Kenneth Grahame 8 March 1859 - 6 July 1932 Was a Scottish writer who was most famous for 'The Wind in the Willows' published in 1908, that was later adapted into a Disney film. In his early twenties he published his first stories in the 'London Periodicals', where some stories were chosen for publication as 'Pagan Papers' in 1893, followed by 'The Golden Age' some two years later. In 1898 'Dream Days' was published including 'The Reluctant Dragon', followed by 'The Wind in the Willows' ten years later. It is believed that Kenneth Grahame was inspired by Quarry Wood and the River Thames to...

'Little Claus ans Big Claus' by Hans Christian Andersen. (Un-illustrated) First published in 1835. IN a village there once lived two men who had the same name. They were both called Claus. One of them had four horses, but the other had only one; so to distinguish them, people called the owner of the four horses, "Great Claus," and he who had only one, "Little Claus." Now we shall hear what happened to them, for this is a true story...

Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont was born in Rouen 1711 and died in 1780. She lost her mother when she was only eleven but wrote that she did not mourn her death. The family was very poor and several of her siblings had to be sent away for adoption. She wrote that her mother had suffered terribly at not being able to maintain contact with her children or to establish what had become of them. She therefore felt intuitively that her mother's death was a blessing... Writing the story: Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, wrote a story titled Beauty and the Beast. Leprince de Beaumont revised...

The Brothers Grimm (or Die Gebruder Grimm), Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786-1859), were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, lexicographers and authors who together collected and published folklore. They are among the most well-known storytellers of folk tales, popularizing stories such as "Cinderella" "(Aschenputtel)," "The Frog Prince" ("Der Froschkonig"), "Hansel and Gretel" ("Hansel und Gretel"), "Rapunzel," "Rumpelstiltskin" " ("Rumpelstilzchen"), and "Snow White" ("Schneewittchen"). Their first collection of folk tales, Children's and Household Tales (Kinder- und...

Hans Christian Andersen 1805 - 1875 From a humble childhood, the writer Hans Christian Andersen became one of the world's best loved story tellers. Here is one of his earlier stories 'Little Ida's Flowers' that was first published in 1835. Little Ida's Flowers... MY poor flowers are quite dead," said little Ida, "they were so pretty yesterday evening, and now all the leaves are hanging down quite withered. What do they do that for," she asked, of the student who sat on the sofa; she liked him very much, he could tell the most amusing stories, and cut out the prettiest pictures; hearts, and...

From a humble childhood, the writer Hans Christian Andersen became one of the world's best loved story tellers. Here is one of his earlier stories 'The Tinder Box' that was first published in 1835. Hans Christian Andersen 1805 1875 The Tinder Box... A soldier came marching along the high road: "Left, right-left, right." He had his knapsack on his back, and a sword at his side; he had been to the wars, and was now returning home. As he walked on, he met a very frightful-looking old witch in the road. Her under-lip hung quite down on her breast, and she stopped and said, "Good evening, soldier;...

From a humble childhood, the writer Hans Christian Andersen became one of the world's best loved story tellers. Here is one of his earlier stories 'The Travelling Companion' that was first published in 1835. The Travelling Companion... POOR John was very sad; for his father was so ill, he had no hope of his recovery. John sat alone with the sick man in the little room, and the lamp had nearly burnt out; for it was late in the night. "You have been a good son, John," said the sick father, "and God will help you on in the world." He looked at him, as he spoke, with mild, earnest eyes, drew a...