Two married gods disobey their orders and visit Earth, are turned into mortals as punishment, and eventually become mountains so that they will always stand side by side.
The Two Mountains: An Aztec Legend
Folklore and Fairy Tales
The Monkey who was Too Clever
A clever monkey decided to make corn soup one day, and asked for corn from the rooster, the fox, the dog, and the leopard. How would he repay his debt? That’s when he used his wits.
The King’s Drum
What is the king’s drum made of? He who answerss that question correctly wins the princess’s hand in marrige. Ans so, a poor young man named Beto sets off for the castle to test his luck. However, he faces a long, tough road ahead of him. And just when he manages to overcome the obstacles before him, he finds three strangers who wish to lend him their hands. Will Beto be able to answer the question correectly? And where did the three strangers come from? Everyone has a chance to be happy. That is what this touching story teaches us all.
The Horse of Seven Colors
One night, Don Isidro and his three sons heard a stampede of horses crashing through their gardens. They were shocked to see horses of every color of the rainbow. When they shot at them, the horses fled the garden, leaving the vegetables completely destroyed. Don Isidro ordered his sons to guard the crop during the night. The oldest son failed, the middle son failed, and then it was the youngest son’s turn to guard. He succeeded in capturing one of the horses, which asked him to let it go. “Then I will rescue you when you are in danger,” it said. The youngest son agreed and freed the horse.
The Princess And The Warrior
Princess Izta had many wealthy suitors but dismissed them all. When a mere warrior, Popoca, promised to be true to her and stay always by her side, Izta fell in love. The emperor promised Popoca if he could defeat their enemy Jaguar Claw, then Popoca and Izta could wed. When Popoca was near to defeating Jaguar Claw, his opponent sent a messenger to Izta saying Popoca was dead. Izta fell into a deep sleep and, upon his return, even Popoca could not wake her. As promised Popoca stayed by her side. So two volcanoes were formed: Iztaccíhuatl, who continues to sleep, and Popocatépetl, who spews ash and smoke, trying to wake his love.
The Crane Girl
A boy helps an injured crane, and the good deed is rewarded with the arrival of a mysterious guest who weaves beautiful silk for the family. Includes author’s note about Japanese folktales and poetry, information about red-crowned cranes, and pronunciations.
The Wise Fool
The riotous adventures and misadventures of Mulla Nasruddin introduce a new generation to one of the most-loved characters in the Muslim world. Nasruddin always has a twinkle in his eye, a sliver of wisdom in his ramblings, and a few good surprises up his sleeve!
The Sorcerer’s Offering
And climbing to the volcano across the goat belly fat with long beards, witch, Devil’s live. People and stories depicting the natural ties. The folklore of southernmost South America, Patagonia.
The Problem Solver
A King and a young woman, from their first meeting, duel with riddles. The young woman, being more intelligent, end up governing the kingdom in a place of the king. The characters in this story challenge each other with riddles. It iris a type of popular story, very common on the Iberian Peninsula, transmitted to the American continent. A folktale from Argentina.
The Monkey King
Long ago, the Jade Emperor, the ruler of the Heavens, was so unhappy that China was in great turmoil that he even considered destroying its people. The Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin, suggested another way find Lord Buddha’s scriptures in India and bring them back to China this would help the Chinese to become peaceful and kind