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World Folktales
Classic / American English These nine stories will take the reader on an exciting journey to distant cultures and times. The collection includes folktales from South America, Africa, India, China, and Europe.
- GenresFolk TalesFantasy
88 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2008
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61 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 29, 2022
I really enjoyed this book and the way every folktale was focused on topics like guilt, magic, mythology, honor and death. It was very interesting to know the culture of different countries and recognize that it doesn't matter if we have different beliefs, traditions or cultural gaps, because at the end the only thing that has relevance in our lives is that we are always going to share the same reproduction of values and good actions.
December 23, 2020
Poush 8, 2077, Wednesday
World Folktales - Kathy Burke (2008)
Genres: EnglishGradedReaders/ Fairy Tales/ Folk Tales
Pages: 88
Rating: 4/10
Themes: Overcoming Difficulties/ Wealth and Happiness/ Luck/ Journey from Youth to Adulthood
Opener:
“Long ago, in a faraway czardom,* an old peasant lived with his wife and his son, Martin. Time passed and the peasant became very sick. He eventually died, leaving his wife and son alone.”
Summary:
There are nine stories from eight different countries in this collection of traditional folktales. Although folktales come from different times, different continents and different cultures, they have many characteristics in common. Taken together, they give us the wisdom of the world. The fact that folktales are still popular in the age of information technology shows their enduring quality. Adults share folktales with their children, in books, theater or film, proving their importance as teaching and learning tools. They illustrate ways of behaving and their consequences. They are also generally optimistic, with good triumphing over evil.
The Good Peasant’s Son
In The Good Peasant’s Son from Russia, a poor peasant widow gives her son their last 200 rubles to buy food. The son uses the money to rescue an old dog and an old cat from cruel owners. The widow is very angry and throws out her son. But he continues to be kind to others. He is rewarded with a magic ring which brings him great wealth.
The Crocodile and The Hunter
Kindness is again rewarded in The Crocodile and the Hunter. A kind hunter shares his food with a hungry wildcat. Later, when a clever crocodile tricks the hunter into the river and prepares to eat him, the wildcat comes by and saves the hunter. The wildcat suggests a solution to the problem between the hunter and the crocodile. That solution forces the crocodile to move far away from the river. So as no one can guide him back to the river, the crocodile gets lost, which gives the hunter the chance to escape.
Breaking the Chain
A poor farmer called Juanantes in Breaking the Chain is led by his wife’s greed into an evil chain. Each man in the chain is forced by an evil spirit to kill a man he doesn’t know. When Juanantes is jailed for murder, his wife abandons him. In his despair he finds a way to break the chain and free himself from the evil spirit. He writes a new mandate which is read by a horseman who, if does what told, will break the chain for good.
Lukas’s Luck
No one will help the poor farming couple in Lukas’s Luck, who were once rich and are now poor. They have a new baby but no money and no food. In their desperation they invite a stranger to be the baby’s godmother. The stranger is really a good spirit and she gives them a magic ducat that turns into endless wealth. Now the farmer is rich again. He invests his money wisely, helping his neighbors who truly admire him and his family.
Wisdom for Sale
An orphan Brahman boy in Wisdom for Sale has nothing to sell but his brains. He starts out with a tiny store in the market. His clever ideas lead him to a job as the king’s most trusted adviser.
The Wooden Horse
A wooden horse that can fly is taken to the palace by the wizard. It brings all sorts of trouble to the prince, but it also gives him the possibility of meeting the princess of his dreams. He needs to sort out all kinds of difficulties: her father’s mistrust and the princess’s sadness when she thinks he has abandoned her. Eventually the wooden horse brings the prince and princess together in love.
The Wedding Box
A loving mother prepares a beautiful wedding box as a gift for her daughter, Hsiang-ling. The daughter gives it away to a poor woman. Years later Hsiang-ling loses her home and her family in a great flood. She finds a job working for the poor woman, who is now rich because of the wedding box. When Hsiang-ling’s identity is discovered, the woman finds her lost family for her and they all live happily.
The Golden Apples
When Scandinavian god Loki gets into trouble with a giant, he trades the goddess Idun and her golden apples for his life. He kidnaps her from Asgard and takes her to the giant. But without the golden apples, the gods in Asgard grow old and weak. They force Loki to rescue Idun. When she returns with the apples, the gods regain their youth. Loki waits for his punishment.
Happy New Year
An old teacher gives away his year’s salary to a woman in trouble in Happy New Year. He has always taught his students never to steal. Now he has to steal a few potatoes or he and his wife will starve. His kindness to the woman in trouble is discovered, however, and all ends well.
Verdict:
Folktales are ancient. For centuries they were not written down but told around fires after dark. They have gradually evolved in the telling and re-telling over the years and will continue to evolve in the future. We can learn a lot about a culture and its codes of behaviour from its folktales. Though this book includes stories from different corners of the world, this did not do much for me.
World Folktales - Kathy Burke (2008)
Genres: EnglishGradedReaders/ Fairy Tales/ Folk Tales
Pages: 88
Rating: 4/10
Themes: Overcoming Difficulties/ Wealth and Happiness/ Luck/ Journey from Youth to Adulthood
Opener:
“Long ago, in a faraway czardom,* an old peasant lived with his wife and his son, Martin. Time passed and the peasant became very sick. He eventually died, leaving his wife and son alone.”
Summary:
There are nine stories from eight different countries in this collection of traditional folktales. Although folktales come from different times, different continents and different cultures, they have many characteristics in common. Taken together, they give us the wisdom of the world. The fact that folktales are still popular in the age of information technology shows their enduring quality. Adults share folktales with their children, in books, theater or film, proving their importance as teaching and learning tools. They illustrate ways of behaving and their consequences. They are also generally optimistic, with good triumphing over evil.
The Good Peasant’s Son
In The Good Peasant’s Son from Russia, a poor peasant widow gives her son their last 200 rubles to buy food. The son uses the money to rescue an old dog and an old cat from cruel owners. The widow is very angry and throws out her son. But he continues to be kind to others. He is rewarded with a magic ring which brings him great wealth.
The Crocodile and The Hunter
Kindness is again rewarded in The Crocodile and the Hunter. A kind hunter shares his food with a hungry wildcat. Later, when a clever crocodile tricks the hunter into the river and prepares to eat him, the wildcat comes by and saves the hunter. The wildcat suggests a solution to the problem between the hunter and the crocodile. That solution forces the crocodile to move far away from the river. So as no one can guide him back to the river, the crocodile gets lost, which gives the hunter the chance to escape.
Breaking the Chain
A poor farmer called Juanantes in Breaking the Chain is led by his wife’s greed into an evil chain. Each man in the chain is forced by an evil spirit to kill a man he doesn’t know. When Juanantes is jailed for murder, his wife abandons him. In his despair he finds a way to break the chain and free himself from the evil spirit. He writes a new mandate which is read by a horseman who, if does what told, will break the chain for good.
Lukas’s Luck
No one will help the poor farming couple in Lukas’s Luck, who were once rich and are now poor. They have a new baby but no money and no food. In their desperation they invite a stranger to be the baby’s godmother. The stranger is really a good spirit and she gives them a magic ducat that turns into endless wealth. Now the farmer is rich again. He invests his money wisely, helping his neighbors who truly admire him and his family.
Wisdom for Sale
An orphan Brahman boy in Wisdom for Sale has nothing to sell but his brains. He starts out with a tiny store in the market. His clever ideas lead him to a job as the king’s most trusted adviser.
The Wooden Horse
A wooden horse that can fly is taken to the palace by the wizard. It brings all sorts of trouble to the prince, but it also gives him the possibility of meeting the princess of his dreams. He needs to sort out all kinds of difficulties: her father’s mistrust and the princess’s sadness when she thinks he has abandoned her. Eventually the wooden horse brings the prince and princess together in love.
The Wedding Box
A loving mother prepares a beautiful wedding box as a gift for her daughter, Hsiang-ling. The daughter gives it away to a poor woman. Years later Hsiang-ling loses her home and her family in a great flood. She finds a job working for the poor woman, who is now rich because of the wedding box. When Hsiang-ling’s identity is discovered, the woman finds her lost family for her and they all live happily.
The Golden Apples
When Scandinavian god Loki gets into trouble with a giant, he trades the goddess Idun and her golden apples for his life. He kidnaps her from Asgard and takes her to the giant. But without the golden apples, the gods in Asgard grow old and weak. They force Loki to rescue Idun. When she returns with the apples, the gods regain their youth. Loki waits for his punishment.
Happy New Year
An old teacher gives away his year’s salary to a woman in trouble in Happy New Year. He has always taught his students never to steal. Now he has to steal a few potatoes or he and his wife will starve. His kindness to the woman in trouble is discovered, however, and all ends well.
Verdict:
Folktales are ancient. For centuries they were not written down but told around fires after dark. They have gradually evolved in the telling and re-telling over the years and will continue to evolve in the future. We can learn a lot about a culture and its codes of behaviour from its folktales. Though this book includes stories from different corners of the world, this did not do much for me.
August 31, 2018
I have been folktales since i was a kid. From my country folktales to the world-popular ones. All of them has one in common: deep meanings. Mostly folktales is told for children to give them 'advise'(?) more about this life. This book is full of grear stories, with great characters. But one of the stories doesn't give any good meanings (i think). So i gave 4 stars
July 8, 2015
1. Penguin level5
2. 07/07=150min, 07/08=80min
3. Cnina, Africa, Russia, forktales, lessons, instructive, impressive
4.(a) The piece of cloth replied, "You are a man. I know what men are like. While a cloth is young, bright, and colorful, they wrap it around their bodies. They believe that the beauty they see in the mirror is their own and not the cloth's. They say, 'Look at me. See how beautiful I am.' But it is the cloth that is beautiful, not them. And the people know this, although they will not admit it, because they fold the cloth up carefully to keep it beautiful when they are not using it. But as soon as the cloth is old, they forget how it used to make them beautiful. They throw it in the river. You ask me if life is fair . Life is not fair. You will be fortunate if the crocodile treats you as well as men have treated me!"
(b)I love this paragraph. We, especially, Chukyo students wear so fancy and fine clothes and always think ourselves are so beautiful, wicked and attractive. However, what makes us beautiful is thanks to these clothes. I totally agree with the idea. Actually,I've not thanked my clothes for making me beautiful. So after reading this paragraph, I decided to thank my clothes anytime. What I felt lastly is we have to cherish not only clothes but also other things like bag, shoes and cellphone.
5. This book includes many folktales around the world. I thought Japanese folktales are the best of all folktales in the world until I read this book. However, I was so impressed about the contents. All folktales in this book told me many mindsets to be happiness and greatfulness. And then I became interested in the world's folktales so I want to know more folktales in the world. The lessons from the book is little bit different from Japanese ones, but it's still instructive and great.
2. 07/07=150min, 07/08=80min
3. Cnina, Africa, Russia, forktales, lessons, instructive, impressive
4.(a) The piece of cloth replied, "You are a man. I know what men are like. While a cloth is young, bright, and colorful, they wrap it around their bodies. They believe that the beauty they see in the mirror is their own and not the cloth's. They say, 'Look at me. See how beautiful I am.' But it is the cloth that is beautiful, not them. And the people know this, although they will not admit it, because they fold the cloth up carefully to keep it beautiful when they are not using it. But as soon as the cloth is old, they forget how it used to make them beautiful. They throw it in the river. You ask me if life is fair . Life is not fair. You will be fortunate if the crocodile treats you as well as men have treated me!"
(b)I love this paragraph. We, especially, Chukyo students wear so fancy and fine clothes and always think ourselves are so beautiful, wicked and attractive. However, what makes us beautiful is thanks to these clothes. I totally agree with the idea. Actually,I've not thanked my clothes for making me beautiful. So after reading this paragraph, I decided to thank my clothes anytime. What I felt lastly is we have to cherish not only clothes but also other things like bag, shoes and cellphone.
5. This book includes many folktales around the world. I thought Japanese folktales are the best of all folktales in the world until I read this book. However, I was so impressed about the contents. All folktales in this book told me many mindsets to be happiness and greatfulness. And then I became interested in the world's folktales so I want to know more folktales in the world. The lessons from the book is little bit different from Japanese ones, but it's still instructive and great.
Read
December 24, 2013It includes:
The Good Peasant's Son (a Russian folktale) it is a similar to "Aladdin."
The Crocodile and the Hunter (an African-Nupe folktale)
Breaking the Chain (a Guatemalan folktale)
Lukas's Luck (a Czechoslovak folktale)
The Wooden Horse (a Middle Eastern folktale)
Wisdom for Sale (an Indian-Gujerati folktale)
The Wooden Horse (a Middle Eastern folktale)
The Wedding Box (a Chinese folktale)
The Golden Apples (a Scandinavian folktale)
Happy New Year (a Chinese folktale)
It is fun to read folktales. Those Chinese stories have a moral. The Russian one is an adventure. I liked the Indian and the African ones.
The Good Peasant's Son (a Russian folktale) it is a similar to "Aladdin."
The Crocodile and the Hunter (an African-Nupe folktale)
Breaking the Chain (a Guatemalan folktale)
Lukas's Luck (a Czechoslovak folktale)
The Wooden Horse (a Middle Eastern folktale)
Wisdom for Sale (an Indian-Gujerati folktale)
The Wooden Horse (a Middle Eastern folktale)
The Wedding Box (a Chinese folktale)
The Golden Apples (a Scandinavian folktale)
Happy New Year (a Chinese folktale)
It is fun to read folktales. Those Chinese stories have a moral. The Russian one is an adventure. I liked the Indian and the African ones.
December 28, 2015
A folktale is a traditional story which have been passed down from person to person over the years , every culture has its own folktales
. Unfortunately many of them have never been written down ..
For centuries, these stories have been a way of bringing people together, entertaining youth or just passing of the time .
In addition , it is considered as an excellent way of learning about the other people culture , attitude and their beliefs .
It is surprising that the plot of heroes of the folktales can be the same in many cultures
. Unfortunately many of them have never been written down ..
For centuries, these stories have been a way of bringing people together, entertaining youth or just passing of the time .
In addition , it is considered as an excellent way of learning about the other people culture , attitude and their beliefs .
It is surprising that the plot of heroes of the folktales can be the same in many cultures
August 16, 2012
This is a good book to introduce readers to fairy tales from the world over. Stories from Africa, Asia, and other places are great stories to read and to learn about other cultures. As fairy tales go, most of these stories have familiar plots, and they end with morals about being kind and good to others. A good addition to any home library where kids read, as these will help them to understand the world around them quite well.
Read
July 21, 2011Title: Good Peasants Son
This story is about kindness. I respect the maincharacter named Martin because he is alway thinking about others even if he sacrifice hisself.
And that kindness rewarded him.
This story is about kindness. I respect the maincharacter named Martin because he is alway thinking about others even if he sacrifice hisself.
And that kindness rewarded him.
December 24, 2015
Very much silly that call the question were people really that stupid that days or it's just the author chose them unsuccessfully?
any way the only two sentences I have really admired them are:
"The time comes when everyone is treated as he treated others"
"Think deeply before you do anything"
any way the only two sentences I have really admired them are:
"The time comes when everyone is treated as he treated others"
"Think deeply before you do anything"
June 2, 2016
Nunca pensé que un libro que me asignaron para la clase de inglés, fuera a divertirme. Amé los relatos, las historias, los personajes y la forma tan sencilla en la que está escrito.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews