Baby bed stories

Bedtime Stories Bedtime Stories | Free Stories Kids Love!

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The fairytale of Cinderella, a young girl who finds out that dreams really can come true.

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The fairytale of Snow White, who is the fairest of them all, with a modern twist.

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The fairytale of Pinocchio. If he is to become a real boy, he has to learn to be honest.

A Bedtime Stories Classic: A miller tells a tale that his daughter can turn straw into gold – adapted from Grimm’s Brothers.

A Bedtime Stories Classic: Goldilocks finds the three bears cottage in the woods. Should she make herself comfortable?

A Bedtime Stories Classic: When Hansel and Gretel go in search of food, they find a gingerbread house. But who is inside?

A Bedtime Stories Classic: An evil witch has trapped Rapunzel in a tower. Can her long hair or love save her?

A Bedtime Stories Classic: Merlin the Magician places a magic sword in a stone, whoever pulls it out is the rightful king.

A Bedtime Stories Classic: A Mama Duck is proud when her ducklings hatch, but one does not look like the others.

A Bedtime Stories Classic: A new take on the Brother’s Grimm fairytale that sparked the Disney adaptation.

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The Little Mermaid falls in love with a prince and makes a deal with the Sea Witch to become human.

A Bedtime Stories Classic: Aladdin, the Genie, and the Magic Lamp work to impress the princess who wishes to be a commoner.

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The tale of a male deer, Bambi, his mother and his adventures about learning in the woods.

A Bedtime Stories Classic: Robin Hood takes part in an archery competition that is thrown by the Sheriff of Nottingham.

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The tale of Maui, a Demi-God, adapted to Disney’s Moana and the Tales of Maui.

A Bedtime Stories Classic: A story about a stuffed rabbit’s desire to become real through the love of his owner.

A Bedtime Stories Classic: Gerda and Kai struggle to fight the Snow Queen and find the balance between Good and Evil.

A Bedtime Stories Classic: A Princess is cursed by Maleficent and put into a deep sleep for 100 years. Who can save her?

A Bedtime Stories Classic: Della and Jim wish to give each other the perfect Christmas present, how will they get the money?

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The story tells of the time Pocahontas saved the life of settler John Smith from her father.

A Cinderella Story | Bedtime Stories for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The fairytale of Cinderella, a young girl who finds out that dreams really can come true.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Story | Bedtime Stories for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The fairytale of Snow White, who is the fairest of them all, with a modern twist.

Pinocchio Story | Fairy Tale Bedtime Stories for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The fairytale of Pinocchio. If he is to become a real boy, he has to learn to be honest.

Beauty and the Beast Classic Tale | Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The fairytale of a beautiful woman, a monstrous beast, and finding love.

Rumpelstiltskin | A Fairy Tale Bedtime Story for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: A miller tells a tale that his daughter can turn straw into gold – adapted from Grimm’s Brothers.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears | Bedtime Stories for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: Goldilocks finds the three bears cottage in the woods. Should she make herself comfortable?

Hansel and Gretel | Bedtime Stories for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: When Hansel and Gretel go in search of food, they find a gingerbread house. But who is inside?

Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm | Bedtime Stories

A Bedtime Stories Classic: An evil witch has trapped Rapunzel in a tower. Can her long hair or love save her?

The Sword in the Stone | A King Arthur Legend of the Sword Story

A Bedtime Stories Classic: Merlin the Magician places a magic sword in a stone, whoever pulls it out is the rightful king.

The Ugly Duckling Story | Fairy Tale Story for Kids in English

A Bedtime Stories Classic: A Mama Duck is proud when her ducklings hatch, but one does not look like the others.

The Frog Prince: The Princess and the Frog | Bedtime Stories

A Bedtime Stories Classic: A new take on the Brother’s Grimm fairytale that sparked the Disney adaptation.

The Little Mermaid Story | Bedtime Stories for Kids in English

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The Little Mermaid falls in love with a prince and makes a deal with the Sea Witch to become human.

Aladdin and the Magic Lamp | Bedtime Stories

A Bedtime Stories Classic: Aladdin, the Genie, and the Magic Lamp work to impress the princess who wishes to be a commoner.

Bambi Story: A Life in the Woods | Bedtime Stories for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The tale of a male deer, Bambi, his mother and his adventures about learning in the woods.

Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow Story | Legend Stories for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: Robin Hood takes part in an archery competition that is thrown by the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Maui from Moana: Tales of the Demi-God | Legend Stories for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The tale of Maui, a Demi-God, adapted to Disney’s Moana and the Tales of Maui.

The Velveteen Rabbit Story | Bedtime Stories for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: A story about a stuffed rabbit’s desire to become real through the love of his owner.

The Snow Queen Fairy Tale Story | Bedtime Story for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: Gerda and Kai struggle to fight the Snow Queen and find the balance between Good and Evil.

Sleeping Beauty Fairy Tale Story | Bedtime Stories for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: A Princess is cursed by Maleficent and put into a deep sleep for 100 years. Who can save her?

The Gift of the Magi Story | A Holiday Story for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: Della and Jim wish to give each other the perfect Christmas present, how will they get the money?

Pocahontas and John Smith Story | Folktales Stories for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: The story tells of the time Pocahontas saved the life of settler John Smith from her father.

The Emperor’s New Clothes Story | Bedtime Stories

A Bedtime Stories Classic: An Emperor is fooled into believing he is wearing magic clothes which can’t actually be seen.

Mulan Story: Tale of Hua Mulan | Bedtime Stories for Kids

A Bedtime Stories Classic: A legend tale about a girl who goes in disguise as a boy and joins the army in her brother’s place.

Short Stories for Kids ~ Folk tales, Fairy Tales, Riddles, Legends, Poems

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The Girl Who Changed Her Fate ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Poor Alena is cursed with an ill fate. Is there a way for her to change it?

The Girl with the Loveliest Hair in the World ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

A Story of Love from Pakistan. 

A prince sets out to discover why every night his bride, the girl with the loveliest hair in the world, returns home.

The Girl Fish ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

A girl is transformed into a fish to seek the lost crown of a queen-fish.

The Little Boy and Girl in the Clouds, The Tale of El Capitan ~ Folktales

Overnight, a magic rock, El Capitan, raises a boy and girl who had fallen asleep on top of it.

The Girl and the Puma ~ Legend Stories for Kids

A frightened Spanish girl forges a powerful relationship with a puma.

The Maiden and the Boy who Vanished ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Three maidens try to rescue a nobleman’s son who had vanished.

How to Turn Dirt Into Gold ~ Folktale Stories for Kids

A young man learns the secret of how to turn dirt into gold.

A Caterpillar’s Voice ~ Bedtime English Story for Kids

Who is in the hare’s cave? A big voice!

A Donkey to Market ~ Learn to Read with English Stories for Kids

A Bedtime Story in Simple English for Kids. How to best take their donkey to market? Everyone weighs in.

The Painting & the Cat ~ Short Stories for Kids

Fable Short Stories for Kids: The fable is a fictional story meant to teach a moral lesson. See what lesson about the nature of perception Mark Twain is trying to show us. 

Androcles and the Lion ~ Folktale Stories for Kids: Aesop’s Fables

Androcles, an escaped slave, meets a lion in the woods. An Aesop’s tale.

A Spider & Robert the Bruce ~ Learn to Read with English Stories for Kids

An English Story for Kids Learning to Read. A defeated Scottish king, Robert the Bruce, is inspired by a spider. (from Scotland)

A Story from Confucius on Losing One’s Temper ~ Folktale Stories for Kids

Story from Confucius: Folktale story for kids from the philosopher Confucius which explains losing one’s temper and the art of self-control.

A Surprise in the Oven Story ~ Canadian Folktales for Kids

A story of creative thinking and working together from Canada.

Akbar and the Half-Reward ~ Akbar Birbal English Story for Kids

An English Story for Kids Learning to Read. Akbar gives a reward to Mahesh Das who saved him but someone else demands half. What will he do when he is bullied to split the reward?

All for a Paisa Story ~ Riddle Stories for Kids

A father challenges his son to solve an impossible riddle with only a paisa.

Birbal and the Mango Tree ~ Akbar Birbal English Story for Kids

An English Story for Kids Learning to Read. Who owns the Mango tree? Birbal helps two men decide and discover who is the proper owner.

Birbal Finds a Thief ~ Akbar Birbal English Story for Kids

An English Story for Kids Learning to Read. How can Birbal tell who the thief is? With a clever plan, of course!

The Stonecutter ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Haku yearns to be Emperor- if only!

Sima Guang Breaks the Vat ~ Chinese Stories in English for Kids

A Chinese Story in English for Kids Learning to Read. Sima Guang is tasked to save his friend who has fallen in a vat of water.

Swapping Places ~ Folktale Stories for Kids

A farmer and his wife swap places, and he finds her work is not so easy.

The Apple Dumpling Story ~ Learn to Read

A Bedtime Story in Simple English for Kids. An old woman’s search for an apple dumpling leads her to generous trades. A story of Gratitude and Kindness.

The Bear Feast Story ~ Folktales Stories for Kids

A Story of Friendship, Hospitality and Sharing, from the United States. 

An old man invites the grizzly bear chief and his followers to a feast.

The Empty Pot ~ Learn to Read with English Stories for Kids

An English Story for Kids Learning to Read. The boy who grows the finest plant will be emperor, but Jun’s seed does not sprout.

The Enormous Turnip ~ Folktale Stories for Kids

An old man grows a giant turnip. A Russian folktale.

The Geese and the Fig Tree ~ The Wise Old Bird Panchatantra Stories

Panchatantra Stories: When a vine starts to grow, the wise geese says to get rid of it. What happens when something small becomes a big problem?

The Great Fire Story ~ Legends Stories for Kids

A great fire wipes out all peoples on earth except two.

The Man, the Hawk & the Dove ~ Folktales Stories for Kids

A man is torn between two warring animals, and their tempting pleas.

The Mice and the Elephants ~ Panchatantra Stories

Panchatantra Stories: A herd of elephants do a favor for the mice. How can a small thing repay a big thing? A story of Helping.

The Poor Farmer’s Wish: The Tale of the Silver on the Hearth ~ Folktales

A poor farmer finds a jar of coins and leaves them behind because they are not his.

The Story of the Aged Mother by Matsuo Basho ~ Folktale Stories for Kids

Folktale Stories for Kids: this Japanese folktale tells the story of an unkind ruler who issues cruel orders, including a demand that all old folks are to be abandoned and left to die. Basho tells a poignant story about a mother and her son and their love for one another.

The Tsar’s Daughter ~ Legend Stories for Kids

A Tsar’s daughter battles a monster to prove to her father she can rule.

The Wise Young Girl Becomes Head of the Household ~ Folktales Stories

To be allowed back home, three brides must find rare and impossible items. A young, wise girl is eager to help.

Two Brothers Story ~ Folktales Stories for Kids

A Folktale Story of Brotherly Love from Israel. 

A rare folk tale about the love and generosity of two brothers. This tale has both Hebrew and Arab derivation.  

Weighing the Elephant ~ Learn to Read with English Stories for Kids

A Chinese Riddle Tale in English for Kids Learning to Read. A Chinese king is amazed by the gift of an elephant- but how to weigh it?

White Wing: The Tale of the Doves and the Hunter ~ Panchatantra Stories

Panchatantra Stories:  A Hunter puts a net on the banyan tree. Can the doves escape? A story of Teamwork.

Yuuki and the Tsunami ~ Legend Bedtime Stories for Kids

A boy saves 400 villagers from a sudden tsunami. True story.

The Beekeeper and the Bewitched Hare ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

A beekeeper must protect an enchanted hare from an evil witch.

Boots and His Brothers ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Three brothers embark on a quest to serve their King.

The Enormous Nose ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Flatterers divert the Prince from the truth about his enormous nose. (from France)

The Fisherlad & the Mermaid’s Ring ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

A fisherlad wins a mermaid’s ring to win the heart of his own true love.

The Frog & the Condor ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

A girl kept as a slave by a condor is offered a hope of rescue.

Goblin’s Market, A Halloween Poem ~ Fairy Tales Poems for Kids

The goblins have captured Sarah. To save Sarah, what must her sister do?

The Golden Goose ~ A Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

A parade of villagers get stuck to Simpleton and his golden goose.

Time Changes All Things: Greyfoot and the Princess of England ~ Fairytale

A haughty princess must marry a beggar, who is actually a prince in disguise.

Guleesh and the Princess of France ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

After Guleesh and his band kidnap a princess, he tries to make amends.

Janet and Thomalyn (Tamlane) ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Only Janet can save Thomalyn from being sacrificed by the Fairies.

Princess Kate Story ~ Fairy Tales Stories for Kids

Princess Kate and her sister flee the palace to try to break an evil spell.

The Lad and the Maiden in the Rose-Colored Clouds ~ Fairy Tale Stories

A Story of Courage, Friendship and Love, from Scotland. 

A lad spends his life searching for a maiden who appeared in his dream.

The Lion’s Enchantment ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

To save a prince, a maiden must give up what is most valuable to her.

The Witch’s Magic Ball ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

A Story of Cooperation and Perseverance, from Argentina. 

An evil witch lures a girl with a magic ball, and her brother must free her.

The Magic Horse ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

A prince jumps on a magic horse without first hearing how to run it.

The Magic Mirror ~ Fairy Tale Bedtime Stories for Kids

The King will marry only a maiden who will look into his magic mirror.

The Magic Tree Trunks ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

A prince and princess exiled from the castle hide in two magic tree trunks.

The Native American Cinderella Story from Canada ~ Fairy Tale Stories

A scar-faced youngest of three daughters seeks a warrior’s heart.

Princess Amaradevi Story ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Princess Amaradevi engineers a scheme to free her exiled husband.

Prince Derek and the Ring ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Prince Derek throws off the magic ring designed to help him stay good.

Queen Anait ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Anait will marry the the prince only if he first learns a trade.

The Queen and the Mouse Fairy Tale ~ Stories for Kids

A queen locked up as prisoner has but one friend- a dancing mouse.

Rags and Tatters ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Whoever picks up a rose thrown into the street will marry the princess.

The Contest of the Fairies (Fairy) ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Two fairies bet on whether a womanizing prince will stay true. (from France)

The Six Friends ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

One of six friends is missing – where is he? The five friends go in search.

The Spellbook in the Forbidden Room ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

A spellbook holds the key to rescue- but who can read the spells?

The Stolen Bairn (Baby) ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

A Scottish folk tale of a mother’s fierce love for her baby (“bairn”).

Sunlight & Moonlight ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Two young princes escape danger at the palace, & find more in the desert.

Susu and the Magic Mirror ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Susu’s magic mirror reveals the truth about her stepmother.

The Talking Eggs ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

The talking eggs of a magical old woman can bring fortunes- or not.

The Golden Goats ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Three brothers catch runaway golden goats, but not for long.

The Troll in the Ditch ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

A Story of Generosity, Helping, and Selflessness, from Sweden. 

Pedar is rushing to get to Lisa’s house- why take time to help a little old troll in a ditch?

The Twelve Wild Ducks ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

A princess risks everything to free her 12 older brothers from a spell.

The Wild Man & the Prince ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

Exiled, a prince is forced by his servant to switch clothes.

Baba Yaga The Witch

Baba Yaga: A classic Russian Fairytale in Early Reader version. Natasha is sent deep into the forest to face the witch, Baba Yaga.

The Stolen Bairn (Baby) ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

It was an odd sight that greeted two tall, dark, sharp-eared fairies. There under the bushes by the cliffs, was a baby wrapped in its blankets mewing and cooing. Only his wee little face poked through, and not a soul nearby to claim him.

"I would like such a bairn," said one fairy, arching her eyebrow.

"Aye," said the other, looking around. "No one is around to stop us."

In an instant, the two fairies snatched up the bundle in their claw-like arms and vanished.

Just a few minutes later, sailing by the cliffs, two fishermen noticed the figure of a woman fallen on the rocks, her golden locks hanging low.

"'Tis a lass!" said one.

"Don't even think of stopping," said the other, turning the tiller away from the sharp, rocky cliffs near the shore. "Our boat will break to pieces!"

"But look - she must be injured, or worse," said the first. "We can't go home & have our dinner knowing we left her behind!"

So the two fishermen carefully anchored their boat on the high, rocky waters by the cliffs and climbed up the rocks to the lass, lying still on the rocks.

"Think she's still with us?"

"Aye," said the other, "but we'd best get her back to the village, right quick."

The women of the village nursed the stranger with teas of fern root and violets steeped in whey. At last, the lass opened her eyes.

"My bairn," she murmured. "Where's my bairn?"

"Lass," said an older woman, worriedly glancing at the other womenfolk. "You were found quite alone."

The lass sat up straight, surprising them all.

"Nay!  I bundled my bairn good and safe by the bushes when I went for just a moment to fetch him water. I must have fallen on the rocks.  My bairn must still be there!"

The villagers quickly formed a search team and returned to the cliffs. They searched the whole live long day, tramping up and down the path and all around the area, asking everyone they could find.  But no one knew of a baby that had been found by the cliffs.

One of the fishermen had to give the mother the sorry news.  "Stay here in our village with us," said he. "This can be your new home. We have many a fine lad for you to marry. You'll have another bairn before long, no doubt."

She drew in her breath. "Thank you, just the same.  I know you mean well. But now I must go to find my bairn."

So the lass traveled from farm to village, searching and asking everyone she met about her lost baby. With her hair blown about and a wild expression in her eyes, many thought her crazed, and perhaps she was, a bit.

One day the lass wandered into a camp of gypsies. "Where is my bairn? Can anyone help me?" The girl looked so forlorn and weary, a mother with three young children took pity on her. She bid the lass to come inside her tent.  She washed the feet of the visitor and fed her from her own pot. "Where is my bairn?" was all the girl could say.

"Alas, I know not," said the young mother. "But my grandmother is the wisest woman I know. If anyone can help you find your little one, it is she."

She led the lass to another tent.  Inside sat a very wrinkled ancient woman dressed in black from head to toe and sitting at a table. The grandmother heard the sad story.  Saying nothing, clasped her hands upon the hands of the lass.  And there they sat, hour after hour, hand in hand, till darkness fell. At midnight, the grandmother selected herbs from a basket and scattered them over the fire. The fire leaped up and the smoke that rose from the burning herbs swirled round the old gypsy woman's head. She closed her eyes and listened as the fire burned hot. When it died down, she took the lass's hand again.

"Give up thy search, poor lass," said the grandmother sorrowfully. "For thy baby has been stolen away by the fairies. Taken to live with them, he was. It's best that you accept it, lass. The fairies are far more powerful than we mortals."

The lass was silent. Then she said, darkly, "If I cannot get back my bairn, I might as well lay down and die."

"No, child!" urged the old grandmother, tears welling in her eyes. "Perhaps there is a way..."

"What?" whispered the lass. "A spell?"

"Ah, if only it were that easy!" said the ancient gypsy grandmother. "The fairies are a vain people who enjoy rare and beautiful things, but they have no art. If they see something exquisite, something very rare and extraordinary, they will want it.  And if you have such an unusual item, you might be able to bargain with them. But it would have to be something without equal anywhere in the world. And I'm afraid you would need two such treasures - one to gain entrance inside the fairy mound, where they live.  And another to bargain with for your babe."

The old woman sighed. "What's more, the time for you to obtain two treasures is short. If only you had 10 years! But the truth is, in 10 days the fairy people will gather together from all corners of the earth to choose a new ruler for the next 100 years. Your baby is sure to be among them for the event. After that, who knows where your babe might go? And now," she said, "there is only more thing I can do for you."

The old gypsy grandmother laid one hand on the girl's head and cast a spell to protect her from fire and earth, wind and water. Unable to do anything more, they bid goodbye.

Uplifted by the notion that she might, after all, find her baby, the lass went on her way. Then suddenly, she felt as if she had struck her head on the cliffs once again. How could she, penniless as she was, ever obtain a rare and exotic treasure, much less two?

Her head spinning, she lay a hand on a tree to steady herself. What items do people speak of in wonder? All she could think of were two legendary items from kings of yesteryear - the famous white cloak of King Nechtan and the golden stringed harp of King Wrad. Suddenly she knew what she must do.

The lass headed straight to the shore, where large seabirds called eider ducks nested.  On the beach were the fur sheddings from the ducks.  Soft down duck fur that had shed from their breasts, and delicate white feathers that had rolled off their wings. She clambered up and down the rocks gathering the cottony down and the clusters of white feathers. Sharp rocks scraped her feet but did not pierce her skin, the hot sun burnt in the sky but that did not redden her face.   The wind splashed the waves on the rocks but her dress and legs stayed dry. Ah, she thought with warm gratitude, the spell of the gypsy grandmother was shielding her from the ill effect of earth and fire, wind and water.

The lass gathered all the down and feathers she needed.  Then she set to weaving the down into a large cloak.  The cloak was so soft and thick that it looked as if a tuft of cloud had been plucked from the sky. Then to decorate border around the cloak, she wove the delicate white feathers around the edges. In three quick strokes, she cut off her long golden hair that had fallen to her waist. Setting aside one strand of her locks for later, she took the rest and wove the strands into the feathered border, making golden flowers and leaves, all glimmering and resplendent.

Day and night she worked for there was not a moment to lose. After she had stitched the final stitch, she carefully folded the soft white cloak, laid it under a shrub and returned to the seashore.

Searching the sandy beach, the lass looked for the right shape of bones to make a frame for a harp. Luckily she discovered an arc of bone that had been washed by the waves to such a smooth perfection that it resembled ivory. Taking the bone back to the shrub, she tied it together to make a frame for a harp. From the lock of hair she had set aside before, she braided each of her tiny hairs into thin strands, then twisted several thin strands together to form strong, elegant strings for the harp. She stretched the strings tight and set them in tune.  When she plucked a note, it was so full of longing and grief that even the birds winging their way to the sea stopped in mid-air for a moment and cocked their heads to hear.

The lass wrapped her cloak around her shoulders, held the harp to her chest and set out to the mound where the fairies were known to live. As she traveled, villagers stepped aside for her to pass, according her the respect due a princess. But of this she noticed nothing, and continued along the high road and the byroad, her eyes fixed straight ahead.   At last, as the moon rose full, she reached the entrance of the fairy mound. She spread her billowing cloak upon the path and stepped aside.

Before long a fairy strode toward her.

The fairy pointed at her. "You! No humans are allowed here. Leave at once!"

The fairy noticed the white cloak. "Hmm," she said.  "Finders keepers." And she stooped for it.

"Nay!" said the lass. "It's mine. You cannot have it!" She quickly snatched the cloak from the ground, cleverly wrapping it round her shoulders so it swirled around her body, its folds glimmering in the sun and its golden threads shining.

"Mortal, don't be a fool! I'll give you a handful of gold for it."

"This cloak is not for sale. 'Tis embroidered with my own golden hair, and there's none like it in the world!"

"No amount of gold?" scoffed the fairy. "You make me laugh - all you humans crumble at the first glint of gold. Very well, I'll fill your pockets with gold and all you can hold in your arms. There! Are you satisfied now?"

"The cloak is not for sale for ANY amount of gold," she repeated, "nor for any regular price."

"WHAT then?" said the fairy, sensing a bargain could be struck.

"Take me with you inside the fairy mound. Then the cloak will be yours and you're welcome to it."

"What a fool," mumbled the fairy, but she took the lass by the hand and together, they entered the fairy mound. Once inside, the fairy snatched the soft white cloak from the lass's shoulders, and the girl let it go with a smile. Glancing back, she saw the fairy showing off the cloak and a crowd of other tall, dark fairies surrounding her, touching it, begging to be allowed to try it on, please, just once. But the lass headed straight forward, harp in hand, until she spied at the edge of the mound a high throne.  Sitting on the throne was a tall, forbidding, sharp-eared creature, with his eyebrows deep cast into a frown, who she realized must be the new king of the fairies.

Fearlessly she approached the throne.

"You dare to approach the throne!" hissed the king. "How did you - a human! - get inside the fairy mound?"

The lass pointed to the fairy who had admitted her. The white-cloaked fairy turned and said, "Your Highness, she entered with me." The king frowned.

"And what have you there?" said he, nodding to the harp she clutched to her breast.

"'Tis my harp," said she.

"I have harps a'plenty," shrugged the king.

"Not like this," said the lass, and she plucked a few chords, ringing notes so pure and transcendent that the king stared in wonder.

"You offer this as a gift for me, the new king of the fairies?"

"The harp might be a gift under the right circumstance," the lass said quickly. "It's not for sale for any usual price."

"It's naught but a common harp and you know it," shrugged the king. "You think too much of your little toy." Then he cunningly added, "but I could take it off your hands. What do you want for it?"

"The harp is beyond price," said the lass. "'Tis woven from my own golden hair.There's none like it in the world. There's only one trade of interest to me." The king arched one eyebrow. "My bairn!" she said. "Give me my bairn that was taken by the fairies after I left him in his blankets by the black cliffs. My bairn back, and the harp is yours!"

"Nonsense!" He was not anxious to let go of the chubby-cheeked infant, held deep in the woods. He ordered a few of the fairies to bring gold, and they piled armfuls of the precious nuggets around the youn woman's ankles. "Surely," he sneered, "that's more than enough payment for a common harp."

"Ooch, I do not want your gold!" she cried. "My bairn! I want my bairn and naught else!"

He clicked his fingers, and more fairies brought more armfuls of precious stones, this time of emeralds and rubies that heaped over the gold until a great pile of jewels rose to her waist.

Without looking once at the jewels she stared at the king.  Said she with steely eyes: "My bairn! Give me my bairn and naught else!"

When he saw that she could not be moved, the king barked, "So take the brat - what do I care?"

"Give me the bairn first, then the harp," said she, knowing full well that if she let go of the harp first, she'd never see her baby again.

The king clicked his fingers.  Before long, the baby was brought to his side. At once the infant recognized its mother and reached out. The lass gripped the harp tightly, her chin up.  She repeated, "Give me the bairn first."

So the baby was returned to its mother, and the lass gave the harp to the king. He struck a few chords and the purest and sweetest melody every heard in the fairy kingdom rang out. All the fairies gathered round, delighting in the talents of their new king and vigorously nodding their heads with admiration.

Clutching her baby, the lass turned from the king, quickened out of the fairy mound, and headed to the fisherfolk who had cared for her so tenderly. Overjoyed were they that she had returned to their village - and with her bairn, no less! And that is where the lass and her little one stayed for many happy years.

"Stories from the Crib" - English language pearls

Stories have a special appeal and meaning to children. "A preschooler is not able to follow the development of a long narrative," - such was the theoretical background in the middle of the last century, which was partly based on the work of the largest specialist in the field of developmental psychology, Piaget. However, in the late 1960s, this notion was refuted. At the age of three, four and five, children may not be able to grasp intricate plots and storylines. But the narrative form itself is now considered by psychologists to be of the utmost importance to them.

" This is the only way for them to organize the world, to organize their own experience ," says Jerome Bruner, a psychologist at New York University. turn to stories, and when they try to make sense of life, they put their experiences in the form of stories as a basis for future reflections . If they do not understand something in the structure of the narrative, it is not remembered very well, and this, apparently , becomes inaccessible for further understanding ".

In the early 1980s, Bruner took part in an amazing project called " Stories from the Crib", which forced many child psychologists to change their minds. The project focused on a two-year-old girl Emily from New Haven. The girl's parents , both professors, noticed that in the evening, before going to sleep, their daughter talked to herself . Intrigued by this, they placed a miniature cassette recorder in her crib and began to record their conversations with her before laying her down in bed, and her conversations with herself before going to sleep.The records - 122 in all - were then analyzed by a group of linguists and psychologists led by Katerina Nelson from Harvard University. They found that Emily's conversations with herself were more advanced than her conversations with her parents . In fact they were much more advanced. Carol Fleischer Feldman, one of the research team members who discussed Emily's audio recordings, later wrote... all of us speech development researchers to think about whether the system of speech education offered in modern literature corresponds to the real speech skills of a small child. As soon as the lights went out and the parents left the room, Emily showed an amazing command of language forms, which we can not could not expect from her [in everyday speech] ".

C.F. Feldman had in mind such aspects as vocabulary, grammar and - most importantly - the structure of Emily's monologues. She composed stories, stories that explained and organized what happened to her in life "Sometimes these stories were what linguists call temporal narrative. She created a story by trying to integrate events, actions and feelings into a single structure. This is a process of great importance for the mental development of a child. Here is one of the stories she told herself Emily, being 32 months old, I'll quote most of it to highlight how difficult it is for children to talk when they're alone.0003

"Tomorrow, when we wake up and get up, first me, and then dad, and mom, and you, we will have breakfast as usual, and then we will play, and then when dad comes, Carl will come, and we are going to and then Carl and Emily will go with someone to the car, and then we will go to the kindergarten [whispering], and when we get there, we will get out of the car and go to the kindergarten, and dad will kiss us, then it will be leave and say, and then we'll say goodbye, then he'll go to work, and we'll play in kindergarten. Wouldn't it be fun? Because sometimes I go to kindergarten, because it's kindergarten day. Sometimes I stay at whole week with Tanta. And sometimes we play with mom and dad. But usually, sometimes, I, uh, oh, go to kindergarten. But today I will go to kindergarten in the morning. In the morning, dad, when and how always we have breakfast, and then we're going to... and then we're going to... play. Then we. Then they'll ring the doorbell, and here comes Carl, and then Carl, and then we'll all play, and then..."0006