While on a dangerous quest which requires her to take the form of different wild animals, a selfish young girl learns about compassion and generosity.
Europe
Materials from Europe
Sleeping Beauty
Amidst light, shadow, and magic emerge the drama of a king’s decision, an angry thirteenth fairy, a prince undaunted by a wall of brambles, and a lovely princess, fast asleep. For at that moment, a thicket of briars grew tall and wide around her court and castle, enveloping it with mystery. A legend began to spread.
Mythology: The Gods, Heroes, and Monsters of Ancient Greece
A heavily illustrated notebook filled with newspaper clippings, letters, and text, compiled by “Lady Hestia Evans” in “1825.”
The Fisherman and His Wife
A kind and gentle fisherman catches a talking dolphin. The wondrous beast begs to be freed, and the fisherman gladly complies. Aghast that her husband has asked for nothing in return from the dolphin, the fisherman’s wife insists that he find the creature and ask that it grant them a wish. Given one wish, the wife desires more and more, until she asks for the unthinkable.
Snore, Dinosaur, Snore!
Three little dinosaurs try several different ways to wake their sleeping mother.
Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure
Margaret has a brave heart. She dreams of adventure and longs to travel to distant lands, so when a tall ship appears in the harbor, headed north to the Kingdoms of the Cold, Margaret won’t be left behind. But adventures are perilous things. Soon Margaret must face a ferocious sea serpent and even worse dangers. And she must discover the truth about an old woman with strange powers and mysterious plans, or she’ll never find a way to bring herself and her true love safely home.
Learning To Fly
Penguins cannot fly. Of course they can’t. Can they? A wayward penguin is found by the side of the road and convinces his rescuer he crashed while flying. The unusual pair tries all sorts of methods to return the penguin to the sky (all remarkably unsuccessful) until the day when the penguin finally rediscovers the secret of flight within himself.
Bernal & Florinda: A Spanish Tale
A clever but poor cavalier wins the hand of his true love by outwitting her father, the wealthy mayor of Seville.
Cinderella: The Dog and Her Little Glass Slipper
In this retelling of the classic fairy tale, an attractive mutt wins the heart of a prince with the help of her canine grandmother.
Aesop’s Fox
One summer morning, Fox awakens and begins his search for food. His travels take him to a vineyard, where the unreachable grapes are probably sour, and to a conversation with Rooster and Crow, during which flattery first fails but then succeeds. Fox meets–among others–foolish Donkey, wise Boar, vain Leopard, and shrewd Lion. With each meeting, Fox gains wisdom–until at the end of the day, falling asleep in the hollow of a tree, he says, “Time fixes everything.” And so it does.