King Thrushbeard
A proud princess is forced to marry a beggar to learn humility, only to discover he is the very king she once mocked.
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Explore All Stories: From Medieval Tales to Modern Fables
Found 79 stories
Fundevogel
Fundevogel and Lina use magical transformations to escape a wicked cook who plots to kill them.
Little Briar Rose
A princess cursed to sleep for a hundred years is finally awakened by a prince's kiss.
The Six Swans
To save her six brothers turned into swans by a wicked stepmother, a princess must remain silent for six years and sew magic shirts.
Old Sultan
An old dog faces death but regains his master's favor through a clever trick with a wolf, later proving his loyalty against that same wolf.
The Almond Tree
A wicked stepmother murders her stepson, but his bones, buried under an almond tree, transform into a magical bird that exacts revenge and restores his life.
Fitcher's Bird
A clever girl outwits a murderous wizard, resurrects her sisters, and escapes by disguising herself as a bird.
Thumbling's Travels
The thumb-sized son of a tailor goes out into the world, surviving adventures in a chimney, with robbers, inside a cow, and in a sausage, before returning home.
Godfather Death
A famous physician attempts to cheat his godfather, Death, to save a king and princess, but ultimately pays the price in the cavern of life-lights.
Frau Trude
An obstinate little girl disobeys her parents to visit the mysterious Frau Trude, only to discover a terrifying truth and pay a heavy price.
The Godfather
A poor man chooses a mysterious stranger as godfather, receives magical healing water, but discovers terrifying secrets when visiting the godfather's strange house.
Herr Korbes
A story of a group of unusual travelers who visit Herr Korbes and punish the wicked man in various clever ways.
The Robber Bridegroom
A brave bride uses her wit and physical evidence to expose her murderous groom at their wedding feast.
The Changeling
A clever trick involving egg-shells helps a mother recover her baby from the mischievous elves.
The Elves and the Servant Girl
An industrious servant-girl is invited to be a godmother for an elf's child, only to return and find seven years have passed.
The Elves and the Shoemaker
A kind and hardworking shoemaker and his wife find prosperity through the secret help of tiny elves and return the favor with gifts of gratitude.
The Wedding of Mrs. Fox
Mrs. Fox has strict requirements for her new husband's appearance and tail count, leading to a series of tests for her suitors.
Tom Thumb
A clever boy no bigger than a thumb experiences a series of extraordinary adventures before returning home safely to his parents.
The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack
Three brothers driven away by a lying goat return home with magic treasures to defeat greed and reunite with their father.
The Tailor in Heaven
A lame tailor slips into heaven and sits on God's throne, but is banished for his self-righteous judgment.
Clever Else
A satirical fairy tale about a woman whose absurd overthinking and 'cleverness' lead to a series of ridiculous events and a loss of identity.
The Three Languages
A young man dismissed by his father for being stupid uses his knowledge of animal languages to eventually become the Pope.
Hans and Grethel
A humorous tale of Hans, who constantly misinterprets his mother's advice and handles Grethel's gifts in the most absurd ways.
The Girl Without Hands
An epic tale of piety, sacrifice, and miracles, following a girl who loses her hands but finds ultimate happiness through divine protection.
The Louse and the Flea
A small accident triggers a bizarre chain of events that eventually escalates into a catastrophic flood.
The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs
A child born with a caul overcomes the King's deathly trials with wisdom and help from the Devil's grandmother.
The Singing Bone
A Grimm's fairy tale about greed, betrayal, and justice, where a singing bone reveals a long-buried crime.
The Bremen Town Musicians
Four abandoned animals unite to form a band and use their wit to find a new home in a robbers' house.
The Seven Ravens
A young girl embarks on a journey across the world, making a great sacrifice to find and rescue her seven brothers who were cursed into ravens by their father.
Mother Hulda
A classic fairy tale of two sisters who journey to Mother Hulda's magical world, where industry is rewarded with gold and laziness with pitch.
The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage
A group of harmonious partners exchange roles due to dissatisfaction, leading to a sequence of absurd and tragic events.
The Riddle
A Prince outwits a proud princess with a riddle about a poisoned horse and raven to win her hand.
Cinderella
Abused by her stepfamily, Cinderella receives magic help from a tree and birds to attend the prince's festival, eventually proving her identity with a golden shoe while her wicked sisters are punished.
The Brave Little Tailor
A little tailor, boasting of killing "seven at one blow," uses his wits to outsmart giants, a unicorn, and a wild boar, ultimately winning a princess and becoming King.
The Fisherman and His Wife
A fisherman saves an enchanted flounder, but his greedy wife's endless wishes eventually cost them everything.
Little Red Riding Hood
A little girl is tricked by a wolf on her way to visit her grandmother, leading to them both being eaten, but they are saved by a huntsman.
Rapunzel
Traded for rampion and locked in a tower, a girl finds love with a prince; despite a witch's cruel punishment and years of wandering, their love and magical tears eventually lead to a joyful reunion.
The Frog King or Iron Henry
A beautiful princess must keep her promise to care for a frog in exchange for her lost golden ball, only to discover the frog is an enchanted prince.
Hansel and Grethel
A classic fairy tale of two siblings abandoned in the woods who use their wits to defeat a cannibalistic witch and return home with treasures.
Cat and Mouse in Partnership
A cat and a mouse decide to live together, but the cat's greed and deceit lead to a tragic end for the trusting mouse.
Mary's Child
A girl adopted by the Virgin Mary loses everything after denying she opened a forbidden door, but finds redemption and her voice again through repentance at the stake.
The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was
A fearless but dim-witted boy seeks to learn how to 'shudder,' surviving three nights in a haunted castle to win a princess, only to finally discover the sensation through a bucket of cold water and fish.
The Good Bargain
A naive peasant, through a series of misunderstandings and wits, avoids punishment and gains fortune from the King, a soldier, and a Jew.
Faithful John
A loyal servant sacrifices himself to save his King from a curse, turning to stone. Years later, the King's willingness to make a terrible sacrifice restores his faithful friend, proving that true loyalty transcends even death.
The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids
A classic Grimm's fairy tale where a clever mother goat rescues her six eaten kids from a sleeping wolf's belly, replacing them with stones to punish the greedy predator.
Hans in Luck
Starting with a lump of gold, Hans makes a series of diminishing trades—horse, cow, pig, goose, stones—on his way home. When he loses the stones, he returns empty-handed but feels he is the luckiest man alive.
Hans Married
Using a clever pun on 'patches', Hans's uncle tricks a rich peasant into marrying his daughter to Hans, disguising poverty as landed wealth.
Gambling Hansel
An incorrigible gambler cheats Death, empties Hell, and causes such chaos in Heaven that his shattered soul becomes the origin of all gamblers on earth.
The Poor Man and the Rich Man
A rich man squanders three divine wishes due to greed and bad temper, gaining nothing, while a poor couple finds eternal happiness through kindness and contentment.
The Gold-Children
A poor couple receives golden twin sons from a magic fish. Linked by enchanted lilies, one brother rescues the other from a witch's petrifying curse.
Brother Lustig
A cheerful discharged soldier uses a magical knapsack gifted by St. Peter to outwit devils and eventually trick his way past the gatekeeper of Heaven.
The Fox and the Geese
Facing a hungry fox, a flock of geese cleverly asks to pray before death, launching into an unending chorus of honks that keeps the fox waiting forever.
The Young Giant
A thumb-sized boy raised by a giant becomes immensely strong. He tricks greedy employers by asking for kicks as wages, ultimately launching a bailiff and his wife into the sky.
The Three Brothers
To inherit their father's house, three brothers master incredible skills: shaving a running hare, shoeing a galloping horse, and deflecting rain with a sword. The fencer wins, but their bond leads them to share the home happily.
The Old Woman in the Wood
A stranded servant girl is protected by a magical dove in the forest and bravely retrieves a ring from a witch to break the spell binding a Prince.
The Three Little Birds
Three abandoned royal children, aided by a magical bird and fountain water, expose their aunts' treacherous plot, rescue their imprisoned mother, and reunite with their father.
The Lazy Spinner
An extremely lazy wife cleverly tricks her simple husband into giving up on spinning work forever by faking a forest curse and swapping yarn for tow in the boiling pot.
Doctor Know-all
A poor peasant posing as 'Doctor Know-all' solves a theft through a series of lucky coincidences and misunderstandings, gaining fame and fortune without exposing the culprits.
The Water of Life
The youngest prince braves dangers to fetch the Water of Life for his father but is betrayed by his brothers. Ultimately, his pure love passes the princess's test, winning him the kingdom, while the wicked are exiled.
Old Hildebrand
Honest peasant Hildebrand is tricked into a pilgrimage by his wife and the parson but is smuggled back home in an egg basket by a friend. During a farcical singing match, he bursts out to punish the cheaters.
Donkey Cabbages
After being tricked out of his magical treasures by a witch, a young huntsman uses enchanted cabbages to transform his betrayers into donkeys, ultimately finding justice and love.
Ferdinand the Faithful
A faithful youth with a magical white horse overcomes the plots of an evil double and completes impossible quests, ultimately winning the Queen's heart and breaking a Prince's curse.
The Singing, Springing Lark
To save her husband turned into a dove, a wife embarks on a long quest. Aided by the Sun, Moon, and Winds, she overcomes a dragon and magic to reunite with her love.
The Devil and His Grandmother
Three deserters trade their service to the Devil for wealth but risk their souls. With the help of the Devil's grandmother, they solve a deadly riddle, defeating the Devil and winning their freedom.
The Gnome
Three princesses are cursed underground. Young huntsman Hans, aided by a dwarf, descends to slay dragons and rescue them, exposing his treacherous brothers to win the youngest princess's hand.
The Goose Girl
A princess usurped by her wicked maid endures life as a goose girl, revealing her nobility through magic and conversations with a dead horse, before reclaiming her rightful place with the King's help.
The Iron Stove
After freeing a Prince trapped in an iron stove, a Princess loses him by breaking a vow. Aided by magical toads, she overcomes impossible obstacles to reclaim her love and restore a kingdom.
The King of the Golden Mountain
Promised to a dwarf, a merchant's son rises to become King of the Golden Mountain. Betrayed by his wife, he reclaims his throne using magical artifacts tricked from giants, executing all traitors.
The King's Son Who Feared Nothing
A fearless prince befriends a giant, tames a lion, survives blindness, and breaks a castle's curse through endurance and faith to save a princess.
The Spirit in the Glass Bottle
A poor student accidentally releases a spirit from a bottle, wits his way into obtaining a magic rag that turns iron to silver and heals wounds, transforming his life to become a famous doctor.
The Wonderful Musician
A bored musician tricks a wolf, a fox, and a hare in the forest, only to be saved from their revenge by a woodcutter who appreciates his music.
The Twelve Brothers
A princess endures seven years of silence to save her twelve brothers from a curse, narrowly escaping death at the stake to achieve a miraculous reunion.
The Pack of Ragamuffins
A chaotic tale of a rooster, a hen, a duck, a pin, and a needle who trick an innkeeper, cause mayhem, and leave without paying, teaching the host a painful lesson.
Brother and Sister
A brother and sister escape their wicked stepmother, but after the brother is cursed to become a fawn, they must survive in the forest and overcome treachery to find happiness.
The Three Little Men in the Wood
A kind girl is blessed by forest gnomes while her cruel stepsister is cursed, leading to a royal marriage, betrayal, and ultimate justice.
The Three Spinners
A lazy girl, with the help of three hideously deformed spinsters, completes an impossible spinning task to marry a prince and cleverly escapes spinning forever.
The Three Snake-Leaves
A faithful husband uses three magical snake-leaves to resurrect his wife, only to face betrayal, before justice is finally served.
The White Snake
A servant gains the ability to understand animals by eating a white snake, and their gratitude helps him win a princess's hand.
The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean
Three unlikely companions—a straw, a coal, and a bean—escape death together only to face a comical yet tragic twist of fate.