Showing results for "The Science of Fairy Tales" in All Categories

When Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm published their Children's and Household Tales in 1812, followed by a second volume in 1815, they had no idea that such stories as "Rapunzel", "Hansel and Gretel", and "Cinderella" would become the most celebrated in the world. Yet few people today are familiar with the majority of tales from the two early volumes, since in the next four decades the Grimms would publish six other editions, each extensively revised in content and style.

It is known that Ahalya was cursed by her husband, Gautam, for indulging in a physical relationship with Indra. But is there another story to Ahalya's truth? Who was Indra anyway? A king? A lover? A philanderer? The first book of the Sati series, Ahalya hinges on these core questions, narrating the course of her life, from innocence to infidelity.

Revisit the tale of Hansel and Gretel. Left in the woods, the two encounter a witch. Will the brother and sister find their way out of the forest safely, or be left at the hands of the witch?

Dive into this delightful mid-19th century book, beautifully illustrated by Charles H. Bennett, which introduces young readers to the wonders of science through the lens of enchanting myths and fairy tales. Each chapter weaves a familiar story with captivating fairy tales of science, brimming with intriguing facts and real-life examples that spark curiosity and imagination. (Summary by J. M. Smallheer)

Would King Dasharatha even have his coveted sons were it not for the sacrifice of his daughter Shanta? Was Manthara an evil, conniving handmaid to the queen or a loving mother who tried to protect her ward from palace intrigues? How did Meenakshi of the beautiful eyes transform into the embodiment of ugliness and immoral lust? In an epic that revolves around the life of a righteous prince, what role do the women play?

A collection of classic Brothers Grimm fairy tales, pulled from Margaret Hunt's 1884 translation. Including: The Little Brother and Little Sister", "Hansel and Gretel", "Oh, If I Could but Shiver!", "Dummling and the Three Feathers", "Little Snow-White", "Frederick and Catherine", "The Valiant Little Tailor", "Little Red-Cap", "The Golden Goose", "Bearskin", "Cinderella", "Faithful John", "The Water of Life", "Thumbling", "Briar Rose", and "The Six Swans," among others.

Kunti, a rare matriarch in the Mahabharata and one of the revered Pancha Satis, holds an unforgettable position in the Indian literary imagination. Yet, little is known about the fateful events that shaped her early life. Taking on the intricate task, Koral Dasgupta unravels the lesser-known strands of Kunti’s story: through a childhood of scholarly pursuits to unwanted motherhood at adolescence, a detached marriage and her ambitious love for the king of the devas.

Brought to life by Academy Award-winning actor F. Murray Abraham and an ensemble cast of narrators, and featuring original music by Michael Bacon, this collection contains Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved fairy tales, as well as a selection of lesser-known favorites. Unlike the...

When my grandmother, the leader of the Rathmore Coven, summons me, I have no choice but to answer her call. To reach her, I must cross the Wood, the realm of Wotan, lord of the hunt. Rumors of his cruelty and brutality precede him, but nothing prepares me to meet the monster face to face. Because Wotan is more than a monster. He's a predator, a bully, and now he's claimed me as his pawn in his war against my grandmother. A master of torture, he's determined to master me, stripping me bare of all my secrets.

Having escaped an unhappy marriage, Morgan finds herself in Camelot–the city of dreams and peace. Her brother, King Arthur, treats her as a valued advisor and Morgan finally has recognition befitting her intelligence within Arthur’s trusted circle, despite a longstanding conflict with Queen Guinevere. But Morgan’s life is not without complications. Between a vengeful husband determined to snatch their son away, the strict ideals of court life, and a jealous rival for Arthur’s attentions in the sorcerer Merlin, gaining true recognition and freedom is a greater challenge than Morgan envisioned.

Feyre has undergone more trials than one human woman can carry in her heart. Though she’s now been granted the powers and lifespan of the High Fae, she is haunted by her time Under the Mountain and the terrible deeds she performed to save the lives of Tamlin and his people. As her marriage to Tamlin approaches, Feyre’s hollowness and nightmares consume her. She finds herself split into two different people: one who upholds her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court, and one who lives out her life in the Spring Court with Tamlin.

Step into The Complete Classic Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde, the definitive audiobook collection of nine timeless stories, including The Happy Prince, The Nightingale and the Rose, The Selfish Giant, The Birthday of the Infanta, The Fisherman and His Soul, and more.

Kartikeya was born from the flames of a desperate need, an ardent desire, and an utmost devastation. In him was distilled the terrible powers of Mahadev, at its fiercest and most deadly. Although he fought many wars and slew many tyrants, his gifts to humanity have always been those of mercy, compassion and love. What makes this possible?

Beneath a shadowed moon in a cloud-streaked sky, the sacred orb splits and a hatchling is born. It is Nyroc, son of Kludd, fallen leader of the Pure Ones, and his evil mate, Nyra. Born from evil, trained to evil, Nyroc is destined to fulfill his father's terrible plan: the oppression of all owldom under the vicious talons of the Pure Ones.

Every person deviates from the path of righteousness in his lifetime, and for all these sins big or small, he has to pay - either during his present life or in some future rebirth. So, also, are his good deeds harvested. The cycle of Karma continues inexorably, far beyond our understanding.... This book takes us beyond the familiar reading of the great epic, moving away from a chronological recounting of events, to focus on the greater scheme of things by which each of these incidents is linked in a causal relationship, and therefore, had to happen exactly the way they did.

Contains books one and two of Condemning the Heavens... On the continent of Chang'an, humans had lived as livestock and slaves to the Primordial Beasts. These beasts were ferocious, bloodthirsty, and overwhelmingly powerful, but even so, the humans managed to prevail in the face of despair. As the human race grew stronger the Primordial Beasts fought back with relentless fierceness, rousing beast hordes to engage in frenzied battles over the land. Every single child on the continent was taught martial arts for the sake of fighting these Primordial Beasts.

“The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats” by the Brothers Grimm is a cautionary tale about the importance of being cautious and listening to parental advice. When a mother goat leaves her seven kids at home while she goes to the forest, she warns them about the dangers of the wicked wolf, who might try to trick his way into their house. The cunning wolf attempts to impersonate the mother goat, first with a gruff voice and then with a softened one, but the kids recognize his deception.

Nyroc has exiled himself from the Pure Ones. He flies alone, feared and despised by those who know him as Kludd's son, hunted by those whose despotism he has rejected, and haunted by ghostly creatures conjured by Nyra to lure him back to the Pure Ones. He yearns for a place he only half believes in - the great tree - and an uncle - the near-mythic Soren - who might be a true father to him. Yet he cannot approach the tree while the rumor of evil still clings to him.

George MacDonald, described by W.H. Auden as "one of the most remarkable writers of the 19th century", was valued in his own time as an original thinker and spiritual guide. Of all his writing, it is the fairy tales that have retained their fascination, and this collection includes all 11 stories. The fairy tales feature the stock characters of traditional tales—fairies both good and bad, and children undertaking precarious journeys. Often adopting paradox and nonsense as Lewis Carroll did, the stories invite adults to deploy the same open-mindedness as children.

Today, Aury learned three things; one, she is a princess; two, she might be a powerful mage; and three, a brutal mountain elf is on his way to the kingdom for their marriage. Aury can’t escape her newly revealed royal parents quickly enough. If they think she is going to marry some vicious elven warrior mage, they have another thing coming. They claim she’s a mage too, but she has yet to prove it. She heads to the magic military order to get her rune-marked staff and learn everything she can.