The Folktale Project

'King John and the Abbot of Canterbury' is an English take on the Italian 'Crab' and German 'Dr. Knowall', but it's my absolute favorite version of the story.

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Our first of three stories from "English Fairytales" and "More English Fairytales" by Joseph Jacobs is 'The Cat and the Mouse' and it's one of my favorite kinds of tales, the progressive tale of a mo…

Our final story from Turkey, 'The Language of Birds', shows us that there are some things we humans just aren't supposed to understand.

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In 'The Calif Omar' we see reason and justice prevail for a wrongly accused man.

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Our first of three stories from Turkey, 'How the Priest Knew That it Would Snow' includes a traveller, a Priest and a particularly talented pig.

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My favorite tales always feature a strong, smart woman and 'The Clever Girl' is the best of those that also has a young prince who also appreciates her wisdom and wit.

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Our second story from Italy about how a peasant pulls one over on the nobility is 'Crab', the Italian version of the German folktale "Doctor Knowall".

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In the first of three Italian folktales this week that focuses on just how much more clever the peasants are than the clergy or nobility, 'The Thoughtless Abbot' has his neck saved by a trusted serva…

As we conclude our week with the gold buckskin whincher from Carl Sandburg's "Rootabaga Stories" we get a very American version of 'The Monkey's Paw'.

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Today we're following the gold buckskin whincher to its next owner to discover what power it will possess over the cistern cleaner Jason Squiff.

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The podcast is coming back to Carl Sandburg's "Rootabaga Stories" with three stories about the curious power of a gold buckskin whincher, beginning with 'The Story of Blixie Bimber and the Power of t…

'The Animals Sick of the Plague' is a story that reflects an unfortunate truth that's lasted the centuries, that power and the proximity to power has an undue influence on the legal system.

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In 'The Hare and the Partridge' the hare isn't as quick as he thinks and the partridge learns not to be so smug.

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This week I'm righting a wrong and bringing you three original stories from Jean De La Fontaine, who I've so often paired with Aesop. Our first story is about two mules and their related burdens.

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To finish off our week in France we're doing one of my absolute favorite things, looking at the contrast between the Aesop and the La Fontaine version of 'The Miser and His Gold'.

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In the final chapter of "The Little Grey Mouse" we discover if Rosalie will ever triumph over her curiosity and the Fairy Detestable to be reunited with her father and betrothed.

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In Part 4 of "The Little Grey Mouse", 'The Tree in the Rotunda', our curious heroine meets the second temptation provided by the Fairy Detestable in the castle of Prince Gracious.

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In Part 3 of "The Little Grey Mouse" we get to meet Prince Gracious (our heroine's betrothed) as well as yet another temptation.

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In Part 2 of "The Little Grey Mouse" we meet our antagonist, the appropriately named Fairy Detestable, and learn all about our heroine's family and the curse put upon them.

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Some of my favorite stories are Sophie Ségur's longer tales from "Old French Fairy Tales". This week we're beginning with Pt. 1 of 'The Little Grey Mouse', a story of love and magic, revenge and loya…