This index contains 667 published stories. Browse by collection below, or jump to regions, themes or suggested ages. A story may belong to more than one collection.
Read the guidance on each story before sharing it with children. Some tales are intended for older readers and have no child age-group label. See the parent reading guide.
Aesop's Fables (21)
- The Ant and the Dove
- The Ant and the Grasshopper
- The Bowman and the Lion
- The Boy Who Cried Wolf
- The Bundle of Sticks
- The Cat’s Judgement
- The Crow and the Fox
- The Crow and the Pitcher
- The Dog and His Reflection
- The Dog and the Wolf
- The Donkey and His Shadow
- The Donkey and the Mule
- The Fox and the Grapes
- The Goose That Laid Golden Eggs
- The Hare and the Tortoise
- The Lamb and the Wolf
- The Lion and the Mouse
- The North Wind and the Sun
- The Oak and the Reed
- The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
- The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
African Folk Tales (56)
- Adzanumee and Her Mother
- Anansi and Nothing
- Anansi the Blind Fisherman
- Crocodile’s Treason
- Elephant and Tortoise
- Farmer Mybrow and the Fairies
- Honourable Minū
- How Beasts and Serpents First Came into the World
- How Mushrooms First Grew
- How the Tortoise Got Its Shell
- How We Got the Name ‘Spider Tales’
- How Wisdom Became the Property of the Human Race
- Jackal and Monkey
- King Chameleon and the Animals
- Kwofi and the Gods
- Lion and Jackal
- Lion Who Thought Himself Wiser Than His Mother
- Lion Who Took a Woman’s Shape
- Lion’s Share
- Maku Mawu and Maku Fia
- Ohia and the Thieving Deer
- Quarcoo Bah-Boni
- Story of Lion and Little Jackal
- The Clever Tortoise and the Elephant
- The Dance for Water, or Rabbit’s Triumph
- The Girl Who Could Not Be Eaten
- The Grinding-Stone That Ground Flour by Itself
- The Hunt of Lion and Jackal
- The Hunter and the Tortoise
- The Judgment of Baboon
- The Leopard and the Ram
- The Lion and the Wolf
- The Lion, the Jackal, and the Man
- The Lioness and the Ostrich
- The Lost Message
- The Monkey’s Fiddle
- The Omanhene Who Liked Riddles
- The Robber and the Old Man
- The Squirrel and the Spider
- The Story of a Dam
- The Story of Hare
- The Tail of the Princess Elephant
- The Tiger, the Ram, and the Jackal
- The Ungrateful Man
- The White Man and Snake
- The World’s Reward
- Thunder and Anansi
- Tink-Tinkje
- Tit for Tat
- Why Spiders Are Always Found in the Corners of Ceilings
- Why the Lizard Continually Moves His Head Up and Down
- Why the Moon and the Stars Receive Their Light from the Sun
- Why the Sun and Moon Live in the Sky
- Why Tigers Never Attack Men Unless They Are Provoked
- Why We See Ants Carrying Bundles as Big as Themselves
- Why White Ants Always Harm Man’s Property
Arabian Nights (16)
- Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp
- Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
- Prince Camaralzaman and Princess Badoura
- Scheherazade and the Sultan
- Sinbad the Sailor: The First Voyage
- Sinbad the Sailor: The Second Voyage
- Sinbad the Sailor: The Third Voyage
- The Barber’s Story of His Fifth Brother
- The Barber’s Tale of His Sixth Brother
- The Barber’s Tale of Himself
- The Enchanted Horse
- The Fisherman and the Genie
- The Fourth Voyage of Sinbad: Escape from the Cannibals
- The Seven Voyages of Sinbad: The Fifth Voyage
- The Tale of Prince Agib
- The Tale of the Merchant and the Genie
Bengal Folk Tales (11)
- Life’s Secret
- The Bald Wife
- The Boy Whom Seven Mothers Suckled
- The Boy with the Moon on His Forehead
- The Clever Wife
- The Field of Bones
- The Ghost-Brahman
- The Indigent Brahman
- The Match-Making Jackal
- The Origin of Opium
- The Story of a Hiraman
Celtic Folk Tales (54)
- A Legend of Knockmany
- Andrew Coffey
- Beth Gellert
- Brewery Of Eggshells
- Conal Yellowclaw
- Connla and the Fairy Maiden
- Cuchulain and the Hound of Culain
- Dream of Owen O’Mulready
- Elidore
- Fair, Brown, and Trembling
- Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree
- Guleesh
- How Cormac Mac Art Went to Faery
- How Fin Went to the Kingdom of the Big Men
- Hudden and Dudden and Donald O’Neary
- Jack and His Comrades
- Jack and His Master
- Jack the Cunning Thief
- King O’Toole and His Goose
- Morraha
- Munachar And Manachar
- Paddy O’Kelly and the Weasel
- Powel, Prince of Dyfed
- Princess Finola and the Dwarf
- Smallhead and the King’s Sons
- The Battle of the Birds
- The Black Horse
- The Children of Lir
- The Enchanted Cave
- The Fairy Tree of Dooros
- The Farmer of Liddesdale
- The Field of Boliauns
- The Golden Spears
- The Greek Princess and the Young Gardener
- The Horned Women
- The House in the Lake
- The Huntsman’s Son
- The Lad with the Goat-Skin
- The Little White Cat
- The Ridere of Riddles
- The Russet Dog
- The Salmon of Knowledge
- The Sea-Maiden
- The Selkie Wife
- The Shee an Gannon and the Gruagach Gaire
- The Shepherd of Myddvai
- The Sprightly Tailor
- The Story of Deirdre
- The Story of the McAndrew Family
- The Story-Teller at Fault
- The Tale of Ivan
- The Vision of MacConglinney
- The Voyage of Bran
- The Wooing of Olwen
Chinese Folk Tales (80)
- A Legend of Confucius
- Black Arts
- Dschang Liang
- Fox-Fire
- Giauna the Beautiful
- Help in Need
- How Greed for a Trifling Thing Led a Man to Lose a Great One
- How Molo Stole the Lovely Rose-Red
- How the Five Ancients Became Men
- How the River-God’s Wedding Was Broken Off
- How Three Heroes Came by Their Deaths Because of Two Peaches
- King Mu of Dschou
- Kwang-Jui and the God of the River
- Laotsze
- Mulan, the Maiden Chief
- Notscha
- Old Dragonbeard
- Old Dschang
- Retribution
- Rose of Evening
- Sam-Chung and the Water Demon
- Sky O’Dawn
- The Ape Sun Wu Kung
- The Bird with Nine Heads
- The Cave of the Beasts
- The Constable
- The Dangerous Reward
- The Disowned Princess
- The Dragon after His Winter Sleep
- The Dragon-Princess
- The Eight Immortals (I)
- The Eight Immortals (II)
- The Eight Immortals Cross the Sea
- The Fairy Bonze
- The Favorite of Fortune and the Child of Ill Luck
- The Fire-God
- The Flower-Elves
- The Flying Ogre
- The Frog Princess
- The Ghost Who Was Foiled
- The Girl with the Horse’s Head or the Silkworm Goddess
- The God of the City
- The God of War
- The Golden Canister
- The Great Flood
- The Halos of the Saints
- The Heartless Husband
- The Herd Boy and the Weaving Maiden
- The Kindly Magician
- The King of Huai Nan
- The King of the Ants
- The Kingdom of the Ogres
- The Lady of the Moon
- The Little Hunting Dog
- The Magic Cask
- The Maiden Who Was Stolen Away
- The Miserly Farmer
- The Monk of the Yangtze-Kiang
- The Mysterious Buddhist Robe
- The Night on the Battlefield
- The Panther
- The Punishment of Greed
- The Queen of Heaven
- The Reward of a Benevolent Life
- The Sorcerer of the White Lotus Lodge
- The Spirit of the Wu-Lian Mountain
- The Spirits of the Yellow River
- The Talking Silver Foxes
- The Three Evils
- The Three Rhymsters
- The Three Ruling Gods
- The Tragedy of the Yin Family
- The Two Scholars
- The Vengeance of the Goddess
- The Widow Ho
- The Wonderful Man
- Why Dog and Cat Are Enemies
- Women’s Words Part Flesh and Blood
- Yang Gui Fe
- Yang Oerlang
European Fairy Tales (3)
Grimm's Fairy Tales (67)
- Ashputtel
- Briar Rose
- Cat and Mouse in Partnership
- Cat-Skin
- Cinderella (Aschenputtel)
- Clever Elsie
- Clever Gretel
- Clever Hans
- Doctor Knowall
- Frederick and Catherine
- Fundevogel
- Hans in Luck
- Hansel and Gretel
- How Chanticleer and Partlet Went to Visit Mr Korbes
- How Partlet Died and Was Buried, and How Chanticleer Died of Grief
- How They Went to the Mountains to Eat Nuts
- Iron Hans
- Jorinda and Jorindel
- King Grisly-Beard
- Lily and the Lion
- Little Red Riding Hood
- Mother Holle
- Old Sultan
- Pied Piper of Hamelin | German Legend of Promises Broken (9-12+)
- Rapunzel
- Rumpelstiltskin
- Snow-White and Rose-Red
- Snowdrop
- Sweetheart Roland
- The Blue Light
- The Bremen Town Musicians
- The Dog and the Sparrow
- The Elves and the Shoemaker
- The Fisherman and His Wife
- The Four Clever Brothers
- The Fox and the Horse
- The Frog-Prince
- The Golden Bird
- The Golden Goose
- The Goose-Girl
- The Juniper-Tree
- The King of the Golden Mountain
- The Little Peasant
- The Miser in the Bush
- The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage
- The Pink
- The Queen Bee
- The Raven
- The Robber Bridegroom
- The Salad
- The Seven Ravens
- The Six Swans
- The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was
- The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean
- The Three Languages
- The Travelling Musicians
- The Turnip
- The Twelve Dancing Princesses
- The Twelve Huntsmen
- The Valiant Little Tailor
- The Water of Life
- The Wedding of Mrs Fox: First Story
- The Wedding of Mrs Fox: Second Story
- The White Snake
- The Willow-Wren and the Bear
- The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats
- Tom Thumb
Hitopadesha (13)
- The Doves and the Hunter’s Net
- The Duel of the Giants
- The Prince, the Sea-Princess and the Barber
- The Story of the Brahman and the Goat
- The Story of the Cat Who Served the Lion
- The Story of the Faithful Rajpoot
- The Story of the Herons and the Mongoose
- The Story of the Jackal, Deer, and Crow
- The Story of the Terrible Bell
- The Story of the Tiger and the Traveller
- The Story of the Tortoise and the Geese
- The Story of the Vulture, the Cat, and the Birds
- The Story of the Washerman’s Donkey
Indian Folk Tales (123)
- A Lac of Rupees for a Piece of Advice
- A Lesson for Kings
- A Long-Bow Story
- Baby Krishna and the Demoness Putana
- Bopoluchi the Clever Girl
- Chandralekha and the Eight Robbers
- Charity Alone Conquers
- Diamond Cut Diamond
- Dorani
- Eating Up the Protector
- Ekalavya and Drona
- Good Luck to the Lucky One
- Good Will Grow Out of Good
- Grasp All, Lose All
- Harisarman
- How Raja Rasalu Became a Jogi
- How Raja Rasalu Journeyed to the City of King Sarkap
- How Raja Rasalu Killed the Giants
- How Raja Rasalu Played Chaupur with King Sarkap
- How Raja Rasalu Swung the Seventy Fair Maidens, Daughters of the King
- How Raja Rasalu Was Born
- How Raja Rasalu Went Out into the World
- How Raja Rasalu’s Friends Forsook Him
- How the Raja’s Son Won the Princess Labam
- How the Wicked Sons Were Duped
- Jackal or Tiger?
- Keep It for the Beggar
- King Shibi and the Dove
- Krishna Tames the Serpent Kaliya
- Kupti and Imani
- Light Makes Prosperity
- Little Anklebone
- Loving Laili
- Mr. Mighty-of-His-Mouth
- Mr. Won’t-Give and Mr. Won’t-Leave
- Peasie and Beansie
- Pride Goes Before a Fall
- Prince Half-a-Son
- Prince Lionheart and His Three Friends
- Prince Wicked and the Grateful Animals
- Princess Aubergine
- Princess Pepperina
- Punchkin
- Raja Rasalu
- Ranavirasing
- Retaliation
- Savitri and the Lord of Death
- Sir Buzz
- Sun, Moon, and Wind Go Out to Dinner
- The Barber’s Clever Wife
- The Bear’s Bad Bargain
- The Beetle and the Silken Thread
- The Beggar and the Five Muffins
- The Birth of Lord Krishna
- The Blind Men and the Elephant
- The Brahman Priest Who Became an Amildar
- The Brahmarakshas and the Hair
- The Brahmin Girl Who Married a Tiger
- The Cat, the Mouse, the Lizard and the Owl
- The Charmed Ring
- The Close Alliance
- The Death and Burial of Poor Hen-Sparrow
- The Demon with the Matted Hair
- The Faithful Prince
- The Faithless Wife and the Ungrateful Blind Man
- The Farmer and the Money-lender
- The Fish Prince
- The Five Wise Words of the Guru
- The Foolish Weaver
- The Gardener’s Cunning Wife
- The Goat Who Laughed and Wept
- The Goldsmith’s Fortune
- The Good Husband and the Bad Wife
- The Grain of Corn
- The Hermit’s Daughter
- The Ivory City and Its Fairy Princess
- The Jackal and the Crocodile
- The Jackal and the Iguana
- The Jackal and the Partridge
- The Jackal and the Pea-Hen
- The Jackal, the Barber and the Brahmin Who Had Seven Daughters
- The Jewelled Arrow
- The Jogi’s Punishment
- The King of Crocodiles
- The King Who Was Fried
- The King Who Would Be Stronger Than Fate
- The King Who Would See Paradise
- The Lambikin
- The Legend of Gwashbrari, the Glacier-Hearted Queen
- The Lord of Death
- The Lost Camel
- The Magic Bed
- The Magic Fiddle
- The Magic Pitcher
- The Magic Shoes and Staff
- The Merchant and the Bullock
- The Monkey with the Tom-tom
- The Mother and the Daughter Who Worshipped the Sun
- The Poisoned Food
- The Prince and the Fakir
- The Rat’s Wedding
- The Royal Thief-Catcher
- The Ruby Prince
- The Snake Prince
- The Snake-Woman and King Ali Mardan
- The Son of Seven Mothers
- The Soothsayer’s Son
- The Sparrow and the Crow
- The Story of Appayya
- The Thanksgiving of the Wazir
- The Three Calamities
- The Three Deaf Men
- The Tiger, the Brahman, and the Jackal
- The Two Brothers
- The Wise Jackal
- The Wonderful Mango Fruit
- The Wonderful Ring
- The Wrestlers: A Story of Heroes
- Valiant Vicky, the Brave Weaver
- Vikram and the Vampire: The King’s Ultimate Test
- Wali Dad the Simple-Hearted
- Why Brahmans Cannot Eat in the Dark
- Why the Fish Laughed
Japanese Folk Tales (26)
- How an Old Man Lost His Wen
- Issun-boshi, the One-Inch Boy
- Momotaro, or the Story of the Son of a Peach
- My Lord Bag of Rice
- The “Shinansha,” or the South Pointing Carriage
- The Adventures of Kintaro, the Golden Boy
- The Bamboo-Cutter and the Moon-Child
- The Farmer and the Badger
- The Goblin of Adachigahara
- The Grateful Crane
- The Happy Hunter and the Skillful Fisher
- The Jelly Fish and the Monkey
- The Mirror of Matsuyama
- The Ogre of Rashomon
- The Quarrel of the Monkey and the Crab
- The Sagacious Monkey and the Boar
- The Snow Woman (Yuki-Onna)
- The Star Lovers
- The Story of Prince Yamato Take
- The Story of Princess Hase
- The Story of the Man Who Did Not Wish to Die
- The Story of the Old Man Who Made Withered Trees to Flower
- The Story of Urashima Taro, the Fisher Lad
- The Tale of Two Frogs
- The Tongue-Cut Sparrow
- The White Hare and the Crocodiles
Jataka Tales (22)
- How the Monkey Saved His Troop
- How the Turtle Saved His Own Life
- The Banyan Deer (Nigrodhamiga Jataka)
- The Elephant and the Dog
- The Firewood Gatherer
- The Golden Goose: A Jataka Tale
- The Gray Hair
- The Happy Monk
- The Hawks and Their Friends
- The Holy Quail
- The King’s White Elephant
- The Measure of Rice
- The Mouse Merchant
- The Ox Who Won the Forfeit
- The Pigeon and the Crow
- The Quarrel of the Quails
- The Story of the Merchant of Seri
- The Story of the Sandy Road
- The Timid Hare and the Flight of the Beasts
- The Two Stags
- The Wise and Foolish Merchants
- The Wise Hare
Korean Folk Tales (72)
- A Bridegroom for Miss Mole
- A Frog for a Husband
- A Story of the Fox
- A Visit from the Shades
- An Encounter with a Hobgoblin
- Cat-Kin and the Queen Mother
- Charan
- Cheung Puk-chang, the Seer
- Cursed by the Snake
- East Light and the Bridge of Fishes
- Faithful Mo
- Fancha and the Magpie
- Haunted Houses
- Hong Kil-tong
- Hong’s Experiences in Hades
- Hyung-bo and Nahl-bo
- Im, the Hunter
- Longka, the Dancing Girl
- Old Timber Top
- Old White Whiskers and Mr. Bunny
- Pigling and Her Proud Sister
- Prince Sandalwood, the Father of Korea
- Sim Chung
- Sir One Long Body and Madam Thousand Feet
- Ta-Hong
- Ten Thousand Devils
- The Awful Little Goblin
- The Boxed-up Governor
- The Brave Magistrate
- The Fearless Captain
- The Fortunes of Yoo
- The Geomancer
- The Grateful Ghost
- The Great Stone Fire Eater
- The Home of the Fairies
- The Honest Witch
- The Ill-Fated Priest
- The King of the Flowers
- The King of the Sparrows
- The King of Yom-na (Hell)
- The Literary Man of Imsil
- The Magic Invasion of Seoul
- The Magic Peach
- The Man on the Road
- The Man Who Became a Pig
- The Man Who Lost His Legs
- The Mirror That Made Trouble
- The Old Man Who Became a Fish
- The Old Woman Who Became a Goblin
- The Plucky Maiden
- The Propitious Magpie
- The Rabbit’s Eyes
- The Renowned Maing
- The Resourceful Wife
- The Sky Bridge of Birds
- The Snake’s Revenge
- The Sneezing Colossus
- The Soldier of Kang-wha
- The Story of Chang To-ryong
- The Story of Chunhyang
- The Temple to the God of War
- The Unmannerly Tiger
- The Vision of the Holy Man
- The Visit of the Man of God
- The Voice of the Bell
- The Wild-Cat Woman
- The Woodman and the Mountain Fairies
- Tokgabi and His Pranks
- Tokgabi’s Menagerie
- Topknots and Crockery Hats
- Whom the King Honours
- Yun Se-pyong, the Wizard
More Stories (1)
Norse Folk Tales (26)
- East of the Sun and West of the Moon
- Freya’s Necklace: The Brisingamen
- How Sif Lost Her Hair
- Odin’s Quest for Wisdom
- Prince Lindworm
- Ragnarok: The Twilight of the Gods
- Sigurd and the Dragon Fafnir
- Soria Moria Castle
- The Apples of Idun
- The Blue Belt
- The Cat on the Dovrefell
- The Creation of the World from Ymir’s Body
- The Death of Baldur
- The Giant Who Had No Heart in His Body
- The Husband Who Was to Mind the House
- The Lad Who Went to the North Wind
- The Lassie and Her Godmother
- The Mead of Poetry
- The Princess on the Glass Hill
- The Theft of Thor’s Hammer (Thrymskvida)
- The Three Billy Goats Gruff
- The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain
- The Three Princesses of Whiteland
- The Widow’s Son
- Thor and the Giant’s Kettle
- Tyr and the Binding of Fenrir
Panchatantra Stories (52)
- Elephants and Hares — A Panchatantra Story of Wit Over Might
- Frogs That Rode a Snake
- King Joy and Secretary Splendor
- Meeting a New Friend
- Of Crows and Owls
- Slow, the Weaver
- The Bird with Golden Droppings
- The Bird with Two Heads
- The Brahmani and the Mongoose
- The Brahmin and the Cobra
- The Brahmin, the Thief and the Demon
- The Brahmin’s Dream
- The Brahmin’s Wife and the Sesame Seeds
- The Camel, the Jackal and the Crow
- The Cave That Talked
- The Cobra and the Crows
- The Crane and the Crab
- The Crow-Rat Discourse
- The Dog Who Went Abroad
- The Donkey in the Panther’s Skin
- The Elephant and the Sparrow
- The Four Learned Fools
- The Four Treasure-Seekers
- The Girl Who Married a Snake
- The Hare, the Partridge and the Holy Cat
- The Hermit and the Mouse
- The Jackal and the Drum
- The Jackal at the Ram-Fight
- The King and the Foolish Monkey
- The Lion and the Crane
- The Lion and the Donkey Go Hunting
- The Lion and the Foolish Donkey
- The Lioness and the Young Jackal
- The Mice That Set Elephants Free
- The Monkey and the Crocodile
- The Musical Donkey
- The Potter Who Became a Warrior
- The Rescue of a Deer
- The Story of Dharmabuddhi and Papabuddhi
- The Story of the Blue Jackal
- The Story of the Bug and the Flea
- The Story of the Iron Balance and the Merchant’s Son
- The Story of the Lion and the Hare
- The Story of the Monkey and the Log
- The Story of the Tittibha Birds and the Sea
- The Tale of Three Fishes
- The Tale of Two Fishes and a Frog
- The Tale of Two Snakes
- The Unforgiving Monkey
- The Unlucky Weaver
- The Weaver-Birds and the Monkeys
- Vishnu-Sarman and the King’s Sons
Russian Folk Tales (17)
- Baba Yaga
- Dimian the Peasant
- Father Frost
- Ivan Tsarevich, the Firebird, and the Gray Wolf
- Ivanoushka the Simpleton
- Koschei the Deathless
- Morozko
- Sadko
- Seven Simeons
- The Firebird, the Horse of Power, and Princess Vasilisa
- The Golden Mountain
- The Language of the Birds
- The Snow Maiden (Snegurochka)
- The Three Kingdoms: Gold, Silver, and Copper
- The Tsarevna Frog
- Vasilisa the Beautiful
- Woe Bogotir
Southeast Asian Folk Tales (3)
- Sang Nila Utama and the Lion of Singapura
- Si Tanggang: The Ungrateful Son and the Curse of Stone
- The Mouse-Deer and the Crocodiles
Tales of the Sun (South India) (29)
- Chandralekha and the Eight Robbers
- Charity Alone Conquers
- Eating Up the Protector
- Good Luck to the Lucky One
- Good Will Grow Out of Good
- Keep It for the Beggar
- Light Makes Prosperity
- Mr. Mighty-of-His-Mouth
- Mr. Won’t-Give and Mr. Won’t-Leave
- Pride Goes Before a Fall
- Ranavirasing
- Retaliation
- The Beggar and the Five Muffins
- The Brahman Priest Who Became an Amildar
- The Brahmarakshas and the Hair
- The Brahmin Girl Who Married a Tiger
- The Faithless Wife and the Ungrateful Blind Man
- The Gardener’s Cunning Wife
- The Good Husband and the Bad Wife
- The Lost Camel
- The Monkey with the Tom-tom
- The Mother-in-Law Who Became a Donkey
- The Poisoned Food
- The Soothsayer’s Son
- The Story of Appayya
- The Three Calamities
- The Three Deaf Men
- The Wonderful Mango Fruit
- Why Brahmans Cannot Eat in the Dark
Turkish Folk Tales (3)
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