Tales Published 1890-1899

Tale Summary Once upon a time, a king’s beautiful wife was on her deathbed, and had her husband promise not to remarry unless he found someone just as pretty as her, and with such golden hair as she had. No one in the land could match her beauty, until his...

Tale Summary Once upon a time there was a poor woman named Sabatella who longed for a child. Her husband, Cola-Mattheo brought a baby snake home, who asked her to mother him. The snake grew bigger and bigger under her care, and one day told Cola-Mattheo about his desire to...

Tale Summary There was once a King who met an old woman while lost in the woods. She was a witch and promised to show him the way out as long as he took her daughter for his bride. He had seven children from a previous marriage, six boys and...

Tale Summary There was once a wealthy woman who one night was carding and preparing wool while the rest of the house was asleep. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and someone calling themselves the Witch of one Horn demanded entry. The woman let her in, and the...

Tale Summary Once upon a time, there were three little pigs who lived together on a farm with their mother. The oldest was named browny, and he was very dirty and loved playing in the mud. The second was named Whitey, who was very greedy and always looking forward to...

Tale Summary In the kingdom of the Flower Fairy there lived many princes and princesses who had been with her since their infancy. It was customary for them to remain with her until they were grown up, at which time they would go out into the world with a gift...

Tale Summary After the death of the Queen of Fairies, it became necessary to elect a new sovereign, and the final decision would name either the fairy Surcantine or the fairy Paridamie to the position. To decide, each fairy would produce a wonder, and whichever greater would be Queen. Surcantine...

Tale Summary Once upon a time, there was a black Spanish hen who had chicks, and one of them hatched out of his egg with the appearance of being cut in half. He had only one wing, one eye, and one leg, and his mother named him “Medio Pollito,” which...

Tale Summary There was once a successful farmer who had everything he wanted in life except for a child. He told people he wanted one so badly, he wouldn’t even care if it were a hedgehog! His wife finally gave birth to a boy, but from the waist up he...

Tale Summary Red Riding-Hood’s mother asks her to go to her grandmother’s with cakes and butter. She must travel through the woods to get there and while on her way she meets a wolf. The wolf has the desire to eat her but is wary of the woodcutters nearby, so...