Once Upon a Rosie

**Please use your own judgement before sharing these stories with children. Although I do my best to keep the language friendly, the content may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Summary

An aging king wishes for his beloved daughter, Cannetella, to marry. Although she does not want to, she agrees for her father's sake. But, she says, she will only marry a man with golden hair and teeth.

Quickly the king sends out a proclamation that the man who fits that description shall wed the princess and inherit the kingdom.

The king's enemy, a powerful sorcerer named Scioravante, learns of this. Immediately he casts a spell and becomes the man fitting the description. He then goes to claim his bride.

Refusing the king's assistance, he loads Cannetella onto his horse and rides away.

After some time, they arrive at a stable where he leaves Cannetella with strict instructions that she may not leave. Sad and alone, she obeys until one day when she notices a garden through a crack in the wall. Thinking no harm could come of it she ventures out for a short time, but is punished for it when Scioravante returns. After threatening her again, he leaves.

One day, the princess recognizes a cooper from her father's palace, and with his help she returns home. Scioravante tracks her there and casts a spell on the entire palace, but when he tries to seize Cannetella the spell is broken. Her father's servants rush to rescue her, and Scioravante is put to death.

Points to Ponder

Canatella's mother is named Renzolla, the same name as the protagonist of The Goat-

Faced Girl. Could this be the same character?

[Apologies if some of the audio sounds off, I encountered a number of technical difficulties with this episode.]

Questions or Comments?

Email: [email protected]

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Book

The Grey Fairy Book by Andrew Lang

Music

"Princess (Instrumental Version)" by Josh Woodward.

Free download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/

**Please use your own judgement before sharing these stories with children. Although I do my best to keep the language friendly, the content may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Summary

After eating a magical gold-fish, a couple, as well as their dog and horse, are blessed with twin sons. Once grown, the young men wish to travel, but their father will only allow one of his precious sons to leave at a time.

Before leaving, the first tells his brother to keep watch of the cypress trees by the front of their house. If he should see them wither, it is a sign that his brother is in distress, and he should immediately seek him out.

As he journeys, he sees a castle and learns it is where "the fairest in the land" lives. He plays his zither, and she is immediately smitten. Her father agrees to let them marry if the traveler is able to pass three tests, which he is only able to do with her help. Just before they marry, the twin says he must leave, but will return in fourteen days.

Shortly, he arrives in another town, where he learns the only spring is guarded by a giant, who only allows it to be drawn from once a year when he is given a maiden to eat. Fortunately for the traveler, he arrived on that very day. When he approaches the spring he has his dog defeat the giant and rescues the princess. The traveler and the princess marry and live in the castle for a time before he is again struck with wanderlust.

On this journey he meets an old woman who promises water, but tricks him and turns him to stone.

Back at home, the second twin sees the cypress trees wither and immediately sets out to find his brother. Along the way he is mistaken for his brother by many people including the princess. Finally, he finds his brother and is able to rescue him. Angered that his wife mistook his twin for himself, the first twin kills his brother. He then returns to the castle.

When the princess learns of what transpired she asks him to show her to the place he struck his brother. He does, and she is able to revive the twin.

In the end, the second twin marries the "fairest in the land" and they, and their parents, live together in joy and happiness.

Questions or Comments?

Email: [email protected]

Or Fill out this Google Form

Book

The Grey Fairy Book by Andrew Lang

Music

"Princess (Instrumental Version)" by Josh Woodward.

Free download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/

**Please use your own judgement before sharing these stories with children. Although I do my best to keep the language friendly, the content may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Summary

Four disowned animals join together to start a musical act, and find themselves a lovely home after scaring away a band of robbers.

Points to Ponder

Have you heard this story before? What differences are there between this version and the one you already know?

Questions or Comments?

Email: [email protected]

Or Fill out this Google Form

Book

The Grey Fairy Book by Andrew Lang

Music

"Princess (Instrumental Version)" by Josh Woodward.

Free download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/

**Please use your own judgement before sharing these stories with children. Although I do my best to keep the language friendly, the content may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Summary

Moschino, the simple son of a rich man, is sent out to seek his fortune. Along the way he befriends and gathers together a band of young men with extraordinary abilities. With the help of his friends, he wins a king's fortune and returns home to his father.

Questions or Comments?

Email: [email protected]

Or Fill out this Google Form

Book

The Grey Fairy Book by Andrew Lang

Music

"Princess (Instrumental Version)" by Josh Woodward.

Free download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/

**Please use your own judgement before sharing these stories with children. Although I do my best to keep the language friendly, the content may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Summary

A king and queen with no children are deeply saddened for want of a son. In an attempt to hide his sadness from the queen, the king goes on a journey through their lands.

When he for a drink of water at what seems to be a freshly dug well, it is revealed to be a trap set by the mysterious and magical king Kostieï, who only agrees to release the king after he promises to give Kostieï "the most precious thing [his] palace contains, which was not there when [he] left it." When he arrives home, the king is grieved to realize that "precious thing" is his newborn son.

Years pass, and the boy grows into a fine prince. While he is out hunting one day, a mysterious man tells him of his father's debt. Upon learning the truth, he sets out on a journey determined to find a way to free himself from Kostieï.

Along the way he discovers twelve shapeshifting princesses: the daughters of Kostieï. With help from the youngest, he passes a series of tests and, with her, manages to outrun and outwit Kostieï.

Questions or Comments?

Email: [email protected]

Or Fill out this Google Form

Book

The Grey Fairy Book by Andrew Lang

Music

"Princess (Instrumental Version)" by Josh Woodward.

Free download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/

**Please use your own judgement before sharing these stories with children. Although I do my best to keep the language friendly, the content may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Summary

The three sons of a man with peculiar eyes wonder at their father's condition. When the youngest learns the source of his sadness, they set out to retrieve their father's stolen object: a magical vine that produces a full cask of wine every hour. Quickly they split up, and the youngest son is left on his own. Through kindness, he gains the help of a limping fox who advises him through many adventures.

Questions or Comments?

Email: [email protected]

Or Fill out this Google Form

Book

The Grey Fairy Book by Andrew Lang

Music

"Princess (Instrumental Version)" by Josh Woodward.

Free download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/

Content warning: Violence and death.

**Please use your own judgement before sharing these stories with children. Although I do my best to keep the language friendly, the content may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Summary

When their parents leave to travel, they tell their seven daughters not to leave the house or open the door to anyone for three years. After the six eldest daughters do not listen and are eaten by a witch, the youngest is adopted by an ogre.

She is well taken care of and given the keys to six rooms in his castle. Determined to find out what is in the mysterious seventh room she devises a plan and steals the key. In the mostly bare room she finds a window overlooking the neighboring prince's garden. Caring for the garden is an ox who tells the girl that her father, the ogre, plans to eat her. Upset by this, the girl tells her father and he teaches her how to respond- with a spell that incapacitates the ox for seven days.

Untended, the prince's garden falls to shambles. Displeased, he kills the ox and replaces it with another. The scenario repeats, but this time the ox begs for his life, and tells the prince about the girl in the ogre's castle.

The prince is intrigued, and hides in a tree where he is able to observe the next exchange between the ox and the girl. He is immediately smitten and makes a plan to ask the ogre for her hand.

The ogre consents, but as the girl is leaving he tells her she must not speak to the prince unless he swears "by the head of Buk Ettemsuch". She agrees.

Frustrated by his wife's silence, the prince takes a series of new brides, whom she tricks into killing themselves.

Finally, the prince discovers the key to his wife's silence and they live happily to the end of their days.

Questions or Comments?

Email: [email protected]

Or Fill out this Google Form

Book

The Grey Fairy Book by Andrew Lang

Music

"Princess (Instrumental Version)" by Josh Woodward.

Free download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/

**Please use your own judgement before sharing these stories with children. Although I do my best to keep the language friendly, the content may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Summary

A woman is gifted a child by the Sun Ball. She promises to return the girl, Letico, after her twelfth birthday. When that time comes and goes, the Sun Ball reclaims the child.

After some time, the Sun Ball notices how sad the child is, and realizes that she misses her mother. He then assigns two hares to guard her on her journey home.

Along the way, the hares stop to find food. They leave Letico in a tree, where she is found by a monster who tries to lure her down and eat her.

Letico manages to outwit and outrun the monster. With the help of the hares she makes it back home where she is joyfully reunited with her mother.

Poll/Question/Links

https://forms.gle/9XZt9kPrSXvHSziU8

Book

The Grey Fairy Book by Andrew Lang

Music

"Princess (Instrumental Version)" by Josh Woodward.

Free download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/

**Please use your own judgement before sharing these stories with children. Although I do my best to keep the language friendly, the content may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Summary

A king, afraid to lose his only daughter, keeps her shut up in the castle. With the help of her nurse, secretly a witch, she manages to escape. Riding an enchanted wheel-barrow and disguised in a bear skin, she flees to the forest.

Soon she is found by a prince, and assuming her to be a talking bear, he takes her to his palace.

Some time later, a royal ball is thrown in a neighboring kingdom. There, the prince dances with a beautiful stranger with whom he is immediately taken with. Twice more this happens, before the prince finally learns her true identity.

The two live happily and reign wisely for many years.

Points to Ponder

Did you notice any similarities between this story and a well known fairytale? What were they? What's different?

Poll/Question/Links

https://forms.gle/9XZt9kPrSXvHSziU8

Book

The Grey Fairy Book by Andrew Lang

Music

"Princess (Instrumental Version)" by Josh Woodward.

Free download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/

**Please use your own judgement before sharing these stories with children. Although I do my best to keep the language friendly, the content may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Summary

During a great drought the animals get together to dig a spring. The jackal, who refused to help, is banned from drinking. The Jackal uses his best tricks to outwit the appointed guards, until he is stymied by the humble tortoise.

Poll/Question/Links

https://forms.gle/9XZt9kPrSXvHSziU8

Book

The Grey Fairy Book by Andrew Lang

Music

"Princess (Instrumental Version)" by Josh Woodward.

Free download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/