Enchanted Tales: Exploring Fairy and Folktales Around the World

Each month in Enchanted Tales—a storytime series for K–2nd graders—I focus on a classic fairy tale or folktale and explore versions of it from around the world. I launched this program at my library in Fall 2024 to encourage cultural literacy, creativity, and joy in storytelling. So far, we’ve explored some of the more “well-known” tales such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Snow White, and Rapunzel.

One of my recent sessions focused on a tale I thought would be lesser known—Rumpelstiltskin. To my surprise, most of the kids were already familiar with it. Thank you, Shrek! Still, they were fascinated to discover that this trickster tale exists in many cultures with unique twists.

We kicked things off by practicing how to say ‘Rump-el-stil-skin.’ It’s harder to pronounce than it looks, and the kids had a good laugh trying to get it right.

Version 1:

The first version we shared was the classic German tale—told in a child-friendly adaptation by Mara Alperin. In this version, a young girl is locked in a tower and ordered to spin straw into gold by the king. It’s an impossible task—until a mysterious magical man appears and offers to help, but he demands something in return. The kids had fun guessing what he might want (lots of creative guesses involving candy and gifts).

Before diving into our second tale, we played two themed games:

• Rumpelstiltskin Says
  A twist on Simon Says, and a fun way to keep practicing that tricky name.
• Guess the Secret Word
  A charades-style game with “magical” words like hat, swim, and dance. One child acted out the word while others guessed.

Version 2:

Our second version of Rumpelstiltskin came from Nigeria: “How Ijapa the Tortoise Tricked the Hippopotamus”, found in the book Can You Guess My Name?: Traditional Tales Around the World by Judy Sierra. In this tale, the trickster character isn’t a magical man—it’s Ijapa, a clever tortoise known in Yoruba folklore for his wit.

In this story, Ijapa the tortoise is hungry and thirsty, but a big, grumpy hippopotamus is guarding all the food and water. The hippo says no one can have anything unless they know his secret name!

Ijapa comes up with a very silly plan—he finds a spot in the path and lies there, perfectly still, pretending to be a rock. When one of the hippo’s wives walks by, she accidentally trips over him and falls on her back! She gets stuck with her legs flailing in the air and yells out her husband’s name, begging for help. Ijapa hears everything—and just like that, he learns the secret name he needs!

The kids thought this part was hilarious—they couldn’t stop laughing at the image of a hippo wife stuck like a turtle and calling for her husband. They were amazed at how similar this tale was to Rumpelstiltskin—a tricky name, a clever plan, and a big reward—all told in a completely different way.

Instead of just reading the book, we brought the story to life with puppets and stuffed animals. The kids acted out the roles of Ijapa and the hippo, using different voices.

Next up: Musical Straw Chairs! I set up chairs with piles of paper “straw” on top. As music played, the kids walked around the chairs. When the music stopped, they had to sit—if they didn’t find a straw-covered seat in time, they were out. It was silly, energetic fun and tied right back to the spinning-straw-into-gold theme.

Version 3:

The final version of the tale brought us to Sweden with Titeliture, also found in Can You Guess My Name?: Traditional Tales from Around the World by Judy Sierra. In this Scandinavian variation, the heart of the Rumpelstiltskin story is still there—a girl must spin straw into gold, and a strange little man offers magical help in exchange for a mysterious bargain. But the twist? The girl in this tale isn’t hardworking or clever—she’s actually a bit lazy!

When a prince passes by and sees her sitting on the roof (yes, the roof!) looking beautiful, her mother lies and tells him her daughter can spin straw into gold up there. If she succeeds, the prince promises to marry her. Of course, the girl has no idea how to do it and starts to cry. That’s when a little man appears with a magical glove and offers to help—but only if she can guess his name, or else she’ll have to marry him instead of the prince!

The kids loved this version because it turned their expectations upside down. Instead of a kind or brave heroine, the girl wasn’t very likable—but the story still followed the familiar beats. In the end, the prince goes hunting and stumbles across the little man dancing in the woods and singing a funny rhyme that accidentally reveals his name: “Titeliture!” The kids giggled at how easily the magical man gave himself away. We talked about how different this version felt—funny, a little strange, and full of personality—while still connecting to the classic tale.

To wrap up the program, we created a “spinning straw into gold” collage. Using brown construction paper scraps for straw and shiny gold die-cut shapes, the kids created their own golden treasures. Some made crowns, others designed coins and jewelry—it was a creative way to connect to the story’s magical imagery.

Why Global Storytelling Matters

Fairy and folktales are powerful entry points for cultural literacy. When children encounter stories from different parts of the world, they begin to see both the differences and the shared themes that connect us all. Exploring global versions of familiar tales encourages empathy, curiosity, and an appreciation for diverse traditions and storytelling styles.

Tips for Librarians: Starting Your Own Enchanted Tales

• Bring Back the Classics: Don’t be afraid to start with well-known stories—kids are often surprised by the twists in international versions.
• Add Movement & Games: Incorporating simple, themed games helps kids engage with the stories in new and active ways.
• Make It Hands-On: Crafts or puppets let kids extend the story and express their creativity.
• Use Multicultural Story Collections: Books like Can You Guess My Name? are great resources for finding global retellings.
• Tell It from the Heart
  Oral storytelling creates a magical connection—no book between you and the audience. Try learning a tale well enough to tell it in your own words.

(All above photos courtesy of Jessica Tarnowski, ALSC member)

Today’s guest contributor is Jessica Tarnowski. Jessica is a Youth Services Librarian at the Bartlett Public Library District in Bartlett, Illinois. She has a passion for creating imaginative and inclusive programs that spark curiosity and a love of reading. Her interests include fairy tales, storytelling, and finding fun, meaningful ways to connect children with books and the magic of libraries.

Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.

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The post Enchanted Tales: Exploring Fairy and Folktales Around the World appeared first on ALSC Blog.

 Each month in Enchanted Tales—a storytime series for K–2nd graders—I focus on a classic fairy tale or folktale and explore versions of it from around the world. I launched this program at my library in Fall 2024 to encourage cultural literacy, creativity, and joy in storytelling. So far, we’ve explored some of the more “well-known” tales such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Snow White, and Rapunzel. One of my recent sessions focused on a tale I thought would be lesser known—Rumpelstiltskin. To my surprise, most of the kids were already familiar with it. Thank you, Shrek! Still, they were fascinated to discover that this trickster tale exists in many cultures with unique twists. We kicked things off by practicing how to say ‘Rump-el-stil-skin.’ It’s harder to pronounce than it looks, and the kids had a good laugh trying to get it right. Version 1: The first version we shared was…
The post Enchanted Tales: Exploring Fairy and Folktales Around the World appeared first on ALSC Blog.  Read More

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