Stories

All Sorts  - From huge archives of classic tales, to small themed collections, these will keep you up later than any epic.

• A Flowering Tree  - An excellent book of 77 Indian folktales, the whole text now online and easy to search. Translated by an eminent author and scholar, each tale has notes and commentary, giving cultural background, comparative types and motifs, and an essay on women-centred folktales.  - An excellent book of 77 Indian folktales, the whole text now online and easy to search. Translated by an eminent author and scholar, each tale has notes and commentary, giving cultural background, comparative types and motifs, and an essay on women-centred folktales.
• African Folklore  - Eleven tales, with their country/culture of origin  - Eleven tales, with their country/culture of origin
• Audio Books for Free  - Site offering downloadable audio books of all kinds in MP3 format. No folktales as yet, so put in your requests, but lots of classics.  - Site offering downloadable audio books of all kinds in MP3 format. No folktales as yet, so put in your requests, but lots of classics.
• Book-A-Minute  - Ultra-condensed book summaries, of various genres, done with wit and panache. Epics are reduced to a few lines. Handy for brushing up on plots!  - Ultra-condensed book summaries, of various genres, done with wit and panache. Epics are reduced to a few lines. Handy for brushing up on plots!
• Brothers Grimm/Tales
• Cariadoc's Miscellany Period Sources for Storytellers  - A helpful and informative annotated list of mediaeval collections of tales, originally intended as a guide for tellers at Renaissance fairs etc. Includes links to online versions.  - A helpful and informative annotated list of mediaeval collections of tales, originally intended as a guide for tellers at Renaissance fairs etc. Includes links to online versions.
• CARRIE Stacks - Online texts vast list
• Chaucer's Canterbury Tales ~ presented by ELF
• Collections of Online Texts  - Links to more than a score of major sites with whole collections of complete book texts online.  - Links to more than a score of major sites with whole collections of complete book texts online.
• Concordances of Great Books  - Texts and Fully Searchable Concordances. This means you can search across hundreds of books (mainly literature but plenty of classic tale collections) at once for chosen phrases - handy for finding themes, quotes etc.  - Texts and Fully Searchable Concordances. This means you can search across hundreds of books (mainly literature but plenty of classic tale collections) at once for chosen phrases - handy for finding themes, quotes etc.
• Culture Legends & Myth in Cornwall, UK  - A fascinating site, with a mix of discussion of Cornish customs and folklore, and some of the old legends and tales.  - A fascinating site, with a mix of discussion of Cornish customs and folklore, and some of the old legends and tales.
• Fairy Tales and Fables  - Text and lots of illustrations from quality books. Many of the real classics are here - Joseph Jacobs, Grimms, Andrew Lang, Aesops, de la Fontaine, Perrault and many more. If your connection is fast enough the beautiful illustrations from highly collectable old books are well worth a gaze.  - Text and lots of illustrations from quality books. Many of the real classics are here - Joseph Jacobs, Grimms, Andrew Lang, Aesops, de la Fontaine, Perrault and many more. If your connection is fast enough the beautiful illustrations from highly collectable old books are well worth a gaze.
• Folklore Books On-line  - E-texts of whole books, mainly collections of folktales, at the On-Line Books Page. Excellent resource.  - E-texts of whole books, mainly collections of folktales, at the On-Line Books Page. Excellent resource.
• Furness Shakespeare Library  - Facsimile texts and pictures from original sources  - Facsimile texts and pictures from original sources
• Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales  - The texts of some of the tales, plus German language versions, and Tale Types (which help track down other variants).  - The texts of some of the tales, plus German language versions, and Tale Types (which help track down other variants).
• Il Pentamerone (Story of Stories), by Giambattista Basile  - Abridged edition by EF Strange, 1911, with only 32 stories out of the 50, but with beautiful illustrations by Warwick Goble  - Abridged edition by EF Strange, 1911, with only 32 stories out of the 50, but with beautiful illustrations by Warwick Goble
• International Marie de France Society  - For students or scholars interested in the twelfth century poetess, author of many lays. Links to all the lays are here, with online texts in English and French. Also links to aticles and essays.  - For students or scholars interested in the twelfth century poetess, author of many lays. Links to all the lays are here, with online texts in English and French. Also links to aticles and essays.
• Kellscraft On-Line Books  - Various books including story books, mainly Art Nouveau period  - Various books including story books, mainly Art Nouveau period
• Legends  - A large, beautiful, quality site with texts, introductions, research material etc. on a wide variety of famous legends and tales, including King Arthur, Robin Hood, Pirates, Beowulf and more.  - A large, beautiful, quality site with texts, introductions, research material etc. on a wide variety of famous legends and tales, including King Arthur, Robin Hood, Pirates, Beowulf and more.
• Little Red Riding Hood Project: Home Page
• Marie DeFrance - Lays  - Mediaeval French tales in verse, with scholarly notes.  - Mediaeval French tales in verse, with scholarly notes.
• Myths and Legends  - Christopher Siren's huge site of links, all thoroughly annotated, and categorised by culture, will help you find the best sites for stories and commentary. Focuses on myths and legends, but includes folktales. Also references encyclopaedias and other guides. A top site - don't miss it!  - Christopher Siren's huge site of links, all thoroughly annotated, and categorised by culture, will help you find the best sites for stories and commentary. Focuses on myths and legends, but includes folktales. Also references encyclopaedias and other guides. A top site - don't miss it!
• Sacred Texts: Ancient Near East  - A few texts such as the Enuma Elish and Gilgamesh, a couple of online books with lots of stories, plus links to excellent FAQs on the ancient civilizations of the area.  - A few texts such as the Enuma Elish and Gilgamesh, a couple of online books with lots of stories, plus links to excellent FAQs on the ancient civilizations of the area.
• SCA Storytelling Resources  - Period sources of tales, for those in historical re-enactment societies. A very informatively annotated and extensive list of on-line tales, and links to related information.  - Period sources of tales, for those in historical re-enactment societies. A very informatively annotated and extensive list of on-line tales, and links to related information.
• Shaggy Dog Stories
• Simorgh: An Old Persian Fairy Tale  - A long tale which is also a mystical allegory  - A long tale which is also a mystical allegory
• Tales of Wonder  - Richard Darsie's site of Folk and Fairy Tales from Around the World, broken down into countries.  - Richard Darsie's site of Folk and Fairy Tales from Around the World, broken down into countries.
• The Arabian Nights  - Dedicated site by the Electronic Literature Foundation, presenting the whole Andrew Lang translation for reading. Also articles, and discussion forum.  - Dedicated site by the Electronic Literature Foundation, presenting the whole Andrew Lang translation for reading. Also articles, and discussion forum.
• The Baldwin Project  - comprehensive collection of resources for parents and teachers, focusing on public domain texts and illustrations - large numbers of traditional tales formatted for handy use.  - comprehensive collection of resources for parents and teachers, focusing on public domain texts and illustrations - large numbers of traditional tales formatted for handy use.
• The Bustan of Sa'di  - Bustan means flower-garden; this is a composition of stories and maxims each representing a flower of the garden. "The sugar that I bring is not that which is eaten, but what knowers of truth take away with respect ..."  - Bustan means flower-garden; this is a composition of stories and maxims each representing a flower of the garden. "The sugar that I bring is not that which is eaten, but what knowers of truth take away with respect ..."
• The Campfire Stories Handbook  - Ghost Stories, Indian Legends and Tales of the Outdoors, plus storytelling tips. The collection began as the rec.scouting story FAQ.  - Ghost Stories, Indian Legends and Tales of the Outdoors, plus storytelling tips. The collection began as the rec.scouting story FAQ.
• The Epic of Kings, by Ferdowsi  - The 'Singer of Paradise' composed this complete 'history' of Persia at the behest of the Shah at around 920 BC, taking 33 years. Also known as the Shah Nameh, it consists of 60,000 couplets, and tells many marvels and hero tales rather than simply factual chronicles. The stories come from both written and oral tradition, and some are pre-Zoroastrian myths retold from the Avesta, the Zoroastrian sacred scripture, which dates orally back to 1400 BC.  - The 'Singer of Paradise' composed this complete 'history' of Persia at the behest of the Shah at around 920 BC, taking 33 years. Also known as the Shah Nameh, it consists of 60,000 couplets, and tells many marvels and hero tales rather than simply factual chronicles. The stories come from both written and oral tradition, and some are pre-Zoroastrian myths retold from the Avesta, the Zoroastrian sacred scripture, which dates orally back to 1400 BC.
• The Golden Legend (Aurea Legenda), Jacobus de Voragine, 1275.  - Huge collection of saints' stories and legends. These seven volumes (!) of tales were the most often printed book in Europe around 1500.  - Huge collection of saints' stories and legends. These seven volumes (!) of tales were the most often printed book in Europe around 1500.
• The Gulistan of Sa'di, (c. 1256)  - 183 instructional stories, mostly very short, divided into the following subjects: The Manners of Kings; the Morals of Dervishes; On the Excellence of Content; On the Advantages of Silence; On Love and Youth; On Weakness and Old Age; On the Effects of Education; On Rules for Conduct in Life. There is a great deal of eloquent verse amongst the stories, in the Persian tradition.  - 183 instructional stories, mostly very short, divided into the following subjects: The Manners of Kings; the Morals of Dervishes; On the Excellence of Content; On the Advantages of Silence; On Love and Youth; On Weakness and Old Age; On the Effects of Education; On Rules for Conduct in Life. There is a great deal of eloquent verse amongst the stories, in the Persian tradition.
• The Gutenberg Project  - Dedicated to digitising public domain literature for download, this vast undertaking has made many thousands of great classics available, including books of fairy and folktales etc. Search for favourite keywords or authors.  - Dedicated to digitising public domain literature for download, this vast undertaking has made many thousands of great classics available, including books of fairy and folktales etc. Search for favourite keywords or authors.
• The Internet Classics Archive: 441 searchable works of classical literature  - Mainly Greco-Roman, some Chinese and Persian. Powerful search engine can help track down themes across the works. Plus links to other text resources.  - Mainly Greco-Roman, some Chinese and Persian. Powerful search engine can help track down themes across the works. Plus links to other text resources.
• The Mudcat Cafe  - A blues and folk magazine which hosts a massive searchable Digital Tradition Folksong Database of over 8000 songs and ballads.  - A blues and folk magazine which hosts a massive searchable Digital Tradition Folksong Database of over 8000 songs and ballads.
• The On-Line Books Page  - Visit now! The number one source for on-lline text, this catalogues every book digitised on the web and is updated constantly. Over 14,000 books are listed. Searchable by title, author, subject etc. Also related special features. Keep up to date by regularly checking the new listings page for titles on your favourite subjects.  - Visit now! The number one source for on-lline text, this catalogues every book digitised on the web and is updated constantly. Over 14,000 books are listed. Searchable by title, author, subject etc. Also related special features. Keep up to date by regularly checking the new listings page for titles on your favourite subjects.
• The Ramayana and Mahabharata, R. Dutt Tr.  - Condensed versions, in verse, prefaced by brief summaries, and with background discussions. Very useful.  - Condensed versions, in verse, prefaced by brief summaries, and with background discussions. Very useful.
• Urban Legends and Folklore - from The Mining Co.  - A guide to urban legends, with plenty of tales, plus articles and links, all presented very professionally as part of a larger internet directory.  - A guide to urban legends, with plenty of tales, plus articles and links, all presented very professionally as part of a larger internet directory.
• Vikram and the Vampire  - Richard Burton's translation of eleven of the classic 25 Tales of a Vampire from Hindu folklore. They are dilemma tales, within a frame story about a great king who has to carry a vampire back to a magician.  - Richard Burton's translation of eleven of the classic 25 Tales of a Vampire from Hindu folklore. They are dilemma tales, within a frame story about a great king who has to carry a vampire back to a magician.
• Wagner's Parsifal by Rolf May  - Theosphical article and handy story summary of the classic Grail legend.  - Theosphical article and handy story summary of the classic Grail legend.
• Zensufi Story Park  - Mariam Ispahani's collection of lots of wise, enigmatic, and amusing stories by mystics, Sufis, Zen masters etc.  - Mariam Ispahani's collection of lots of wise, enigmatic, and amusing stories by mystics, Sufis, Zen masters etc.

Storytellers' Collections  - Favourite tales on storytellers' own websites - retold, transcribed, or compiled by themselves.

• 5 minute Irish stories  - Conrad Bladey's collection of over 120 traditional Irish stories. All are short enough to be handy in exercises teaching storytelling.  - Conrad Bladey's collection of over 120 traditional Irish stories. All are short enough to be handy in exercises teaching storytelling.
• Ancient Irish Tales -Conrad's full texts
• Estonian Stories  - A couple of short tales on Beate Larsen's site  - A couple of short tales on Beate Larsen's site
• How Come? Stories  - Beate Larsen's large collection of these story-puzzles. The storyteller describes a scene - the ending of a story - and the listeners have to guess what has happened. The listeners ask the teller questions, answered only by "yes", "no" and "that's not important".  - Beate Larsen's large collection of these story-puzzles. The storyteller describes a scene - the ending of a story - and the listeners have to guess what has happened. The listeners ask the teller questions, answered only by "yes", "no" and "that's not important".
• Some stories from Estonia  - Two short stories on Beate's site.  - Two short stories on Beate's site.
• Stories for the Seasons - NILAS  - Dedicated to offering seasonal nature stories, plus an extensive bibliography for any storyteller, teacher, or general reader who is seeking stories and legends about animals, plants, and the land itself. With monthly features. NILAS is the Nature in Lege  - Dedicated to offering seasonal nature stories, plus an extensive bibliography for any storyteller, teacher, or general reader who is seeking stories and legends about animals, plants, and the land itself. With monthly features. NILAS is the Nature in Lege
• Tales of Faerie Worldwide  - A site dedicated to Faery, with this page of a few fairytales from each of various countries. Some have nice illustrations from source books too.  - A site dedicated to Faery, with this page of a few fairytales from each of various countries. Some have nice illustrations from source books too.
• The Storyteller - four volumes of tales  - Loads of stories on this huge site. There are four volumes of forty stories each, in The Storyteller, all published here online in their entirety, clearly and usefully laid out . The forward to each book invites the reader to tell the tales. In addition  - Loads of stories on this huge site. There are four volumes of forty stories each, in The Storyteller, all published here online in their entirety, clearly and usefully laid out . The forward to each book invites the reader to tell the tales. In addition