Long ago, a poor soldier with nowhere to go made a seven-year pact with the Devil: no washing, no combing, no cutting, no prayer, in exchange for endless gold. Wrapped in a bearskin, he wandered the world — feared by all, yet kind at heart, giving to the poor wherever he went. On the seventh year he found his faithful bride with a broken ring, while her two vain sisters were undone by their own envy.
Three women are turned into flowers that look exactly alike. How does a husband pick out his own wife? The answer hides in a single drop of dew.
For three days a hare steals the cabbages, then tricks the maiden onto its tail and carries her home to be its bride. The maiden turns the trick around, leaves a straw double in her place, and slips home unnoticed.
A golden-haired princess flees her father's wrong plan in a cloak of a thousand furs and hides as a kitchen girl in another land; three secret feasts and three golden treasures finally give her away, for gold buried in ashes cannot stay hidden.
A boy called the Simpleton shares his plain food with a little grey man and is given a golden goose. Greedy people stick to it one by one and form a funny line that makes the sad princess laugh. Thanks to his kind heart, he passes the king's three tasks, marries the princess, and good deeds are rewarded with good luck.
Long ago twin brothers ate the heart and liver of a golden bird, and gold began to appear under their pillows every morning — until a wicked uncle drove them from home; a kindly huntsman raised them as skilled hunters, and grateful animals repaid their kindness, so the younger brother slew the dragon and saved the princess, and when a lying marshal stole the deed, the animals brought him back to life, and he returned with the dragon's tongues as proof and won back everything that was his.
Frederick has a kind but simple-minded wife, Catherine, who means well yet turns every little task into a big mess — until she carries their door into the forest and wins everything back by pure luck.
Golden apples keep vanishing from the king's tree, so his three sons set out to catch the thief. Guided by a faithful fox, the youngest son stumbles more than once, yet in the end he wins the golden bird, the golden horse and the princess — and uncovers his brothers' cruel hearts.
A starving dog is fed by a kind sparrow, only to be crushed to death by a cruel carter while he sleeps; the sparrow vows to see justice done, and in the end the carter reaps what he has sown — for good and evil each bring their own reward.
A witch's cruel plan costs her own daughter's life; the girl flees with Roland and the magic wand, endures flight, waiting, and forgetfulness, and at last wins back her love with a single song.
A miller's daughter must spin straw into gold or die, so she strikes a desperate deal with a magic little man who later returns to claim her firstborn child.
Three poor brothers go out to seek their fortune; the two eldest go home content with silver and gold, while the youngest walks on, wins a knapsack, a hat, and a horn, and fights his way at last to the throne.
Envied by her wicked stepmother, lovely Snow White is sheltered by seven dwarfs and woken by a prince, while envy at last destroys the one who holds it.
A proud princess mocks every suitor, so her angry father gives her to the first beggar at the door; only after great hardship does she learn that the beggar is the very king she once laughed at.
A foundling boy and the forester's daughter vow never to part, escape a cruel cook by changing shape again and again, and finally come home safe.
A slighted wise woman casts a hundred-year curse, and only when the time is ripe does a kind-hearted prince find the path through the thorns and wake the sleeping princess.
Old Sultan the dog has grown old and useless, and his master plans to get rid of him. A wolf's clever trick saves his life, but when the wolf wants to steal a sheep, loyal Sultan refuses — and the wolf's revenge ends in a comic duel that brings them peace.
A wicked stepmother kills her stepson, and his father eats him without knowing; but his sister Marjory buries his bones under the almond tree, and the boy returns as a magical bird to set things right and bring the family together again.
When a wizard traps three sisters one by one, the youngest keeps her head, restores her sisters to life, and outwits the wicked man to the very end.
The thumb-sized son of a tailor sets out to see the world, rides steam up a chimney, robs a treasure chamber for thieves, is swallowed by a cow and stuffed into a sausage — until a promise to a fox buys his freedom and brings him home.
A poor farmer makes Death the godfather of his thirteenth child, who grows into a physician that can read life and death — but after breaking the godfather's rules twice, his own life-light goes out.
A headstrong little girl ignores her parents' warnings, visits the strange Frau Trude, sees wonders along the way, and pays a terrible price.
A poor man gains a cup of magic water from a mysterious godfather and becomes a famous doctor — until a visit to that strange house reveals a secret too terrible to stay for.
A strange crowd rides to the house of Herr Korbes, hides while he is away, and turns on him when he returns — though the tale never once says what made the master so wicked.
Trusting her wary heart and a pocketful of secretly dropped beans, a miller's daughter sees through her murderous groom and exposes his crimes at the wedding feast by telling her story as a dream.
When elves swap her baby for a changeling, a mother wins him back with two egg-shells and a clever trick.
A hard-working servant girl becomes godmother to an elf's baby, and after three happy days in the mountain she returns to find that seven years have passed.
A poor but honest shoemaker is secretly helped by two tiny elves who finish his work each night; he and his wife repay the kindness with little handmade clothes, and good deeds bring good fortune.
An old fox fakes his own death to test his wife, and the trick backfires into a parade of suitors; when he truly dies, Mrs. Fox will take no husband who does not copy the old one — until a young fox in red stockings shows her that a like shape need not hold a like heart.
A boy no bigger than a thumb uses wit and courage to escape sellers, scare off thieves, and talk his way out of a cow and a wolf — before coming safely home to his parents.
Everyone calls Else clever, but she weeps over a trouble that will never come, makes her whole family cry with her, then doubts herself over a string of little bells and leaves the village forever.
A boy everyone called slow listens to the voices of dogs, birds, and frogs — and his three "useless" skills lead him, step by step, to the seat of the Pope.
Long ago there lived a simple boy named Hans who used his mother's advice in the wrong place every single time, spoiling each gift from Grethel with a fresh laugh — until everyone learned that knowing rules by heart is not cleverness, but seeing what lies before your eyes is.
A louse scalds herself, and the news spreads from one to another until, at last, a great flood swallows everything.
A wild boar, two brothers, and one envious heart — years later, a singing bone tells the truth for the brother who was wronged.
Four old animals cast aside by their masters join forces, use their own gifts, and scare off the robbers to find a warm new home.
A little girl walks to the ends of the earth, past the sun and the moon, and opens the Glass Mountain with her own finger, to find and free her seven brothers, turned into ravens by their father's angry words.
A hard-working girl jumps into a deep well, helps the bread and the apple tree, serves Mother Hulda well, and comes home dressed in gold, while her lazy sister, who wants the riches without the work, ends up covered in pitch that never washes off.
Three partners live happily, each doing his own job, until the bird envies the others and forces a swap of roles, and one by one they lose their lives.
A prince bets his life on a riddle about a poisoned horse and a raven, and outwits a proud princess with the help of a loyal servant.
A girl abused by her stepfamily keeps a kind heart and her mother's promise, dances three nights with the prince, and proves who she truly is with one golden slipper — kindness is repaid, and cruelty is punished.
A little tailor sews the boast "Seven at one stroke" on his belt, and with nothing but his wits he defeats giants, a unicorn, and a wild boar — and at last wins a princess and a crown.
A kind fisherman frees a talking flounder, but his greedy wife keeps asking for more — a house, a castle, a crown, the pope's throne, and finally the sun and moon — until everything vanishes and they are back in their old hut.
A straw, a coal, and a bean escape the fire and set out together, but crossing a little brook they reach beyond their strength — the straw breaks, the coal drowns, and only the careful bean survives.
A young servant tastes the king's white snake and learns to understand every creature. He shows kindness to fish, ants, and ravens, and their gratitude helps him win the princess at last.
A poor youth wins a princess by his bravery, then uses three snake-leaves to bring her back from death—only to be repaid with betrayal, until at last each soul reaps what it has sown.
A lazy girl who cannot spin a single thread is saved by three ugly spinners; she keeps her word to them, and a clever trick sets her free from the wheel forever.
A kind girl shares her only bread with three little men in the wood and earns gold and a king, while her rude stepsister earns only toads and a bitter end — kindness is rewarded, and cruelty is repaid.
A lazy wife who hates spinning scares her husband with a fake voice in the forest and swaps yarn for tow in the pot. Her tricks all succeed, yet in the end she wins nothing — not a single thread of yarn.
A kind huntsman wins a magic bird's heart and a wishing-cloak, loses both to a greedy witch, and then uses a magic cabbage to win them back — ending with forgiveness, not revenge.
A faithful youth receives a magic key and a white horse, shows kindness to a pen and a fish along the way, and with his talking horse's help survives giants, birds, and dark magic — until loyalty wins its reward and a prince's spell is broken.
Three poor soldiers trade seven years of service to the devil for endless gold. When the time runs out, one brave soldier follows an old woman's advice into the forest, learns the riddle's secret, and wins their freedom back with three clever answers.
A princess frees a prince from an iron stove, then loses him by breaking her promise. Guided by kindly toads, she crosses every trial and finally wakes her love's memory, winning back their happiness.
A fearless prince fetches the golden apple from the Tree of Life for a giant, gains a faithful lion, and frees a princess by bearing three nights of torment in silence.
A servant girl, the only survivor of a robber attack, is lost alone in the forest. Guided by a white dove, she finds one plain ring, breaks a witch's spell, and frees a prince who was turned into a tree.
To win their father's house, three brothers each learn a trade: one shaves a running hare, one shoes a galloping horse, and one keeps dry with his sword. The swordsman wins, yet the brothers stay one at heart and live together to old age — for love between brothers is worth more than any house.
A lying goat tricks a tailor into driving away his three sons; years later the sons return with a magic table, a gold-ass, and a cudgel that beats wrongdoers, defeat a greedy innkeeper, and bring the family together again.
To free her six brothers from a stepmother's spell, a princess vows six years of silence and sews shirts of aster flowers — and clings to her promise even when it costs her everything.
A poor boy born with luck on his side uses courage and honesty to pass every trial the King sets, until the schemer falls into his own trap.
A good girl is rashly promised to the devil by her father and loses her hands, yet her pure heart wins heaven's help until she finds her king again and all her happiness returns.
A lame tailor sneaks into heaven, sits on the Master's golden throne while he is away, and hurls the footstool at a woman below, until his curiosity and meddling cost him his place in paradise.
Long ago, a brother and sister are left in a deep forest, and only their wits and their love for each other can lead them past a wicked witch and home again.
A girl in a red cap trusts a wolf's sweet words, and she and her grandmother end up inside the wolf until a huntsman cuts him open; when a second wolf appears, her hard-won wisdom turns his own trick against him.
Given away for a bed of rampion and shut in a lonely tower, a girl sings until a prince finds her; after the witch's fury, blindness, and years of wandering, two loving tears bring back the light and the family home.
A farmer who is always losing out and always misunderstanding everyone stumbles from frogs and dogs all the way to the palace, and finally goes home in a fine coat with good money in his pocket.
A cheerful old soldier shares his last bread with a beggar, denies eating the lamb's heart, and uses a magic knapsack to outwit devils and sneak into heaven — full of faults, yet he always lands on his feet.
A cat and a mouse become partners, but the cat keeps lying about being a godfather and eats the hidden pot of fat; the trusting mouse discovers the truth too late and meets a bitter end.
A poor farmer hangs up a sign reading 'Doctor Know-all' and, through a string of lucky mistakes, finds a lord's stolen gold and wins fame — though his 'wisdom' is nothing but luck.
A dying king entrusts his son to his faithful servant John. John saves the young king three times, knowing the truth will turn him to stone; the king repays him with his dearest sacrifice, and at last the family is whole again.
A gambler who has lost everything trades his three wishes for winning cards and dice, wins half the world, tricks Death, and throws Heaven into chaos — yet he ends up with no place to call home, and his shattered soul becomes the gamblers of today.
A lump of gold earned in seven years turns into a horse, a cow, a pig, a goose, and finally two heavy stones. When the stones fall into a well, Hans goes home empty-handed but laughing — for in his heart, lightness is worth more than gold.
By twisting one word, 'patches,' Hans's uncle tricks a money-loving farmer into agreeing to the wedding; and after the marriage Hans shows his wife that the only thing he truly owns is his patched smock.
A woodcutter's daughter is raised in heaven by the Virgin Mary. She opens a forbidden door, denies it three times, and is cast out into a hard, silent life — until she speaks the truth at the stake and finds forgiveness.
Honest farmer Hildebrand is sent off on a fake "pilgrimage" by his wife and the parson, until an egg-selling friend hides him in a basket and carries him home to see the truth.
A father's hasty promise gives his youngest daughter to a lion; she keeps her word and marries the prince, and when a spell turns him into a dove, she searches for seven years, asking the sun, the moon, and the winds and fighting a dragon, until her faithful heart wins him back.
A fearless simpleton treats 'learning to shudder' as a trade, crosses wild fields and a haunted castle, defeats evil spirits, wins treasure and a princess — and is finally taught what fear is by his wife's bucket of cold water and a few little fish.
A hungry fox finds a flock of fat geese, who cleverly ask for a last prayer before death. That prayer never ends, and the fox is still waiting to this day.
A proud princess carelessly promises to befriend a frog in exchange for her golden ball; when she keeps her word, the frog turns out to be a prince.
The king's daughters sink into the earth by a curse, and the looked-down-upon 'Silly Hans' descends alone, slays the dragons, and rescues the princesses — then exposes the brothers who stole his credit, winning the princess and everyone's respect by his true worth.
A golden fish brings a poor fisherman a castle, but a curious wife talks him into losing it twice; on the third try the fish gives them two golden sons, bound by magic lilies, so that one brother senses the other's danger and rides to the rescue.
A princess is robbed of her identity by a wicked maid and ends up minding geese, but the truth will not stay hidden — a speaking horse's head and a wind that answers her call lead the old king to the truth, and the schemer eats the fruit of her own deeds.
A merchant's son drifts to an enchanted land, frees a spellbound princess, and becomes King of the Golden Mountain. Then a moment of anger and his wife's betrayal strip him of everything, until wit and the giants' treasures win back his crown.
A cock, a hen, a duck, a pin, and a needle — a pack of greedy rogues — feast for free at an inn, play nasty tricks on the kind landlord, and slip away, leaving him to count the cost.
A kind poor couple win lasting blessings through honest hospitality, while a stingy rich man squanders three wishes on his own greed and temper — kindness is repaid, and contentment is true wealth.
A poor student frees a spirit from a bottle by mistake, uses his wits to escape twice, and gains a magic cloth that turns iron to silver and heals all wounds, changing his family's fate forever.
Three babies are thrown into the deep water and raised by a kind fisherman. Years later, the youngest daughter wins a magic wand and a singing bird with one kind word, and the truth finally comes to light, freeing the queen and reuniting the whole family.
A princess gives up speaking and laughing for seven years to save her twelve brothers from a raven curse, and her patience wins a miracle at the very last moment.
Three princes ride out to find the Water of Life for their dying father: the proud brothers are trapped on the road, the humble youngest brings the water home only to be betrayed, and in the end a golden road tells a true heart from a false one, giving the kingdom to the good son and exile to the wicked.
Seven little kids ignore their mother's warning and open the door to a wolf in disguise; a clever mother goat cuts him open, saves her kids, and fills his belly with stones — those who ignore wise words learn the hard way.
A proud musician lures a wolf, a fox and a hare with his fiddle and then tricks each one; when the three beasts come back for revenge, a woodcutter shields him with his axe, and he learns that mocking others wins no true friend.
A thumb-sized boy, raised by a giant, becomes a man of mighty strength. Asking for kicks instead of coins, he teaches greedy masters a lesson and boots a promise-breaking bailiff and his wife into the sky.
A brother and sister flee their cruel stepmother, but the brother drinks from a cursed brook and becomes a fawn. Through hardship and treachery, the sister's love brings them home at last.