Germany

Materials from Germany

Ophelia

As Ophelia rushes to comfort her friend Kevin, who is suffering from butterflies in the stomach, she meets up with various friends who misunderstand the problem, each one adding a new ailment and cure to the growing list.

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Hamelin town has a plague of rats, and if something isn’t done soon, everyone will starve. The people vow to give up everything to rid the town of the rats. And so the help of the Pied Piper is enlisted to dispose of the nasty pests. He plays a sweet tune and the rats, dancing, follow the music to their end. But when the townsfolk refuse to pay the Piper, he takes up his flute and plays an even sweeter tune. This time, it’s the town’s children who follow.

The Giantess

In the tradition of all “once upon a time” good fairy tales, this story has an obstacle to overcome, a moral, and a happy ending. In this German tale, a “giant” sized person comes to understand that while her size may be intimidating to some, it is also of help and importance to others.

Clever Katarina: A Tale In Six Parts

katarinaIn the grand tradition of fairy tales, clever and beautiful Katarina must solve the king’s riddle in order to become queen, or risk her dear father going to prison. She must get to the castle — not clothed, yet not naked; not riding, yet not walking; not on the road, yet not off the road. Will kindhearted Katarina be able to solve the riddle and save her father from his fate?Renowned storyteller Ken Setterington has borrowed from European folk traditions to tell an enchanting story of a young girl — intelligent, observant, and pure of heart — whose sensitivity and acumen saves the day. Nelly and Ernst Hofer’s delicate cut-paper art of scherenschnitt makes this storybook an exquisite addition to any collection.

The Lady & the Lion

To save her father, a young woman must go to the castle of a menacing lion. She fears for her life, but finds kindness rather than danger there, for the lion by day is a gentle young man by night-a prince under the spell of a wicked enchantress. Soon the lady and the lion fall in love. Unlike the more familiar tale, however, this story has only just begun. The prince is not yet safe from the enchantress, and it will take all of the lady’s strength and courage, through a seven-year quest, to rescue him.

 

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

A retelling of the centuries-old tale follows Sylvia, a spirited girl apprenticed to a sorcerer, as she steals from his castle a powerful potion that she is sure will help her complete a difficult task.