Fairy tales are traditional stories for children that often feature magic and mythical characters such as dragons and mermaids, witches, talking animals, and of course, beautiful princesses. Fairy tales began as stories passed down orally, often from mothers to daughters. Charles Perrault, a French author, published Tales of Mother Goose in 1697, with his versions of such well known fairy tales as �Cinderella�, �Sleeping Beauty�, and �Little Red Riding Hood�. In the early 19^th century, the Brother�s Grimm published a collection of fairy tales they had collected from German peasants; it was entitled Children�s and Household Tales. Since that time, fairy tales have only grown in popularity, with numerous books, plays, and movies based on these appealing stories.

Children love to hear these classic stories, and many are inspired to act out the roles of their favorite characters, dressing up in (costumes) as knights, fairies, kings, or their favorite princesses. Many teachers and parents enjoy building a collection of (children�s costumes) to aid children in this type of imaginative play.

Use these resources to enhance your knowledge of fairy tales, and remember the words of Hans Christian Andersen, "Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale."

Classic fairy tales

• Read fairy talesonline, featuring works by Hans Christian Andersen and the Brother�s Grimm.

• Interactive, animated Grimm fairy tales you can read.

• Listen to classic fairy tales read aloud, complete with animated illustrations.

• Adult versions of classic fairy tales.

• Beautifully illustrated fairy tales to read online.

General Fairy Tale Resources

• Free lesson plans based on fairy tales.

• Explore the origins of these gruesome classic fairytales.

• Read reviews of modern day fairy tales.

• Resources that will aid in the study of fairy tales.

• Read biographies about the creators of some of the most beloved fairy tales.

• 101 of the world's favorite fairy tales.

• Fairy tale themed activities and crafts for preschoolers.

World Fairy Tales

• Project Gutenberg offers full texts of fairy tale books from around the world.

• Indian fairy tales, by Joseph Jacobs, can be read online.

• Fairy tales from five different continents.

• Fairy tales around the world lesson plans.

• Enjoy fairy tales from Tibet, Russia, Norway, Korea, and many other countries.

• Free audio downloads of some of the world�s best fairy tales.

• Explore fairy tales from around the world with the Global Virtual Classroom.

Fairy tales can stretch children�s imaginations and teach them about cultures around the world. What�s more, adults can enjoy these classic tales right along with the children they love.