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Folktales (or folk tales) are stories passed down through generations, mainly by telling. Different kinds of folktales include fairy tales (or fairytales), tall tales, trickster tales, myths, and legends. You’ll find all of those here. (Other legends—shorter ones—can be found in a special section of their own.)If you are a publisher or other content acquirer, please see also Aaron’s Rights & Permissions.
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Besides browsing the detailed menu below, you can use Aaron’s Indexes to find stories, scripts, and picture books by title, age, genre, theme, country or region, historical period, ethnic group, religion, mythology, holiday, or activity. Or you can just run a search. |
Quackling: A Not-Too-Grimm Fairy Tale 
After waiting in vain for the King to repay a loan, Quackling wants his money back.
GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: France
THEME: Benefits of friendship
AGES: 3–9
LENGTH: 750 words
The Adventures of Mouse Deer: Favorite Folk Tales of Southeast Asia 
Mouse Deer is small, and many animals want to eat him—but first they have to catch him!
GENRE: Folktales, trickster tales
CULTURE: Indonesian, Malaysian
THEME: Wits vs. power
AGES: 4–9
LENGTH: 1800 words (700+400+700)
One‑Eye! Two‑Eyes! Three‑Eyes!: A Very Grimm Fairy Tale 
Two‑Eyes is different from her sisters and others, because she has just two eyes.
GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: German
THEME: Being different
AGES: 7–12
LENGTH: 1400 words
King o’ the Cats 
Peter is notorious for telling wild stories—so who will believe him now, with his crazy claims about cats?
GENRE: Folktales, tall tales, ghost stories
CULTURE: British (English)
THEME: Credibility
AGES: 4–12
LENGTH: 1500 words
The Princess Mouse: A Tale of Finland 
When a young man seeks a wife by way of family tradition, he finds himself engaged to a mouse.
GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: Finnish
THEME: Kindness, humility, integrity
AGES: 4–12
LENGTH: 1800 words
The Baker’s Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Legend 
Van Amsterdam, the baker, is as honest as he can be—but he may have something left to learn.
GENRE: Legends, St. Nicholas tales
CULTURE: American (Dutch colonial)
THEME: Generosity
AGES: 4–13
LENGTH: 900 words
The Sea King’s Daughter: A Russian Legend 
A poor musician is invited to play in the Sea King’s palace, where he’s offered more than riches.
GENRE: Legends, folktales, epic ballads
CULTURE: Russian (medieval)
THEME: Making choices; value of arts
AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 1600 words
Master Man: A Tall Tale of Nigeria 
Shadusa thinks he’s the strongest man in the world—till he meets the real Master Man.
GENRE: Tall tales, folktales
CULTURE: West African, Nigerian
THEME: Machismo
AGES: 5 and up
LENGTH: 1250 words
The Magic Brocade: A Tale of China 
To save his mother’s life, a young man must retrieve her weaving from the fairies of Sun Palace.
GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: Chinese
THEME: Following dreams; creative process
AGES: 4 and up
LENGTH: 1700 words
The Princess and the God: A Tale of Ancient India 
The princess Savitri must use all her wit and will to save her husband from the god of death.
GENRE: Myths, folktales, legends
CULTURE: Asian Indian (ancient), Hindu
THEME: Heroines, determination
AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 1300 words
The Legend of Slappy Hooper: An American Tall Tale 
Slappy is the world’s biggest, fastest, bestest sign painter, but he’s too good—his pictures keep coming to life.
GENRE: Tall tales, folktales
CULTURE: American
THEME: Pursuit of excellence
AGES: 5–12
LENGTH: 1300 words
The Crystal Heart: A Vietnamese Legend 
The mandarin’s daughter did not really see the boatman who sang from the river, but she’s sure he’s her destined love.
GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: Vietnamese
THEME: Kindness, false imagining
AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 1500 words
Forty Fortunes: A Tale of Iran 
When a young man’s wife makes him pose as a fortuneteller, his success is unpredictable.
GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: Iranian (Persian), Middle Eastern
THEME: Pretension
AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 1600 words
Master Maid: A Tale of Norway 
When Leif goes to work for the troll, only the advice of a remarkable young woman can save him from his foolishness—if only he’ll listen!
GENRE: Folktales, tall tales
CULTURE: Norwegian
THEME: Stubbornness, heroines
AGES: 4 and up
LENGTH: 2200 words
The Enchanted Storks: A Tale of Bagdad 
The Calif and his Vizier try a spell that changes them into storks, then find they can’t change back.
GENRE: Fairy tales, folktales
CULTURE: Iraqi, Middle Eastern
THEME: Recklessness
AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 2000 words
The Gifts of the Grasscutter: A Tale of India and Pakistan 
Wali Dad, a humble grasscutter, never asked for wealth—so why can’t he give it away?
GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: Asian Indian, Pakistani
THEME: Generosity
AGES: 4 and up
LENGTH: 1500 words
The Story Spirits: A Tale of Korea
As a boy, Dong Chin never shared the stories he heard—and now, on his wedding day, the stories want revenge.
GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: Korean
THEME: Sharing stories
AGES: 7–12
LENGTH: 1700 words
I Know What I Know: A Tale of Denmark
When his daughters all marry trolls, Ulf learns some new tricks from the husbands—or thinks he does.
GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: Danish
THEME: Lack of full knowledge
AGES: 4–12
LENGTH: 700 words
The Gifts of Friday Eve: A Tale of Iran
Though a woodcutter’s luck could hardly be worse, help is closer than he knows.
GENRE: Folktales, fables
CULTURE: Iranian (Persian), Middle Eastern
THEME: Thankfulness, sharing
AGES: 5–12
LENGTH: 1200 words
When the Twins Went to War: A Fable of Far East Russia
The war-loving men of the Beldy clan are once more off to battle—but why are the wise young twins going with them?
GENRE: Folktales, fables, legends
CULTURE: Russian (Far East, native)
THEME: Militarism
AGES: 7–12
LENGTH: 1200 words
The Hidden One: A Native American Legend
The invisible hunter at the end of the village is sought as husband by every village maiden—but will Little Scarface even dare to try?
GENRE: Folktales, Cinderella tales
CULTURE: Native American, Canadian
THEME: Self-esteem, heroines
AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 1200 wordsTranslations — | German |
The Boy Who Drew Cats: A Tale of Japan
A boy gets in trouble when he can’t stop drawing cats.
GENRE: Fairy tales
CULTURE: Japanese
THEME: Individuality; value of arts
AGES: 4–10
LENGTH: 1000 words
How Frog Went to Heaven: A Tale of Angola
Frog helps a young man who wants to marry the Sky Maiden.
GENRE: Folktales, myths
CULTURE: African, Angolan
THEME: Inventiveness, determination
AGES: 3–9
LENGTH: 1000 words
The Four Puppets: A Tale of Burma
A young man seeking his fortune gets differing advice from four talking puppets.
GENRE: Folktales, fairy tales
CULTURE: Burmese, Buddhist
THEME: Virtue
AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 1500 words
The Master of Masters: A Tale of Norway
Jesus and St. Peter meet an arrogant blacksmith.
GENRE: Folktales, tall tales, Jesus tales
CULTURE: Norwegian, Christian
THEME: Boasting
AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 500 words
The Wings of the Butterfly: A Tale of the Amazon Rainforest
A native girl becomes lost in the forest, where she meets with magical creatures.
GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: South American (native)
THEME: Going beyond
AGES: 7–12
LENGTH: 1700 words
Lars, My Lad!: A Tale of Sweden
A penniless duke finds a magic charm that controls an invisible helper.
GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: Swedish
THEME: Wealth vs. friendship
AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 2700 words
The Calabash Kids: A Tale of Tanzania
The prayers of a lonely woman are answered when her gourds change into children.
GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: African, Tanzanian
THEME: Name-calling
AGES: 3–9
LENGTH: 1100 words
The Millionaire Miser: A Buddhist Fable
Sushil is so stingy, even a god takes notice.
GENRE: Fables, folktales
CULTURE: Asian Indian, Buddhist
THEME: Stinginess
AGES: 5–12
LENGTH: 1000 words
Too-too-moo and the Giant: A Tale of Indonesia
A village girl must feed a giant every day, or he’ll eat her instead.
GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: Indonesian, Javanese
THEME: Courage, heroines
AGES: 5–9
LENGTH: 1000 words
The Lady of Stavoren: A Dutch Legend
A rich but selfish lady sends her sea captain fiancé in quest of the most precious thing in the world. For a briefer telling, see “The Most Precious Thing in the World” in the Legends.
GENRE: Legends, folktales
CULTURE: Dutch
THEME: Excessive pride vs. love
AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 1100 words
Mop Top: A Tale of Norway
A wild princess must get back her sister’s head from a gang of troll girls.
GENRE: Folktales, tall tales
CULTURE: Norwegian
THEME: Heroines
AGES: 5–12
LENGTH: 1300 words
The Boy Who Wanted the Willies
Hans has never in his life been frightened—but a night in a haunted castle should finally give him his chance.
GENRE: Folktales, tall tales, ghost stories
CULTURE: German, European
THEME: Fearlessness
AGES: 5–12
LENGTH: 1300 words
The Wicked Girl: A Tale of Turkey
A lovely slave girl matches wits with a handsome but vengeful restaurant owner.
GENRE: Folktales, trickster tales
CULTURE: Turkish, Middle Eastern
THEME: Heroines
AGES: 9 and up
LENGTH: 1150 words
Kings for Breakfast!: A Hindu Legend
King Vikram must rescue a magic goose from King Karan and discover the secret of his wealth.
GENRE: Folktales, legends, tall tales
CULTURE: Asian Indian, Hindu
THEME: Generosity, self-sacrifice
AGES: 5–12
LENGTH: 1300 words