I lived with an old couple who had no children of their own. They doted on me and I never left their sides. One hot summer day when the old man was working in the garden, I caught the scent of something a little way off. I sniffled and scratched at the spot. Then I...
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Gazelle with a Diamond
My master is a good man, but a poor man, a beggar. He bought me for a single silver coin and tried to feed me on a few meagre grains of corn. One night I spoke to him, which surprised him. He had never heard a gazelle speak. I asked him to let me find my own food...
Crow Who Saves a Prince
Friendship, Rebirth, Recovery, Salvation
When I was flying over the forest I saw a freshly killed ox lying in the clearing. What good fortune! I swooped down, landed on the carcass, and began to peck at the flesh. Just then a fox caught me in his mouth and ran with me to a lion who was sitting at the...
Prince with Animal Friends
Friendship, Kinship, Reciprocity
The relationship that my two brothers and I have with the animals started one day when we went out hunting. We had gone some way through a thick wood when we came upon a grey wolf and her three cubs. Just as we went to shoot, the wolf said, “Don't shoot me, and I will...
Black Raven of Corri-nan-creag
My eyes never close. My wings never tire. To some I am a bearer of ill-news and a bad omen. To others I am a simply a friend. When Covan the Brown-Haired sat down to eat his little cake in the forest, I appeared beside him cawing, "A bit for me! A bit for me!" He...
Queen Who Goes to Fairyland
Fertility, Friendship, Grief, Longing
I loved my husband but I couldn't conceive a child. We never talked about it, but when we watched other people play with their children, we couldn't hide our sadness. Then one day I went into the park near the castle, and sat alone by a waterfall. I didn't want my...
Gille Mairteau the Fox
Attraction, Friendship, Kinship
I watched him journey over the hills. I watched him ford the rivers and cross a wide plain. He couldn't find the blue falcon. The sky grew dark, and all the birds sought their nests, but Ian Direach had none of his own. He lay down under some bushes until sleep came...
Discharged Soldier Who is Carefree
Freedom, Friendship, Leadership
I hadn't learned a trade, so when I got discharged, I wandered. Begged alms. Kept the rain off my back with an old coat, and sloshed through the muck in a pair of buffalo-leather riding boots. I met up with a huntsman one day who seemed to have gotten himself lost in...
Honey Pot
He was a sweet boy who had been terribly abused. He wanted to die, and who could blame him? He reached for me, thinking that I contained poison. But I did not. I was full of honey. He ate the honey and said to himself, "Folks say death is bitter, but it tastes very...
Griffin’s Wife
Not a single Christian has ever dared to approach my husband the Griffin. But then one day this fellow comes to the door, and when I ask him what he wants, he tells me everything that's brought him here to the other side. He wants a feather from the Griffin's tail so...
Shy Carpenter
My best friend and I grew up in houses that stood side-by-side, and our fathers were both carpenters. We were so close to one another that we used to be called Little Fork and Little Knife. My friend became a soldier, and I became a carpenter. He was much more...
Princess Who Rides a Lion
My brother went hunting one day and didn’t return. I nearly wept myself blind! Then, when I could no longer stand it, I went out into the forest to search for him. After I had gone a long way, I became tired. I had to find a place to rest. I looked around and what did...
Wild Man
I set the boy down in the forest and told him he’d never see his parents again. But he had set me free from the cage, so I meant him no harm. On the contrary, I promised him a good life if he did what he was told. I made him a bed of moss and he slept well. At dawn, I...
Earthworkers
Admiration, Friendship, Trust, Wonder
The king's youngest daughter is our princess, and we serve her. When she comes into the forest and summons us: "Earthworkers, come out!" we appear from under every root and stone. When she asks for help, we ask no questions. If she wants the forest cut down and the...
Robber Girl
My mother would take me with her to rob rich people on the road. One night, we waited in the dark like we usually did, and then a coach came along. It lit up the forest like a torch. The robbers set upon it and killed everyone, except for a little girl. My mother, the...
Queen Bee
Friendship, Gratitude, Reciprocity
Three brothers came along and stood under the tree where we have our nest. The two who thought themselves to be clever wanted to make a fire under the tree to get the honey. The third brother said, "Leave the bees in peace. I will not allow you to burn them." His...
Long the Tall Man
Long is my name. Pleased to make your acquaintance. Me and my friends, Broad and Quickeye, we're off to help the prince free his lady-love. Where is she? Well, she's been locked up in an iron castle by an evil wizard. I can get us out of the woods, that's not a...
Princess Freed from Dragons
Compensation, Freedom, Friendship, Gratitude
Nine draken kept me prisoner in my castle, but Janni has come, and his dogs have slain the dragons. I am free, along with all the other prisoners! I would marry this handsome youth who comes from nowhere, but Janni has put me off. He says, "For the kindness that I...
Owl at the Abyss
Admiration, Friendship, Salvation
The old man had no means to entertain the royal party that was making its way to his camp, and, in his shame, he went to a gorge in the middle of the night. I could see from my post that the good man intended to kill himself. It would be a great loss. His goodness...
Martin in the Gloomy Wood
Freedom, Friendship, Transformation
After a year's work, my employer rewarded me by giving me a choice between a sack of silver and a sack of sand. I took the bag of sand. I don't know why. I thought there must be some kind of magic to it. I went on my way and came into a gloomy wood. In the middle of...
Prince with the Speaking Horse
I was lost my way the forest, and after five days of wandering, I came to a stately palace in a large open space. The atmosphere was silent, without a trace of human life, and the door was open. I went in and wandered through the deserted rooms without seeing a living...
Frisk the Dog
The princess isn't interested in me or my master, even though he's very handsome and I'm very frisky! She's only interested in retrieving a ring from the river. The prince can't fathom how to find the ring in the swift current, but I tell him not to despair. He's too...