Classical Europe

The Little Mermaid is a very well-known fairy tale by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen about a young mermaid willing to give up her life in the sea and her identity as a mermaid to gain a human soul and the love of a human prince. The tale was first published in 1837 and has been adapted to various media, including musical theatre and animated film. But this tale is not the Disney version, all cleaned up and made pretty. This is the way Andersen wrote it.

Here is a wonderful collection of classic children's tales told with humor and heartfelt charm. Featured are the beloved favorite "Little Red Riding Hood", Hans Christian Andersen's "The Pea Blossom" and "The Nightengale", and L. Frank Baum's hilarious tale of the mixed-up "Man in the Moon".

One day, a mysterious stranger arrives at a boardinghouse of the widow Gateau - a sad-faced stranger, who keeps to himself. When the widow’s daughter, Mirette, discovers him crossing the courtyard on air, she begs him to teach her how he does it. But Mirette doesn’t know that the stranger was once the Great Bellini - master wire-walker. Or that Bellini has been stopped by a terrible fear. And it is she who must teach him courage once again.

In this short essay, Mark Twain discusses the patriot William Tell, the city of Interlaken, and the Jungfrau mountain. He describes the beauty of the landscape with great admiration.

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, narrated by Lauren Maza, is a timeless fairy tale of love, sacrifice, and the pursuit of dreams. This enchanting story follows the journey of a young mermaid who longs to leave her underwater kingdom and live in the world above, driven by her love for a human prince and her desire for an immortal soul. As she navigates the challenges of her transformation, she faces difficult choices and learns the true meaning of selflessness and longing.

It is wartime and Carrie and her little brother Nick have been evacuated from their London home to the Welsh hills. In an unfamiliar place, among strangers, the children feel alone and find little comfort with the family they are billeted with: Mr Evans, a bullying shopkeeper and Auntie Lou, his kind but timid sister. When Carrie and Nick visit Albert, another evacuee, they are welcomed into Hepzibah Green's warm kitchen. Hepzibah is rumoured to be a witch, but her cooking is delicious, her stories are enthralling and the children cannot keep away.

Dubliners is a collection of 15 short stories by James Joyce, first published in 1914. They provide a portrait of Irish middle class life in and around Dublin in the early years of the 20th century. Each of the stories offers glimpses into the lives of ordinary Dubliners, and together they paint a portrait of a nation. Ireland was at a crossroads of history and culture at that time, pursuing a search for national identity and purpose.

Chi è più sapiente? Colui che dice di sapere o colui che sa di non sapere? Su questo bivio del pensiero Socrate ha fondato la sua vita e imposta ora la sua autodifesa: stringente, appassionante, inoppugnabile. La fine è nota. E tuttavia Socrate non perde la sua forza: perché anche la morte può essere un’avventura, di silenzio o di conversazione.

This beautiful collection contains five fairy tales by the celebrated British writer Oscar Wilde: "The Happy Prince", "The Nightingale and the Rose", "The Selfish Giant", "The Devoted Friend", and "The Remarkable Rocket." These timeless tales are performed by a full cast, and will delight listeners of all ages with their whimsical characters, moving situations, and touches of ironic humor. Presented by The Online Stage.

Scotch whisky, first recorded as the drink of kings and monks over 500 years ago, is now enjoyed in every part of the world. Whisky Galore tells its extraordinary story: from local brew to the most popular spirit on earth. With music and songs, stories and tastings, discussion and laughter, Bill Torrance introduces a distinguished gathering of whisky experts and imbibers.

One of the most famous fairy tales of all time, The Little Mermaid was written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen and published in 1837. The littlest mermaid of the Sea King ventures to the surface of the ocean on her 15th birthday and falls in love with a handsome human prince whom she sees sailing on his vast ship. As her heart has been captured by this young royal, she endures great sacrifice and pain in order to be with the man she loves.

Hans Christian Andersen’s The Fir Tree is a poignant and timeless holiday tale that reflects on the themes of longing, joy, and the passage of time. The story follows a little fir tree, who dreams of growing up and experiencing the grand adventures of life beyond the forest. As it watches the world around it change, the fir tree discovers the importance of appreciating the present moment and the bittersweet lessons that come with growing older.

This is a story from the Thumbelina and Other Fairy Tales collection.

This Irish version of the Cinderella story is a classic fairy tale as you have never heard it before. Master storyteller and folklorist Padraic Colum creates a completely unique world of enchanted woods, marauding giants, gossiping geese, and a supernatural cloak made of crow feathers. Through her many adventures, Maid-Alone, Colum's heroine, remains steadfast in her quiet strength and wisdom. Listeners of all ages will enjoy this magical retelling of a familiar legend.

Discover fundamentals of French culture with the best fairy tales by Charles Perrault and a selection of fables by Jean de la Fontaine. Perrault is credited with some of the most famous fairy tales ever written: "Beauty and the Beast", "Cinderella", "Little Red Riding Hood", "The Fairies", "The Master Cat or Puss in Boots", "The Ridiculous Wishes", "Sleeping Beauty in the Woods", and "Blue Beard".

In the second entry of his compilation of the most notorious deeds in European history at his point in time, Alexandre Dumas composes an essay covering a span of nearly 300 years of strife between the Catholics and Protestants of Southern France. Dumas recounts numerous instances of bloody conflict, unruly mobs, assassination, and political turmoil as the Protestants of the region fight to live and worship as they choose and Catholics endeavor to suppress a dangerous threat to their hegemony.

Hatte die DDR einen eigenen Klang? Wie politisch oder privat ist Kunst und Kultur? Welche Bilder zeichnet die Lyrik in einem sozialistischen System und welche Töne schlägt die Musik an? Mit Fragen wie diesen befassen sich die Pianistin Ragna Schirmer, der Schlagzeuger Matthias Daneck und der Schauspieler, Regisseur und Autor Axel Ranisch. Sie beleuchten in Wort und Ton die vier Jahrzehnte der DDR-Historie. Gedichte sowie Musikstücke im Spannungsfeld zwischen Alltag und Utopie, Avantgarde und Anpassung.

This is a story from the Grimm's Fairy Tales collection.

For students of Middle English, Andrew and Waldron's The Poems of the Pearl Manuscript has been the key edition of the four Pearl poems for over 30 years. With the changing needs of today's students in mind, the editors produced a complete prose translation of the four poems - the best known of which is "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight". The near-literal translations are intended to facilitate understanding of the four poems - to lead readers to, rather than away from, the original texts.

While most farmers are well-mannered and espouse great virtues and integrity this story proves there exists at least one farmer who is a profound scoundrel. It's not often a farmer can start with a wooden calf and end up the richest farmer in the land. The moral may well be never to follow this fellow's example.