Folk tales belong to everyone, but particular translations, retellings and pictures can still be someone’s property. This page explains what we draw on, what you may do with our pages, and how to raise a rights question.
The books we work from
Our retellings are based on collections that are in the public domain in the United States. These are the books we cite most often. Each title links to a free copy. Public-domain status differs between countries and editions, so check the rules where you will reuse material.
- Arthur W. Ryder, The Panchatantra (1925)
- Edwin Arnold, The Book of Good Counsels, from the Hitopadesha, in Hindu Literature
- V. Fausbøll (editor), T. W. Rhys Davids and R. C. Childers (translations), Buddhist Birth Stories, and Ellen C. Babbitt, Jataka Tales and More Jataka Tales
- Flora Annie Steel, Tales of the Punjab, with notes by R. C. Temple
- Natesa Sastri and Mrs. Howard Kingscote, Tales of the Sun, or Folklore of Southern India
- Lal Behari Day, Folk-Tales of Bengal
- Joseph Jacobs, Indian Fairy Tales, Celtic Fairy Tales and More Celtic Fairy Tales
- Siddha Mohana Mitra, Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit
- C. H. Tawney, translation of Somadeva’s Katha Sarit Sagara
- James Scarth Gale, Korean Folk Tales: Imps, Ghosts and Fairies, and William Elliot Griffis, Korean Fairy Tales
- Richard Wilhelm, The Chinese Fairy Book, and J. Macgowan, Chinese Folk-Lore Tales
- Yei Theodora Ozaki, Japanese Fairy Tales
- West African Folk-Tales and James A. Honey, South-African Folk-Tales
- Edgar Taylor and Marian Edwardes, Grimms’ Fairy Tales
- V. S. Vernon Jones, Aesop’s Fables
- George Webbe Dasent, Popular Tales from the Norse
- Andrew Lang, The Arabian Nights Entertainments and his coloured Fairy Books
- Verra Kalamatiano de Blumenthal, Folk Tales from the Russian
Story source notes identify the cited book or tradition and, where established, the chapter. A later retelling may differ from that edition; a source note does not mean every added detail appears in the original.
What you may do with our pages
You are welcome to read, print and share links to any page for personal, family or classroom use. Teachers may print a story or its discussion questions for their own students. Please do not copy our retellings or illustrations onto another website, app or publication without written permission. The linked editions can be read directly; check their reuse notices and your local law before republishing material.
Rights questions
If you believe a page uses material that you own, or that a source is wrongly described, email support@asiansparrow.com. Please include the page address, the material concerned and the basis of your claim. We will review the concern and correct or remove material where appropriate.