princess, with lovely manners – and a bad attitude. That attitude may lead her into a difficult situation when she marries the king!
The Rich Brother and the Poor Brother
Wed, 04 Nov 2020 00:05:00 -0600
After being disowned by his father for marrying without his knowledge, a once-wealthy young man descends into poverty. Although his brother shows him some kindness and he has some small success, his greedy sister-in-law plunges him into legal turmoil. Can he refute the charges against him, or will he lose his life?
Family Folktales: The Princess Who Was Hidden Underground
Wed, 21 Oct 2020 00:05:00 -0500
A princess has spent her entire life in an underground palace, and now that she is of marriageable age, the king has set a challenge: find the princess, and you shall marry her. Try and fail, and you lose your life. Is this clever young man clever enough to outwit the king?
Family Folktales: Hermod and Hadvor
Wed, 07 Oct 2020 00:05:00 -0500
In this Icelandic tale, a princess must avoid a forced marriage to a giant, and outwit a witch and that giant’s ghost so she can save her beloved foster brother from living half his life as a lion!
Family Folktales: The Satin Surgeon
Wed, 23 Sep 2020 00:05:00 -0500
A young emperor falls in love with a neighboring princess, only to find that his ambassadors are arranging a marriage to her less-desirable older sister, who is outraged at the emperor’s choice of her younger sister. She convinces her father to exile the younger princess in a tower in the desert with the older sister’s nurse as a companion and guard, but the emperor finds her, though he is seriously injured when he tries to see her. Will the two lovers thwart the older sister’s evil plan and find happiness?
Family Folktales: The King Who Would Have a Beautiful Wife
Wed, 09 Sep 2020 00:05:00 -0500
A King is eager to marry, but insists that his bride should be as beautiful as the sun. So how does he end up married to an elderly witch?
Family Folktales: The Sprig of Rosemary
Wed, 26 Aug 2020 00:05:00 -0500
When a maiden decides she must have a sprig of rosemary, she ends up finding her true love. But when her actions cause him to vanish, she begins a quest that will take her farther than she ever imagined in order to find him again.
Family Folktales: The Colony of Cats
Wed, 12 Aug 2020 00:05:00 -0500
When Lizina is rejected by her mother (who much prefers Lizina’s older sister, Peppina), she goes to work in a house filled with cats. She finds great success there, so much so that her greedy sister decides to try her own luck with the cats. But which sister will live happily ever after?
Family Folktales: The Dead Wife
Wed, 29 Jul 2020 00:05:00 -0500
When a man’s dead wife is restored to him, can he obey the one rule that will return her to him forever? Find out in this tale from the Iroquois.
Family Folktales: The Six Hungry Beasts
Wed, 15 Jul 2020 00:05:00 -0500
A man dies while trying to keep wild animals from stealing his chickens, and the animals band together to take his body for their dinner. But what will the six hungry beasts do when their food starts to run out?
Family Folktales: The Adventures of Jackal and His Sons
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 13:27:07 -0500
This is three stories in one! All feature the cunning Jackal and his equally tricky sons – will any of them survive the telling of these tales?
Family Folktales: The Magic Kettle
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 13:21:31 -0500
A man discovers that the kettle he’s found is really a tanuki! What will happen when he sells it to a tradesman without telling the secret?
Family Folktales: The Story of Three Wonderful Beggars
Wed, 20 May 2020 04:00:00 -0500
A hard-hearted man learns that an infant in a poor family is fated to claim all his property. To what lengths will he go to ensure this doesn’t happen – and will he succeed?
Family Folktales: The Stone-Cutter
Wed, 06 May 2020 04:00:00 -0500
A stone-cutter is content with his life until he is exposed to the life of a rich man. When his wish for such a life is granted, he wishes to be greater and stronger until the mountain spirit grants one last wish.
Family Folktales: Maiden Bright-Eye
Wed, 22 Apr 2020 04:00:00 -0500
A widowed man with a son and a daughter (she is known as Maiden Bright-Eye) marries a cruel woman with a daughter of her own who cannot equal Maiden Bright-Eye in any way. After Maiden Bright-Eye is rewarded for her kindness and her stepsister punished for her cruelty, the king decides to marry Maiden Bright-Eye. Will Maiden Bright-Eye get her happily ever after, or will her cruel stepsister?
Family Folktales: The Three Princes and Their Beasts
Wed, 08 Apr 2020 04:00:00 -0500
Three princes go hunting with their stepsister, agreeing along the way to spare the lives of several animals in exchange for the young of those animals. When the oldest is betrayed by the stepsister – well, dragons, death, and peril ensue.
Family Folktales: The Finest Liar in the World
Fri, 27 Mar 2020 04:00:00 -0500
It’s a battle of wits for the Liar’s Crown in this Serbian tale! Who will tell the tallest tale?
Family Folktales: The Glass Mountain
Wed, 11 Mar 2020 04:00:00 -0500
For almost seven years, people have tried to reach the golden castle on top of the Glass Mountain; will anyone ever reach the princess who lives there?
Family Folktales: Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp
Wed, 26 Feb 2020 04:00:00 -0600
You likely think you know this tale, but I’ll wager you don’t know it all!
Wed, 12 Feb 2020 04:00:00 -0600
A childless couple decides to pay a deceitful clerk to teach their bull calf to speak.
Family Folktales: How the Hermit Helped to Win the King’s Daughter
Wed, 29 Jan 2020 04:00:00 -0600
The king has set odd conditions for anyone wanting to marry his daughter. When a young man who has spent his entire fortune trying to meet the conditions, the king changes them! How can a hermit help the young man win the hand of the princess?
Family Folktales: The White Wolf
Wed, 15 Jan 2020 04:00:00 -0600
A king is forced to give his daughter as wife to a white wolf – but all may not be as it seems!
Family Folktales: The Six Sillies
Wed, 01 Jan 2020 04:00:00 -0600
The suitor of a very silly young woman sets off to find three people sillier than the young woman and her parents.
Family Folktales: The Man Without a Heart
Wed, 18 Dec 2019 04:00:00 -0600
Brothers in search of wives are turned to stone by an old man whose heart is hidden in a distant bird. Their brother heads off to find the heart, but he may need the help of some unusual friends if he is to succeed.
Family Folktales: The Dragon of the North
Wed, 04 Dec 2019 04:00:00 -0600
A witch-maiden, a magician, a broken heart, and magic – all may play a part in helping a young man defeat a dragon with “a body like an ox, and legs like a frog, two short fore-legs, and two long ones behind, and a tail like a serpent, ten fathoms in length.” Yikes!
Family Folktales: The True History of Little Golden Hood
Wed, 20 Nov 2019 04:00:00 -0600
You know one version (or maybe more!) of Little Red Riding-Hood. Here’s a whole new take!
Family Folktales: The Twelve Brothers
Wed, 06 Nov 2019 04:00:00 -0600
When a princess inadvertently curses her twelve brothers, she learns the only way to return them to their natural form is to remain utterly silent for 7 years. A single giggle or spoken word will cause their immediate deaths; can she do it, even after catching the eye of the king?
Family Folktales: Brother and Sister
Wed, 23 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0500
Two step-children of a witch run away, but the witch’s enchantments follow them, turning the boy into a small roe buck. When the girl marries a king and takes her brother to live in the castle, the evil witch hatches a plot to put her ugly daughter in the queen’s place, and get rid of the rightful queen entirely.
Family Folktales: Jorinde and Joringel
Wed, 09 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0500
An old enchantress turns pretty girls into birds when they stray too close to her castle, and turns their suitors to stone. Once he is freed from his enchantment, how far will he to return his beloved to his arms?
Family Folktales: Mother Holle
Wed, 25 Sep 2019 08:00:00 -0500
When a cruel widow’s kind daughter returns from serving a fairy, the widow sends her spiteful daughter to perform the same tasks. But will she earn the same reward?
Family Folktales: Why the Sea is Salt
Wed, 11 Sep 2019 08:00:00 -0500
A poor man agrees to do something for his wealthy brother in exchange for meat for his family. A stranger helps him to exchange that meat for something far more valuable – in the right hands, that is.
Family Folktales: The Goose-GIrl
Wed, 28 Aug 2019 08:00:00 -0500
A princess journeying to her wedding is betrayed by her waiting-maid, who takes her place, while the real princess is given the task of looking after the geese. Will the king be able to help her regain her rightful place?
Family Folktales: Felicia and the Pot of Pinks
Wed, 14 Aug 2019 08:00:00 -0500
An orphaned girl with a cruel brother, a pot of flowers, a fairy queen, and an enchanted hen and cabbages: can all these parts work together to earn the girl a “happily ever after” with a prince?
Family Folktales: The Enchanted Pig
Wed, 31 Jul 2019 04:15:00 -0500
Three princesses are left at home while their father goes to war, and their disobedience shows them who they will marry. When the youngest betrays her pig husband, how far will she go to find him and save their marriage?
Family Folktales: The Voice of Death
Wed, 17 Jul 2019 04:15:00 -0500
A man is determined that he and his family will avoid death forever. What will happen when they reach a country where the people do not even know what death means?
Wed, 03 Jul 2019 04:15:00 -0500
A man has everything but a wife, it seems; but all the eligible young ladies are put off by his odd blue beard. When he finally marries, he tells his wife there is only one room she is not to enter – but sometimes, curiosity is too strong.
Family Folktales: The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood
Wed, 19 Jun 2019 04:15:00 -0500
This story begins much like the one you already know, but once she’s awakened by the prince, things take a bit of a turn.
Wed, 05 Jun 2019 04:15:00 -0500
A king’s son goes off to see the world; what will he learn to help him win the hand of a lovely (though arrogant) princess?
Family Folktales: Toads and Diamonds
Wed, 22 May 2019 04:15:00 -0500
When a cruel widow’s kind daughter returns from serving a fairy, she sends her spiteful daughter to perform the same tasks. But will she earn the same reward?
Family Folktales: The Water Lily and the Gold Spinners
Wed, 08 May 2019 04:15:00 -0500
When his love is enchanted by a wicked witch, a prince goes to great lengths – even consulting the Wizard of Finland – to restore her to her human form.
Family Folktales: Herr Lazarus and the Draken
Wed, 24 Apr 2019 04:30:00 -0500
A cobbler takes up with fearsome creatures, but what will happen when they tire of him?
Family Folktales: The Half-Chick
Wed, 10 Apr 2019 04:30:00 -0500
A little chick with only half a body goes off to see the world. How will his unwillingness to help others change his journey?
Family Folktales: The Yellow Dwarf
Wed, 27 Mar 2019 04:30:00 -0500
A queen is forced to promise her daughter to an unkind and unworthy man. When the princess learns her fate, she is determined to marry another. Will anyone live happily ever after?
Family Folktales: The Street Musicians
Wed, 13 Mar 2019 04:30:00 -0500
Four old animals have been abandoned by their owners. Is there any way they can live out their days in comfort?
Family Folktales:The Golden Blackbird
Wed, 27 Feb 2019 08:00:00 -0600
When three brothers set off to find a cure for their father’s illness, it’s the youngest who discovers it. How will his brothers react?
Family Folktales: The Heart of a Monkey
Wed, 13 Feb 2019 08:00:00 -0600
A shark deceives his monkey friend in an attempt to feed his heart to his sultan. Will the monkey be clever enough to save his heart – and the rest of him as well?
Family Folktales: An Impossible Enchantment
Wed, 23 Jan 2019 08:00:00 -0600
Yes, there’s a princess in a tower. But with characters like Mutinosa, Placida, and Graziella, don’t expect a story like Rapunzel’s!
Family Folktales: Soria Moria Castle
Wed, 09 Jan 2019 08:00:00 -0600
A young man goes adventuring, and saves three princesses. When he forgets their careful advice, how will he win their favor back?
Family Folktales: The False Prince and the True
Wed, 26 Dec 2018 08:00:00 -0600
A young man discovers he is actually the king’s son; what consequences will he face when he promises to marry an old crone?
Family Folktales: The Wonderful Sheep
Wed, 05 Dec 2018 08:00:00 -0600
A princess whose life is threatened takes shelter with an enormous sheep. Will she get the “happily ever after” that she hopes for?
Family Folktales: Rumpelstilzkin
Wed, 07 Nov 2018 08:00:00 -0600
Who can help the miller’s daughter spin straw into gold – and at what cost?
Wed, 17 Oct 2018 08:00:00 -0500
To help him choose the heir to his crown, a king sends his three sons on three quests. But how helpful can a toad be?
Wed, 03 Oct 2018 08:00:00 -0500
The son of a good king and an evil queen marries a fairy and becomes a goose-boy. Where will magic and his wiles take him next?
Wed, 19 Sep 2018 08:00:00 -0500
A young woman finds herself about to marry an old peasant she’s never seen before. Is there magic at play in this odd match?
Family Folktales: The Dog and the Sparrow
Wed, 22 Aug 2018 08:00:00 -0500
If you think you’re too small to help someone in need, just listen to how a tiny sparrow helps an abused dog.
Family Folktales: Little Red Riding Hood
Wed, 01 Aug 2018 04:00:00 -0500
It’s the classic cautionary tale – short but not so sweet.
Family Folktales: The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Wed, 18 Jul 2018 01:00:00 -0500
Reading The Twelve Dancing Princesses.
Family Folktales: Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper
Wed, 04 Jul 2018 04:00:00 -0500
The classic story in what may be its most family-friendly form.
Family Folktales: The Cottager and His Cat
Wed, 20 Jun 2018 07:00:00 -0500
What will become of a poor lad who uses his last bit of money to buy a strange creature called a cat?
Wed, 06 Jun 2018 07:00:00 -0500
When a king seeks to marry his adopted daughter, she makes her escape cloaked in a donkey skin. What will her future hold?
Family Folktales: To Your Good Health
Wed, 23 May 2018 07:00:00 -0500
Who will get what he wants: the stubborn shepherd, or the demanding king?
Family Folktales: The Enchanted Ring
Fri, 11 May 2018 07:00:00 -0500
When a young man is given an enchanted ring, it leads to prosperity. When the same ring is given to his wicked brother, what do you think will happen?
Family Folktales: The Master Maid
Wed, 02 May 2018 01:00:00 -0500
A king’s son becomes servant to a giant, and narrowly escapes with his life. But what will be his fate if he forgets the maid who helped him?
Family Folktales: East of the Sun and West of the Moon
Wed, 11 Apr 2018 01:00:00 -0500
After betraying her true love, a girl goes to great lengths to keep him from marrying a troll princess
Prince Hyacinth and the Dear Little Princess
Wed, 10 Jan 2018 01:00:00 -0600
The second story from Andrew Lang's The Blue Fairy Book, Prince Hyacinth and the Dear Little Princess is a tale of a prince who loves himself so much that he cannot see his own defects.
Wed, 13 Dec 2017 01:00:00 -0600
From Andrew Lang's The Blue Fairy Book, "The Bronze Ring" is a story of the forbidden love between a princess and the gardener's son.
Family Folktales: The Mermaid and The Boy
Wed, 25 Oct 2017 01:00:00 -0500
"The Mermaid and The Boy" is a fairy tale in which a king promises a mermaid that he will give her his firstborn child.
Family Folktales: The Hairy Man
Thu, 28 Sep 2017 01:00:00 -0500
From Andrew Lang's The Crimson Fairy Book, "The Hairy Man" is a story of a prince who escapes from his father and proves himself in battle with the help of three magical apples.
Mon, 05 Sep 2016 18:00:00 -0500
Listen to "The Bunyip." In this Australian tale, a mother beast takes revenge on the hunters who take her child.
Family Folktales: Princess in the Chest
Thu, 01 Sep 2016 17:00:00 -0500
A king’s misdeeds force him to ask for his only child’s death. Who can break the spell she is under?
Family Folktales: The Unlooked-For Prince
Mon, 01 Aug 2016 17:00:00 -0500
Listen to "The Unlooked-For Prince." A king makes a bad bargain, and loses his son. Will the prince escape the evil that awaits him?
Family Folktales: The Boy Who Could Keep a Secret
Wed, 06 Jan 2016 17:00:00 -0600
Listen to "The Boy Who Could Keep a Secret." – A boy with a secret aids the King of Hungary – but can he outwit a Sultan?
Wed, 06 Jan 2016 16:00:00 -0600
Listen to "The Ogre." A lad takes a job working for an ogre. How long will it take him to learn to mind his tongue?
Family Folktales: The Glass Axe
Mon, 04 Jan 2016 17:00:00 -0600
A prince is taken by an evil fairy. After facing impossible tasks, will he be able to escape?
Family Folktales: Puss In Boots
Sun, 03 Jan 2016 17:00:00 -0600
When a youth inherits nothing but a cat, how can he use it to make his fortune?
Family Folktales: The Fairy Nurse
Sat, 02 Jan 2016 17:00:00 -0600
These are not the perky fairies of today! Can a woman taken by fairies help her friend escape them?
Family Folktales: The Believing Husbands
Fri, 01 Jan 2016 17:00:00 -0600
When a man’s wife and her parents collapse in tears over what might have been, he sets off to find three people as silly as they; but will he succeed?
Family Folktales: The Terrible Head
Sat, 26 Sep 2015 10:00:00 -0500
Listen to “The Terrible Head.” In this retelling of the myth of Perseus, a young man goes adventuring before fulfilling a prophesy.
Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:00:00 -0500
An overprotected princess finds a way to see the world. But will her true love find a way to see her?
Family Folktales: The Language of Beasts
Sat, 01 Dec 2012 11:00:00 -0600
The Language of Beasts – When a shepherd saves a snake, he is rewarded with the ability to understand what animals say. But is this a gift or a curse?
Family Folktales: The Dirty Shepherdess
Fri, 07 Sep 2012 17:00:00 -0500
A princess is banished after insulting her father. Who will learn a lesson when next they meet?
Tue, 04 Sep 2012 16:06:00 -0500
Princess Sylvia may choose any gift from the Flower Fairy. But after visiting others so honored, will she choose beauty, eloquence, or something far more rare?
Sun, 01 Jul 2012 13:00:00 -0500
Hans is befriended by a man with vast storerooms of gold and silver; will Hans squander gifts from his friend, or be sensible?
Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:00:00 -0500
When a man receives special gifts to help his family, but doesn’t follow the rules, something unusual happens.
Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:00:00 -0500
An old woman curses a young prince, setting off a chain of events. Will the price be able to win the heart of the Silent Princess?
Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:00 -0600
A young man’s father is more than a little disappointed in his son’s education; can the lad make something of himself in spite of this?
The Maiden with the Wooden Helmet
Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:00:00 -0500
A poor but obedient girl prepares to marry a rich man’s son. What wonders will be revealed at the wedding?
Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:00:00 -0500
When the children of a king decide to take refuge in some hollowed-out trees, will a witch be able to deceive a prince?
Mon, 09 May 2011 17:00:00 -0500
Trolls and true love take center stage in this Norwegian story.
Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:00:00 -0500
in a classic tale of a quest, a young man must first steal from the sister of the sun; then, he must win her heart.
Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:00:00 -0600
A folk tale collected by the Brothers Grimm.
Tue, 01 Feb 2011 10:00:00 -0600
A strange-looking young man living in a forest rescues two kings. Will they prove honorable?
Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:33:00 -0500
An abused stepdaughter finds riches and happiness when she is pushed into a well. What awaits her spoiled stepsister on the same journey?
Wed, 04 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0500
A young prince on a quest and finds an unusual friend and true love — but will his brothers be happy for him?
Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:00:00 -0500
Not that Snow White! Two sisters and their mother befriend a bear — or is it a bear?
Tue, 06 Apr 2010 10:00:00 -0500
A precursor to Frosty, this Slavic story is short and sweet.
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:00:00 -0600
Princes, ogres, and adventure — with just a touch of Rumpelstiltzkin!
Fri, 01 Jan 2010 09:00:00 -0600
After a king’s new queen changes her six stepsons into swans, their sister must endure arduous trials to restore them to their human forms. But when her own life is at risk due to the workings of her evil mother-in-law, will she be able to complete her quest?
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:00:00 -0600
In this classic tale from the Arabian Nights, a poor woodcutter discovers the hidden treasures of a band of robbers, survives great danger, and brings riches to his whole family — with some help from a clever servant.
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0500
A Finnish Tale from Andrew Lang’s Crimson Fairy Book.
The Story of the Clever Tailor
Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:00:00 -0500
A German tale from Andrew Lang's Green Fairy Book.
How Six men Traveled Through the Wide World
Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0500
A man and his extraordinary companions work together to outwit a devious king in How Six Men Traveled Through the Wide World.
Tue, 09 Jun 2009 02:00:00 -0500
The Crow, an old tale from Poland, is quite similar to the French classic, Beauty and the Beast. This heroine, though, faces fear and isolation that her French counterpart never imagined!
The Story of the Queen of the Flowery Isles
Tue, 19 May 2009 10:00:00 -0500
Jealousy leads to magical transformations and transportations in The Story of the Queen of the Flowery Isles.
Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0500
A prince finds his princess by mystical means in The Lovely Ilonka — but how will Ilonka clear up a case of mistaken identity?
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:00:00 -0500
A king loves his daughters too much in The Whirlwind, and it is up to three brothers to do what the king’s armies cannot.
Mon, 23 Feb 2009 04:00:00 -0600
The Goblin Pony is a cautionary tale from France. Would a story like this keep you inside on a windy night?
Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:00:00 -0600
The Sunchild is based on a Greek tale about a woman who longs for a child. The Sun sends her a child, but what will happen when it is time for the girl to return to the Sun?
Fri, 19 Dec 2008 06:00:00 -0600
The Cunning Hare is a Native American story. A young hare surprises his grandmother by catching fish, but how can grandmother cook the fish with no fire?
Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0600
What Came of Picking Flowers comes to us from Portugal. It’s a story of magic, transformation, deception, and family.
How the Wicked Tanuki was Punished
Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:00:00 -0500
How the Wicked Tanuki was Punished is a Japanese tale about a wicked and selfish animal outsmarted by his own son.
The Husband of the Rat's Daughter
Mon, 15 Sep 2008 01:00:00 -0500
The Husband of the Rat’s Daughter is a Japanese tale; it will be familiar to fans of Stonecutter, though the ending is not so harsh.
Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:00:00 -0500
The Three Snake Leaves is another tale that comes to us from the Brothers Grimm. Surprising to many, this is a tale of revenge and death.
Family Folktales: Spindle, Shuttle, and Needle
Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:12:12 -0500
Spindle, Shuttle, and Needle is much like Cinderella – minus the evil stepmother and stepsisters! In this story collected by the Brothers Grimm, magic helps a girl win the love of a prince.