Originals

The King, Queen and Baby Briar Rose from Classic Bedtime Stories - Sleeping Beauty “Many years ago there was a King and Queen who, more than anything, wanted to have a child. Years went by and still there was no baby for the royal couple. Then one morning, an enchanted frog granted her wish, and within months a lovely little girl was born and because she was so delicate and beautiful they named the princess Briar Rose.”

The Little Red Hen - “Who will help me Plant the Wheat?” from Classic Bedtime Fables “Who will help me plant the wheat?’ asked the Little Red Hen. ‘I won’t’ said the cat. ‘I won’t said the dog. ‘I won’t said the duck. ‘Well, then I will do it myself!’ said the Little Red Hen. So she found a small patch of open ground and set to work. She hoed and raked and worked the soil until it was ready, and then she planted the grain and watered it."

The Crow and the Pitcher A very thirsty crow came upon a pitcher. Having looked far and wide for something to drink, the parched bird peered into the jug. “At last” she said “a bit of water.” But unfortunately for her, the vessel’s narrow neck kept her from reaching the cool water at the bottom, no matter how hard she tried. Discouraged, but far from giving up on the possibility of quenching her thirst, she took a moment to think things over. “Aha!” she cried, “I have an idea!” The crow began picking up pebbles and dropping them into the pitcher. With every pebble that plunked into the old jug, the water level raised just a little bit. Pebble by pebble, the clever bird kept raising the level of the water until at last a cool drink was within reach. “Ah” sighed the refreshed crow,” so it’s true. Necessity is the mother of invention!”

“The Boy Meets the North Wind” from Classic Storybook Fables “ ..Off he went, to the land where the North Wind lives, with only enough pennies in his pocket for one night’s lodging. On and on he walked, for it was a long journey from the farm to that cold and windy place. It was late the next day when the boy at last stood before the North Wind. ‘Well?’ demanded the icy North Wind. ‘What brings you to my domain?’ Gusting winds nearly knocked the boy off his feet, but he stood firm. ‘My mother and I are very poor, sir,’ the boy shouted above the roaring of the North Wind, ‘and yesterday, you took from my bowl the last of our meal. I need you to give it back, please, or we will starve.” ‘Meal?’ the North Wind said. ‘Impossible. That meal was scattered to the four corners of the earth…”

“Beauty Looking at the Beast” from Classic Storybook Fables. “There are many people who are cruel but are able to hide their monstrosity beneath their human form,” said Beauty. “I prefer the company of someone who may appear on the outside to be a monster but is truly gentle and good within.” This touched the Beast deeply.

“The Emperor Loved New Clothes” from Classic Storybook Fables “Many years ago, there lived an Emperor who loved new clothes so much that he spent all of his money on fancy outfits. He didn’t care much about meeting with his generals of visiting the theatre or even going for a ride in the park. He was interested only in showing off the latest addition to his wardrobe.”

“The Emperor’s New Clothes” from Classic Storybook Fables “The chamberlains, who usually carried the end of the Emperor’s long robe, fumbled with their hands on the ground as if they were lifting the trailing hem. They pretended to carry it as the Emperor began the procession, for they didn’t dare let the people know that they could see nothing.