World of Tales - Stories for children, folktales, fairy tales and fables from around the world!

Welcome to World of Tales!

Step into the wondrous world of folk and fairy tales!

Whether a student, a parent or a teacher, here you can take a magical journey, filled with adventure, or just remember what it feels like to be a kid again. There is a little something for everyone among these pages, starting with the classic fairy tale stories by the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Perrault, going on to the morally edifying fables of Aesop and Jean de La Fontaine, and ending with the wisdom, gathered by the people: the folktales from different parts of the world.

About folktales

The folktale is a story passed down verbally from generation to generation. Each storyteller added something new to the stories, making them more interesting and fascinating as the ages passed. Different folktales bear the characteristics of the culture, folklore and customs of the people from which they originated.
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African folktales

Africa is the second largest continent in the world. The people from Africa included unique characteristics in their folklore, showing their way of life and the animals and plants that surround them. African stories sometimes include trickster animals and spirits.

The collection of folktales from Africa consists of four books with 88 stories: 28 South African folktales, 40 Nigerian folktales and 10 Tanzanian folktales.

Nigerian folktales

South African folktales

Tanzanian folktales

Asian folktales

Asia is the world's largest continent. A place with unique cultural heritage, Asia is home to more than 3.8 billion people, making it the most populous continent on Earth. Even today people around Asia hold festivals celebrating the deeds of heroes and animals from ancient folklore.

The collection of folktales from Asia consists of fourteen books with 353 stories: 55 Arabic folktales, 104 Chinese folktales, 69 Indian folktales, 69 Japanese folktales and 61 Filipino folktales.

Australian folktales

Australia is a country that includes the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and other smaller islands. Indigenous people are living in Australia for over 40000 years. Their stories are tightly connected to the Australian outback and its plants and animal inhabitants.

The collection of folktales from Australia consists of one book with 31 stories.

Australian folktales

European folktales

Europe is the second smallest continent on Earth. The birthplace of western culture, Europe is a land with tremendous cultural and ethnic diversity.

The European stories are divided into four groups: the Celtic, the Germanic, the Romanic and the Slavic.

North American folktales

North America is the third-largest continent on Earth. North America was discovered while Christopher Columbus was looking for a route between Europe and the Orient. Prior to the Europeans there were numerous indian nations living in North America.

The collection of folktales from North America consists of six books with 136 stories: 50 Native American folktales, 60 US folktales and 26 Canadian folktales.

Canadian folktales

Native American folktales

US folktales

South American folktales

South America is the fourth largest continent on Earth. Before Europeans discovered it, South America was the home of many ancient civilizations numbering millions of people.

The collection of folktales from South America consists of two books with thirty Brazilian stories.

Brazilian folktales

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Read fairy tales

People have been telling each other fairy tales since ancient times. A very significant literature genre, fairy tales are present in all cultures around the world. In comparison to myths and legends, the time and place of occurrence in fairy tales are not defined. The characteristics of fairy tales include the appearance of fantastic elements in the form of talking animals, magic, witches and giants, knights and heroes. It wasn't until the 17th century that fairy tales in Europe were written down and preserved for future generations.
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Authors & Books

Andrew Lang (31 March 1844 - 20 July 1912) was a Scottish poet, novelist, and literary critic. Born in Selkirk, Lang was the oldest among eight siblings. After graduating, he began to publish his works, showing he was a gifted journalist, poet, and writer.

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The Blue Fairy Book

Notes: The first of a collection of twelve fairy tale books, gathered by Andrew Lang from various sources. Published in 1889, the Blue Fairy Book contains 37 stories.

Author: Various
Editor: Andrew Lang
Published: 1889
Publisher: Langmans, Green, and Co., London; New York

The Green Fairy Book

Notes: The third book from Andrew Lang's collection was first published in 1892 and contains 42 fairy tales.

Author: Various
Editor: Andrew Lang
Published: 1892
Publisher: Langmans, Green, and Co., London; New York

The Red Fairy Book

Notes: The second book from Andrew Lang's collection was first published in 1890 and contains 37 fairy tales.

Author: Various
Editor: Andrew Lang
Published: 1890
Publisher: Langmans, Green, and Co., London; New York

The Brothers Grimm are probably the best known storytellers in the world. Many years have passed since the time Jackob and Wilhelm Grimm released their "Children's and household tales". The first edition and was very modest, both in appearance and capacity - there were only 83 fairy tales, compared to the 200 we know today.

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Household tales by the Brothers Grimm

Notes: Translated by Margaret Hunt, this is the only book that contains the complete collection of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales - 200
fairy tales and 10 legends.

Author: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Published: 1884
Translator: Margaret Hunt
Publisher:George Bell and Sons, London
Ages: 10+ years

Grimm's fairy tales

Notes: Translated by Edgar Taylor and Marian Edwardes. Contains 62 fairy tales.

Author: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Translator: Edgar Taylor and Marian Edwardes
Published: 1876
Publisher: R. Meek & Co., London
Ages: 3-10+ years

Grimm's Fairy Stories

Notes: This book contains 25 fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm.

Author: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Translator: Unknown
Published: 1922
Publisher: Cupples and Leon Company, New York

Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm

Notes: This fairy tale collection contains 52 of the Grimm's fairy tales.

This new Dover edition, first published in 1963, is an unabridged republication of the work first published by Macmillan and Company in 1886.

Author: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Translator: Lucy Crane
Published: 1963 (1886)
Publisher: Dover Publications, New York (Macmillan & Co, London)

Charles Perrault was a French writer who lived in the second half of XVII century. He was one of the first writers in European literature who turned his eyes to folklore. Born in 1628 in a clerical bourgeois family, Perrault received legal education and had high royal office. In the second half of XVII century there was...

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The Tales of Mother Goose As First Collected by Charles Perrault in 1696

Notes: The first edition of Perrault's famous collection of fairy tales.
Author: Charles Perrault
Translator: Charles Welsh
Published: 1901
Publisher: D.C. Heath & Co., Boston; New York; Chicago

Hans Christian Andersen, born April 2, 1805 in Odense, was a Danish writer and poet. In his early days, Andersen wanted to become an opera singer. In 1819 he went to Copenhagen to pursuit that dream. His voice, however, was too weak and he was accepted as a dance student at the Royal Theater.

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