A happy/sad Christmas story by O. Henry
This poor couple love each other very much and want to buy each other the nicest presents. But they have very little money. Find out what they do, what presents they give and how much they pay for them!
Tag: Happy
The Telltale Tile
A lovely story with a happy ending by Olive Thorn Miller
It is Christmas time and Miss Bennet hears that her neigbours may have to go into the poorhouse! Is there anything she can do? She has so little herself. There must be something….
Tiny Tim
A short Christmas tale by Charles Dickens.
THERE was once a man who did not like Christmas. His name was Scrooge, and he was a hard sour-tempered man of business, intent only on saving and making money, and caring nothing for anyone.
The Little Match Girl
The short story by Hans Christian Andersen.
Thousands of lights were burning on the green branches, and gaily-colored pictures, such as she had seen in the shop-windows, looked down upon her. The little maiden stretched out her hands towards them when—the match went out. The lights of the Christmas tree rose higher and higher, she saw them now as stars in heaven; one fell down and formed a long trail of fire.
What Happened Christmas Eve
A lovely Christmas tale by Oliver Herfold.
Jessie and Fred had gone to bed very early so they might be the first to shout “Merry Christmas!” but their eyes would not stay shut.
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A Kidnapped Santa Claus
The seven demons are getting lonely because all the children are being so good and don’t need to visit their caves anymore. This Christmas, they have come up with a plan to make the children unhappy so that they will be naughty…
Tom Tit Tot
A fairytale by Joseph Jacobs.
The king has married a girl on the condition that she spins five yarn bundles a day in the last month of every year. But she cannot, so when a black goblin offers his help, she accepts. His price, however, is high and now it is time to collect his payment.
Read more about Tom Tit Tot …
Tom Thumb
The famous story by the Brothers Grimm.
Tom thumb is so small that he can fit inside a snail’s shell, so surely he can’t do much good? Can he? Follow him on this adventure and learn how being small can be a great advantage.
Read more about Tom Thumb …
The White Snake
An animal story by the Brothers Grimm.
The king has a secret dish served to him everynight and the servant is so curious that he has a peak. After just one bite, his life is changed forever. Find out why!
Read more about The White Snake …
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
A story for kids by the Brothers Grimm.
With the help of some magic, a soldier takes up a King’s challenge to find out why his twelve daughters’ shoes are always worn out in the morning. Many have tried, failed and paid with thier lives. How will his soldier fair?
Read more about The Twelve Dancing Princesses …
The Three Sillies
A funny short story by Joseph Jacobs.
The Gentleman had never met such silly people as his fiancee’s family, so he sets off to find some even sillier than them before marrying the daughter.
Read more about The Three Sillies …
The Swing ?
How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!
The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was
This youth doesn’t know very much and can’t make a living. He is interested in what it is to ‘shudder’ and when his father sends him away to look after himself, he resolves to find out.
The Shepherdess and the Sweep
The Hans Christian Andersen Fairy tale.
The little china ornament Shepherdess and Sweep decide to leave their table and venture out into the wide world, only find themselves back where they started…but something has changed.
Read more about The Shepherdess and the Sweep …
The Seven Ravens
A short story by the Grimm Brothers.
Having inadvertently turned his seven sons into ravens , the king hides their existence from his new daugther so as not to upset her. But upon hearing of them she leaves the castle in order to find and free them.
Read more about The Seven Ravens …
The Selfish Giant
The wonderful classic from Oscar Wilde.
The Giant returns from abroad to find children playing in his garden, so he throws them out and locks the gate. But why, then, is he not happy? Why do the flowers not grow and the sun not shine? This Giant goes on a beautiful journey all in his back garden!
Read more about The Selfish Giant …
The Raven
Another short story by the Brothers Grimm.
Wandering alone in the woods, a man meets a raven who is really an enchanted girl. He agrees to help break the spell, but can he pass the tests ahead of him?
Read more about The Raven …
The Princess and The Pea
An enchanting tale by Hans Christian Andersen.
How can you tell a real princess? This Queen knows and she tests her method on a guest!
Read more about The Princess and The Pea …
The Pobble who has no Toes
An charming poem by Edward Lear.
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The Pobble who has no toes, Had once as many as we;
When they said ‘Some day you may lose them all’;
He replied ‘Fish, fiddle-de-dee!’
The Owl & the Pussycat ?
The Owl and the Pussycat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five pound note.
The Night Before Christmas ?
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…
The Mouse, the Cock and the Cat ?
A Silly young Mouse
Ventur’d out of the house,
In spite of his mother’s advice;
And, deaf to regard,
Ran along the farm-yard,
But return’d to the nest in a trice.
The Miser in the Bush
The short story by the Brothers Grimm.
A poor peasant goes on his travels with just three pennies. But he offers them to a bird who rewards him with three wishes. Find out how he makes use of them!
Read more about The Miser in the Bush …
The Jumblies ?
They went to sea in a Sieve, they did,
In a Sieve they went to sea:
In spite of all their friends could say,
On a winter’s morn, on a stormy day,
In a Sieve they went to sea!
The Frog Prince
The famous tale by the Brothers Grimm.
A frog fetches a princess’ ball out of the pond, but she doesn’t keep her side of the promise. So he finds her castle and insists on eating and sleeping there for three nights, as agreed.
Read more about The Frog Prince …
The Fox and the Horse
An animal story by Brothers Grimm
Having been sent away by his master for being too old to work, the horse wanders into a wood where he meets a fox…
Read more about The Fox and the Horse …
The Fly-Away Horse ?
Oh, a wonderful horse is the Fly-Away Horse –
Perhaps you have seen him before;
Perhaps, while you slept, his shadow has swept
Through the moonlight that floats on the floor.
The Dog and the Shadow ?
A hungry dog some meat had seized,
And, with the ample booty pleased,
His neighbour dogs forsook;
In fear for his delightful prize,
He look’d around with eager eyes,
And ran to cross the brook.
The Beginning of the Armadillos
The hedgehog and the tortoise have avoided being ‘lunch’ for the young jaguar as he just can’t tell which is which. Until now. They must learn each others skills if they are to further confuse him and avoid being eaten.
The Bat and the Weasels
An animal fable by Aesop.
Moral: It is wise to turn circumstances to good account.
Read more about The Bat and the Weasels …
The Golden Goose
The fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm.
Dummling is the youngest son and is not as strong or clever as his brothers. But he is kinder and this trait leads him on a journey his brothers could only dream of.
Read more about The Golden Goose …
Swing, Swing ?
Swing, swing,
Sing, sing,
Here’s my throne, and I am King!
Sweetheart Roland
A dark and sad tale from the Brothers Grimm.
Hearing of a plot to kill her, this girl escapes from her step-mother and runs off with her boyfriend. They use some magic to disguise themselves and decide that Roland would go to the village first and return for her. But a long time later, he has not returned…
Read more about Sweetheart Roland …
Summer Sun ?
Great is the sun, and wide he goes
Through empty heaven without repose;
And in the blue and glowing days
More thick than rain he showers his rays.
Snow-White and Rose-Red
These two sisters are the best of friends and love to spend the day playing with animals in the woods. But one day they find a little dwarf whose beard is stuck.
Rapunzel
Rapunzel is locked in a tower by her evil step-mother, but a Prince finds her and they plan her escape.
Picture-books in Winter ?
Summer; fading, winter comes-
Frosty mornings, tingling thumbs
Window robins, winter rooks,
And the picture story-books.
Old Sultan
The wolf helps Old Sultan win the love of his family, only to request help of his own. But Old Sultan cannot help and their friendship takes a knock. Thank goodness the three-legged cat turns up!
Nix Nought Nothing
The unfortunate name of ‘Nix Nought Nothing’ leads to a misunderstanding and the King’s boy is given to a giant! With the help of the giant’s daughter, he escapes. But will his parents know him now that he’s a man?
Lily and the Lion
The daughter fulfills her fathers promise by going to where the lion lives, only to find him an enchanted prince! But the spell on him becomes deeper and her journey begins in earnest.
Lazy Jack
A story about a very lazy boy!
King Grisly-Beard
When the princess is to choose a husband, she stands her suitors in a line and mocks each of them, calling one ‘Grisly-Beard’. Embarassed by her arrogance, her father determines to marry her to the next man to enter the castle. As it happens, it is a poor fiddler, who walks her through King Grisly-Beard’s beautiful kindom before arriving at his dirty hole.
Jorinda and Jorindel ?
There was once an old castle, that stood in the middle of a deep gloomy wood, and in the castle lived an old fairy. Now this fairy could take any shape she pleased.
Jimmy Scarecrow’s Christmas
Jimmy Scarecrow led a sad life in the winter. Jimmy’s greatest grief was his lack of occupation. He liked to be useful, and in winter he was absolutely of no use at all.
Jack and the Beanstalk
A young boy exchanges his cow for some beans and his angry mother throws them into the garden. But by morning, a giant beanstalk leads Jack to another world.
Jack and His Golden Snuff-Box
Never having met any other than his own parents, Jack heads off into the world and before long meets a lovely girl whose father offers her hand if he can pass three tasks. But when one goes awry, he has one year to set things straight, with a little help from his friends.
How the Leopard Got its Spots
The leopard and the Ethiopian go off in search of their run-away food. They come across the jungle and learn to adapt to their new surroundings.
How Jack Went to Seek his Fortune
Jack accumulates animal friends on his journey to seek his fortune. Needing a place to rest, he makes a plan to see off some robbers living in a house.
Fundevogel
These half-siblings are the best of friends, so when Lina hears of a plan to kill Fundevogel, they runaway together.With a little magic, they disguise themselves in order to escape their pursuers.
Frederick and Catherine
Catherine is very silly and makes many mistakes, exasperating her poor husband. When she gives away the last of their gold, they head out to get it back, one mistake at a time!
Cinderella
This poor girl is treated like a servant by her sisters. They leave for the Prince’s ball, and a fairy Godmother visits Cinderella, changing her fortune forever.
Cat-Skin
This unhappy princess runs away and finds herself a job as a poor scullery-maid. But the truth slowly begins to emerge.
Cap O’Rushes
Disappointed with his youngest daughter’s answer as to how much she loves him, the King throws her out of the castle. She finds work as a maid and slowly her fortune changes, but can she prove her love to him?
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty goes to live with a beast so that her father’s life will be spared, but life is not what she feared.
Ashputtel
A Cinderella Story: the poor sister who slaves after her siblings and is not allowed to go to the ball. But Ashputtel has a magic bird in the garden who helps her.
A Good Play ?
We built a ship upon the stairs
All made of the back-bedroom chairs,
And filled it full of sofa pillows
To go a-sailing on the billows.