Hansel and Gretel

Once upon a time, there lived a brother and sister named Hansel and Gretel. They lived with their father and stepmother in a small house near a dense forest. The family was so poor that they barely had enough food to survive. One day, their stepmother cruelly suggested abandoning the children in the forest, so she and their father would have fewer mouths to feed. Though heartbroken, their father reluctantly agreed because of their desperate circumstances.

Little Red Riding Hood

Once upon a time, there was a sweet little girl loved by everyone. Her favorite person in the world was her grandmother, who one day gave her a beautiful red hooded cloak. She loved it so much that she wore it everywhere, and soon everyone called her Little Red Riding Hood. One morning, her mother asked her to take a basket of goodies to her grandmother, who was feeling sick, and warned her carefully, “Go straight to Grandma’s house and do not go through the forest. A wolf lives there, and he could hurt you.”

Beauty and the Beast

Once upon a time, a wealthy merchant lived with his three daughters in a large and comfortable home. Among them, the youngest daughter, Belle, stood out for her gentle nature and kind heart. Even when the family lost everything and had to move to a poor countryside village, Belle remained optimistic and continued to comfort her father and sisters, proving that her inner beauty was her greatest strength.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, snowflakes fell like tiny white feathers across the sky. A queen sat by a black ebony window, sewing. As she watched the snow, her needle pricked her finger, and three drops of bright red blood fell onto the pure white snow. She sighed and made a wish: “I wish I could have a daughter with skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony.” Soon after, the queen gave birth to a beautiful baby girl who perfectly matched her wish. She named her Snow White. Sadly, the queen died when Snow White was still very young, leaving her father to care for the child.

Cinderella

Long ago, a wealthy man lost his wife and was left with a single daughter. Eventually he remarried a woman who was harsh and cruel, and she had two daughters just like her. Meanwhile, his own daughter was kind, gentle, and naturally lovable, earning everyone’s admiration more than her selfish stepsisters. Jealous of her goodness, the stepmother forced the girl to do all the hard labor in the house, from carrying water and cooking to cleaning every room. She slept in a dusty attic while the stepsisters enjoyed elegant bedrooms with soft white beds and polished mirrors. Despite her suffering, she never complained because her father was too afraid to stand up to his new wife. Every evening, covered in ashes from the fireplace, she earned the nickname Cinderella.

Sleeping Beauty

Long ago, a king and queen longed for a child. One day, while the queen was bathing, a frog appeared and told her that her wish would soon come true, and by the end of the year she would give birth to a daughter. The prophecy came true, and the queen delivered a beautiful princess who captured every heart. To celebrate her birth, the king held a magnificent feast and invited everyone he could, including twelve of the thirteen fairies in the kingdom. The thirteenth fairy was left out simply because the king did not have enough golden plates for all of them. During the celebration, the fairies stepped forward and blessed the princess with beauty, grace, virtue, kindness and every gift they could offer. But suddenly, the thirteenth fairy appeared in anger and cast a terrible curse: when the princess reached fifteen, she would prick her finger on a spindle and die. The last invited fairy could not undo the curse, but she softened it so the princess would not die but fall into a deep sleep lasting one hundred years.

The Wise Farmer and the False Accusation

During the Lê dynasty in Vietnam, at the foot of Mount Hồng Lĩnh, there lived a poor man. In his youth, he had learned just enough literacy to sign contracts when borrowing money, but his family’s land and home were eventually lost to debt. As he grew older, he earned a living herding cattle for villagers. Each morning he led the cows into the hills and each evening returned them to their owners. While the animals grazed, he often waded into streams to catch eels for food.

Seryozha and the Canary

Seryozha had a wonderful birthday. He received many gifts such as a toy wolf, a horse, and even some picture books. But the present he loved the most was a bird trap that his cousin sent him. The trap worked like this: at the entrance of the net there was a small wooden plate. If Seryozha scattered some grain on it and left it in the yard, the moment a bird landed to peck at the seeds, the plate would tilt, and the net would drop down, capturing the bird. Excited, Seryozha ran to show his mother. She frowned and said, “That is not a good toy. Why catch birds? Why cause them harm?”

The Legend of the Cockscomb Flower

Long ago, every hen proudly wore a bright red comb on her head, just like the roosters do today. One early morning, a little speckled hen named Mei admired her reflection in a farmyard puddle. She was delighted to see the crown of red feathers glowing like a cluster of flowers on her head. Flapping her wings, she happily sang her familiar tune: “Cluck, cluck, cluck! My comb has bloomed! Cluck, cluck, cluck!” The other animals on the farm stopped to look at her and exclaimed with admiration, “What a lovely crown you have! So charming and elegant.”

The Greedy Bear Cubs

Once upon a time, in a deep forest untouched by humans, there lived a mother bear and her two young cubs. The mother bear was already old, but every day she still worked tirelessly to find food and take care of her children.

Seeing their mother struggle, the cubs said, “Mom, we are grown up now. Tomorrow, please let us go out and find food on our own.” The mother bear was overjoyed to hear her children’s words. She hugged them tightly and gave them many instructions before letting them go. Although her heart was filled with worry, she also felt proud and happy that her children wanted to become independent.

Heungbu and Nolbu

In ancient Korea, there lived two brothers who could not have been more different. The older brother, Nolbu, was rich, selfish, and harsh, while the younger brother, Heungbu, was poor but gentle and kindhearted. After their father’s death, Nolbu inherited everything and forced his younger brother out, leaving Heungbu and his family in poverty. Although Heungbu often had nothing to eat, he never let bitterness change his heart. He chose kindness over anger, even toward the brother who wronged him.

The Greek Myth of Roses: A Story of Love and Sacrifice

Long ago, on a drifting island that floated gently on the waves, a baby boy was born. His life began with tragedy, as his mother suddenly fell ill and passed away. Without her milk, the infant cried endlessly, and his sorrowful wails reached the heavens. Zeus, king of the gods, heard the cries and took pity on the orphaned child. He ordered the divine blacksmith to mold a kind woman from earth and water, sending her down to care for the boy. From that day on, mother and child lived together in a simple home made of seaweed and delicate plants. Goats offered him milk, the forest trees rustled to lull him to sleep, and bees carried honey from nearby mountains to nourish him.

Grandmother and Grandchild

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived two children, a brother and a sister. Their parents had passed away when they were young, so they went to live with their grandmother. She was very old and very poor, yet she gave them all the love she had. Life was hard, but the little family remained close, finding comfort in one another. The children stayed by their grandmother’s side, and her gentle smile made even the toughest days a little easier.

The Story of Two Magical Words

On a quiet afternoon, a small old man with a long gray beard sat on a park bench, drawing strange shapes in the sand with the tip of his umbrella. A young boy named Pavlik came running up, his face red with frustration. “Move over,” he demanded. The old man shifted to the side and looked at the boy curiously. “You seem upset,” he said kindly. Pavlik hesitated, then admitted, “I just ran away from home.”

The Legend of the Star Apple Tree

Once upon a time, there lived a poor widow and her only son in a small cottage. She worked tirelessly every day to provide for him, giving all her love and sacrifices to ensure he had a better life. But because she spoiled him too much, the boy grew selfish, demanding, and often threw tantrums. He would play mischievous pranks with naughty children in the village, disturbing others and causing trouble.

The Girl Who Didn’t Value Friendship

Once upon a time, there was a lovely little girl who owned a handsome rooster. Every morning, the rooster greeted her with a cheerful crow: “Cock-a-doodle-doo! Good morning, little mistress!”. It would peck happily at the grains of rice from her hand, then leap up onto the fence. In the sunlight, its feathers shimmered like velvet, and its bright red comb glowed like a flame. It was truly a magnificent rooster.

The Blind Horse Who Rang the Bell

Long ago in Russia, near a thriving port city, there lived a wealthy merchant whose ships sailed across the oceans, bringing back goods and gold from every corner of the world. He owned many rare treasures, but none were as valuable to him as his prized horse, a magnificent stallion so fast and graceful that it seemed to ride on the wind. He named the horse Windrunner, and only he dared to ride it. He loved Windrunner more than anything else he owned and refused to part with it under any circumstances.

Purine the Bunny

The sun was growing brighter each day. The snow had melted, and the silver streams hummed cheerful songs as they flowed through the forest. Spring had truly arrived, filling the land with warmth and color. Flowers bloomed in every direction, and everything seemed alive again. In the middle of all this, a young rabbit named Purine stood among the blossoms, smiling to himself. "Aha," he thought, "the cruel winter has finally left the forest!"

The Hero Who Defeated the Fire Dragon

Long ago, in the remote northern mountains of Korea, a terrifying fire dragon made its home. Whenever it emerged from its lair, its four legs blazed with flames, and its presence alone was enough to burn homes to ash and scorch the fields dry. The villagers lived in constant fear, powerless and desperate. Many brave young men had tried to slay the dragon, but none ever returned. In a small village, a young man named Blake could no longer stand by. Driven by courage and a deep sense of duty, he set off to destroy the creature and bring peace to his people.

The Donkey in the Tiger’s Skin

Among the many timeless stories from the Panchatantra, “The Donkey in the Tiger’s Skin” stands out as a witty and thought-provoking tale. This story blends humor with life lessons, revealing the dangers of pretending to be something you're not. It reminds us that no matter how clever the disguise, our true nature eventually reveals itself.