Skønlitteratur for børn og unge: Folkedigtning

A very ancient folk tale, often copied and translated, found in Grimm's compilation of fairy tales. This is a moral tale about a poor shoemaker who receives unexpected help when he thinks he won't be able to make it: elves come into his house and shoulder his work for him.

The Fables of Jean de La Fontaine were issued in several volumes from 1668 to 1694. They are classics of French literature. The Fables supply delights to three different ages: the child rejoices in the freshness and vividness of the story, the eager student of literature in the consummate art with which it is told, the experienced man of the world in the subtle reflections on character and life which it conveys. The Fables were regarded as providing an excellent education in morals for children, and the first edition was dedicated to the six-year old Dauphin, the Eldest Son of the King. Eventually the fables were learned by heart for such entertainments and afterwards they were adopted by the education system, not least as linguistic models as well. Most famous Fables are « The raven and the fox », « The frog that whished to be as big as the ox », « The city rat and the country rat », « The wolf and the dog », « The lion going to war », for example.

Snow-White and Rose-Red is a German fairy tale written by Brothers Grimm. Snow-White and Rose-Red are two little girls living with their mother, a poor widow, in a small cottage. They are very good little girls, they love each other dearly, and their mother is very fond of them. Dark-haired Rose-Red is outspoken and cheerful and loves to play outside. Fair-haired Snow-White is quiet and shy and prefers doing housework and reading. One winter night, there is a knock at the door. Rose Red opens the door to find a bear. At first, she is terrified, but the bear tells her not to be afraid. "I'm half frozen and I merely want to warm up a little at your place," he says. They let the bear in, and he lies down in front of the fire. Snow-White and Rose-Red beat the snow off the bear, and they quickly become quite friendly with him. They play with the bear and roll him around playfully. They let the bear spend the night in front of the fire. In the morning, he leaves trotting out into the woods. The bear comes back every night for the rest of that winter and the family grows used to him. When summer comes, the bear tells them that he must go away for a while to guard his treasure from a wicked dwarf. During the summer, when the girls are walking through the forest, they find a dwarf whose beard is stuck in a tree. The girls rescue him by cutting his beard free, but the dwarf is ungrateful and yells at them for cutting his beautiful beard. The girls encounter the dwarf several times that summer, rescue him from some peril each time and the dwarf is ungrateful each time. Then one day, they meet the dwarf once again. This time, he is terrified because the bear is about to eat him...

The legend of the famous hero Robin Hood originates in dramatic pieces and ballads from the 15th century in England. His story has been given shape and retold through the centuries, and is still universally known to children nowadays. The Tales of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, as retold by Mary Macleod, is a faithful rendition of the original Middle-age legend full of colorful and moral adventures. It is read by Katie Haigh, for the delight of children and as well as adults sensitive to literary style.

The Fairies is a classic folk tale by Charles Perrault. Once upon a time there was a widow who had two daughters. The elder was often mistaken for her mother, so like her was she both in nature and in looks. Both of them were so disagreeable and arrogant that no one could live with them. The younger girl, who was a true likeness of her father in the gentleness and sweetness of her disposition, was also one of the most beautiful girls imaginable. The mother doted on the elder daughter naturally enough, since she resembled her so closely; and she disliked the younger one just as intensely. She made her eat all her meals in the kitchen and work from morning till night. One of the poor child's many duties was to go twice a day and draw water from a spring a good half mile away, bringing it back in a large pitcher. One day when she was at the spring an old woman came up and begged for a drink...

Snow Drop and the Seven Dwarfs also known as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves"is a German fairy tale, written by Brothers Grimm, known across much of Europe and is today one of the most famous fairy tales worldwide. A queen gives birth to a baby daughter, a girl with skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony. She is named 'Snow White'. Sadly, the Good Queen, Snow White's mother, dies during childbirth. After a year has passed, Snow White's father, the King, takes a new and second wife, who is very beautiful, but a wicked and vain woman. The new queen, Snow White's evil stepmother, possesses a magic mirror, which she asks every morning, "Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?" The mirror always replies: "My Queen, you are the fairest one of all." The Queen is always pleased with that, because the magic mirror never lies. But as Snow White grows up, she becomes more beautiful each day and even more beautiful than the Queen, and when the Queen asks her mirror, it tells her that Snow White is the fairest. This gives the queen a great shock. She becomes yellow and green with envy and from that hour on, her heart turns against Snow White, and she hates her more and more each day. Envy and pride, like ill weeds, grow in her heart taller every day, until she has no peace day or night. Eventually, the Queen orders a huntsman to take Snow White into the deepest woods to be taken...

One Thousand and One Nights, also known as the Arabian Nights, is a collection of Middle Eastern and South Asian stories compiled during the Islamic Golden Age. The beautiful Sheherazade, threatened with death, manages to postpone the fatal day by telling one marvellous story every night. The stories themselves are folk tales, fairy tales and poems collected over many centuries, from ancient and medieval Arabic, Persian, Mesopotamian, Indian, and Egyptian folklore and literature. This makes The Arabian Nights a priceless treasure, as it takes us to the very roots of our culture in a delightful and passionate way. We have selected for you 5 of the most charming stories told by Sheherazade: Persevere and Prosper; The Story of Caliph Stork; The Enchanted Horse; Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves; and Sinbad the Sailor.

Jewish folklore is full of vivid stories that both entertain and teach. We have selected for you a collection of tales and stories from the Talmud and Midrash, and rewritten to suit the needs of children of Jewish culture and any other. Along with a large helping of gentle humor, these tales entertain while being infused with the perennial Jewish struggle for survival and dignity; children will discover tales of marvel, and learn about Jewish fundamental values, such as how the wise Rabbis of old took into account the necessities of the little ones. This audiobook rassembles the following stories, narrated in a lively way: From Shepherd-Boy to King; The Water-Babe; King for Three Days; The Beggar King; The Quarrel of the Cat and Dog; The Paradise in the Sea; The Magic Palace; The Sleep of One Hundred Years; The Fairy Frog; The Rabbi's Bogey-man.

The best Italian stories are those who capture our imagination and fill us with various delights. The Adventures of Pinocchio in Wonderland is a succession of various tales, each one very different from the others, in which the talking marionnette Pinocchio goes from mischievous adventure to enlightening redemption. All of these stories are considered a canonical piece of children's literature; they have inspired countless adaptations, such as Walt Disney's classic animation. It is one of the most translated and widely read works of literature ever written, and gave birth to popular pieces of wisdom such as a liar's long nose.

Discover fundamentals of European culture with a selection of the best stories by Hans Christian Andersen, who is credited with some of the best fairy tales ever written. His stories are a delight for children of all ages; their elegance, wit, and themes transcending age and nationality, makes them suitable for little kids and adults alike. They have inspired numerous adaptations and are positively ageless. Discover or rediscover, narrated in a warm and lively way, the stories which have become a trademark signature of Danemark in European culture: The Brave Tin Soldier, The Little Match-Seller, The Snow Man, The Story of the Youth who went forth to learn what Fear was, The Elves and the Shoe-Maker, The Nightingale, The Princess and the Pea, The Red Shoes, The Toad, The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor's new Clothes.

Step into a world of adventures with this collection of timeless stories whose legendary heroes have become an essential part of humanity's cultural legacy. Follow Tom Thumb in his weird adventures, as the hero of the first fairy tale ever to be printed in English; marvel at the story of Peter Pan, adapted from the play by James M. Barrie; enjoy the narration of Cinderilla, Riquet with the Tuft, and Aladdin; shiver with fright as Jack the giant killer confronts and outwits terrible giants under King Arthur's reign; enjoy the best stories of the Arabian Nights with Sinbad the Sailor and Ali Baba. Hansel and Gretel is a cautionary tale; Perrault's The Master Cat or Puss in Boots is more humorous. Snowdrop and the Seven Dwarves, and Little Red Riding Hood, are universally beloved.

Beauty and the Beast (French: La Belle et la Bête) is a very famous traditional fairy tale written by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. A wealthy widowed merchant lives in a mansion with his three daughters. All are equal in beauty, but the youngest, Beauty, is kind and pure of heart; while the two elders, in contrast, are wicked, selfish, vain and secretly taunt and treat Beauty more like a servant than a sister. The merchant eventually loses all of his wealth in a tempest at sea. One day, the merchant becomes lost in a forest. Seeking shelter, he enters a dazzling palace. A hidden figure opens the giant doors and silently invites him in. The merchant finds tables inside laden with food and drink, which seem to have been left for him by the palace's invisible owner. The merchant accepts this gift and spends the night there. The next morning as the merchant is about to leave, he sees a rose garden and recalls that Beauty had desired a rose. Upon picking the loveliest rose he can find, the merchant is confronted by a hideous "Beast" which tells him that for taking his most precious possession after accepting his hospitality, the merchant must die. The merchant begs to be set free, arguing that he had only picked the rose as a gift for his youngest daughter. The Beast agrees to let him give the rose to Beauty, but only if the merchant will return. The merchant is upset, but accepts this condition. Beauty says she wants to go to the Beast's castle. The Beast receives her graciously and informs her that she is now mistress of the castle, and he is her servant. He gives her lavish clothing and food and carries on lengthy conversations with her. Every night, the Beast asks Beauty to marry him, only to be refused each time. For several months, Beauty lives a life of luxury at the Beast's palace, having every whim catered to by servants, with no end of riches to amuse her and an endless supply of exquisite finery to wear...

Discover the endless fascination of ancient Arabian culture with six ancient tales we selected for you for their power of evocation, wisdom and humor. These stories are from the Arabian Nights, also known as One Thousand and One Nights, which is a collection of much more ancient folk tales, fairy tales and poems collected over the centuries. They come from ancient and medieval Arabic, Persian, Mesopotamian, Indian, and Egyptian folklore and literature. This makes The Arabian Nights a priceless treasure, as it takes us to the very roots of humanity's cultural treasures in a delightful and passionate way. Enjoy six of the the most charming stories told by Sheherazade: Sinbad the Sailor; The Enchanted Horse; Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves; Persevere and Prosper; The Story of Caliph Stork; and Aladdin.

This collection brings together the best tales and stories for little boys. It includes folk tales, classic tales by Charles Perrault and Hans Christian Andersen, stories from Danmark, France, Italy, England, and the Arabian Nights; all these stories from around the world respond to boys' desire for exploration, feed their imagination, and help them develop their intelligence with timeless wisdom from every country. Enjoy the best tales and stories for boys, narrated in a warm and lively way: The Brave Tin Soldier, by Andersen; The Master Cat or Puss in Boots, by Charles Perrault; The Three Little Pigs; The Snow Man, a rare tale by Hans Christian Andersen; Blue Beard, by Charles Perrault; Tom Thumb; The Story of Peter Pan, adapted from the play by James M. Barrie; The Ugly Duckling, by Andersen; The Frog Prince; Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, from One Thousand and One Nights; The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids, an ancient folktale; The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by British author Beatrix Potter; and Pinocchio's Adventures in Wonderland, by Carlo Collodi.

Classic tales and stories are an fundamental part of children's development. They connect with the essentials of our culture; they awaken imagination and bring essential teachings. This specially compilation includes classic folk tales, handed down over years and centuries for their elegance and power of evocation, and famous inspiring stories: The Story of Peter Pan, an adaptation of the play by James M. Barrie, The Three Little Pigs, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter, The Three Bears, Rapunzel, The Frog Prince, Tom Thumb, The Brave Tin Soldier, The Snow Man by Hans Christian Andersen, Snowdrop and the Seven Dwarves, Little Red Hood, Cinderilla, Beauty and the Beast, The Wolf and the Fox, and Bluebeard by Charles Perrault.

Ali Baba is a character from the folk tale « Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves ». Ali Baba is a poor woodcutter who discovers the secret of a thieves' den, entered with the phrase "Open Sesame". The thieves learn this and try to kill Ali Baba, but Ali Baba's faithful slave-girl foils their plots. Ali Baba gives his son to her in marriage and keeps the secret of the treasure.This story is included in many versions of the One Thousand and One Nights. It is one of the most familiar of the "Arabian Nights" tales.

Expand your horizons with three stories from far-away countries, tales of timeless wisdom and a window to the soul of other cultures. These three stories are from the most different parts of the world, but all are food for thought and use powerful imagery to help children develop their intelligence and imagination. The first story is from India: the Alligator and the Jackal is a tale of cleverness, about which will defeat the other in a battle of wits. Sinbad the Sailor is taken from the Arabian Nights, or One Thousand and One Nights, as told by the great Scheherazade, and tells about the fantastic journeys of the folkloric hero. The White Stone Canoe is an American Indian legend, about the making of a ruler from the Iroquois tribe. All are narrated in a warm and lively manner, making it perfect for bedtime stories or entertainment at any hour.

Enjoy this collection of the best tales, fairy tales and stories with an animal cast, gathered for the entertainment and education of children of all age. From ancient Japanese legends to classic tales by Perrault and Andersen, through medieval folktales, you will discover many sides of culture. The Fables of La Fontaine also use animals, behaving as men to bring forth moral teachings and considerations about society. Jean de la Fontaine is the most famous French fabulist ever; he was recognized as one of the foremost men of letters of France, and his Fables are still learned by every child as an essential part of moral culture. Along with the other classic stories, we have collected for you a selection of his most striking fables, narrated by the best storytellers, for you to enjoy this compilation of the best animal tales and stories ever produced.

Aesop's Fables is a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece around the 5th century BC. These fables are charming stories, each one leading towards a wise moral. They have been the inspiration for La Fontaine, one of the greatest French writers of all time, and are a perfect tool for educating young children as well as a delight for lovers of elegance and simplicity. This selection of the most beautiful fables by Aesop includes : The town mouse and the country mouse, the Fox and the Stork, the Ass and the Lap-dog, the Lion and the mouse, Hercules and the wagoner, the Wolf and the Lamb, the Fox and the Grapes, among other treasures of ancient literature.

It is as great an offence against a child to starve his mind as to starve his body. The Astorg Audiobook collection means to bring together the fairy tales, stories, myths and legends which have fed the children of many generations in the years when the imagination is awakening and craving stimulus and material to work upon. We have selected for you 6 of the best Japanese myths and fairy tales. Not unlike the western folk tales compiled by the Brothers Grimm, these stories faithfully preserve the spirit of medieval Japan, while rendered in a translation accessible to all ages. Here is a wonderful collection of short stories: The Story of the Man who didn't wish to die; The Accomplished and Lucky Tea-Kettle; The Battle of the Monkey and the Crab; Momotaro or Little Peachling; Urashimataro and the Turtle; The Tongue-cut Sparrow. These fairy tales and legends of old are a window into the Japanese imagination; it is a peculiar travel through space and time, which will delight children and adults alike.

Discover Slavic culture with two ancient tales from the Eastern European world. The Twelve Months is a story about persistence, not unlike our Cinderilla, but set in a fantastic world where seasons are all and winter, deadly. The Two Brothers is a tale about justice in a world where money corrupts easily. Enjoy these ancient tales from a faraway land, recorded by the best storytellers in a warm and lively way.

Fables and stories play an fundamental part in children's development. They use powerful imagery and symbols to entertain while conveying essential moral teachings; the stories ignite imagination, taking a firm root in children's minds, and gently initiate them to the essential moral principles of life. These moral tales and stories have been carefully selected for their wisdom and power of evocation: tales by Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Andersen, and various folktales for their elegance and morality, and fables by Jean de la Fontaine, the famous French poet, for their straight-to-the-point criticism of errors and the clarity of their teachings. Discover or rediscover, narrated in a warm and lively way, the following stories: The Frog Prince, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Ugly Duckling, Bluebeard, The master Cat or Puss in Boots, Beauty and the Beast, Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Sillies, The Toad, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, and The Ridiculous Wishes; by La Fontaine, The Council held by the Rats, The Frog that wished to be as big as the Ox, The City Rat and the Country Rat, The Raven and the Fox.

Discover fundamentals of French culture with the best fairy tales by Charles Perrault and a selection of fables by Jean de la Fontaine. Perrault is credited with some of the most famous fairy tales ever written: Beauty and the Beast, Cinderilla, Little Red Riding Hood, The Fairies, The Master Cat or Puss in Boots, The Ridiculous Wishes, Sleeping Beauty in the Woods, and Blue Beard. Jean de la Fontaine is the most famous French fabulist ever; he was recognized as one of the foremost men of letters of France, and his Fables are still learned by every child as an essential part of moral culture. We have selected for you six of the best Fables, rendered in elegant English translation: The City Rat and the Country Rat, The Dragon with Many Heads; The Wolf and the Lamb; The Frog that wished to be as big as the Ox; The Council held by the Rats; the Raven and the Fox.

Christopher Columbus (1451 – 1506) was an Italian explorer, navigator, and colonizer. Born in the Republic of Genoa, under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. Those voyages and his efforts to establish settlements on the island of Hispaniola, initiated the permanent European colonization of the New World. At a time when European kingdoms were beginning to establish new trade routes and colonies, motivated by imperialism and economic competition, Columbus proposed to reach the East Indies (South and Southeast Asia) by sailing westward. This eventually received the support of the Spanish Crown, which saw a chance to enter the spice trade with Asia through this new route. During his first voyage in 1492, he reached the New World instead of arriving in Japan as he had intended, landing on an island in the Bahamas archipelago that he named San Salvador. Over the course of three more voyages, he visited the Greater and Lesser Antilles, as well as the Caribbean coast of Venezuela and Central America, claiming all of it for the Crown of Castile. This story of Christopher Columbus for little children is meant to be suggestive to the parent or teacher of the types of stories that can be told to children to inspire them to grow in goodness.

We have selected for you 9 of the best Japanese myths and fairy tales. Not unlike the western folk tales compiled by the Brothers Grimm, these stories faithfully preserve the spirit of medieval Japan, while rendered in a translation accessible to all ages. Here is a wonderful collection of short stories: The Battle of the Monkey and the Crab; Momotaro, or Little Peachling; Urashimataro and the Turtle; The Tongue-cut Sparrow; The Vision of Tsunu; The Star-Lovers; The Old man and the Devils; The Jellyfish and the Monkey; Autumn and Spring. These fairy tales and legends of old are a window into the Japanese imagination; it is a peculiar travel through space and time, which will delight children and adults alike.

Sinbad the Sailor is a fictional sailor and the hero of a story-cycle of Middle Eastern origin. The tales of Sinbad are a relatively late addition to the Thousand and One Nights; he is described as living in Baghdad, during the Abbasid Caliphate. During his voyages throughout the seas east of Africa and south of Asia, he has fantastic adventures going to magical places, meeting monsters, and encountering supernatural phenomena.

Classic fairy tales and stories are an essential part of children's development. This collection brings together rare fairy tales, stories, myths and legends, to feed the intelligence and imagination of children in their years of development. Here are seven of the rarest and most delightful tales: How to tell a true princess, and the Darning Needle by master storyteller Hans Christian Andersen; Belling the Cat, and the Wolf and the Fox, taken from Aesop's Fables, an English fairy tale, Master of all Masters; Persevere and Prosper, and the Story of Caliph Stork, two old Arabian tales.

Hans Christian Andersen was a prolific Danish writer, fondly remembered for his fairy tales and stories. They are so elegant, evocative and efficient that they soon began culturally embedded in the West's collective consciousness; Andersen's stories are readily accessible to children, but present lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity that are enjoyable and profitable for mature readers as well. We have selected for you 11 of his most beloved stories, narrated in a warm and lively way. The Emperor's New Clothes; The Ugly Duckling; The Toad; The Red Shoes; The Princess and the Pea; The Nightingale; The Elves and the Shoe Maker; The Story of the Youth who went forth to learn what Fear was; The Snow Man; The Little Match Seller; The Brave Tin Soldier.

Discover the endless fascination of Indian culture with five tales, selected for you for their power of evocation, wisdom and humor. The Alligator and the Jackal is a tale of wit and cleverness, about which will defeat the other. Singh Rajah and the Cunning Little Jackals is another example of how cleverness can overcome even the most powerful. The Farmer and the Money-Lender shows the eternal struggle between class, and a way to trick the tricker; Who Killed the Otter's Babies? will bring you deep reflections about causality and responsibility; and Tit for Tat is a powerful lesson about the dangers of habits.

Riquet with the Tuft (French: Riquet à la Houppe), also known as "Ricky of the Tuft", is a very famous folktale / fable / fairy tale written by Charles Perrault. A fairy gives an ugly prince named Ricky the gift of conferring wit upon the one he loves the best. Prince Ricky of the Tuft comes to a kingdom with two princesses. The elder one is beautiful but unintelligent and the younger one is intelligent but ugly. The elder princess is saddened that her ugly but smart sister receives more attention than her. One day as the elder princess was going for a walk in the forest to ease her sorrow, she is approached by Ricky who had fallen in love with her after seeing portraits of her that circulated. Ricky asks how a person so beautiful as she can be so sad, to which she responds that she is sad because she is beautiful but lacks intelligence. Ricky then bestows the gift of intelligence on the elder princess for a promise of marriage. A year later, Ricky comes to marry her. She refuses on grounds that he cannot hold her to a promise made before she gained her wisdom. The princess then tells him that she was gifted at birth with the power to transform her lover into a beautiful person by the same fairy who helped him...