The Misadventures of Nasreddin (Turkish Folktales) - Word & Sorcery
Nasreddin folktales come from 13th-century Turkey. Nasreddin is a clever scoundrel and a wise fool. Here are 26 of his best stories.| Word & Sorcery
The Lion-Makers is a fable from the Panchatantra, a collection of Indian folktales dating back to the 3rd century BCE. The story warns those who create without having a full understanding of what they’re unleashing upon the world. It was written thousands of years before the invention of nuclear bombs and the growing opportunities (and… The post The Lion-Makers, An Old Indian Fable appeared first on Word & Sorcery.| Word & Sorcery
I’m a huge fan of fantasy. I read all the books, watch all the movies, play all the games, and spend my evenings arguing about the best fantasy books on Reddit. I’m especially fond of the truly dark tales—the ones heavily infused with horror. I took a break from fantasy in my twenties. When I… The post The Best (and Darkest) Dark Fantasy Novels appeared first on Word & Sorcery.| Word & Sorcery
Ivan Tsarevich, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf is the most famous of all the Russian fairy tales. It’s as beloved as Jack and the Beanstalk, Sleeping Beauty, and the Little Mermaid are here in the West. Ivan is the classic name for a Russian protagonist. Tsarevich translates to “tsar’s son,” so this particular Ivan… The post Ivan Tsarevich and the Gray Wolf (Russian Fairy Tale Explained) appeared first on Word & Sorcery.| Word & Sorcery
The Crane and the Heron is an old Russian folktale. It’s an Aesopic “beast fable” with animal characters. I’m not sure exactly how old it is or who first wrote it down. The Fable A long time ago, there was a Crane who lived in the marsh. It was a quiet night, and he was… The post The Crane and the Heron (Russian Fable) appeared first on Word & Sorcery.| Word & Sorcery
I give Fairy Tale a 2/5 rating, not because it’s a bad book, but because it gets the fairy tales wrong, fizzles out towards the middle, and doesn’t leave much of an impression. There are far better interpretations of fairy tales, much better dark fantasy books with horror elements, and far better Stephen King books… The post A Review of Fairy Tale by Stephen King: The Fairy Tales Are Wrong appeared first on Word & Sorcery.| Word & Sorcery
Jack and the Beanstalk is an old British fairy tale with roots that date back over 5,000 years (study). It’s an archetypal story about a boy who steals treasure from a giant. It’s also the story of a tower so tall it reaches heaven (similar to the tower of Babel, Jacob’s Ladder, and Yggdrasil). There… The post Jack and the Beanstalk (The Original Fairy Tale Explained) appeared first on Word & Sorcery.| Word & Sorcery
The Butchered Man is a medieval folktale from Ispanthia. More recently, a version of it appeared in Christopher Buehlman’s novel The Daughters’ War. This is a retelling in my own words. The Fable A family was driving a wagon through the woods on a dark night. There was a father, a mother, their three children,… The post The Butchered Man Folktale appeared first on Word & Sorcery.| Word & Sorcery
The Tortoise and the Hare is one of Aesop’s most well-known fables. It’s one of the old Greek ones, perhaps recorded as early as 600 BCE. It has a famous moral lesson, but there’s a bit more to it. As is tradition with fables, this is a retelling in my own words. The Fable A… The post The Tortoise & the Hare (Aesop’s Fables) appeared first on Word & Sorcery.| Word & Sorcery
The Fox, the Duck and the Lion is an American fable written by Ambrose Bierce, a 19th-century American writer best known for writing The Devil’s Dictionary. It’s a modern twist on the much older Aesopic fables. I’ll explain at the end. As is tradition with these sorts of fables, this is a retelling in my… The post The Fox, the Duck, and the Lion (A Modern American Fable) appeared first on Word & Sorcery.| Word & Sorcery
Nasreddin folktales come from 13th-century Turkey. Nasreddin is a clever scoundrel and a wise fool. Here are 26 of his best stories.| Word & Sorcery
The best short stories of all time. The legends, fables, and fairy tales told long ago in long forgotten tongues, curated and retold.| Word & Sorcery
Milo of Croton was referenced by all the great historians of his time. His legend is embellished but rooted in truth.| Word & Sorcery
