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"Rapunzel" is a well-known fairy tale of German origin, recorded by the Brothers Grimm. A lonely couple, who want a child, lived next to a walled garden belonging to an evil witch named Dame Gothel. The wife, experiencing the cravings associated with the arrival of her long-awaited pregnancy, notices a rapunzel plant, growing in the garden and longs for it, desperate to the point of death. One night, her husband breaks into the garden to get some for her. She makes a salad out of it and greedily eats it.

"The Adventures of Pinocchio" is an Italian novel for children, by Carlo Collodi. A poor carpenter, Geppetto, wants to build a marionette from a piece of wood. But it begins to talk and whine; soon, the marionette runs away, and begins a life of mischievous adventures. The adventures of Pinocchio are considered a canonical piece of children's literature; they have inspired countless adaptations, such as Walt Disney's classic animation. It is one of the most translated and widely read works of literature ever written, and gave birth to popular pieces of wisdom such as a liar's long nose.

Alexander II was Emperor of Russia from 2 March 1855 until his assassination on 13 March 1881. He is remembered as Alexander the Liberator, as he led the emancipation of Russia's serfs; during his reign, he kept seeking peace, although the context of the surrounding countries was proving more and more difficult. Although he went down in history as a reformer, his actions were too little too late for the revolutionaries of late imperial Russia, who managed to assassinate him in 1881.

"Hop-o'-My-Thumb" (Hop-on-My-Thumb), or "Hop o' My Thumb", also known as "Little Thumbling" or "Little Poucet" is one of the eight fairytales published by Charles Perrault in "Histoires ou Contes du temps passé" (1697). "Hop-o'-My-Thumb" is the youngest of seven children in a poor woodcutter's family, and his greater wisdom compensates for his smallness of size. When the children are abandoned by their parents, he finds a variety of means to save his life and the lives of his brothers, eventually confronting a scary ogre.

The Sun King's reputation still stands on his reign, rich in art and literature, his brilliant court and invincible armies. He was in power for 72 years, the longest reign of any monarch in European history; he made France the leading European power, set up the lavish palace of Versailles to be sure the rebellious nobility would always be before his eyes, and consolidated a system of absolute monarchical rule in France that endured until the French Revolution.

Henry IV of France, also known as the "Good King Henry", was King of France from 1589 to 1610. Born a Catholic but raised a Protestant, he barely escaped assassination in the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, and later led Protestant forces against the royal army, before being called to the French succession upon the death of his cousin Henry III.

With its account of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, of the Apostles' ministries in the early church, letters about Christian doctrine and counsel, and the prophetic Book of Revelation, the New Testament contains the essence of Christianity and an endless source of inspiration. We have selected for you 110 essential quotes, to accompany you in your daily life, give you references for your discussions and food for your thought. These quotes provide a precious occasion of reflecting on the wisdom accumulated in these sacred pages.

Ali Baba is a poor woodcutter who discovers the secret of a thieves' den, entered with the phrase "Open Sesame". The thieves learn this and try to kill Ali Baba, but Ali Baba's faithful slave-girl foils their plots. Ali Baba gives his son to her in marriage and keeps the secret of the treasure. This story is included in many versions of the "One Thousand and One Nights". It is one of the most familiar of the "Arabian Nights" tales.

Marriage is a great source of humour, of inspiration for artists, intellectuals, philosophers, writers, painters, creators in general. Marriage is of course a great source of happiness, of self accomplishment, of stress, and sometimes of disappointment. Individuals may marry for several reasons, including legal, social, libidinal, emotional, financial, spiritual, and religious purposes. Whom they marry may be influenced by socially determined rules.

These are the 10 most famous fairy tales, the best classic stories for children.

The tale opens with the third and youngest son of a miller receiving his inheritance - a cat. At first, the youngest son laments, as the eldest brother gains the mill, and the middle brother gets the mules. The feline is no ordinary cat, however, but one who requests and receives a pair of boots.

Relaxation at work is the most effective tool to decrease tension and maintain productivity while preventing stress from taking its toll, health- and environment-wise. While it may not be possible to back off from a work commitment, you can easily learn to alleviate tension and keep a healthy level of energy with these simple and effective techniques.

Once upon a time, there lived a Sultan in the land of Persia, who had two beautiful children who grew up to be the Prince and Princess of Persia. One day during a celebration, an Indian approached the Sultan about an enchanted horse he owned that would take the Sultan anywhere he wished in a very short period of time. The Sultan, doubtful about the contraption, sent his son to investigate this horse. When the Prince mounted the horse, he quickly pressed the button that took him high into the air. Wishing to see the country of Bengal because he had never been there, he directed the horse towards that kingdom. He arrived in the dead of the night and landed directly over the Princess of Bengal's chambers at the palace.

The Drawing of the Sword, The Sword Excalibur, How the Round Table Began, The Story of Sir Balin, What Beaumains asked of the King, How Morgan Le Fay tried to kill King Arthur, The Passing of Merlin. Those 8 stories form the Arthurian literature (works about King Arthur, family, friends or enemies) are reinterpreting ancient Celtic myths as a profound spiritual fable. It recounts the arthurian fables and legends.

Fables and stories play an fundamental part in children's development. They use powerful imagery and symbols to entertain while conveying essential moral teachings; the stories ignite imagination, taking a firm root in children's minds, and gently initiate them to the essential moral principles of life. These moral tales and stories have been carefully selected for their wisdom and power of evocation: tales by Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Andersen, and various folktales for their elegance and morality, and fables by Jean de la Fontaine, the famous French poet, for their straight-to-the-point criticism of errors and the clarity of their teachings.

Hansel and Gretel are young children whose father is a woodcutter. When a great famine settles over the land, the woodcutter's abusive second wife decides to take the children into the woods and abandon them there so that she and her husband will not starve to death, because the children eat too much. The woodcutter opposes the plan but finally and reluctantly submits to his wife's scheme. They are unaware that in the children's bedroom, Hansel and Gretel have overheard them.

We have collected for you the best folktales ever written, from medieval English stories to the French fairy tales of Charles Perrault and the elegant Danish stories by Hans Christian Andersen. Enjoy these timeless gems, which had been handed down for centuries before being collected in writing, and shared for their wit, inventiveness and educational value.

Once upon a time, when the Queen gave birth to a baby princess, Angels came down and gave the infant blessings. However one evil Angel set a curse that would make the princess prick her finger on a spindle of a spinning wheel and die. Another Angel set a magic on the princess that she would sleep, instead of dying, for a hundred years until a prince comes and awakes her from her sleep. At the age of 16, the princess gets her finger pricked by the sprindle, and falls asleep. After 100 years, a prince hears about a beautiful princess sleeping in the castle...

We have collected for you the best fables and fairy tales ever written. This collection begins with tales from Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Perrault, two absolute masters of the genre, whose stories have been universally read ever since: "The Beauty and the Beast", "Cinderella", T"he Fairies", and "Hansel and Gretel". As for the fables, Jean de la Fontaine is the most famous French fabulist ever; he was recognized as one of the foremost men of letters of France, and his Fables are still learned by every child as an essential part of moral culture.

All Henry VI "The Mad" ever wanted was peace. But everything kept going to hell around him, till his mind broke from the pressure of having to rule two kingdoms, wage a war, and survive countless cabals all the while having not a single clue how rulership worked. Henry VI was thrown into power at the tender age of nine months, and kept being let down by everyone around him, while he struggled to understand what was going on.