12 stories

Anansi and Nothing

By and

This is why, if you find a child crying and ask the cause, you will often be told he is ‘crying for nothing.’

AfricaEast Africa

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Carabi! Carabo!

By

The horse gave a jump in order to rise in the air and commenced his flight, but this time he was not alone; for when waving his tail it caught up good little Arthur, winding itself round his body.

EuropeSpain

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Goody Two Shoes

By

One day, as Margery was coming home from the next village, she met with some wicked, idle boys, who had tied a young raven to a staff. She offered at once to buy the raven for a penny, and this they agreed to.

EuropeEngland

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How we got the Name ‘Spider Tales’

By and

Nyankupon was amazed at Spider's cleverness in fulfilling the three conditions. He immediately gave him permission for the future to call all the old tales Anansi tales.

AfricaEast Africa

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How Wisdom became the Property of the Human Race

By and

Next day Kweku Tsin saw his father quietly slip out of the house, with his precious pot hung round his neck. Kweku Tsin followed. Then, selecting the highest and most inaccessible-looking tree, Father Anansi began to climb.

AfricaEast Africa

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Rip Van Winkle

By

‘That flagon last night,’ thought Rip Van Winkle, ‘has addled my poor head sadly.’

North AmericaNew York State

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The City of Fortune

By

They took out what remained of Rupert's heart and put a pretty one inside of him, made of steel, but hard as a diamond. Only one little fibre escaped their search, which passed unnoticed behind the metal heart.

EuropeSpain

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The Garden of Health

By

Enrique sat down on some stones to weep over his sorrow, and there prayed to heaven for his sister's life. A kid which was gracing near the spot heard the sound of his lamentations.

EuropeSpain

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The Maiden Without Hands

By

The wizard flew into a rage, and said, ‘Chop her hands off, otherwise I cannot touch her.’ The miller was terrified, and exclaimed, ‘How can I cut off the hands of my own child?’

EuropeGermany

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The Peony Lantern

By

Hagiwara faltered not at all. He looked neither to the right nor to the left. Straight forward he went, for he said to himself, ‘All roads lead past my love's house.’

East AsiaJapan

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The Three Fools

By

‘If Jane had a child,’ said he to himself, ‘who knows but that one day it might play about here and fall in and be killed?’

EuropeEngland

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Thunder and Anansi

By and

Anansi's first thought was to run home and give all his family a good meal from his wonderful pot. A selfish, greedy fear prevented him. ‘What if I should use up all the magic of the pot on them, and have nothing more left for myself!’ So, his mind full of this thought, he hid the pot.

AfricaEast Africa

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