Family Folktales
by Jenny Ellis
What is Family Folktales? Think of it as story time on demand. Whether you're running errands, trying to make dinner, or getting little someones ready for bed, you can listen to a story or two. The stories may be new to you or old favorites. They may even be different, possibly gorier, versions of those stories you now share with your children. Listen, wherever you get podcasts.
Episodes
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The Water of Life
Three brothers have failed to return home from their quest for the water of life and other wonders. Can their sister complete the quest and rescue them?
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The Story of the Yara
Alonzo and Julia are in love and plan to marry. Before the wedding, Julia warns Alonzo to avoid the jungle pools near his home. When he finds himself drawn to the pools, Alonzo becomes enchanted by the Yara's song! Can he be saved, or will he succumb to the Yara?
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The Prince and Princess in the Forest
Looking for adventure? This story has it all -- a brave prince, a faithless queen, a robber band, and a princess held captive for many years! Will any of them live happily ever after?
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Graciosa and Percinet
The lovely princess Graciosa is constantly tormented by her wicked stepmother and repeatedly rescued by the handsome Percinet. Will she acknowledge her feelings for him before it's too late?
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A Voyage to Lilliput
A shipwrecked sailor wakes to find himself held captive by tiny people only six inches tall! What adventures await him?
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The Steadfast Tin Soldier
A tiny toy soldier with only one leg falls in love with tiny toy dancer who also appears to have only one leg, but an imp conspires against him.
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The Story of Sigurd
Sigurd is the greatest figures in Norse mythology, and also one of the most tragic. This is the ancient story of his rise and fall.
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The Frog and the Lion Fairy
A young queen, bored while the king is at war, goes out hunting and disappears; she has been taken by the Lion Fairy! Will her dear friend, a frog, be able to get to the king in time to prevent his remarriage, and guide him to her rescue?
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The White Duck
When a king goes off to war, he warns the queen against having anything to do with strangers. When she fails to heed his warning, she is transformed into a white duck by an evil witch, who them takes the queen’s place. Will the queen ever regain her rightful place?
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Mogarzea and His Son
An orphaned lad is betrayed by his guardian and runs off to seek his fortune. He takes refuge with a giant named Mogareza whose soul was stolen as he traveled to marry. Will Mogarzea regain his soul? Listen and find out!
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The Golden Branch
When characters have silly names like King Grumpy, Prince Curlicue, and Princess Cabbage-Stalk, can any of them expect to live happily ever after? Listen and find out!
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The Boy and the Wolves, or The Broken Promise
A brother and sister promise their dying father to care for their much-younger brother and later reiterate that promise to their dying mother. But when the weather turns warm, first the older brother leaves and then the sister, leaving food and telling the boy they will return.
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Jackal or Tiger?
A silly wager results in a queen’s banishment – but what will be the fate of the king’s soon-to-be-born son?
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The Little Soldier
After a soldier returns a bewitched princess to her original form he discovers her faithlessness, only to be taken in by her again and again. How can some very special plums help him gain his revenge and escape the princess and her father?
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What the Rose Did to the Cypress, Part 2
Prince Almas-ruh-baksh has survived, and found himself a few wives! But what will become of the princess who caused the deaths of his brother and so many others?
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What the Rose Did to the Cypress, Part 1
After his older brothers die in their attempts to win a princess, the youngest prince sets out on the same quest. Will he survive his attempts and win the princess?
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The Story of the Three Sons of Hali part 2
The story of the sons continues with more magic and wonder, as well as The Story of the Fair Circassians!
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The Story of the Three Sons of Hali, Part 1
Handsome young men and beautiful young women – and a thread of magic! – abound in this story-within-a-story!
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The Prince Who Wanted to See the World
A prince sets off seeking adventure but ends up the slave to a king -- and one who hates the young prince’s father! Will the prince find his way to freedom, despite the impossible tasks set him by his cruel master?
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Cannetella
A princess will only marry a man who fits a precise description – and the only one who fits is a sorcerer and her father’s deadly enemy! Will this tale end in tears or in triumph?
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The Daughter of Buk Ettemsuch
A girl escaping a witch seeks refuge with an ogre! When a prince seeks to marry her, the ogre gives her a bit of advice – but will she take it?
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The History of Jack the Giant-Killer
A lad inspired by tales of knights and their valor decides to rid his community of the giant terrorizing them. What will happen to young Jack when other giants seek revenge for the death?
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The Girl-Fish
When a willful girl insists on eating a talking fish she catches, she becomes a fish herself! Will she succeed in the quest set her by the queen of the fishes, her only hope to return to her original form?
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The Story of Big Klaus and Little Klaus
Little Klaus annoys his neighbor, Big Klaus, so much that Big Klaus kills Little Klaus’s horse. How will Little Klaus get revenge on his former friend?
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The Envious Neighbor
A man and his wife have a dog who leads them to great wealth. A neighbor pesters until they loan him the dog so he can become rich, too; will things work out as planned?
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The Boy who Found Fear at Last
A lad sets out to understand fear, but encounters with a band of robbers, an ogre, and drowning sailors teach him nothing. What will it take for him to finally know what it means to be afraid?
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The Witch and her Servants
A prince wants to save a beautiful maiden who is under a witch's curse. When the pair try to escape from the witch, they learn how a small kindness may be repaid!
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The Two Frogs
Two frogs, one from Kyoto and the other from Osaka, each set out to see the other city. What will they learn when they meet in the middle?
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The Three Dogs
A young man trades his three sheep for three dogs with unusual abilities, and they help him save a princess! Will they be able to save her again when she is blackmailed into marrying another?
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How to Tell a True Princess
You may have heard a different version of this story before, but the moral remains the same: never judge a book by its cover!
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The Dragon and his Grandmother
Three soldiers, deserters from a great battle, make a bargain with a dragon: they will have all the money they need for seven years, and then be prepared to serve the dragon – unless they can find the answer to his riddle ….
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A Lost Paradise
A king passing by a charcoal burner’s hut hears the man and his wife lamenting their lives; he invites the pair to live in the castle as his guests. At dinner, he gives them only one rule: they must never lift the lid on the soup tureen on the dining table. Will the pair live happily ever after?
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The White Slipper
A king seriously injures his foot and only one person is able to bring him relief. When his specially treated shoe is lost, so is all hope; the man responsible for his freedom from pain has died. Is there anyone living who may ease his pain?
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The White Doe
After the birth of her greatly-anticipated child, a queen fails to show proper respect to the crab-fairy responsible; in retaliation, the crab-fairy curses the infant princess to never know sunlight until she reaches her fifteenth birthday. Years later, just before that all-important birthday, her
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The Hoodie-Crow
A young woman agrees to marry a hoodie-crow, and all is well until her three babies are stolen. When her crow husband also disappears, the young woman sets out on a quest to reunite her family.
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Which was the Foolishest?
Two wives try to convince their husbands of more and more outrageous things to prove which man is more foolish in this Icelandic tale!
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Mohammed with the Magic Finger
A boy with unusual abilities saves his uncle’s life three times; when the two set out to seek their fortunes, which one will save the other?
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How Some Wild Animals Became Tame Ones
Who doesn’t love a wedding? When a miller invites several animal chiefs to his wedding, a young lad tries to warn them away from the event; will any of the animals listen?
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The Ugly Duckling
You may already be familiar with the basic story of a misfit duckling, but there’s more to the story than you probably know!
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The Wicked Wolverine
This is the tale of a wolverine who blames everyone else for his troubles. Will he continue in his wicked ways, or meet a grisly end?
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The Clever Cat
An old man dies, leaving only his falcon, his cat, and his greyhound for his son. After that, this story bears a surprising resemblance to Aladdin – with the addition of a very clever cat who can convince even rats to help him!
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The Grateful Prince
A lost king promises a stranger to give him the first thing that comes out of his home to greet him in exchange for helping the king return home.
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Virgilius the Sorcerer
Legend has it that Virgil, the ancient Roman poet, was a magician! You can hear some of those tales in this retelling.
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The Story of Dschemil and Dschemila
A man attempts to rescue his beloved, who has been abducted by an ogre. But what will he do when that ogre transforms her into a strange creature? Can the pair ever find happiness?
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The Cat and the Mouse in Partnership
A cat and a mouse agree to live together, sharing the household chores and stocking up food for the cold winter. But what do you think will happen when the cat finds herself unable to stop thinking about the tasty treat they have stored up?
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The Blue Bird
A queen, second wife to the king, contrives to raise her daughter above the true princess. When a suitor rejects her daughter in favor of the king’s daughter, he is transformed into a blue bird. Will he ever regain his human form, and gain the hand of the girl he loves?
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Fortune and the Wood-Cutter
After twenty years of chasing fortune to no avail, a poor wood-cutter takes to his bed so fortune can catch him.
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Blockhead-Hans
A princess declares she will marry the most well-spoken suitor, and two well-educated brothers set off with the blessing of their father. But their not-very-bright younger brother wants to go too! Will any of them win the hand of the princess?
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The Tale of a Tortoise, and a Mischievous Monkey
Two Brazilian tales of tricksters in one! First comes Tortoise, who outwits everyone from a whale to a wily fox; and next up is a monkey, full of spit and vinegar, and able to get the best of everyone – until he angers the puma.
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The Brown Bear of Norway
A princess declares she will marry an enchanted prince, The Brown Bear of Norway; when that happens, she learns that she will have to face years of difficult trials to free him from his enchantment. How much can she endure? Will it be enough?
About this show
What is Family Folktales? Think of it as story time on demand. Whether you're running errands, trying to make dinner, or getting little someones ready for bed, you can listen to a story or two. The stories may be new to you or old favorites. They may even be different, possibly gorier, versions of those stories you now share with your children. Listen, wherever you get podcasts.
Hosted by
Jenny Ellis