Warwick Goble

Tale Summary There was once a pretty little village maiden who was very loved by her mother and her grandmother, who had made for her a little red hood which she wore constantly, earning her the nickname “Little Red-Riding-Hood”. One day, her mother told her that her grandmother was unwell...

Tale Summary There once was a king who became lost in a forest, and was so desperate to find his way home that he made a promise to a witch that he would marry her daughter. The king already had six boys and a girl from a previous marriage, and...

Tale Summary One day, a king’s daughter became lost in a wood, and found an iron stove which contained a prince who was enchanted by an old witch and was condemned to spend his life there. The princess heard a voice come from the stove which promised to guide her...

Tale Summary There was once a poor widow, who had two lovely daughters named Snow-white and Rose-red. Snow-white was the quieter and gentler of the two, while Rose-red was more adventurous. They lived together in a little cottage where there were two rose trees out front, one white and the...

Tale Summary One day, after being treated wickedly by their stepmother, a brother and sister ran away together to start a better life. They ran the whole day and fell asleep in a hollow tree, exhausted from their travels. The next day was very hot and the brother dragged his...

Tale Summary There was once an old woman with three daughters. Two of them were very unlucky but the youngest, Nella, was perfect and lucky in every way, making the eldest sisters jealous. The girl secretly was married to an enchanted Prince, who had a wicked mother. So as not...

Tale Summary There once was a merchant who wished to see his only daughter, Betta, married, but she would not consent. One day, he asked his daughter what she would like him to bring back from the fair. She asked for half a hundredweight of Palermo sugar, the same amount...

Tale Summary Once upon a time, there was a poor gardener’s wife named Sapatella who longed for a son. When her husband, named Cola Matteo, one day brought home a bundle of sticks and they found a little snake inside, she despaired that even snakes had children, but not her...

Tale Summary There was once a couple living in Miano who desperately wanted a child. The woman often said out loud that she would not even care if the child was a sprig of myrtle, and eventually she wore down the heavens and her wish was granted. She planted the...