The Head and the Tail of the Serpent

The Head and the Tail of the Serpent

A Fable of Aesop adapted by Jean de la Fonatine Two parts the serpent has— Of men the enemies— The head and tail: the same Have won a mighty fame, Next to the cruel Fates;— So that, indeed, hence They once had great debates About precedence. The first had always gone...
The Name of the Tree: a Story for Kwanzaa

The Name of the Tree: a Story for Kwanzaa

A Folk Tale from the Bantu People Once there was a terrible drought in the land of the animals. A kindly king came from over the mountain and planted a special tree. He told them that this tree would bear fruit all year round in any kind of weather. All they had to do...
Inviting the Bears

Inviting the Bears

A Tlingit Folk Tale from Alaska A An old man living in Alaska had lost all of his friends and family, and he felt sad to think that he was left alone. He began to wonder whether he should leave and start a new life in another village. But he worried, “If I paddle away...
The Man Who Grew Feathers

The Man Who Grew Feathers

A  Folk Tale from Ethiopia Once upon a time, there was a rich man who had two sons. When he died, he said in his will that three stables of cows (in fact, all his cows) should go to the first brother, and only one rooster should go to the second son. So as it was the...
The Smell of Soup and the Sound of Money

The Smell of Soup and the Sound of Money

A beggar was given a piece of bread, but nothing to put on it. Hoping to get something to go with his bread, he went to a nearby inn and asked for a handout. The innkeeper turned him away with nothing, but the beggar sneaked into the kitchen where he saw a large pot...
The Magical Mustard Seed

The Magical Mustard Seed

There is an old Chinese tale about a woman whose only son died. In her grief, she went to the holy man and asked, “What prayers, what magical incantations do you have to bring my son back to life?” Instead of sending her away or reasoning with her, he said...