Romanian Fairy Tales

Youth Without Age and Life Without Death

There was once a mighty emperor and empress. Both were young and handsome, and as they desired the blessing of children they did every thing that was necessary to secure it, that is they went to the witches and philosophers and asked them to read the stars to find out whether they would have children or not.

The Princess and the Fisherman

There was once a fisherman, neither very well off nor very poor, but he was young, with a mustache that curled fiercely at the ends, you know, and a fine-looking fellow.

The Little Purse with two Half-pennies

There was once an old man and an old woman. The old woman had a hen and the old man had a rooster.

Cunning Ileane

There was once an emperor who had three daughters; the oldest was beautiful, the middle one more beautiful, but the youngest, Ileane, was so fair that even the sun stopped to gaze at her and admire her charms.

The Fairy Aurora

There was once a great and mighty emperor, whose kingdom was so large that no one knew where it began and where it ended.

Tellerchen

There was once a husband and wife. The husband had a son by a former marriage, and the wife had a daughter by her first husband.

Mother's Darling Jack

There was once a man who had a child. This child was the youngest of seven which the Lord had given him, so it was destined from its birth to be lucky.

The Poor Boy

There was once a poor widow, so poor that even the flies would not stay in her house, and this widow had two children, a boy and a girl.

The Two Step-Sisters

Once upon a time there was an old widower, who had one daughter; he married again and took for his wife a widow, who also had a daughter.

The Morning Star and The Evening Star

There was once an emperor and empress who were childless.

The Pea Emperor

There was once a good for nothing fellow, who was so poor and needy that he had not even enough to eat to be able to drink water after it.

The Old Woman and the Old Man

Once upon a time there was an old man and an old woman, who had not a single child in their old age, and it was very hard for them, because they had no help, not even to light the fire;

The Voice of Death

There was once a man who prayed daily to God to grant him riches.

Little Wild-Rose

There was once a man, my dear good friends. This man would now - I am telling no lie - this man would now be a hundred years old, if not twenty more to boot;

Mogarzea and His Son

There was once a young lad who had neither father nor mother.

The Twins With the Golden Star

There was an emperor, who ruled over a whole world, and in this world lived an old shepherd and shepherdess, who had three daughters, Anna, Stana, and Laptitza.

The Wonderful Bird

There was a good, pious emperor, who had three sons.

Stan Bolovan

At the edge of the village, where the peasants' oxen break through the hedges and the neighbors' hogs wallow in the ground under the fences, there once stood a house.