Global Fairy Tales

Death in Global Folk Tales is a collection of stories filled with wisdom, pain, laughter and yes, dying. Everyone’s fated end is grappled with by storytellers from across a multitude of cultures, centuries and continents. Included is a global collection of death superstitions and legends. Ours is a somber subject, but maybe stories about dying can teach us something about living.

In this ancient Mexican folktale, the Aztec Sky god and Wind god attempt to fix silence on Earth by bringing music to the world. They set out to the Sun palace, where legions of musicians play for the almighty Sun. Unfortunately, this hot-headed ruler won’t give up his musicians without a fight!

In this Swedish folktale, a young boy longs for all the nice things other children have. An old woman tells the boy a secret for granting his wishes: sprinkling salt on a magpie’s tail. But, before the magpie will grant the boy’s wish, the bird has some strange requests of his own.

Dive into the magical world of French fairy tales and folklore as you embark on a language-learning adventure like no other! This unique audio collection combines the enchantment of French fairy tales and folklore with the fundamentals of French grammar and vocabulary, creating an immersive learning experience that will captivate your imagination.

What happens when a tortoise challenges a hare to a race? Listen to this popular West African tale to find out. There's more than one way to teach a boastful hare a lesson!

What happens to a fox that won't stop teasing the others animals? Listen to this Peruvian tale to find out. Some lessons can change everything.

In The Fox in Global Folk Tales, the reader will find a collection of stories from across the centuries and continents. The fox has fascinated those who create and consume stories since time immemorial. The all-time animal antihero is of course clever and cunning and many of these tales reflect that. However, foxes in stories can also be benefactors, gods and even, occasionally, fools. The rich storytelling tradition tapped into in this book says as much about us as it does about the sly red beast this collection is about. Why are the adventures of a thief and a scoundrel so alluring? Why ...

In this Chinese folktale, an old woman spends years weaving, day and night, until one day she reveals a magical cloth. But moments later, the cloth mysteriously disappears! Now, her three young sons must set out on a long, mystical journey to find it.

In this Indian folktale, a young turtle shares a shallow lake with unlikely friends—two geese. But when the lake starts drying up, the stubborn turtle must follow his winged friends’ advice, or he’ll be left out to dry.

Rebel Folklore gathers 50 of the darkest and most complicated folktale characters from around the world, showing readers why we should care about the rebels and misfits of ancient stories. Folktales were humble stories, passed down generations by those on the fringes of society: women, peasants...

In this Irish folktale, a young and powerful king has an embarrassing secret: he has horse’s ears! Then one day, the royal barber discovers this unusual trait. Can he keep the king’s long-held secret, or will the barber be banished from the kingdom for good?

Travel across continents through this heartwarming collection of stories, including a king and his three daughters—teaching kindness, honesty, and wisdom.

This program is read by the author. From national bestselling author Nick McDonell, The Council of Animals is a captivating fable for humans of all ages—dreamers and cynics alike—who believe (if nothing else) in the power of timeless storytelling. “‘Now,’ continued the cat, ‘there is...

Nevermoor meets Keeper of the Lost Cities in the second wondrous adventure in the Unmapped Chronicles fantasy series from bestselling author Abi Elphinstone. Twins Fox and Fibber are riding on a train through Germany when it plunges into a dark tunnel—and emerges in Jungledrop, one of the...

From bestselling author Abi Elphinstone comes a wondrous new series about four secret unmapped kingdoms hidden in our own world! Casper Tock hates risks and is allergic to adventures. So it comes as a nasty shock to him one day when he hides from bullies in an ancient grandfather clock—and...

After living through a bloody encounter with the mysterious Cult of Fenrir 20 years ago, Viktor returns to New Orleans, hoping to forget the horrors he endured. He keeps busy dealing with unusual cases as head of a global security firm specializing in paranormal threats. For once in his long life, everything seems to have fallen into balance. But Fate has a funny way of catching up with a person. And this time it’s bringing his past - and possibly the end of the world - along for the ride.

His ex-wife’s family are less than subtle when it comes to leaving messages, especially when they’re spelled out in blood. Now they’re leaving a trail of bodies in their wake, which means his long list of enemies just got longer. Even though he’s used to high risk situations, the stakes take a sharp turn when his daughter is drawn into the fray with absolutely no clear way out. With all that he holds dear hanging in the balance, he must make impossible choices. Each one brings him closer to the answers he’s sought about his past.

Learn about three powerful witches from mythology and literature—Circe, Baba Yaga, and the White Witch.

Award-winning storyteller Bobby Norfolk brings his talents to six traditional stories. A mixture of classics and lesser-known folktales, these are all performance-tested audience favorites, capturing Norfolk's trademark energy and humor. Whether the story is from the American South, Japan, or the Caribbean, Norfolk pinpoints the message of the story and invites his listeners to celebrate the best in all of us.

This live recording could not be more fun! A seasoned storyteller who loves rhythm and song joins with a traditional musician playing instruments ranging from mountain dulcimer to a cardboard box drum to create multicultural magic. The stories come from Siberia, the Makah tradition of Alaska, Cajun Louisiana, Palestine, the British Isles, and the American South.