Fairy Tales Index - Alphabetical
-A-
Aladdin: Middle Eastern tale of a poor boy who discovers a magic lamp containing a wish-granting spirit.
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves: Man discovers secret treasure cave guarded by magical phrase “Open Sesame.”
Anansi and the Pot of Wisdom: West African spider trickster hoards wisdom but loses it to humanity.
Andersen’s The Little Match Girl: Poor girl freezes to death while experiencing comforting visions.
The Ant and the Grasshopper: Hardworking ant survives winter while careless grasshopper starves.
-B-
Baba Yaga: Slavic witch who lives in a walking hut and both harms and helps lost travelers.
Beauty and the Beast: Woman learns to love cursed beast, breaking his enchantment.
The Bremen Town Musicians: Aging animals band together and outwit thieves.
Bluebeard: Woman discovers her husband murdered his previous wives.
The Brave Little Tailor: Tailor defeats giants and wins a kingdom through cleverness.
-C-
Cinderella: Abused girl rises to royalty through magical assistance and perseverance.
Cap o’ Rushes: Girl disguises herself in humble clothing after angering her father.
Chicken Little: Bird believes the sky is falling after being struck on the head.
The Crane Wife: Japanese story of a magical crane who becomes human to repay kindness.
The Clever Farmer’s Daughter: Girl solves riddles and earns royal marriage.
-D-
Diamonds and Toads: Kind girl rewarded with jewels while cruel sister produces vermin.
Donkeyskin: Princess disguises herself to escape unwanted marriage.
The Dragon King’s Daughter: East Asian princess aids human hero.
The Dancing Princesses: Princesses secretly wear out shoes dancing each night.
-E-
East of the Sun, West of the Moon: Girl must rescue enchanted prince from distant magical land.
The Emperor’s New Clothes: Tailors trick emperor into wearing invisible clothing.
The Enchanted Pig: Bride must rescue husband transformed into animal.
The Elves and the Shoemaker: Elves secretly help poor shoemaker succeed.
-F-
The Fisherman and His Wife: Wife’s greed leads to loss of magical gifts.
The Firebird: Russian prince captures magical glowing bird.
The Frog Prince: Princess transforms frog into prince through compassion.
The Fox and the Grapes: Fox pretends he never wanted unreachable grapes.
The Five Chinese Brothers: Brothers with magical abilities survive execution attempts.
-G-
Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Girl trespasses into bears’ home.
The Golden Goose: Simple man rewarded for kindness.
The Gingerbread Man: Living cookie escapes but meets unfortunate end.
The Girl Without Hands: Girl suffers cruel trials before restoration.
The Green Knight: Arthurian knight tests honor and courage.
-H-
Hansel and Gretel: Children abandoned in forest encounter cannibalistic witch.
The Hare and the Tortoise: Slow persistence defeats arrogance.
The Honest Woodcutter: Woodcutter rewarded for honesty.
How the Leopard Got His Spots: African tale explaining animal markings.
The Husband Who Was to Mind the House: Husband fails domestic tasks humorously.
-I-
Iron Hans: Wild man helps boy achieve kingship.
Issun-bōshi: Japanese tiny warrior proves his courage.
Ivan Tsarevich and the Firebird: Russian prince undergoes magical trials.
-J-
Jack and the Beanstalk: Boy climbs giant beanstalk into another world.
The Jade Rabbit: East Asian moon rabbit creates elixir of immortality.
The Juniper Tree: Dark German tale of murder and supernatural justice.
-K-
The King Thrushbeard: Princess learns humility through hardship.
The Kitchen God’s Wife: Chinese household deity watches over family.
Kaguya-hime: Moon princess raised on Earth must return to celestial home.
-L-
Little Red Riding Hood: Girl encounters wolf disguised as grandmother.
The Little Mermaid: Mermaid sacrifices everything for human love.
The Lazy Jack: Foolish boy eventually finds success.
The Lion and the Mouse: Small kindness repaid in unexpected way.
-M-
Momotaro: Japanese boy born from peach defeats demons.
The Magic Paintbrush: Chinese boy brings paintings to life.
The Master Maid: Girl uses magic to escape evil master.
Molly Whuppie: Girl defeats giants through cleverness.
-N-
The Nightingale: Bird teaches emperor true meaning of beauty.
The Nutcracker: Girl enters magical world of living toys.
The North Wind and the Sun: Gentle persuasion proves stronger than force.
-O-
The Old Woman in the Woods: Girl encounters enchanted forest spirits.
One Thousand and One Nights: Storytelling princess delays her execution night after night.
The Ogre’s Heart: Giant hides his life force in secret object.
-P-
Puss in Boots: Clever cat wins wealth and status for poor master.
The Pied Piper: Piper leads children away from town.
Pinocchio: Wooden puppet seeks to become human.
Princess and the Pea: Princess proves identity through sensitivity.
-R-
Rapunzel: Girl imprisoned in tower escapes through love.
Rumpelstiltskin: Creature demands child in exchange for magical help.
The Red Shoes: Girl cursed to dance endlessly.
-S-
Sleeping Beauty: Princess cursed into long enchanted sleep.
Snow White: Princess survives murderous jealousy.
The Snow Queen: Girl rescues friend from icy enchantment.
Stone Soup: Travelers trick villagers into sharing food.
-T-
Thumbelina: Tiny girl experiences magical adventures.
The Three Little Pigs: Pigs build houses against wolf.
The Twelve Dancing Princesses: Princesses secretly dance each night.
The Tinderbox: Soldier gains magical power.
-U-
Urashima Taro: Fisherman visits underwater kingdom and returns to changed world.
-V-
Vasilisa the Beautiful: Girl survives Baba Yaga’s deadly tests.
The Velvet Rabbit: Toy becomes real through love.
-W-
The White Snake: Servant gains magical ability to understand animals.
The Wild Swans: Girl rescues brothers turned into birds.
Why the Sun and Moon Live in the Sky: African origin story.
-Y-
The Yellow Dwarf: Fairy imprisons princess.
The Youth Who Went Forth to Learn Fear: Boy learns fear through trials.
-Z-
The Zlatorog: Slovenian golden-horned mountain guardian.