151 Tales From Europe

Lady Mary was beautiful and had two brothers. She lived in her father’s mansion in the countryside. There were many suitors for her hand, but she was in love with Mr Fox who came often to meet her at her father’s house. Although he seemed brave and rich, and spoke about his castle, he did […]

One morning, a boy named Jack set off to seek his fortune in the world. Along the way, he met a cat who offered to join him. He took the cat along. As he walked along, several other creatures offered to join him and Jack, being a friendly fellow, said, “The more, the merrier!” He

A gentleman was courting a farmer’s daughter and often came for dinner with her family. One evening, the farmer sent his daughter to the cellar to draw some beer and bring it. She saw a mallet stuck on the roof of the cellar and wondered what would happen if she had a son and the

Long ago, in Yorkshire, there lived a man learned in many languages and arts. He could change copper into gold and lead into silver. He had a mirror in which he could see things happening in other parts of the world and a shell which he put at his ear to listen to anyone he

Once upon a time, there was a castle in a valley near the Rhine River. Now, it lay desolate and in ruins. One summer afternoon, a young nobleman was out hunting and he chased a fox all the way up into the valley. But he lost the fox along the way and decided to go

Crab was a poor peasant who sold wood in the city. One day, he sold it to a doctor and was very impressed with his house and prosperity. “Can I too become a doctor?” he asked. The doctor said, “Certainly! Get an alphabet book with a picture of a cock crowing, sell off your cart

On a mountain was a castle surrounded by high walls and often flames were seen rising from behind the walls. One day, an old woman collecting firewood on the mountainside, strayed near the castle. The castle appeared to be desolate and in ruins, but she was curious and went in to look around. She went

The Arch Rogue was a conjuror; he was so clever that he could take things away from people right under their noses! The King came to know of him. Failing to catch him, he proclaimed that he wished him to perform his miracles of making things disappear for the King’s pleasure. The man presented himself

Kaiser Karl, better known as Charlemagne, lived earlier in Zurich. He had a pillar with a bell put up outside his house, so that anyone seeking justice might call him at any time. One night the bell rang, till the Kaiser himself went to the door. He found a large snake wrapped around the pillar,

The widow lived alone and was very poor, but she had a great quality: she was happy with whatever she got! She ran errands for others, did little odd jobs for them and sometimes they gave her a bowl of soup or something to eat. That made her very happy. One day, she found an

Holger is a great Danish hero, formidable in height and size! It was said that when he wished for new clothes, twelve tailors were summoned. They needed stools and ladders to climb up and measure him as, he was so tall! One of the tailors snipped his ear by mistake and Holger, thinking it was

A widow had an ill-natured daughter and a step-daughter. She hated her beautiful and good-natured step-daughter. One day, the step-daughter, munching a golden apple, went to fetch water. A small hand came out of the well and a voice asked for her apple. The girl gave it willingly. “Bless you thrice!” said the voice. The

Near the mill of Binnorie was a mansion and garden where a King and a Queen lived with their two princesses. A knight, Sir William, came there and sought the hand of the elder princess and presented her a ring. But as time passed, he grew to love her younger sister for her beauty and

The little brown underground people who lived in the hills were very careful about their things, shoes, caps, belts and buckles. If they lost anything, they felt miserable, spending sleepless nights till they found it. And since they could transform themselves into any shape, they searched for it disguised as humans, birds, animals, insects, anything!

Prince Tender-Heart was given a strong horse, a trusted servant and his father’s blessing to travel in the world, to make him wiser and more learned. On the way, the Prince saw an eagle attacking a swan, and shot the eagle down with his gun. The swan thanked him, for she was the daughter of