After a witch places a curse on them, a childless couple lives in fear for many years before coming to understand that the curse is really a blessing in disguise.
Curse in Reverse
Primary (ages 6-9)
Material appropriate for primary age groups
Bearhead: A Russian Folktale
Bearhead succeeds in outwitting the witch Madame Hexaba and a frog-headed goblin. Half-bear and half-man, he outwits an evil witch by being totally honest.
Tsugele’s Broom
Despite the urgings of her well-meaning parents, a self-sufficient Polish girl insists she’ll never marry unless she meets a man who is as reliable as her broom.
Hajime in the North Woods
Baby Hajime spends a night talking and laughing with the animals in the North Woods but chooses to return to his parents in the morning.
The Emperor’s Garden
The villagers’ plan to create a splendid garden for their emperor gets bogged down in jealous arguments, happily resolved when the emperor himself comes to visit.
Red Thread
Early one morning Wei Gu meets an old man from the spirit world who tells the young bachelor about his future bride and their life together.
The Butterfly Boy
A boy in long-ago China sees the world around him from a butterfly’s point of view.
Over the Deep Blue Sea
Prejudice linked to an event from the past threatens the friendship that Akiko and her brother have made with a boy on their new island home.
The Revenge of Ishtar
In this second volume in the Gilgamesh trilogy, Enkidu joins Gilgamesh in the quest to slay Humbaba, the monster who has attacked the city and caused great destruction, including the death of the beautiful singer, Shamat. Gilgamesh and Enkidu successfully slay the monster and in so doing, Gilgamesh attracts the attention of the goddess Ishtar. In rejecting her advances, he incurs her revenge and an attack by the Bull of Heaven. Enkidu manages to kill the bull, but is slain by Ishtar, striking at the bond between the two friends. Shattered, Gilgamesh vows he will destroy the last monster.
Joha Makes a Wish: A Middle Eastern Tale
Joha finds a magic stick and learns that you don’t always get what you wish for.