The Stories:
The Mermaid of Zennor
There was once a mermaid who was the daughter of the sea King. She lived under the sea by the town of Zennor, in the cold Cornish waters. One day she heard a beautiful voice and followed it, up the rocks, dragging herself to the little church. She saw the choir and a beautiful blonde man called Mathew singing alone at the front of the choir. She fell in love with him instantly and for the rest of that that day and for many others to come she watched him and hid her tail under a gown crafted from corals, pearls and exotic sea-weeds. She sat at the back of the church until one day he noticed her, he had never seen a girl like her, she looked as though she came from a different world, her eyes grey and dappled like the swirling, cold, Cornish waves. So, he followed her as she left for the shore, asking her to marry him. Although she said she could not, for she was a sea-creature, he said it was no matter, he would go with her. So, they dived off the cliff and he was gone.
A few years later, a fisherman dropped his anchor and a mermaid appeared. She told him his anchor blocked the door to her home and her and her husband Mathew could not reach their children. He did so and told the other fisherman where their beloved singer was. They say, when at Zennor at low-tide, you can hear the most beautiful lullaby carrying over the cold waves onto the cliffs.
There was once a mermaid who was the daughter of the sea King. She lived under the sea by the town of Zennor, in the cold Cornish waters. One day she heard a beautiful voice and followed it, up the rocks, dragging herself to the little church. She saw the choir and a beautiful blonde man called Mathew singing alone at the front of the choir. She fell in love with him instantly and for the rest of that that day and for many others to come she watched him and hid her tail under a gown crafted from corals, pearls and exotic sea-weeds. She sat at the back of the church until one day he noticed her, he had never seen a girl like her, she looked as though she came from a different world, her eyes grey and dappled like the swirling, cold, Cornish waves. So, he followed her as she left for the shore, asking her to marry him. Although she said she could not, for she was a sea-creature, he said it was no matter, he would go with her. So, they dived off the cliff and he was gone.
A few years later, a fisherman dropped his anchor and a mermaid appeared. She told him his anchor blocked the door to her home and her and her husband Mathew could not reach their children. He did so and told the other fisherman where their beloved singer was. They say, when at Zennor at low-tide, you can hear the most beautiful lullaby carrying over the cold waves onto the cliffs.
Snow White and Rose Red
Once upon a time a lady lived with her two beautiful daughters who were both so different. One was named after the snow white roses of the bush to left of their woodland cottage. The other was named after the deep red ones of the bush to right. They were good and kind people and when a bear knocks on their one way asking for shelter from the snow, although afraid they are kind to him an let him sit by the fire. They make friends and the bear returns every night until winter ends when he says he must go and protect his treasure from an evil dwarf. One day soon after, the girls find the dward hanging from the tree by his beard. They cut him down but the dwarf is angry with them for cutting his beard! They encounter the dwarf many times after and save him each time from some peril but he is always unkind and ungrateful! One day they find him running from the bear, scared for his life so he tells the bear to eat the girls instead. The bear is so angry he kills the dwarf with a swipe of his paw. He turns into a handsome Prince. He tells the girls the dwarf cursed him after stealing his treasure. Now the curse is broken and the Prince moves the girls into the castle, they bring their mother and Snow White marries the Prince and Rose-Red marries his brother.
Once upon a time a lady lived with her two beautiful daughters who were both so different. One was named after the snow white roses of the bush to left of their woodland cottage. The other was named after the deep red ones of the bush to right. They were good and kind people and when a bear knocks on their one way asking for shelter from the snow, although afraid they are kind to him an let him sit by the fire. They make friends and the bear returns every night until winter ends when he says he must go and protect his treasure from an evil dwarf. One day soon after, the girls find the dward hanging from the tree by his beard. They cut him down but the dwarf is angry with them for cutting his beard! They encounter the dwarf many times after and save him each time from some peril but he is always unkind and ungrateful! One day they find him running from the bear, scared for his life so he tells the bear to eat the girls instead. The bear is so angry he kills the dwarf with a swipe of his paw. He turns into a handsome Prince. He tells the girls the dwarf cursed him after stealing his treasure. Now the curse is broken and the Prince moves the girls into the castle, they bring their mother and Snow White marries the Prince and Rose-Red marries his brother.
Rumpelstiltskin
There was once a poor old Miller, who was summoned to the King. He was so scared that before the King had time to speak he told him he had a beautiful daughter who could spin straw into gold. His daughter, although beautiful could do no such thing! The King, who was as greedy as he was rich and handsome, told the miller he better bring his daughter to him, if she had such talents! The King fell in love with the girl when he saw her but decided to test her and sent her to a tower full of straw! He told her she must spin it all to gold by morning or he would kill her! She wept after he left until a little man appeared and told her he could do what she could not...if she gave him her necklace. She did and in the morning the room was full of gold! The King was so greedy he bid her do it again, or he would kill her! The man came again, this time demanding her ring, she gave it and the room was full of gold next morning. This time the King said that, if she spent another night at the task, he would marry her the next morning! She wept, for she had nothing left to offer the little man. He demanded her first born child and she accepted, for she did not want to die and did not know if she would ever even bear a child. It was accomplished and the king married her. The next year she had a beautiful child and the little man appeared demanding his prize. The Queen wept and he took pity, giving her three days to guess his name! She sent a messenger all over the kingdom to find boys names but for the first two days, she did not guess correctly. On the last day, her messenger came across a little man in the forest rhyming his name and told the queen. That night she guessed ‘Rumpelstiltskin’ and the man ran from the room with steam coming out of his ears, never to be seen again.
There was once a poor old Miller, who was summoned to the King. He was so scared that before the King had time to speak he told him he had a beautiful daughter who could spin straw into gold. His daughter, although beautiful could do no such thing! The King, who was as greedy as he was rich and handsome, told the miller he better bring his daughter to him, if she had such talents! The King fell in love with the girl when he saw her but decided to test her and sent her to a tower full of straw! He told her she must spin it all to gold by morning or he would kill her! She wept after he left until a little man appeared and told her he could do what she could not...if she gave him her necklace. She did and in the morning the room was full of gold! The King was so greedy he bid her do it again, or he would kill her! The man came again, this time demanding her ring, she gave it and the room was full of gold next morning. This time the King said that, if she spent another night at the task, he would marry her the next morning! She wept, for she had nothing left to offer the little man. He demanded her first born child and she accepted, for she did not want to die and did not know if she would ever even bear a child. It was accomplished and the king married her. The next year she had a beautiful child and the little man appeared demanding his prize. The Queen wept and he took pity, giving her three days to guess his name! She sent a messenger all over the kingdom to find boys names but for the first two days, she did not guess correctly. On the last day, her messenger came across a little man in the forest rhyming his name and told the queen. That night she guessed ‘Rumpelstiltskin’ and the man ran from the room with steam coming out of his ears, never to be seen again.
Beauty and the Beast
A merchant was travelling through the rain when he came across a castle and beautiful gardens. He plucked a rose from a bush, thinking how much his daughter would like it to mark her books. At that, a horrifying monster appeared who demanded the man would die if he did not bring him the thing he most valued, as he had plucked his most beautiful rose. He bid the man bring him his beautiful daughter in payment for the rose he had taken. The man returned to his daughter and told her his plight, he said they would run for he would never give her to the monster. In the night she went to the castle, for she loved her father and he was too old travel. The monster was kind to her, gave her a beautiful room in his dark castle. She dined with him every evening and thought him misunderstood, for he was, indeed, cursed and she pitied him. The monster fell in love with the beautiful girl, she was clever and well-read and he thought, she liked him well enough. Every night he asked her to marry him but she turned him down, she could not marry a monster, even if she did like him. One day she wept, for she missed her father and the monster was sad at this, so he let her return to her father for one week. The girl reached home and her father was ill, so she forgot her promise to the monster and was late returning. When she found him, he was lying under his rose-bush. She thought he was dead, and wept for him. As her tears fell onto his face he changed. He was no longer ugly but very handsome, with auburn hair and a dark skin. He awoke and asked her again; this time she said yes.
A merchant was travelling through the rain when he came across a castle and beautiful gardens. He plucked a rose from a bush, thinking how much his daughter would like it to mark her books. At that, a horrifying monster appeared who demanded the man would die if he did not bring him the thing he most valued, as he had plucked his most beautiful rose. He bid the man bring him his beautiful daughter in payment for the rose he had taken. The man returned to his daughter and told her his plight, he said they would run for he would never give her to the monster. In the night she went to the castle, for she loved her father and he was too old travel. The monster was kind to her, gave her a beautiful room in his dark castle. She dined with him every evening and thought him misunderstood, for he was, indeed, cursed and she pitied him. The monster fell in love with the beautiful girl, she was clever and well-read and he thought, she liked him well enough. Every night he asked her to marry him but she turned him down, she could not marry a monster, even if she did like him. One day she wept, for she missed her father and the monster was sad at this, so he let her return to her father for one week. The girl reached home and her father was ill, so she forgot her promise to the monster and was late returning. When she found him, he was lying under his rose-bush. She thought he was dead, and wept for him. As her tears fell onto his face he changed. He was no longer ugly but very handsome, with auburn hair and a dark skin. He awoke and asked her again; this time she said yes.
The Wild Swans
There was once a girl called Elsie. She was Princess, with seven handsome, tall brothers who loved her. They took her on adventures, crafted her swords and bows and arrows in the castle grounds and read her stories from the large library in the castle. Their mother had died and when she was still young Elsie’s father re-married. The new Queen was vain and didn't like Elsie, who was prettier than her. She banished Elsie to live with a poor family, telling the King the girl had died in the woods while on one of her adventures. The King was heartbroken and gave his sons all of his time, so the jealous Queen turned them into seven swans and banished them. When Elsie grew she went to the palace as she wanted to see her lovely brothers. The Queen on seeing how beautiful she had become, rubbed he face with dirt and oils so the king would not recognise her. So she was sent away and got lost by the stream. She washed herself and , lovely once more, found herself surrounded by seven swans who promptly, when the moon rose, turned into the brothers. They cried at finding their beloved sister and told her of the Queens curse. They wanted to go across the sea to another kingdom to warmer climates and made Elsie a woven mat. They flew her across the sea and she dreamed. An enchantress came to her in the dream and told her to craft seven shirts from nettles; crush them and weave them with her bare hands and feet into shirts for her brothers and they would be free. She could not utter a word whilst she accomplished this. One day, while her brothers were flying a Prince found the beautiful, quiet girl and took her away to his castle. He married her and she became Queen but at night while her husband slept she made the shirts still. People said she was a witch and the Kings men took her away to be burned as a witch. Her bothers came to save her, flying to her aid as she was on the cart. She threw the shirts over them, the youngest brother’s was not finished so he still had one wing but the curse lifted! She spoke again and shouted her innocence before collapsing. The king caught her and cried for her but she awoke and they lived happily together in the new kingdom.
There was once a girl called Elsie. She was Princess, with seven handsome, tall brothers who loved her. They took her on adventures, crafted her swords and bows and arrows in the castle grounds and read her stories from the large library in the castle. Their mother had died and when she was still young Elsie’s father re-married. The new Queen was vain and didn't like Elsie, who was prettier than her. She banished Elsie to live with a poor family, telling the King the girl had died in the woods while on one of her adventures. The King was heartbroken and gave his sons all of his time, so the jealous Queen turned them into seven swans and banished them. When Elsie grew she went to the palace as she wanted to see her lovely brothers. The Queen on seeing how beautiful she had become, rubbed he face with dirt and oils so the king would not recognise her. So she was sent away and got lost by the stream. She washed herself and , lovely once more, found herself surrounded by seven swans who promptly, when the moon rose, turned into the brothers. They cried at finding their beloved sister and told her of the Queens curse. They wanted to go across the sea to another kingdom to warmer climates and made Elsie a woven mat. They flew her across the sea and she dreamed. An enchantress came to her in the dream and told her to craft seven shirts from nettles; crush them and weave them with her bare hands and feet into shirts for her brothers and they would be free. She could not utter a word whilst she accomplished this. One day, while her brothers were flying a Prince found the beautiful, quiet girl and took her away to his castle. He married her and she became Queen but at night while her husband slept she made the shirts still. People said she was a witch and the Kings men took her away to be burned as a witch. Her bothers came to save her, flying to her aid as she was on the cart. She threw the shirts over them, the youngest brother’s was not finished so he still had one wing but the curse lifted! She spoke again and shouted her innocence before collapsing. The king caught her and cried for her but she awoke and they lived happily together in the new kingdom.