Written by A poor farmer complained one day of his misfortunes. A beggar who passed said to him: “Hey, friend. Why are you complaining?” “It is because I am almost starving; I barely earn enough to buy bread for my wife and me. I have asked the Lord for a better forture, but He seems to be […]
Blondine Blondine Lost The Forest of Lilacs Blondine’s Awakening—Beau-Minon Bonne-Biche Blondine’s Second Awakening The Parrot Repentance The Tortoise The Journey and Arrival I. Blondine There was once a king called Benin. He was good and all the world loved him; he was just and the wicked feared him. His wife, the Queen Doucette, was also […]
They say elves keep cattle. One day a black cow belonging to the elves of Pont-aux-Hommes-Nées ate the buckwheat in the field of a woman of that neighbourhood. The woman went to the elves to complain, and a voice answered: “You will be paid for your buckwheat!” Thereupon the elves gave the woman a cupful […]
There was once a family people called the Crickets, perhaps because the father was stocky and dark like a cricket. Good people they were, but they didn’t get much of a living out of their bit of soil that had more rocks in it than earth. You could see the crickets scampering between the tufts […]
The Poor Sick Mother The Crow, the Cock, and the Frog The Harvest The Vintage The Chase The Fishing The Plant of Life I. The Poor Sick Mother There was a poor woman, a widow, who lived alone with her little son Henry. She loved him tenderly and she had good reason to do so, […]
There was a little girl that was called Little Golden-hood. She was pretty and nice as a star in its season. Her real name was Blanchette, but since she used to have on a wonderful little cloak with a hood that was gold-and-fire-coloured, she was called Little Golden-hood. Her Grandmother had given it to her. […]
There was once a little princess in Austria. Her father, his mother and a fairy godmother wanted her to marry a prince she did not like. She begged and pleaded with them to be spared from it, but they would not listen. At last the fairy godmother said the princess deserved to be punished for […]
The Lark and the Toad Birth and Infancy of Ourson Violette The Dream The Toad Again Violette’s Sacrifice The Wild Boar The Conflagration The Well The Farm—The Castle—The Forge The Sacrifice The Combat The Recompense I. The Lark and the Toad There was once a pretty woman named Agnella, who cultivated a farm. She lived […]
The Farm Rosette at the Court of the King Her Father Family Council Second Day of the Festival Third and Last Day of the Festival I. The Farm There was once a king and queen, who had three daughters. The two eldest were twins—Orangine and Roussette—and their parents loved them very dearly. They were beautiful […]
Quackling was very little, that is why he was called Quackling. However, tiny as he was he had brains, and he knew what he was about, for having begun with nothing he ended by amassing a hundred crowns. Now the king of the country was a spendthrift who never kept any money. When he heard […]
One day a poor man sent. his son, Skilful John, to carry some buttered rolls to his parents, who lived three miles off, telling him not to stop by the way. John sauntered along the road and lost his way. Seeing a light, he followed it and came to a little hut. He knocked at […]
Once, on the way out of Ambert, there lived a rich farmer who owned a very large field. The main crop around was hay, and this farmer was known far and wide as a mower. No one could keep pace with him, scythe in hand, with him or his three sons. These men’s strength made […]
There once lived a peasant who had seven children, six of them boys and the seventh a girl. They were very poor and all had to work hard for a living, but the drudges of the family were the youngest son, Yvon, and his sister, Yvonne. Because they were gentler and more delicate than the […]
A little chicken one day got a beating by his parents and ran away from the hen house with his two brothers. All day long they looked for a place to stay, but found neither a cave or an abandoned house. So they went into the wood, chose a small clearing and began to build […]
Once on a time there was a cock’s wife who was scratching with all her might in a great heap of rubbish, and seemed deeply absorbed in her task. “You are very silly, Cock’s-wife,” said a man who passed by, “to waste your time so, and wear out your feet so uselessly.” “You are mistaken, […]
Once on a time there lived a rich man who had three sons. When they grew up, he sent the eldest to travel and see the world, and three years passed before his family saw him again. Then he returned, well dressed, and his father was so delighted with his behaviour that he gave a […]
There lived in Vannes a great many years ago an honest and devout glover. His nearest friend was a tailor who lived in the place Henri Quatre, but he lay dying, and his friend the glover had stayed with him till a late hour doing all for him that he could. Late as it was […]
There was once on a time a queen who gave birth to little twin girls. She at once sent out invitations to twelve fairies in the neighbouring countries to come to the feast for it was a great advantage to have fairies as guests. When the twelve fairies were all gathered in the great hall […]
Once on a time there was a king who had three sons. Two of whom were fine, handsome young men, and the third was a hunchback whose name was Alain. His father did not love him, but sent him off to the kitchen with the cooks while the two older brothers ate with him at […]
The Little House The Fairy Detestable The Prince Gracious The Tree in the Rotunda The Casket I. The Little House There was once a man named Prudent, who was a widower and he lived alone with his little daughter. His wife had died a few days after the birth of this little girl, who was […]
There was once a merchant who had managed to sail his ship so profitably that he had become rich. But he had grown old too. The only thing he now cared for in life was his son. He indulged the lad’s every whim. Nothing was too beautiful or too expensive for his son, whether gilded […]
A long time ago the plain of Bessans was covered by a wide forest. A poor peasant was one day coming home through the forest. He was bringing with him two round rings of black bread, and had one slung over each arm. He was whistling merrily to himself as he was striding along, when […]
The sea-breeze blew from the shore of the Black Water, and the stars were getting brighter to look at. The young maidens had gone homewards to the little farms, carrying on their fingers the metal rings their friends had bought them at the fair. The youths went across the common, singing their songs. At last […]
Once there was a cock that was so old that the farmer decided to slaughter him. But the cock overheard what the farmer was about to do to him, and headed for the woods. On the way he met a sheep. “Hello, rooster!” “Hello, sheep! What are you doing?” said the rooster. “Nothing.” “Do you […]
There was once a king who ruled over a large kingdom. He had all the pleasant things that money can buy, and a daughter who was the most beautiful maiden in all his land. But in spite of his power and his riches, and in spite of his affection for his daughter, he was surly […]
Six peasants were gathered one evening. “I have always wanted to go and see the sea,” said one, “but have not found time to do it until recently. Would you all like to leave with me tomorrow to see this great mass of water that people have told so many marvels told about?” All the […]
An empress of Germany was beautiful, wise, honest, but had the misfortune to inspire a violent love from one of the noblemen at the court of her husband. This noble was a disloyal traitor, but he was also valiant, warlike and skilful in all sorts of fights. When the empress indignantly rejected the dishonest proposals […]
There was once a man who was coming home through the woods. Walking under a pine tree, he heard someone call his name. It was a big snake. The snake had crept up the tree, from branch to branch, and now was wound around the very top. It could not get back down again. “But […]
Who has not heard of the submerged bells of Ys, and who has not heard them ring? In the early days the city of Ys was ruled by a prince called Gradlon the Great. Gradlon was a prudent prince, and defended his capital of Ys from the invasions of the sea by constructing an immense […]
There was once a poor woman who had a beautiful daughter. They lived near a hotel. Every morning after the last stroke of seven the mother exclaimed: “And seven have passed!” By that he meant that her daughter had already swallowed seven platefuls of soup. One day the king’s son came to that part of […]
Long ago there lived two young, handsome and rich noblemen in Brittany. Their names were Mylie and Tonyk. Mylie, the elder, was sixteen. Tonyk was fourteen. Both were well educated, and Tonyk was inclined to be pious as well. Mylie, on the other hand, did not like to give to people more than what was […]
Once there were two soldiers who were about sixty years old. Having to leave the service, they determined to return to their country. As they were journeying along, they said one to the other, “What are we going to do to get our living? We are too old to learn a trade; if we beg […]
Some three thousand years ago, our neighbour had a lot of wheat in his barn, and every morning he found a portion of this wheat beaten and some sheaves prepared for the next day. He did not know how to explain it. One evening, after he had hid himself in a corner of the barn, […]
A mother goat once needed to go to the town to sell butter and her cheese. “As soon as I am out,” she said to her kids, “close and lock the lock, and open it only if you are shown a white hoof.” The kids promised to do as she told, and the mother embraced […]
One day the marquis of Coat-Squiriou was returning from Morlaix, when he beheld lying on the road a little fellow of four or five years of age. He leapt from his horse, picked the child up, and asked him what he did there. “I don’t know,” replied the little boy. “Who is your father?” asked […]
There was once on a time a widow who had two daughters. The eldest was so much like her in the face and humour that whoever looked on the daughter saw the mother. They were both so disagreeable and so proud that there was no living with them. The youngest was like her father for […]
In the middle of a great forest there lived a long time ago a charcoal-burner and his wife. They were both young and handsome and strong when they got married, and thought work would never fail them. But bad times came, so they had to go hungry to bed more and more often. Now one […]